Beyond The Walls

Chapter 16. Getting Deeper

Elide (v)

To suppress; omit, ignore, or pass over

Cherie's POV

Rabiah and I walk out the door to be met with biting wind. If it's already cold now, it's going to reach freezing temperatures once we're in the middle of the storm.

"Can I know about about your King?" Rabiah asks as we make our way to her house.

"What would you like to know?" I smile at her.

Her reddened lips curl upwards, matching my smile, "what kind of rules must you follow?"

So many. Too many.

"Well, we have a lot of laws. King Cassius picks out who marries who, he decides on if you can bare a child and if you have more than one he get to decide if you can keep it or not, we can't do anything sinful which means we can't drink, dance, deny the King and Queen, and so much more."

She shakes her head with a small shrug of her mouth, "it's sounds," she pauses as she tries to find the right words, "robotic and sad."

It is quite sad. We can't be who we want, we have to be who we're told to be and we can't have pleasures unless they are approved.

Once we get to her smaller home, we walk inside. Other than a fireplace and a bed, it's quite empty.

"Here." Rabiah hands me a basket filled with leaves and herbs while she lifts up two large looking birds.

They are beautifully colored with a red head and neck and feathers that range from white, black, and brown nearer the tail end.

"What animal is that?"

She lifts it closer to me, "a turkey, you've never had one?"

I shake my head, feeling the feathers on my fingertips.

"Well, you're in for a treat then." She states as she gestures towards the door.

We try to speed walk back to Zuko's house before the storm moved closer but we are too late. About halfway there, the rain begins to pour down.

"Shit! Run!" Rabiah laughs as she picks up the pace.

I can't help but let out a few laughs as I try to keep up with her. I almost fall a few times, but luckily I don't. If I did, I'd be all muddy and need a bath.

We almost fall through the doorway though, which only make us laugh more.

Zuko and Bakkhos stand there, staring at us as we drip rain water onto the floor.

"Not the kind of wet you imagined her to be?" Rabiah chimes as she struts past them.

"Trust me, she'll be just as wet." Bakkhos comments as he walks towards me.

Does he plan on taking me swimming? I used to love swimming when I was younger.

Cold chills roll through my body, the wet clothes hold the cold air a lot easier than dry clothes do. I can even see the goosebumps on my arms.

Bakkhos takes the basket out of my hands and follows Rabiah to the fire.

I feel eyes on me, I can already cross out Rabiah and Bakkhos because they are conversing with each other so that just leaves Zuko.