chpter 9 : forgiveness

It felt like a dream to Abby.
One minute she was having a chat with her dear mother Geraldine & the next, she was being dragged - rather roughly - into a dark corner by none other than James.
Mother didn't mind, of course. Everyone knew that Mrs. Geraldine loved all the children - from her bloodline or not - & she respected their affairs of the heart.
Which was how Abby found herself being stared down at by James in an isolated corner of... The stable? On top of it all she was missing her awaited & well-deserved dinner.

That bit didn't feel like a dream. It started off as a nightmare, really.

But after she & James had a hushed conversation - if the word was even in the right context.
Abby didn't manage to say a word (except for inquiring where her brother was to which James assured her that it was fine, Adam was seen going to the Hills). & even when she did, James did not allow it.

He just kept going & on as if the end of the world was coming tomorrow!
At first, Abby couldn't make out what he was saying - about opening someone's eyes by not telling lies ('Why do the words sound so familiar?' Abby wondered).

Then, it became clearer.
James then began talking about blooming flowers & hail storms...
It was as if he had rehearsed the speech.

But the look in his eyes - which, at the time, were a shade of the ocean during a thunderstorm, in Abby's opinion - was genuine.
It was real.
It was something she was confident that that was... Just for her.

"W-what are you trying to say, James?" Abby managed to stutter after he had come to a halt (or out of breath).
"I am saying that... I have made an ass of myself & I would wish for us to... Be friends," he said.

At that minute, Abby wished that the ground would open, giving her an option to go inside the hole.
She knew that it was a very noble thing for someone - a man, especially - to apologize. But those were not exactly the words she would want to hear after the graciously practiced speech.

She knew that remaining friends with James was just not enough for her.

All of her life Abby had never spoken up for herself. Her headmistress of the school would serve a whip every time a girl would even dare to contradict the higher authorities.
"Geishas were meant to please," the headmistress would say every time, drilling the very phrase into the minds.

But then, standing there with James by her side in a secluded corner, Abby could not remain silent.
"No," she said softly (although she may have taken a stand, she could not just yell the answer!)

James' heart stopped beating. "No?"
"No," Abby said once more. "I do not wish us to be friends."
A beat passed. "You do not?"

She took a step forward. "I want to be more than friends."
Whatever reaction Abby was hoping for, James' expression was not one of it.
A wide grin slowly spread across his (handsome) face & his eyes lit up.

"Well. That is a relief." he said, his voice seemingly deeper.
"Is it?" she said.

It was turning into a game, Abby thought excitedly.

He took a step forward & by then, the two were practically nose-to-nose... Or if the case may be, eyes-to-neck.

"It is," James said with a grim nod.
There were no words after that.





Meanwhile, Anna still had a burden weighing on her shoulders.
"Take in a deep breath, Anna. You can do this. May Lord be with you," she said to herself.

As she walked her way towards the stable, she recalled back the earlier hours she spent with one of her dearest friends, Amy.

"I am sure that Adam would accept you," Amy said as she made her bed.

By then, the two had made an armistice & accepted one another's apologies ("I am sorry for ignoring you, Amy." "I am sorry for having myself drunken, Anna.")

Anna shot her mistress a skeptical glance across the bed.
"Now you know what I have to endure, my friend," Amy muttered as she smoothen the crease at the bottom of her bed.
"But I speak the truth! Whereas your words are for my mere comfort," Anna said.
Amy let out a weary sigh & said, "Whatever you say, Anna. Only the Lord knows the truth."
"Thank you, miss." Anna gave a little curtsy & found a pillow thrown harshly onto her face.

She smiled to herself. Such memories really could be weighed in as gold.

As Anna reached the stable door, she heard ruffling noises & abnormally loud breathing.
The first thought that came to mind was that Adam had found another woman.

But after all those incidents she had had with Adam, Anna had learned not to jump to conclusions.
Instead, she took in a deep breath, knocked on the door & went into the stables.

Instantly, she regretted it.
There she saw her best friend, Abby next to James, her arms around his neck, his arms around her waist.
Anna felt odd - she felt happy for the new couple but she was also mentally disturbed from witnessing the after-scene of Abby & James doing...

Well. Doing something she really wished she did not see.

"Adam is at the Hills, Anna," Abby said as she recovered from her previous (ahem) engagement. Anna noticed that Abby's Japanese accent was heavily slurring her words.
"Oh. Well, thank you," Anna headed the door but before she went out, she quickly said to the flushed James, "Thank you."

As the stables door closed & the sound of Anna's footsteps were already harsh whispers, Abby faced James & demanded, "Why did Anna thank you twice?"
"Because... I've finally listened to her," he said rather sheepishly.
"Oh."





The mere scent of foals was overwhelming for Anna. The moment she entered the stables, tears were threatening to spill from her eyes (the smell was the cause, not the... 'Scene').
She could not remember the last time she had stopped by the stables to have a chat with Adam.
Anna could not even remember how they had met - which was troubling because before all those silly dramatics, Anna would repeat that moment a thousand times over in her head. Lord knows!

She was running towards the sacred Hills as fast as her legs could carry her.
Anna dared not yell out his name, in fear that he might run away.
When she (finally) reached the foot of the Hills, Anna thought that her breath might be taken away - she had caught sight of a dark silhouette standing alone, his back facing her.

Anna longed to run & cling to Adam's arm or maybe even play with his hair, which was badly in need of a trim.
She yearned for so much...

As Anna walked towards the figure, Anna caught Adam's familiar scent - a faint whiff of foals mixed with a bar of clean soap.
"Not throwing pebbles?" Anna asked offhandedly as she reached his side.
Adam looked down in surprise. It felt as if it had been three whole seasons since Anna said a word to him, let alone give him her (wonderful) smile.

He did not know whether it was a game to test his patience (& temper) or perhaps she was about to tell him that she was about to marry her beloved James.
But Adam decided to play along with her... & he knew that he could never rudely brush Anna off.
"I couldn't find any," he said quietly, focusing his attention to the Lake.
"Would you like to know a secret?" Anna asked mischievously.

Adam groaned inwardly & began praying to his Lord. He knew that she was going to flaunt her engagement ring any moment...

But instead of staring at a rock on Anna's finger, he saw her pointing at a particular side of the Lake.
"There are many pebbles stored at the side there. It was said that the sphinx statue would come to life & quietly hide the pebbles for those who were in true need of wishes," Anna said.
"Is that so?" Adam asked & looked down at her.
She nodded her head solemnly & - Lord help him - a smile crept upon his face.

But as Adam realized that he was dangerously close to surrendering the silent war, he abruptly said, "What do you want, Anna?"
He felt Anna stiffened. She knew it would not be easy. She should know it would not be easy. "Regarding of what you said to me during our last encounter... I honestly had thought that James had given up on me." She paused when Adam stopped walking to give her a curious yet murderous glance. "His feelings were not real," she assured him. "He was merely confused."

Just like that, everything came pouring out - explanations of his (& her) behavior, their relationship, their history. Everything.
Or nearly everything. She did not dare inform him about her recent discovery in the stables.
After that, Anna was felt a strange ease when she heard Adam let out a muffled swear while running his hand through his scruffy hair.

"Lord... There is no wonder why you were in such distress," Adam finally said.
Anna felt uncomfortable. She decided to change the subject. "We're here."

The two looked around & saw an equally beautiful scenery at the south side of the Lake. As Anna said, there were more pebbles there.
Adam scooped a handful of the stones. Some were round, some square, some oval... Most of the pebbles had a sleek surface whereas the others had a slightly rough cover.

The stone he had was an oval pebble that fit nicely in his palm. He let out a sigh.
"& Adam?" Anna called out.
"Hm?"
"I'm just... I'm sorry for not listening to you. When you were trying to explain to me about the other night. I was just so..."

'So what?' Anna thought to herself. 'Hurt? Dejected? Betrayed?'
No. It was not the time to reveal those things. It was too intimate.
She'll tell him when the time is right.
Or maybe never.

"What I'm trying to say is that," she took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry. You would never lie."
Adam found himself grinning. It was not because of Anna's sincerity but because he found it amusing to find her in such discomfort.
Was it really that hard to apologize?

He decided that if Anna could accept the fact, then he should be man enough to do it too.
"Thank you, Anna."
"What ever for?" she asked, perplexed.
"For making the first move."

They stared at each other for a while. Anna shivered, which was rather odd because the weather was not the least cold.
Adam bent down & leaned in so closely that she could feel his breath on her lips.

"I think it's getting late. We better be going," Adam said & got up abruptly.
Anna nodded, her head feeling heavy with disappointment. "We should."








