The Servant Queen

His Voice

Ani

"He told me his name is Kei. Not Oliver," I said. "We were friends. He wouldn't lie."

"Hm. I assume that you don't think that you lied to him that you were a servant," Akkey said.

"I–" I then realized that I had no excuse. I turned away from him. What am I doing...being a hypocrite.

"Ani, you have to understand: Oliver was hated by many when he was just a child," Akkey said.

Somehow—deep down—I wasn't surprised. I already knew that.

When I was seven, I met Kei the day he had chased after some kids who stole his locket and threw it in the river.

"Most of the villagers knew Oliver's name. They ostracized him because he caught the city hall on fire—accidentally. Many were burned alive because of him. It broke him to pieces for the event of and the aftershock. No one accepted him. You were the only one he knew that didn't know his past. Because of that, you temporarily held his shattered shells together. He didn't take any chances of you finding out his stained identity so he called himself Kei, the nickname of a very popular kid his age, who you know currently as Keith Plizge."

I recalled only a how only a few days ago, Oliver stood in front of me while his gold locket reflected the light of the rising sun coming from his large window while my back was pressed against the wall. Oliver had reached out and touched the edge of my mask with the edge of his pale fingers as if he was about to take it off, but didn't.

If I see your face, I might...stop you from going myself, Oliver had said solemnly the day I left with Walter.

My heart started racing. That's what he meant. Why hadn't I noticed it? Why didn't recognize his face? That same pained expression.

"He was more talkative when he was a child. He use to tell me all about you. Of course, I didn't know you were servant," Akkey said. He scratched his neck. "You were... in love with him when you were a kid. Am I right?"

My face was hot in embarrassment as he watched my reaction.

It wasn't fair that he saw my feelings so explicitly in front of him while he hid his face behind that wooden, white mask.

"He's not the same person you know," Akkey said. "Being friends in the past doesn't guarantee that you're friends in the present. I advise you to not lead your life holding onto the past that's already dead, Ani."

I watched the Towers walking in front of us. I realized that Oliver wasn't among them.

"Because, you'll only be disappointed by it," he concluded.

Akkey had hazel eyes that always wandered around searching for any possible danger. I could see them through the small holes of his mask. He had a tall stature, maybe taller than Walter. He wore the same dark green cloak that I saw him for the first time. His hood was down and showed his black, unruly wavy hair.

I nodded slightly. He was right. As much as I would like to disagree, he was right.

A blur flew past me and went inside Akkey's hood.

"Did you find it, Neo?" Akkey asked.

"Yep! It's as big and extravagant as the miss described," Neo said.

"Be her guide and return," Akkey said.

He picked up Neo with between his two fingers and placed him on my shoulder, partially hiding in my hair.