MY QUEEN

Chapter 3: Connecting

Elena sat on the bench for a while after Kai left, listening to the sounds of the town winding down for the evening. She tapped her cane lightly against the ground, feeling the rhythm in her fingers. It had been a strange few days, constantly bumping into that quiet stranger. Kai. His name echoed in her mind, though she barely knew him.

She didn’t need sight to know that Kai wasn’t like the others in town. He was different, not just in how he moved but in how he felt. His presence was strong, almost overwhelming, yet he never stayed long enough for her to ask more. People usually spoke too much around her, trying to fill the silence, but Kai didn’t. And somehow, she liked that.

Elena stood up from the bench and began making her way back home, her cane tapping softly along the familiar path. She’d lived in this town for years, ever since she lost her sight. At first, it had been a refuge—a place where she could learn to live in the dark without too many prying eyes. But lately, she had been feeling more alone. People were kind, but they tiptoed around her, afraid of saying the wrong thing, treating her like glass.

But Kai... he didn’t treat her like that. He didn’t act like she was fragile or in need of saving. He was quiet, almost distant, but in a way that made her curious. She couldn’t see his face, but there was something about the way he spoke, the way he moved, that felt... heavy. Like he was carrying a weight of his own.

As she walked, her mind wandered back to their brief conversation. He’d said something that stuck with her: “I guess we all have things we hide.” She wondered what Kai was hiding. He didn’t seem like someone who shared easily, but Elena had always been good at feeling things about people. Even if she couldn’t see them, she could sense their emotions, their intentions. And with Kai, there was something dark, something he was keeping locked away.

Elena reached her small cottage at the edge of town and paused at the door, her hand resting on the wood. She thought about inviting him over one day, just to talk, to understand him better. He was guarded, but maybe if she gave him time, he’d open up. Something about him made her want to know more.

She went inside, closing the door behind her and letting the quiet of her home settle around her. Sitting down at her kitchen table, she traced her fingers over the wood, listening to the soft hum of the world outside. She had learned to rely on sound, touch, and the feel of the air around her. But tonight, the silence felt heavier than usual.

As Elena sat there, she wondered if Kai felt the same way—alone, even in a crowd. She smiled to herself. Maybe they were more alike than she thought.

Tomorrow, she’d go for a walk again. Maybe this time, she wouldn’t have to bump into Kai to start a conversation.

The following morning, Elena decided to change her usual routine. She left her house earlier than normal, the cool air brushing against her skin as she followed the familiar path toward town. Her cane tapped rhythmically as she moved, but her mind was elsewhere—on Kai. She wondered if he was out there somewhere, just as restless as she was.

As she neared the town square, the sounds of people bustling around filled her ears. She could hear the faint chatter of the market setting up, the clatter of carts, and the soft shuffle of feet passing by. Elena paused for a moment, listening, trying to pick out the sound of footsteps that felt familiar.

She didn’t know what she was expecting, but a part of her hoped she might run into Kai again—or maybe not run into him, but at least see him, or... well, talk to him. There was something about him that kept pulling her back, a mystery she couldn’t quite grasp.

As she stood there, lost in thought, she suddenly heard those same quiet, deliberate footsteps she had come to recognize. A small smile touched her lips as she turned her head in the direction of the sound.