The following day, Amy called her friends up into her chamber for a celebration.
She was ecstatic after hearing the good news (about James finally coming to his senses & the 'silly' feud between Anna & Adam was over) & decided to commemorate the account.

Amy, Abby & Anna had a secret feast of bread & wine, which Anna snuck from the pantry. After cleaning up, Abby & Anna went off to finish their duties, leaving Amy behind.
She could not follow her two friends because of her uncle's new orders.
"You shouldn't join the servants crew, niece. It is unheard of! You would be the laughing stock of your generation! Imagine, being in the company of the lowlifes. I forbid you to be present in the same room of those good-for-nothings!" Master Zeddy boomed.

Amy's response was nothing but a bow of her head (only to hide her scowl, not to show her respect).

She kneeled at her bedside to open the box underneath her bed. Amy felt her eyes getting wet but she forced herself to hold back the tears.
'He does not deserve this,' she thought to herself as she eyed the moisture on her fingertips. 'How could he abandon me? How could he abandon his own village? What ruler would do such a thing?'

Amy coughed as the dust rose from the lid of the box. The letters were crisp & a little moist from the humid weather.
She wanted to burn them all but couldn't.

She just did not have the will to do so. All those letters... That was the only gifts she had received from him.
Those were the only memories she could get ahold of.
& now... Now he was engaged to be married to some blue-blooded woman & was missing!

Does he not care? she thought furiously. Does he not care how he worries other people? How could he be so selfish? Thinking only of himself.

An hour passed & a knock was heard on the door.
"Miss?" a lady said.
"Come in."
"Miss, your uncle requests for your presence."

Amy suppressed a curse in her mouth.

Before the maid closed the door, she hastily added, "Please do be quick. There is also a visitor waiting."
"A visitor?"

Her heart leaped. It couldn't be her friends from her former life. They would not even remember her by now...
So could it be...?

She decided not to risk herself hoping. She would certainly cry if she found herself disappointed.









"Ah! There's my beautiful young niece! Come in, come in!" her uncle Zeddy's voice thundered.
'Do not need to yell, Uncle. You may be deaf, but the rest of us aren't,' Amy thought bitterly.

But she was instantly suspicious. It was a rare occasion for her pompous uncle to think of anyone but himself (& his wife, if he remembered), let alone compliment.
What was he up to? she thought.

A young man stood up from the chair & bowed to Amy. He took her right hand & placed a gentle kiss upon it.
"My lady," he murmured.

Amy flustered. He was certainly good-looking with his clean blonde hair & sparkling blue eyes.
He was also quite tall - an inch taller than Jeffer, she assumed.
& he was certainly quite a gentleman.

The young man sat across Amy & beside Master Zeddy.
Master Zeddy was smiling from ear to ear. Amy was so distracted by the devastating good looks of the stranger that she completely forgotten her suspicions of her uncle's odd manners.

"Ah, yes. Shall I make the introductions? This is my niece, Amy Shari," her uncle said slowly & politely.
'Yes, yes. Get on with it. We all know my name,' Amy thought hotly. She was impatient to find out the charming young man's name.
"She was every bit as beautiful as you claimed her to be, sir," the stranger said.
Amy found her face heating up with pleasure. She supposed it would be alright if her uncle kept stalling with his snail-pace...

"& this is my colleague's son, Edmund Cadathy."
"Charmed," Edmund said with a bow of his head & a smile on his lips.
"I'm sure," Amy batted her eyelashes.






"Anna, Abby, Adam & James, this is Edmund," Amy said as she held onto Edmund's arm.
Edmund kissed the two girls' hands & gave a nod of acknowledgement to the two boys.

"So you'd be visiting Amy daily, you say?" Anna asked, curious.
"Yes, I am. Though the distance is more than three miles, it really is worth the journey," Edmund said as he looked down at Amy.
She blushed some more.

As the 'pair' walked away, Anna said, "I do not trust the man."
"But he is very good looking! How can one not approve? & this is probably the best for Amy. She could not just wait for the Pharaoh her whole life." Abby said as she clung onto James' arm.
"Although I have to say, Edmund does give an odd aura," Adam said & walked to Anna's side (whose face had a sudden faint red appearing on her cheeks).

The foursome decided to leave it at that. A few minutes later, Abby & James went to do a few chores, leaving Anna & Adam behind.
There was a barrier of silence between the two until Anna suddenly said, "I disapprove of this. We, Adam, are going to keep an eye on this Edmund."

With that, she excused herself to finish the sewing, leaving a very alarmed Adam behind.

chpter 8 : awakening

It had seemed impossible that Anna had worked non-stop for the past 48 hours, with the occasional break.
She had done everything to make Madame Geraldine proud - scrubbed the floors, dried the laundry.

At one point, she had even made a go with the sewing - & everyone knew how much she had loathed sewing.

"Egads, you aren't a slave, Anna. You do realise that, don't you?" James commented one day as he watched her friend find a queer ingredient in the pantry.
"Yes, but I have found out that if one feels empty. what other cure than to work, work & work?" Anna replied, climbing down a ladder.
"But not to this level!" James said exasperatedly.

He walked towards Anna & dragged her down from running to Madame Geralding, handing another jar of pickled chili.

"Just... Tell me. Let it all out, Anna. If you let it in, you would never feel better. No matter how much you have worked, you'll never feel better." James said, tugging at Anna's sleeves.
Anna sighed.

She was touched that her true friend was worried but she did not want to be weighed down.
She had a little left of energy buzzing within her but she decided to let it be for a while.

The sewing could wait.







"So, what is it that you want me to say, James? That I've forgotten his name? Oh, or how he looks like? Is that what you ask of me? To forget him?" Anna spat as soon as she dragged James to a shady corner.
"Anna... What is it? You seem to be a little... Waspish may be a suitable word here." James said.
"Of course I am waspish! After seeing him with another woman, my other best friend & him being pettish with me, surely one would be excused for one's testiness." Anna said exasperatedly.

James thought best to keep silent.

"Do you even know what he said to me, James? He told me that I was the cruel one. That I feign ignorance towards you & your feelings." Anna said after a moment of stillness.
"You do." James said quietly.
"Because I had to, James! If I do not, I would end up hurting you even more than this." she said in a descending tone.

Another moment of quietness passed.

They both were debating on who was going to begin the conversation - he or she?

James opened his mouth after deciding what best to say.
Amy did not know what to expect from James' mouth - maybe he would agree, to finally give up on her.

Or maybe something else.

She did not know. She never knew if not for Madame Geraldine calling for James' assistance with a heavy load directly from Japan.

"I'm coming, Madame." he said instead.

& just like Adam did, he left Anna alone.









Amy, for once, was in a blunder, not just in the raging war of her friends, but also in a personal one between her & (Pharaoh) Jeffer.
Usually they would both write letters to one another.
Occasionally they would both meet up at the Sacred Garden during every full moon.

Yes, she knew he was missing.
That was the most worrying bit.

But she could not help but to laugh when a companion tells her that it was because of her during that scandalous moment at the last ball.

Inasmuch if that was true, that would mean that Jeffer had feelings for her!

'Oh, ha, what a laugh. How I would wish that was true,' she thought as she rolled her eyes at her companions.

Pushing the matters aside, she & Anna had not spoken for days, but what felt like weeks.

She really could not put up this silent feud she & her friend were having.
She decided that, once the two meet, she would put a stop to it all.






"Oh, I'm sorry!" Amy said as she accidentally (deliberately) bumped into Anna as she carried the laundry from the hangers.
"It's okay." Anna mumbled while picking up the fresh but dirty clothes.
Amy helped out & tried to reach out for Anna's hand, who only moved farther away.

"Anna, I can't stand it anymore! You should say something to me that at least contains more than five words!" Amy said, frustrated.

Anna kept quiet & continued attending to the laundry.
After completing the task of putting the dirty laundry into the woven basket, she carried it all the way back to the head of the lavendry, Mrs Jilah to return it, while carefully nodding at what Amy was saying to her, even though she was not actually listening.

"Anna! Listen to me," Amy said, nearly pleadingly.
Anna turned around & Amy stepped back, intimidated by the sharpness of her friend's glare.

Normally, there would be humor & warmth deep within her friend's eyes but then.

Then, there was only coldness, sadness...
Something that made Amy long to soothe her friend, to tell her that everything was going to be alright.

"I'm listening." Anna said quietly, clasping her hands together to ignore the pain bubbling inside of her.
"Anna, I know you still have not forgiven me for my inexcusable behavior with... With Adam. I did not intend to cause any harm for I was so intoxicated with the liquor." Amy said lamely.

