Two Planets

-10-

The Prince sent me a formal cursive handwritten note to meet up outside of the castle grounds this afternoon, into the outside world for some fresh air in perhaps a lush garden or a valley somewhere outdoors. I decided to come a bit earlier since I still had some time to spare.

Across the main hall to the castle entrance, a silhouette of a tall man and a short woman was visible in the distance. What sounded like echoes of whispers, laughter and banter can be heard in the distance. It sounded like Darien's voice and... The Princess? The tall shadow held onto the woman's hand and appeared to have kissed it tenderly. How could I be so naïve and silly to believe that someone like him only had room for me? Does he even love me?

That was how men were like, Leyli used to say. They'd toy with you and your feelings when they want something and once they were done with you, you become nothing to them, like you never existed. That's why I prefer to be with a girl, as she would know how it feels to be thrown away like worthless rags where I came from.

My hands tensed up; I felt the note on my hand crinkle into a crushed ball.

That can't be true, I was special like he said. But, what if my doubts were true? Edith told me to trust my gut, but how can I trust it if it kept giving me mixed signals about him, almost like I didn't even know what or how to feel about him? Did I even know him as a person? He's just a Prince with a King for a father; he was a person who liked books, was resourceful and enjoyed gaining as much valuable information about others as possible. Maybe that was why I barely know much about what goes on when he was not around me. Perhaps this is what he was doing while I'm with my friends.

From the distinguishable tight curls to the strong, tall build, I knew it was them, and I knew that I will address it one way or another.

I tried to tiptoe as lightly and as slowly as I could to catch a glimpse of what was going on, but the silhouettes disappeared as if nothing ever happened. I heard a cold, monotone voice call out my name. I turn to see who it was. Not her, again.

"Are you going off somewhere?" asks Anika, with her usual expressionless face.

"Yes, I'm about to leave,"

"Why?" she persists. "Also, did you see something?"

"No! Well, yes, but it's none of your business, okay?" I felt guilty for the way I quickly shouted out those words and so I added "I'm sorry for the way I just acted, I get a bit impulsive at times,"

"No, don't apologise, I do too. I did walk up to you on impulse,"

"I don't think it hurts to accept my apology, that is if you do feel like accepting it,"

"Right, then I accept your apology,"

Why is she so neutral and nonchalant about everything? Her face barely moved when she spoke. Even her blinking seemed to be robotic, automatic and entirely artificial.

"I have to go, Anika. I have some plans that I don't want to be late to,"

"Alright,"

And so, she just watches me like a statue as I turn in the direction of the castle entrance.

*****

I still walked along the archway and looked at the view. The outdoors was filled with greenery but darkened by the cloudy sky and covered by the mist. It felt moist, wet and cold. What are the other secrets that the mist was hiding? It can't hide Darien's dirty truth for long, though.

What was I thinking? He said that we were different. He was just being nice to Alyssa, he didn't mean any of it to her. Our connection was special; I was just being envious and projecting my insecurities as a commoner - an estranged servant. But then I saw the same lines of their silhouettes close to one another again.