"What do you think they're talking about?" Keena asked as she looked around my room. There were clothes and shoes everywhere, the bed was messy and unmade, and the curtains hadn't been pulled back in probably a year.
"You don't clean, do you?"
I gave her a 'duh' look and pulled a shirt on. "Nope. Never had a reason to so I just leave it like it is."
"But don't you have workers that'll-"
"I don't like people touching my things."
She just nodded and drew her hand back from the curtains. "Sorry.."
"It's alright. You can pull them back if you want. Sorry in advance for all of the dust that's going to come out."
She smiled and started pulling. Not even two seconds later, dust piled everywhere and filled the room up. "Seriously?! This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! I'm going to clean this room." She coughed out and ran away from the windows, making me burst out laughing.
"I told you sorry in advance! It's not my fault I don't like the light to shine in here."
"Why not?"
"For one, it wakes me up at the crack of dawn each morning when they're open and two, there hasn't really been any sunny things happening in my life recently so...the curtains block out everything."
She nodded and sat down beside me on the bed. "I understand that. My life has been the same way since we moved down here from my home country. Everyone was getting evicted because of some virus that was spreading and they thought that everyone in my village contracted it because one person had it so we all had to leave. Everything we ever owned was burned to the ground and we weren't allowed to take anything with us when we moved."
I took her in my arms and hugged her. "I'm sorry...why didn't you tell us? Where are you living now?"
"Well, my people are all living together in this shack on the eastern side of the kingdom. We all couldn't afford homes or clothes so we had to find the next best thing. My grandma makes all of our clothes from different skins and fabrics that she finds around the city."
In my eyes, no one should have to live like this and I bet Taz has no idea what's going on within their people because they're on the east side of the kingdom.
"No one should have to go through what you're going through right now...I'm so sorry."
She nodded and pulled away from me. "It's alright. Really. I make a little money to help out with food and stuff so we're okay."
"For now. Then what happens when that money runs out?"
Keena shrugged and I could tell she was holding back tears. This must be a sensitive topic for her. "Who knows? But don't worry about it. You have bigger things to worry about ahead of you and me just adding on won't do you any justice."
"No, what you just told me...I get. In some weird way, I understand how you feel because they're my people too. Once you crossed that line and entered our kingdom, you were apart of this civilization. Some may have a problem with it but the way I see it? Everyone in this kingdom are our people. They may not be royals but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be treated with respect."
I rose to my feet and headed off towards the door.
"Where are you going?" She asked and started to follow behind me.
"Stay here, I'll return."
***
I walked to Taz's chamber and knocked on the door.
I heard stumbling coming from the other side of the door and then it was jerked open with my hand still in the air, ready to knock again.
"What?!" He whisper yelled. His hair was tied up and he had nothing but a sheet covering him.
"Oh thank god you're covered up." I sighed and stepped back. "We have to go."
He looked at me like I was speaking another language or something and gripped the door a little tighter. "What do you mean we have to go? Where are we going?"
"Moving on up to the east side." I sang and did the little dance Mr. Jefferson does and he rolled his eyes.
"Justin if you don't-"
"No but seriously we have to go to the eastern side of the kingdom. Keena just told me about her people and how they're living and I don't like it. It's not fair that the people living on the east have to live in poverty."
"So why do you need me?" Taz asked and grinned. "You like her don't you?"
I stomped my foot and waved my hands in the air. "Shut up!" I whispered. "Tell the whole world why don't you? I need you because you're the king and they listen to you."
Taz moved his head side to side as if he was considering what I just said. "You absolutely need me to come though? I'm kind of in the middle of something..."
"Tazamunda, please. You know I don't ask you for much. This is really important to me and I don't want her to suffer if she doesn't have to."
"Where is she?"
"On my bed..." He gave me a funny look and I soon caught on to what I said. "Ok not like that!"
"Fine, lets go save the east side."
"Also, can I borrow a couple thousand?"
May as well ask while I'm ahead.
"Dollars?! Why?"
"Because I want to take her shopping for new clothes and I may or may not have spent all my money on beer and the banks are closed right now..."
Taz reached over for something and came back with a bag in his hand. "How do you know she even wants to buy new clothes?"
"She's a woman."
He counted out 1,000 in cash and handed it to me.
"Why do you carry around so much cash? You're going to get robbed one day."
He grinned and threw his bag back to wherever he got it from. "Let me get dressed and I'll meet you out front."