Amy managed to restrain herself from stealing a quick glance at her dear friend's face, her expression.
All that she could do was merely wondering what her friend was thinking as she attempted to explain the true scenario the previous night.

"But that does not mean that you can pay no heed to Adam. He did not do anything infelicitous. It was only I & I alone. He was merely a victim during my pathetic hour." Amy said, feeling the loss of her last shred of dignity.

Anna finally looked up from the green grass & to her friend.
What she saw, Amy did not realise, was true sincerity, regret.

Everything that could induce Anna that truly she should not act cold towards Adam.

"I forgive you." Anna said & smiled as a wide smile spread across Amy's face.
She smiled even wider when Amy had jumped up & hugged her tightly, but oblivious toward the tears flowing from her friend's eyes.

But the moment quickly disappeared as soon as it had appeared when Amy took a step away & said, "You may forgive me... But do you forgive him?"
Anna kept quiet & thought to herself.

Did she forgive him?

No, a small part of her thought. Not yet.
But a bigger part of her screamed, Yes. Yes...

"But he did not do anything wrong." Anna said, feigning ignorance.
"That's better." Amy smiled & hugged her friend again.









At the exact same moment, a young man was found sitting at the foot of the Hills, a few feet away from the sacred lake next to a young lady in silence.

Abby did not know what to make of the sudden request for her presence by James.
She only came as she was, after all, his friend.

Nothing more, she knew.
She knew better than that.

"I do not know what to do." James said quietly, so soft was his voice that Abby could have mistaken it for the wind.
But she kept quiet.
She knew that there was more.

"Every time I endeavor to get closer to her, she would either find the meaning something else entirely or push me further away. It is as if I am walking in a desert during a sandstorm. Every step I take, the wind just pushes me further away from where I am aiming to go to. & it makes me use even more strength to pass it again." he said with a sigh & put his heads between his knees.

Abby looked at James with sympathy. She really longed to pat his back, saying everything is alright.
If only it was as simple as that.

He said between his knees, his voice muffled, "I am tired, Abby. What I long for is taking so much of me, but I do it anyway. Because... Because I-"
"Oh, the sun is setting. I have to go." Abby said abruptly.

She stood up & ran.

Run, coward. her father's voice rang inside her head.

Run.







As Amy & Anna walked side-by-side, a girl ran past them, sobbing in her hands.
"Abby?" the two said in unison, recognizing her at first glance.

"Abby, wait!" the two said again, only louder.
They began to run to catch up their friend's pace.

As soon as they had caught up with her, Anna put her hand on Abby's shoulder.
"Abby?" she said softly.

Abby looked up from her hands & stared at Anna through her red eyes, taking no notice of her tear-stained face.

"Why." she said.
She did not ask but merely say.
"Why do you torture him so? Do you know how full of sorrow he is? How much he longs to be more than just a brother?" Abby said, sounding on the verge of hysteria.

Anna kept quiet.
Amy merely stood behind, not knowing how to stop the crisis unfolding before her very eyes.

"If you do not choose him as the one you wish to be with for the rest of your life, why do you toy with him? Why do you not merely let him go? Why are you doing this to him? Why can you not let him be?" she said, her voice cracking at the last sentence.

"Abby, that's enough." Amy said as she pulled Abby away from Anna.

& to Anna, it seemed that everyone she cared for was abandoning her.
Again.








"Thank you so much, dear! You should go off now, you know? It really is no good to be out this late, even for a strong, young man like you." Madame Geraldine chided to James.
He chuckled & nodded his head.

"Yes, ma'am." he said & whistled his away through the path to the foot of the Hills, his secret hideaway from everything.
From his life, the world.

Reality.

He was surprised to find a young lady standing at the edge of the lake, her dark brown hair flowing behind her.

"Anna?" James said as he approached the mystifying girl with caution.
"Anna?" he said, a little louder than the last.

She turned around & was startled to immediately recognize the girl's features - her startlingly brown eyes a match with her hair.

"Anna? What in the Lord's name are you doing here? At such hour? Do you know what could happen to you at such a time like this?!" James said, frustration boiling within him.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, infuriated with her behavior.
How could such a lady be so careless, not giving a thought about her safety but floating around at such a time like this?

He stared into his eyes & she stared back.

What was she thinking, he did not know.
He was trying to read her, trying to comprehend her bewildering behavior.

But he could not. He could not as he observed every inch of detail on her face - her eyes were a pure brown, so dark yet so bright.
Her lips were looking a mix of a pink & red, slightly parted for breath.

& that was when something within him came apart.

He could not restrain himself any longer.
He pulled her closer & kissed Anna.

A soft kiss. He could feel her lips, so soft, parting...

But abruptly, she pulled away & nearly barked, "James! What are you doing?"
"I was kissing you?" he said dubiously.
"Why?! This thing... What you are doing now... It has happened a long time ago, James. Do you not remember? We were young back then. You have to move on. Truly. What we did-"
"What we did was right. Anna, you feign ignorance but you know. You acknowledge my feelings. Why do you not accept them? Do you not see? I l-"

She took a step back & said, "Don't say it! You do not mean it! You think you do but you don't! Please, James. Stop it. I sensed that this was going to happen. You are becoming less discreet by the second."

The sounds of crickets chirping seemed startlingly loud.

"Why did you drag Abby into all of this? Do you not see it, James? Why do you think that she listens to you, always there, telling you that everything was alright?" Anna said.

James crossed his arms. "Well, there is no question that she is just a friend."
"Just a friend? Is that all you can say? She cares for you more than a friend, James. Wake up! There's finally someone to be there for you, someone who truly even loves you."

James said nothing but ponder.

"Please, James. You must move on to continue your life. If you keep trying to fix the past, when are you going to attend to your future? Go to her! Go to someone who already is waiting for you." she said.

Finally, he opened his mouth.

"Thank you, Anna. You always are a good friend of mine." he said & hugged her.

A true brotherly hug.
He finally felt it - he is finally letting her go.

& he felt as if he just woke up from a dream.

chpter 7 : silent war

It had been eerily quiet at the Master Zeddy's Hut after the banquet. The elderly did not know what had happened but the life of the Hut - the young 'uns - were not there.

They were not chatting merrily outside while doing chores in the presence of Master Zeddy's infamous little niece, Amy. Nor was the strong youth found grooming horses while humming a toneless tune and his lovely companion giggling beside him.

The absence of the youths were not only affected at the notorious Hut but more importantly, the Palace.
The Pharaoh hasn't been seen eversince that night he caught a marvel sight.

Some villagers said that it was his envy & shock that had made him paralysed to the spot, seeing Amy with another man.
Though the statement seemed logical - it fit all the pieces in the mysterious puzzle! - it made even more tongues waggle.

What are the Pharoah's intentions, if envying another woman when scandalously engaged to another?
Would the man seen with Master Zeddy's niece be executed?
How could a woman deny the Pharoah, anyway? was what majority of the women wondered anyway.










A girl in tattered rags was found in the cleaning chambers with a boy speaking to her in a calming tone.
"Anna..." the boy said, patting her back soothingly.
"& I had forgiven him! For everything! What have I done for this sin? Why hasn't he explain - let alone apologize profusely - about that scene if he knew that I had seen him? What had I seen?" Anna sobbed & burst into tears again.
"Maybe it is I. Maybe it is I who he does not long for. Maybe it is her. Aren't I desirable?" Anna sobbed after a moment's silence. She laughed a hollow laugh with bitterness.

"There, there." the boy spoke up. "You are very desirable." he said huskily & chanced to envelope her in his arms.
Anna had thought of the gesture as a brotherly hug & hugged him back, crying into his chest.

"Thank you..." Anna sighed. "Thank you for being here for me, James."

Silence. James looked down to find a sight of Anna, sleeping peacefully like an angel in his arms.
He sighed. When was she ever going to look at her the way he does her?








A similar scenario was happening at the top of the Hills - a girl was sobbing while a boy sat beside her, even if he thought that the fight amongst their friends had begun on her (drunken) account.
"I didn't mean to, Adam!" she sobbed, repeating her apologies for the millionth time.
He kept quiet, stonily watching the ripples on the water's surface appear as he threw a pebble across the sacred lake.

"I know you loathe me - in fact, I can read your thoughts: What am I doing here in the presence of her?" she wailed.

Adam did not know what to do - or say. He knew she meant well but he could not forgive her that easily. What she had done was simply... Indefensible.
He envisioned the flashback to the night of the banquet, everything was going well until the Pharaoh danced with his fiancee. That was when Amy had drunken herself with the strongest - & most expensive - wine.

Then was he dragged into her emotional shambles - what not with her tipsy being falling into his arms the minute she caught eye of the Pharaoh, who was searching frantically for her.
Adam knew that at that moment, a monster of a strife had been created.

