Debt of Skin

Three: The Beloved Princess with a Swaddled Bundle of Joy

Every hour passed agonizingly slow. As if time itself was in on the sick joke, wanting to join in on the fun of torturing them. The longer they were there, the more irritable they both became. Even Kaliya was growing annoyed with Mahe's reluctance to make amends. He couldn't decide if he wanted to egg Mahe on further, or actually try to reconcile their long lost kinship.

He recalled Mahe's first day in the Palace. He seemed more like a ghost than a small child, eyes bleary and voice always in a low whisper. Kaliya found him fascinating ever since, and it was only made more so as they grew older. Even when Mahe concluded that he hated Kaliya. Even when Kaliya made that hatred worse. No matter what, he would never be intrigued in the same way by another.

Now they remained locked up, Mahe resting his head against the wall with his eyes softly shut. Kaliya was staring at him. It seemed to be the only way he passed the time, even though Mahe insisted that he knock it off. Kaliya didn't listen. It was in his nature not to.

He seared the image of that man into his brain like a branding. Mahe's long blonde hair streaked with brown, tied neatly into a perfectly symmetrical braid despite their circumstances. The thick waves always trying their damndest to escape the knot, but somehow never managing to. His straight nose, thin lips, full eyelashes that were paler than most of his hair. He had an ethereal sort of beauty.

Mahe could feel that impending gaze. It didn't seem to divert no matter what he said or did, so he was simply trying his best to ignore it like the plague. So what if Kaliya thought it was entertaining to stare? That was not any of Mahe's business.

He refused to show just how much it was bothering him and instead used this opportunity to think about what he needed to do once he was released from this cell. He needed to talk with Emelo about the artifacts that were destroyed. He needed to see if Adain ever finished that novel he lent. Did Safiya finish practicing sewing on those torn pants Mahe had? Was King Xiane swamped with guilt over his decision? Who was looking after Tum while he was gone? Would the little bunny miss him?

As he lamented over all that he longed to do, footsteps began to echo against the stone floors. Mahe immediately opened his eyes, ignored Kaliya still gazing at him, and went to stand at the door. Peering through the bars, Mahe could see a guard heading their way with two trays of food. He deflated a bit at the sight. They were brought food three times per day, and it was the only vaguely interesting thing that happened. He could only hope that it would have been something else.

Their current schedules were unbelievably productive. Wake up, be disheartened at the fact that they are still locked up, get angry when they first see each other, Kaliya attempts some conversation, breakfast, argument, silence, lunch, argument, Kaliya wants to play a game, Mahe decides to meditate, Kaliya grows restless, dinner, argument, then a particularly explosive disagreement to end the day. Rinse and repeat. They were currently at the lunch phase.

"Here's your food." The guard muttered once he was nearby. Mahe didn't recognize the man, he must have been new to the shift.

Smiling kindly, Mahe stepped aside to make it easier for the man to slide the trays into the cell through the opening at the bottom, "Thank you."

However, before he could even get within reasonable distance, the guard haphazardly shoved a tray inside. It slid into the side of Mahe's boot which caused a bowl of rice to tip over and scatter.

Startled, Mahe quickly apologized as he crouched down to clean up the mess, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been in the way."

"It's in your nature." The guard replied under his breath, not even making eye contact nor waiting for Mahe to move before doing the same thing with the next tray. Naturally, it barely slid into the cell due to the other already being in the way. The two trays bumped against each other, and by some miracle, Kaliya appeared at Mahe's side and steadied the other rice bowl before it could create a mess of its own.