Looking From Afar

Chapter two: Imprisonment

The children of the Nara danced throughout the night, unaware of the young servant watching them from the palace balcony. At first glance it would have been very hard to see Femi, as her black hair and plain white working dress allowed her to blend into her surroundings with the greatest of ease. She'd been watching them for what was soon to be two hours, having narrowly escaped the kitchens and fled to this one abandoned place she'd long ago claimed as her own.

The balcony part of a large bedroom that was supposedly for SETI I's daughter, however since her death the room had remained empty and Femi had made it her hide out. Many servants rumoured that it was cursed, yet despite their constant warnings to Femi, she paid their chatter no heed and continued to retreat to her balcony every night, to watch the Nara gypsy folk.

Many would assume that palace life was to be envied, but Femi knew different. She would have given anything, anything to trade places with one of the Nara. To know what it was to have a real family, not just a random assortment of individuals to work with day and night. It was her desperate longing for a life of love that drove her to this place every night. To watch the Nara from afar was a little prize at the end of everyday, that she would never fail to give herself.

Having watched them so often, she had begun to distinguish some individuals and thus, she had her favourites too. The dark haired man in the yellow ragged robes was undoubtedly the leader of their people, with his fair wife constantly shadowing him in whatever task he performed. Then there was their daughter, she was definitely one of Femi's favourites, with her ebony hair and bright blue eyes, like ice and skies combined together in one iris. Femi often followed her when she was sent to collect kitchen supply's from the market. This had only happened a few times, since she was unable to lift the majority of goods she had been sent to retrieve, but on the few rare occasions she had made sure to buy from a stall next to the young lady, it was here that she learned her name to be Tia.

It had been a baking hot day, just week ago when Femi had been sent out to the town to retrieve some dates for the kitchens cupboards. SETI I, had demanded them as a gift for his visitors, some long lost relations from neighbouring cities, coming to pay their respect for the upcoming remembrance of the princesses death. So there she was, standing at the nearest stall of date sellers she could find next to Tia and her group of fellow gypsies, desperately trying to remember how to haggle.

"That'll be five Egyptian pounds then my sweet" The stall host chirped, scooping up a handful of dates and emptying them into a wicker basket.

"I'm afraid Sir I am not as naive as you seem to suspect." She whispered. " I know you are overcharging me, dates are common at this time of year and you would do well to remember that the palace does not take well to having their money squandered on over charging tradesmen."

"Well now here I thought I was talking to a fair lady!" He exclaimed, his face growing a darker shade of red with every word.

"Work for that dammed Emperor and you wish to save HIM money!" He screeched, thrusting his face into to hers in his heated exclamation.

Unknown to her, this display had caught Tia's attention. Smiling to herself, she gathered her dress in her arms, rose to her feet and began to walk over to the seller and a very small looking Femi.

"Oh Nefuru give it a rest!" She ordered, a charming grin plastered across her face revealing that she meant no unkindness to the seller. She turned to Femi.

"That was a good argument you out up there, well, until you got shouted at." She complimented. She turned to the man who had calmed down since her arrival, and gave him a pointed look.

"Nef, she will take the dates for 3 pounds and no more! As many times as the palace has not seen eye to eye with us, that gives us no right to take up a heated argument with those who work under it's influence. Especially not over dates!" She chastised half heartedly, giving the bag of dates to Femi and a pat on the back to Nefuru.

"Tia..." He mumbled, but in a flick of blue and swish of beads, she was gone.