Not only was Anna disappointed at him but so was his family - his mother & sister.
He saw the look of despondency in his sister's eyes & did not miss his mother shaking her head with sadness.

He knew that they were upset merely at the thought of Anna.

'Anna...' he thought.
He was most outraged with Amy, mainly because of the silent war he was having against Anna.

The first person he saw when Amy's unexpected move was done was Anna. She was standing there, her eyes watery & filled with numerous obvious emotions - hurt, anger, dejection, betrayal.
Before he could call her out, to explain the radical misinterpretation, she ran away to the balcony.

& then, it was his turn to experience her mixed emotions as he witnessed the sight of her running into James' arms.

He could still hear his bitter thoughts creeping to his brain the night he took in the scene - 'What is she doing? How could she?'
Just as he realized the thoughts, he felt guilt invading his thoughts - 'I have not been pure of innocence, either.'

Yet, he could not help but to hold a grudge against James - what was she doing in his arms? Was it not him who was the only one deep in her heart?

"You are selfish, Adam." he heard Amy's voice say.
"Excuse me?" he said for the first time that day. "I am the selfish one? & if I am the selfish one, what are you? The one who cares & does not do idiotic things?"

Before he waited for Amy's response, he got up & walk away.

The only thing he heard her yell was, "What about Abby?"











A tall, slim girl was standing at the peak of the Hills, looking down thoughtfully at the lake, where her brother was walking away from her closest friend, Amy. The wind was playing with Abby's silk robe & her sleek, long black hair.
Thoughts were flowing inside her head, feeling as if a dam was leaking & suddenly, it burst, the questions leaking in.

She felt sorry for her other closest friend, Anna. What she witnessed - Anna viewing Amy in Adam's arms - was unbearable, the thought of her brother hugging another woman in front, yet, another woman!
It was vile, cruel. But she knew. She knew how Anna felt when it was her turn to catch the sight of Anna in James' arms.

It was pathetic, she thought. How could she feel so alone? So... Vulnerable at the mere glimpse of Anna in James' hug.
She had only met him a few days ago. Why, a few days before, he was just a stranger from Anna's past.

'Bah! Why bother? Men.' she thought scathingly.

It wasn't fair - it was not justified that she & her friends were in a war that none of them had expected, let alone prepared for.










After a grueling hour of utter silence & sinking deep into thought, Anna decided to get out of the stale-smelling closet & enjoy a full meal, instead of measly servings of bread with wine.
She was praying, deep in her heart, that Adam would magically appear & kneel down on one knee & apologize for the misunderstanding moment he had had with Amy. Another (bigger) part of her prayed that she would be left alone & enjoy a meal in peace.

No luck, she had the misfortune to bump into the last - or at least, the second last - person she wanted to see.

"Anna! What a coincidence! I was wondering where all the li'il ones & hark & behold! Here you are, standing before me!" Madame Geraldine exclaimed, her arms flailing around with gusto.

Anna smiled awkwardly at the elderly. She loved her, truly, she did. But at that moment, she just longed to be alone.

"Where are the youths, I ask? I didn't see a single strand of you young 'uns after the ball." Madame Geraldine continued, not acknowledging Anna's awkwardness.
"Oh, well... We are very busy nowadays, ma'am." Anna muttered.
"Children these days. I'm glad to witness such devotion from the new generation!" Madame Geraldine gushed.

Anna merely nodded & without knowing, she felt herself loosened up as she talked to her favourite authority figure.

She was all smiles & laughs a few minutes later until she saw a tall, sultry boy was lurking behind.

Anna did not feel all smiles & laughs anymore as she noticed him.

"Adam, dear boy! If you were searching for Anna, she's just here!" Madame Geraldine said to her son, pointing out the obvious.
She moved to the side to make way for - what she thought - the two young lovers.

"Um, hello." Anna muttered softly.
Adam merely nodded acknowledgment toward her while shifting uncomfortably.

Awkward silence hung tersely between the two while Madame Geraldine was oblivious to the atmosphere, as she began a daydream of arranging her son's wedding.

"Well!" she said, coming back to reality. "I think the laundry has been dried enough. I'll leave you two alone, then."


As Madame Geraldine walked away, the two were still rooted to the spot, Anna staring at the ground while Adam cleared his throat a many numerous times.
The only thing the two were doing in common was the fact that they were wondering - who would speak up first?

"Why?" Anna asked quietly.
He risked a glance at her & quickly looked back down, afraid of falling down on his knees like a pathetic boy instead of a proud man that he knew he was.
"Why what?" he asked - to the ground.

"So many questions of mine do I wish to say. So many starting with that mere word. Lord, Adam! Look at me!" she said, flailing her arms to replace the fresh pack of tears behind her eyes.
Adam kept quiet & slowly rose his head, looking at her.

"Why were you doing that the other night? Why didn't you stop me from running? Why did you just walk away? Why do I deserve such cruelty from you? Why?" she said, her voice sounding more hoarse by the second as the tears were leaking out.

At the last sentence, Adam's eyes shot up & looked at her in the eye.

"If your questions begin with Why, then mine answers begin with questions. Why is it my fault? Have you not considered that it was Amy's doing for attention from the Pharaoh? Why must I stop you when you knew I was supposed to? & as for the last two questions, I did not walk away. I was walking behind of you, watching you. & how dare you say that it is I who is the cruel one? You are the cruel one! Were you not in James' arms?" he said & glared at her.

"I... I-I... He is just a friend to me!" Anna stuttered.
"Friend?" Adam scoffed & turned his head around to look away. For a second, Anna could have sworn she saw a hint of something in his eyes.
"What I saw in that boy's eyes were anything but friendship! What I saw was far from friendship! He was seeking more - more than friendship! & you said I was the cruel one. How could you not notice such things as these?" Adam said, his voice turning into a decrescendo.

& before she knew it, her eyes began to water, tear by tear streaking her pale skin.

With that, he walked away.












Without knowing, Abby & Amy were watching everything from the balcony of Amy's room.
Abby spun around like her brother & laid on the floor, staring at the spider at the corner of the room, spindling the glistering web.

Amy laid next to her friend & did the same, but staring at the ceiling instead.
"You know..." Amy said softly, her breathing accentuating her voice. "... It really isn't Anna's fault that she was with James. They had known each other since they were just toddlers.

Abby did not even bother trying to argue but still stared at the spider web silently, her breathing mute.

But it was Amy who turned around in concern, worried about her friend.
"Abby... I know how you feel. Really I do." she said softly.

Silence.

In all of Abby's life, she had never cried. When she was in Japan, a young woman - the fortunate ones to be a geisha, that is - must never cry in the presence of another.
It was not a geisha rule but it was a rule she personally made herself.

Crying, she told herself, was a sign of weakness.
& she, everyone knew, was not one to be weak.

Her mother, Madame Geraldine, was always worried with her peculiar behavior. As a young child, Abby did not shed a tear.
Not when she was separated with her brother & mother, not when she was departing for Japan until she had reached the fine age of sixteen, an age of a proper young maiden.

So at that moment, when she was lying next to her truest, dearest friend to ever live, Abby could not explain that burning feeling inside of her.
What was it, she wondered. It was a fire turning everything inside into ashes, she decided.

What did the fire represent? Pain? Heartbreak? Was that how heartbreak felt like?

Finally, Abby opened her mouth & said softly, so softly it was barely a whisper, "I know."

Amy smiled with relief - both for her friend's understanding & her friend's emotional (or even mental) condition.
But the wave of relief went away just as quick as it came when her friend did not return her smile.

With that, Abby got up & walked out of the door.
Amy could just feel the prick of tears edging at the corner of her eyes as she heard the door silently close & witnessed the final glistering weaving to the spider's beautiful, complete web.







The moon & sun rose & set that it seemed - to the youth cabal - so fast as a blink of an eye.
The adults still did know what had happened but they were not, as far as they were concerned, a dull-witted lot. They knew.
They knew that something had happened.

They just didn't know what.





"I saw 'em. Just a bunch of 'em." Mr. Hagard grunted as he carried a barrel of wine to the pantry.
"Who? Where?" Madame Zeddy - dear old Master Zeddy's notoriously nosy wife - asked eagerly, as her age was excited at the microscopic size of a gossip. Concerning troubled adolescent or not.
"Well," Mr Hagard said, not noticing either the weight of the what-seemed heavy barrel & the nosiness of the second-superior. "Just a fine lad - the lad who just moved here, yea? - with that friendly lass - the lass Geraldine's boy is quite fond of. They're At the foot of the Hills, near the lake."
"Well! How perfectly scandalous!" Madame Zeddy giggled with excitement.

Mr Hagard merely grunted & went to the pantry.




"Where is that boy, Adam? I haven't heard a word from him ever-since I left him alone with Abby. As if I was giving him the plague instead, by the way he avoided us all!" Madame Geraldine said with utter frustration.
"Your boy? Just saw 'im. Staring moodily near the tree alone." one of the maids said.
"If not Adam, then Abby. Where is that girl too? All the children seem to go wild after one little banquet." Madame Geraldine said.
"Abby... Wasn't with the lad. Was doing the same like her brother. Only sitting a foot away from her brother, staring at the sky." the maid replied.








"Adam?" Abby said softly, breaking the peaceful silence.
"Hm."
"How are you?"
Adam tore his gaze from the blank sky - no stars were shining at that night. Not even Venus, which was the planet of love & also the brightest star - & looked at his sister whimsically.
"How am I?" he echoed.
"Yes. How are you?"
"I'm fine." he automatically lied & stared back at the blank sky.

"Don't say you're fine, Adam. You are my brother - thought we were on different lands for nearly fourteen years, I know when you are lying. You run when you lie, Adam. Now tell me the truth. How are you?"
Adam silently thought of the question & finally replied, "No."

"How are you?" Adam asked as Abby fell silent for a few minutes.
"I'm... I'm... I could do better."
Adam smiled to himself - & since that banquet, this was his first smile which spread across his face which did not contain any tinge of bitterness or anger.

His sister, he remembered, could never get to the point. Always straying from it, actually.
Beating around the bush, was what the English said, he learnt as he met an English boy his age at the dock.

"I know." Adam said softly.
"That's what I don't understand. Are you angry at Anna? You were seen with another woman." Abby asked.
Adam was thrown off, flummoxed at the fact that his sister was defending for the person she should be loathing at the moment.
"I-I... That's not my fault! It was Amy's! That blasted tipsy Amy! Why is it my fault? What about Anna? She went straight to the arms of... Of him." he sputtered.
"Hey! James is a nice person!" Abby defended once more.

"Too nice." Adam said.

They were both glaring at each other, despising each other with a passionate hatred for a minute or two.
Finally, they both looked down, ashamed.

Never in their life had they hated each other. They always fought as children, they knew (their parents would never stop reminding them).
But they never hated each other.

All this because of a boy & a girl? Unbelievable, they both thought.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Abby apologized.
"So am I."

They stepped closer & hugged each other.
Finally - finally - Abby had cried.

Her heart with its pent-up emotions finally went free & morphed its form into tears, flowing freely down her face.
Adam, surprised, hugged her closer & patted his sister's back.

"Let it all out." he whispered into her hair.
& she did.

chpter 6 : misunderstandings

"We did it! We did it!" Anna squealed as she walked away from the crowd listening to Mrs Geraldine's 20 minutes of lecturing.
"Did what, dear Anna?"

Although it had been nearly three days since Adam had begun the habit of calling Anna a dear, she still could not help but to blush with pleasure.

"Master Zeddy had sent a letter to the staff - the head staff, of course - & he had announced that our silk has managed to sell off its silk! All of it, thanks to an unknown donor! So, two nights later, we are going to have a banquet! All of us - even you, Adam!" she said & hugged him.

Adam's face turned red & hugged her awkwardly.


"Oh, is this a bad time?" Abby said as she walked nearer to the two.
Anna felt her face turning red due to embarrassment & said, "No, not at all. Did you hear the news, Abby? We're having a banquet! Greedy ol' Zeddy is actually going to throw a feast for us! Is that not wonderful?"
"Truly wonderful!" Abby said, hiding her neautral tone.

Anna's happiness was contagious. Abby felt the happiness rushing through her veins, although she had nothing to be happy about. Her friends were all with their lovers - except for Amy, of course. She was still lamenting in her room.
But Anna seemed happy with her brother. They both do.

Nobody had made Adam smile for a while & she blessed the (unofficial) couple in her heart to the Lord.

Abby was curious about the feeling - was love a disease for unhappiness, or a feeling for pleasure? What is it that made Anna seem truly glowing just by the prospect of it?

As Abby took note of all these mental discussions, she was so busy occupied with her thoughts, that suddenly, she walked right into someone.

"Oh! Goodness, I truly am sorry!" she gushed as she looked at the poor victim lying sprawled across the floor.
"Yes, well, next time, do be a little more aware of-" the angry voice of the victim trailed off as the said person got up & saw Abby.

Abby's tears were delayed immediately after glancing at the person who nearly swore at her.
He was dead gorgeous, in her opinion. His hair was dark, so dark that it looked black.
His eyes were in contrast - in between of a bright green & blue, shining.

His skin was a little tan, though. But golden tan.
It must've meant that he was a hard working boy who worked outside.

As the two got up - Abby had to grasp on the unknown boy's hand - she noticed that he was a head taller than her, which, really, was quite rare because she was a very tall person.
She had inherited her height from her father.

"I'm sorry for my outburst." he said, his voice deep & low.
His voice sent a wave of something that Abby did not recognize through her spine.

"No, it is not you who should be apologizing but I. Truly it is my fault." she giggled nervously.
"No, I." he insisted.
"No, I." she insisted, & pressed on even more.

"Ah, I see you've met my little sister, Abigail or Abby, for short." Adam interrupted as the unknown boy gave a nod of acknowledgement.
"Your sister?" he said, not disguising his shock.
"Yes. Um, half-sister." Adam said awkwardly.

"James! Is that you?" Anna said as she approached the threesome.
"Anna! My, it has been quite awhile since I have met you." James said & gave Anna a deep hug.

Adam, Abby saw, was glaring at James.
Abby, Adam noticed, was glaring at Anna.

"Uh, Anna. How did you know James?" Adam asked, with a tone of restraint that only Abby heard.
"He is practically my blood-brother. No, we are not related. When I was a youngster of seven, we used to play games at the orphanage."

"Games?" Adam asked with polite interest.
"Yes, games. He used to pull my hair & throw cakes of mud at me." Anna said & feigned anger at James, who gave a mock look of an angel.

Abby & Adam pretended to throw fits of laughter & Anna & James laughed along.









Knock, knock

"Come in!" Amy said, nearly singing even.
Anna & Abby entered the room cautiously as they heard Amy's tone of voice & dared not make a move at the sight of her room - instead of its gloomy state as it usually was, the room was bright because of the opened windows & curtains.
Sashays of gold silk were sprawled across the room here & there, making Amy's room look fit for - pardon the pun - the Pharoah.

"Do you not envision the room in all its glory?" Amy sighed as she sat on her bed with a jolt.
Anna & Abby mutely nodded, not knowing what was going on.

"Why the celebration?" Anna asked.
Amy let out a mirthless laugh & said, "Oh. This? Is a rejoice of my resolution to give up the pshaw Pharoah! Why love a measly royal when one can marry a commonner like he is doing right now?"

"Are you sure you are handling it alright, my Mistress?" Abby asked with a mock curtsy.
"Yes, I am. In fact, celebrate with me! I think I have overdone with the wine but I only had half a dozen." Amy hiccuped. "Or two."

Abby & Anna exchanged worried glances. Everyone knew that for women, they were only supposed to drink at least a maximum of two glasses, not a dozen. Or two.

They both anonmyously called the house nurse to nurture Amy back to her sober status & sneaked out.





For the past two consecutive days, Abby started talking to James more often than she did to Anna & Amy.

“I think,” Anna said after Amy complaint, “that Abby is finally falling in love.”

Amy thought for a moment & finally, nodded her head in agreement.
“Yes, it seems you are right. We really should not stop her from her first love.” Amy sighed, resigned.
“But it still is no excuse for her to neglect friends, you realise. Even for our first love.” Anna voiced her thoughts & Amy nodded her head again.





At the mere mention of the word love, Amy shudder inwardly as the image of Jeffer appears in her mind.
‘He is not worth it, Amy. Hold on together. This is just a test from the Lord.’ Amy always encouraged herself when she felt her eyes water.



“What is the matter, Amy? The tone of your voice had indicated that this was a serious matter.” Abby said.

It had been a while since Anna & Amy had laid eyes on Abby - even though it had only been a mere day and a half of Abby’s absence.
But still, Abby’s presence looked different.

Her silky straight black hair was now decorated with either exotic flowers or jewellery whereas a layer - a thin one, but a layer nevertheless - was applied on her pale skinned face.

She looked prettier than usual, but to meet her friends, she had never dressed up eversince she had met James.
She was even wearing a silk kimono for the meeting! If she did not look so casual about the change, Anna would have made a joke but thought best to leave it be.

“Yes. What is the matter, Amy?” Anna said & reached out for her friend’s hand.
“It… It’s Jeffer.” Amy said in a small voice.
“What has he done this time?” Abby sad with a tint of impatience for the notorious man.
“He… Sent me a letter.” Amy mumbled in reply & passed another scroll of parchment to her two dearest friends.


“Amy,” it wrote.

“It has been a while since you have last replied to my letter. I miss the sound of your jokes. You know how badly the palace is - not even the bodyguards be natural around me but you are different! Which is why you are my friend. No one in this world have ever acted normal eversince I inherited the title of royalty from my late brother.

I do not know what I have done wrong for such silence from you, Amy. Eventhough I have not met you for eight moons, I still can sense that something is troubling you, our friendship. Please. Tell me what I have done wrong.

Is it your uncle, Amy? You were never fond of you uncle - no one is. Not even I. I always hear the tales of Master Zeddy - his cruel treatment towards the staff, his strict rules. Everything. Tell me, shall your uncle be whipped? What has he done to you to turn you mute?

As an extra measurement to find out the answers to all of my questions, I have decided to attend your uncle’s banquet. To catch up, as friends. I hope I shall see you soon.

Do not avoid me, Amy.

No one can.”

The Pharoah’s signature was scribbled in his spidery handwriting at the right-side of the bottom page.

“Oh, Amy!” Abby cried & enveloped her friend with her arms.
Abby could feel her sleeves getting wet - for reasons she knew. Which was why, the next minute, Anna enveloped both the girls & they stayed there in that position as if to pause the world for a while for a rest, to get things right.







“Does it not bother you that Anna is always near your brother?” James asked as they waited for the sun to set.
“No, it does not. I have noticed that only Anna could make Adam smile with just a glance!” Abby giggled. “I am truly glad for them - & blessed for meeting such a person who could make my brother smile.” she said in a quieter voice.

James gave a smile - a smile which looked rather sad but Abby decided that the smile was only for her. Just her.

“You know that I have been acquainted with Anna since my days in the orphanage, did she not tell you?” James said after a moment of silence.

Abby nodded mutely. She felt something bad coming up her throat. She just knew what was going to happen next.

“She was the only one who could make me smile, too.” he said with a smile - a smile which was happier & not for Abby.

‘What about me?!’ Abby wanted to scream but kept quiet.

“That day, when I finally found her - I had been searching for her all these years - I had wanted to tell her… How I felt about her.” James said in an even quieter voice.

“How do you feel about her?” Abby said softly, so soft that it was nearly a whisper.
She was amazed at the prospect that she could make sounds with her mouth when she was in shock. Utter shock.

“That… She could make me smile like no one else could.” He began to tug at the grass below his feet.
The wind suddenly blew a gust of wind & Abby wished that she was blown away with the dry leaves instead of listening to James anymore.

She should have known. All this time, she should have known.
The only thing they ever did talk about was Anna. Anna this, Anna that.

‘But it isn’t Anna’s fault…’ Abby thought grudgingly. ‘She did not do anything wrong. She is just a very nice person.’
I am nice too, a little voice said at the back of her head.

“I think I should tell her tonight.” James said & sat straighter.
Abby kept quiet & pretended not to hear James say, “Oh, look, Abby! The sun is setting.”








Finally, night had dawned upon them. Everyone under Master Zeddy’s business had dressed their best for that special night.
Women in woven clothes, gold, glittery, colourful. The men, of course, were looking more handsome than ever, as they had made an attempt to groom their hair.

Amy was still in her room, pacing up & down, not knowing what to do, let along what to wear.
‘Jeffer could arrive any minute! By damned, he could come later than the arranged time, even. He is the Pharoah.’ Amy thought & began to laugh, only that the laughter got caught stuck in her throat.

After worrying what to wear, Amy had decided on wearing something special. Something that her mother had given to her before she had left.




Anna, on the other hand, was busy talking to Adam, of course. She could have been mistaken to be attached by the hip with the young man, if not.
Anna was looking beautiful, with a simple gown that bared her shoulders & emphasised on her legs.
Or so in Adam’s opinion.

Adam, in Anna’s opinion, was looking strappingly handsome, even more handsome, if possible.
His hair was wet from the shower he had took with a hurry, his shirt was clean but not crisp.
It was a simple attire, but fashionable.

Adam & Anna kept talking to James & Abby, making dry jokes here & there. The foursome were eating at the same table, Abby & Anna together, Adam on Anna’s right, James on Abby’s left.

Abby & Anna were wondering where on Earth could Amy have gone - they knew that their friend always took the longest time to prepare but never this long.

The Pharoah had not arrived yet (‘Coward.’ Abby thought to herself) & just as the two girls were on the edge of their chairs, waiting to excuse themselves from dinner & barging into Amy’s room to check that she had not done anything suicidal, the noise level at the banquet hall turned into a decrescendo.

Everyone’s hearty laughs & loud voices decreased into murmurs & curious whispers.

There, they saw Amy, gliding through the way with the most stunning women’s attire in the entire banquet hall.
She was wearing her mother’s gown - an Egyptian traditional clothing. Spun gold, the gown hugged her every curves & clinged onto her upper-half of her body, especiAnna her delicate arms.

“Is that Amy?” a woman said. “Haven’t seen little un’ since she was a tot!” another said. “My, how she has grown into a woman.” “Some woman!” a man exclaimed.
The volume of the murmurs increased, men were giving small whistles but silenced by the killing glares by their wives.

Amy floated towards our table & suddenly, all eyes were on the foursome - fivesome, to be precise.
“Hello, all. Have I missed anything?” Amy said casually, gracefully, elegantly, like a swan.
“No. But some really good food, you’ve missed.” Anna said, her voice muffled with the food in her mouth.
Everyone laughed at their table & the boys said, “Here, here!”
Suddenly, a blanket of silence lapped over the people dining at the banquet hall. All heads turned as the trumpets blared - in presence of the Pharoah.

“Presenting… The Pharoah, Jeffer Rolf the fourth. Lord, exhile!” a man’s voice boomed.
A tall boy strided in & a pretty girl walking behind. They both resembled as a married couple, confident & handsome. Their attire reflected on their beauty & level of confidence.

Amy had nearly spat out her glass of salt water when she had saw the Pharoah coming in. Abby gently patted Amy on the back.
“I think I should be getting a glass of wine.” Amy said as she stood up & strided towards the serving table.
Amy had noticed that as Amy got up - no one dared move in the Pharoah’s presence & if anyone did, they were considered of behaving with insolence - the Pharoah had turned & watched her leave.


“Is Amy alright?” Adam whispered as Amy drank her twelfth glass of wine.
“It is doubtful.” Anna whispered back.
“Amy, I think that is enough of wine in your veins. One more & you shall turn purple!” Abby said.
Amy let out a shrieky laugh, as if she had never heard anything so hillarious her whole life.

The Pharoah had kept glancing back & forth at Amy’s direction but Amy kept her back to him.

Amy grabbed her glass of wine & placed it on her lips for another drop of wine but Abby said, “That is enough! Amy, I am wa-”
But Abby’s voice was drowned out as the same man who had announced the Pharoah’s presence announced that it was time for a dance.

The Pharoah had gotten up with the pretty girl - Shameeka, the girls were guessing - & had their first dance.
They moved slow towards the beat & swayed, left, right, left, right.
Tears were swelling at the corners of Amy’s eyes but she held them back & kept drinking down her glasses of wine.


“I better go stop her.” Anna said but Adam stopped her.
“I have heard that women become violent after too many numbers of wine.” Adam winked & trailed Amy.
A smile was plastered on Anna’s face & Abby noticed that James’ jaw was unusually clenched.


“Anna… I request your presence outside.” James said.
“Alright.” Anna said & walked dazedly behind, following him to the foyer.

Abby sighed & watched them until they had moulded with the rest of the crowd.

“Um… Hold on, let me tell Adam that we’d be out.” James nodded solemnly & walked towards the foyer whereas Anna walked towards the serving table.

Just in time, she caught the sight of a rather drunken-looking Amy, with her hands around Adam’s neck.
Adam, on the other hand, was holding her tightly against him.
She saw Amy smiling with unfazed eyes whereas Adam was red-faced.

“From pleasure, no doubt.” Anna said scathingly aloud.
The people who paassed by were shaking their heads in disaproval of the two’s behaviour.

Anna ran to the foyer, blinded by her tears.

She ignored the voice of a boy’s, which cried aloud, “Anna, no! It is not what you think! No!”

She did not apologize to the boy whom she had nearly knocked over - a tall boy, dressed in fashionable attire, armed with bodyguards on both sides, who did not even realised that he had got hit by a commoner.




Abby had seen the whole thing. The tipsy Amy holding onto her brother, her best friend catching her brother.
Her best friend crying & running at the same time.

‘Oh, no, Anna.’ Abby thought to herself & followed Amy behind.

But she caught another sight, the sight of Anna crying in the arms of a rather surprised-looking James, stroking Anna’s hair.
Then, it was Abby who ran off, crying to Lord knows where.
She nearly knocked over her brother, who was rooted to the position, staring.



It was then that it seemed that Hell had broken loose.

chpter 5 : given up

Abby, Anna & Amy had become the best of friends - ever since the misunderstanding between Abby & Anna.
Although Anna was happy for having so many friends around her, her dearest friend was Adam.

That night, at the foot of the Hilltops, Anna recalled the moment when she had instinctively hugged Adam - he was surprised but he hugged her back, in the end.
Although, Anna thought, the moment would've lasted longer if Abby did not interrupt.

'& of how did she know of the sacred foot?' she thought to herself.
At the time, the three girls were washing the clothes. Amy, being the higher rank, could've sat on a chair in luxury but refused to & insisted on helping the two with the chores.

It was unheard of, but the other staff dared not to voice out their opinions.
Who ever did, telling the niece of Master Zeddy that that is not the way she should live her life?

If she wanted to do the dishes, let her be! Let the child suffer instead of lapping up her fortune! was what the staff thought bitterly.

With a little bit of persuasion from Mrs Geraldine - which, really, was alot - Abby was now one of the members of the staff family towards the Zeddy business.
She was a silkmaid - one who weaves silk, as it was her culture in her Asian lands.

Which is why Abby always had bruises or cuts on her fingers from weaving too much of exotic cloth.

("Why people can't wear normal cloth like the rest of us is beyond me!" Anna said to her friends, to which they laughed.)

Both of Abby's new closest friends were in love - Amy with the Pharoah whereas Anna with her brother (blehh!).
It was simply embarrassing when she interrupted Anna with her... Uh, display of affections toward her brother at the Hilltops.
Honestly! She did not mean to intrude - she just came for a little peace & quiet, as she had heard one of the maids whispering about its famous serenity.
It was very awkward when she nervously made small talk & wishing that she could have shot herself instead.

But what about me? she couldn't help thinking. 'Have I not find the one yet or am I just... Unloved?'

After long rantings with Amy, Anna realised that she had not heard a peep from her newest friend.
She turned around to look at Abby, who was merely staring into space, her hands gripping the clothes loosely.
"Abby? Has the Lord taken you off to heaven & lifted you up or simply, the mind is wandering off?" Anna teased.
Abby woke up from her trance & gave a smile to her friend.

By then, she couldn't decide whether she should open up her mind or keep her thoughts inside.
'They would probably criticize me, saying that I shouldn't worry a thing, I was beautiful enough. They would also say that I should be contented, what with my new chores & life.' Abby thought.
'But they all had been so honest with me - Amy with her burden of loving the unforbidden & Anna with her great liking towards my brother.' she reasoned with herself.

Finally, she decided to tell her friends about what was on her mind.

As soon as Abby had stopped her speech - one which she had rant in just one breath! - Amy & Anna quickly assured to Abby that she was beautiful & if no man could see that, they were blind to the world like a bat in the morning sun (as predicted).
But another thing they said was not quite as what Abby could have thought of : they had assured her that maybe, just maybe her true love was waiting just around the corner, or maybe even under her own nose, by the name of the Lord!

The three had a good laugh at that one but Abby considered the piece of advice.
'Maybe he is under... My nose?' she thought, still unsure of what it meant.










Although Abby was just the helping hand, she was treated as a guest all the same.

“Here, here. What are you doing, Madam Abigail? You deserve to have a rest.” Master Zeddy would say if he happened to catch sight of Abigail helping Anna with the clothwashing chores.

Abigail felt guilty for being treated with such discrimination but Anna did not mind.
In fact, she was happy to see Abigail being treated nicely by the horrid Master Zeddy.

‘Yes. She truly is lucky to escape the perils of Master Zeddy,’ she thought in her head.

Most evenings, Anna managed to see Adam when she was not drowning in the amount of work she had been given by the head household.

“Adam, Adam. What are you doing now?” Anna said as she was swinging her arms around while watching Adam grooming a horse.
“Grooming horses, dear Anna.” he said, looking up at her skeptically.

Anna truly hoped that Adam couldn’t see her blushing - for one, he had called her dear!
& for another, he looked so handsome with his hair ruffled from all the work he had done for the day, his grey eyes gleaming with mischief & the matching smile to stop a heart.

Anna’s heart.

She waited for him till the sun had set & they both went off to their retreat - the Hilltops.
They sat on the green grass & stared at the starry sky.

“I’m blessed.” Anna said dreamily.
“Sorry?”
“I’m blessed.” she repeated.
“& why is that?”
“Because… Lord has blessed me with a job where I occupy a home, sharing it with a family of my own. And Lord has been generous by blessing me with even new friends.”

She smiled at Adam & he smiled back.

“Why are you telling me this?” he asked.
“So I can show the Lord my grattitude towards his generosity. & have a witness infront of my prayers of thanks. Not just a witness. A friend.” she smiled again.
He returned the smile - only why did he look so sad, Anna did not know why.


Amy, on the other hand, was living in her own world, as usual.

Being trapped within the four walls of her Uncle’s home (“A fortress, not a home.” Amy would say bitterly to her friends), she had plenty of spare time to lap in luxury.

For a whole day, she decided to read her collection of letters received from the Pharoah.
& nearly, for the whole day, her eyes were red from crying after reading the letters carefully & hoping that she did not moisten them with her tears.

She absorbed each word with love, each sentence with his notorious dry humour. She traced her finger against the waxed stamp print on the envelopes, remembering her excitement from receiving the said letters.

“Why am I so cursed, Lord? Why?” she said aloud.

Silence.

“Why did I fall in love with the man whom I just know would not return the feelings? Am I not making myself clear to him, Lord? Is that why he has been acting like this for years? All I ask is to have this curse away from my heart.” she said, her voice beginning to be volumed as a decrescendo.

“Please.” she sobbed & fell onto her knees, crying.





“Amy… He is an idiot, you know, the Pharoah.” Abby said soothingly while holding Amy’s hand.
“But that’s the idiot I love!” Amy cried desparingly.
“& the idiot who loves you too.” Anna said softly, stroking the palm of Amy’s hand.

“No! He does not! Anna, I acknowledge that you are a good friend - the greatest, really. And being the greatest friend that you are, you lie to my face to calm me down. I have read that this is one of the seven exceptions to lie & not be sinned. I, however, think that this should be a sin - the mightiest sin, in fact. We shall face the truth - he does not love me, I am the idiot who loves him.” Amy said & sobbed once more.

“Now look what you did!” Abby whispered to Anna as Amy sunk into her knees & sobbed loudly once more, banging her head against the wall with each sob.
“It’s the truth. The moment I met her, the moment she told me all about the Pharaoh. You could just tell. Everything inside me says that they belong together - they both love each other. They are just too… Stubborn is the word I shall settle here on.” Amy whispered back.

“I truly respect your instincts. But can you not see? Amy is suffering from all this hurt she is receiving - all because that she is receiving hurt & pain, instead of the love from the Pharoah that she rightly deserves! You are not lying, Anna. I am on your side. But can you not just lie for the sake of soothing the wound, instead of rubbing salt?”

“Because, somewhere in a scroll I have once read, it said that it is better to tell the truth to lie, just as long as it opens the said’s eyes.” Anna said quietly.








“You know what annoys me even more? Jeffer had told me that, arranged marriage though it was, he thought he would not mind being with that Shameeka! He had told me that she resembled like one of the goddesses they often drew in murals - hair spun gold, sky-blue eyes. Everything that he truly looked for, he said to me.” Amy sobbed harder.

The girls kept quiet as they sat near the pond at the foot of the Hills.

“Did you reply his letters, Amy?” Anna asked quietly.
“No. For what is the purpose when he is soon to be engaged? Married?” she asked, wiping her tears furiously with the ends of her sleeve.

“It is alright to be angry. I am angry with the Pharoah myself.” Abby said, rubbing Amy’s back calmly.
“It has been a while since you have read his last letter, Amy.” Anna said.

Abby shot a look behind Amy’s shoulder but Anna primly ignored it. Abby could feel Amy getting tensed.

“It is alright if you do not.” Abby insisted.
“Oh, but I must! You two are the dearest of my friends, worth more than the Lord’s treasures kept within the heavens.” Amy said as she pulled a roll of parchment from her pocket of her silk robe.

She cleared her throat & read it aloud:

“Amy,
It truly has been a while since we had last met at the Sacred Garden. Guess a bachelor has little left to meet a young woman there, truly scandalous for my status. But back to serious matter, I miss my friend to support me. Where are you? You have not been responding to any of my letters anymore. I suppose you are busy with your life - I can not put the blame. You do have your own life. Shall we meet at the same place, this evening?

- Jeffer”

“When did you receive the letter?” Anna queried.
“Today.”
“What are you waiting for? Or should I say… The man is waiting for you!”
“Why bother? Did you not hear the cruel pun he had written? ‘Bachelor has little left to meet a young woman there’?”
“He truly is not a born joker.” Abby remarked.
“No doubt. But still. If not as lovers, at least as friends.” Anna chimed.
“Do you not understand? I do not want to be at that status - I pine for more, which truly is impossible & out of the question. I have no time to get involved, I should spend my time helping with my Uncle & loads more! I shall not be a sinner & feed on my envy & rage upon this Shameeka. If Lord had put those two together, so be it!” Amy scoffed & with that, Anna & Abby kept quiet on the walk back home.









Somewhere at the Sacred Garden, the Pharoah was sitting at a marble bench, waiting.
“Amy… What happened?” he asked aloud.

chpter 4 : a new friend

"I think that the Lord has given a message to me, Anna." Amy said one day, after days of sulking in her room. "Men are not the intellectual, sensitive kind we have often given them credit for."
Anna did not actually agree to Amy's - or the Lord's statement - but, as she was just the hired hand & a friend, she nodded mutely while patting her friend's hand sympathetically.

At that moment, Anna was feeling incredulously happy for finding a good friend like Amy & Adam (in just less than a season!)... But she was also feeling murderous towards the Pharaoh of her land, as he had broken her friend's heart - again.
'How could he do this to my friend?' Anna thought in her head. 'How could he ruin one of their reunion nights by informing her of his arranged engagement? How?' she thought scathingly.

Anna could never imagine the pain Amy had to suffer when Jeffer told her about his sudden proposal to a young woman named Shameeka under that beautifully lit starry sky.
She could never have said that the tears in her eyes were tears of joy - when the truth was, the fresh tears were actually tears of sorrow, disappointment... & betrayal.
But Anna could not help but admire Amy's bravery to risk her heart with such treatment from the boy she secretly loves.

"Don't worry, Mada- Amy. Jeffer will come to his senses sooner or later." Anna said encouragingly.
"Yes... So I've been told numerous of times by you. & I'm happy that I am blessed with such a supportive friend. But I do not know how much I could take of this. Really, I do not." Amy sniffed as she grabbed a golden cloth from her cupboard & pat it gently at her eyes.
"Have strength." Anna gave a smile & hugged her dearest friend before exiting her mistress's chambers & walking straight to the stables.







'How amusing it is that 10 days ago, I did not know where the stables were. Now it seems to be marked on the back of my hand!' Anna thought with a smile.
As she passed the kitchen, a woman's voice called her name.
She turned around & gave a smile at Mrs Geraldine, one of the most important members of the houehold, being the only chef for the family & the staff... But even more importantly, being the mother of Adam.
"Anna, dear. Could you be a darling & pass this jug of water to my son? I know you are heading to meet him anyway." the plump woman said & gave a smile.
"Uh... Yes." Anna said & hoped that her face did not turn bright red as it felt.

She walked on until she reached the stables - the familiar smell of murky horses. At first, she had thought it foul. Now, Anna smiles at the mere sense of foals.
Just as she reached the door of the second stable - she had learnt that Adam always groom the horses in that particular stable - a girl her age rudely knocked Anna off & barged into the stable, without so much as apologizing for knocking Anna off.
In the nick of time, Anna caught the clay jug. A few millilitres of water had been spilt but she still let out a sigh of relief - as long as the jug did not break, she was safe.
The stable-door kept swinging back & forth from the incredible force given from the girl.

"Ramley! Guess who came to visit you!" a shrieky voice - presumably the girl's - cried.
'Ramley? Who in the... Oh, right. Adam.' Anna thought.
"Why, if it isn't my favourite girl in the world! Come here, you!" a familiar voice said in the same volume.
'What? Favourite girl in the world? Who in the Lord's name is this?' Anna thought & kneeled, pretending to be mopping up the spilt water, but actually peeking under the stable doors to get a better view.

The stable doors creakily came to a slow halt - slow enough for Anna to see Adam hugging the girl tightly.
Crash!
The two looked outside the stable doors & saw Anna staring at them, teary-eyed, pieces of broken clay & a puddle of water at her feet.

"Anna? Wait. No, it's not what you think!" a faint voice cried as she ran off to her lady's chambers.











"Now do you agree with the Lord's message?" Amy asked & patted her friend gently on the back.
Anna nodded & buried her head with her arms laid on the table.
"Would you like me to fire him, Anna? Tell my uncle that Adam had been secretly rich all along & not donating a mediocre of his wealth towards the Zeddy company? Surely, he would be dead ni less than a week. Shot, I am certain."
Anna shook her head mutely & said, "No. Then I would not have the pleasure in having the credit of his death myself."
Amy did not know whether Anna was being serious or not. Her friend was a humourous, sarcastic person but at times like these, she was never certain whether she was joking or not.
Anna stood up, as if she had finally risen from the dead like the Phoenix rises from the ashes, & headed towards the door.
"I have chores, dear friend. Maybe I could take my sorrow, rage on that." she said, more to the door instead of facing Amy.
& with that, she slammed the door.








A week. It had been a week since the youngest of the female servants had said a word to the horse-keeper.
This could not be said of with Adam, of course.
He had tried countless times to explain what had actually happened in reality. Obviously, the poor lad had gotten immuned to the slamming of doors & the girl walking away from him, passing him coldly that he was amazed that he had never gotten icicles growing on his shoulder.

Sometimes, the conversation would normally go like this. "Anna, really. Listen to me. She was just m-"
"What was that, Master Jukri? More of the imported Japanese silk? Hold on!" she would yell up from the basement.
"Anna! Why can't you listen to me? She's just m-" he would grow a temper & start sounding more irritable, than begging.
"Is that not the sound of one of your more favourite girls in the world calling your name? Do go. It is rude to leave them waiting." Anna said as she searched recklessly for the silk labeled Japan.
"Oh for... Would you like to know what is even more rude? Not listening to people."
"Yes. But that does not imply for playboys like you."

& with that, she would walk pass him with a roll of exotic silk under her arm.








Knock knock
Anna turned around, her long, dark brown hair swished behind her.
Her face had not smiled for nearly 9 days. Just a blank expression left on her face.
Amy did not know what to say to Anna as she too was grieving on a man.
But at that day, Anna allowed an emotion to flicker over her face : hatred.

The girl who was seen with Adam was standing in the doorway, looking nervous, scared & embarrassed all at once.
"May I help you?" Anna said stiffly.
"Yes, you may. It's just... I do not want to disrupt your relationship with Adam. It seemed that the two of you were truly in lov-"
"I don't think this involves my assistance in selling these merchandises." Anna cut her off sharply, which caused the girl to blink.
"Well, yes. But I did not ask for any sort of cloth for my clothes. I'm just fine. I am only here to introduce myself. My name is Abbigail Benjamin, daughter of Lord Benjamin."
Now it was Anna's turn to blink.
'Benjamin?' she thought. 'Why does that sound so familiar?'
"Ah... It seems you recognize the name. Well, it is the same surname as my brother - half-brother, to be precise, Adam."

A sheepish smile broke out on Anna's face.
How could she have treat Adam without listening to his explaination? She felt so ashamed & foolish, yet giddy with delirious happiness.
"Oh. Oh."
"I'm sorry but I think now that things are clearer, I have to say that I cannot believe that you thought I was sharing a romantic relationship with Ramley! How... Revolting, I think is the precise word."
"He is not that bad. Really." Anna smiled. "Are you from around this land? You have a little slur in your speech. Wait... Are you an Asian?"
Abbigail nodded with a smile as Anna gaped at the girl.
It had dawned that Abbigail had been donning pale skin - something unusual in this land - & lips as red as blood. It almost seems like she's a japanese woman.
'A geisha, they call it, I think.' Anna thought to herself.

"Well, yes. Now that that's sorted out, I hope we can be friends." Abigail said as she cleared her throat.
"Oh yes. & I'm sorry I've been rude to you... & your brother." Anna said, to her feet, if more appropriate the term.
"Apology is accepted. But all I ask of you is to tell that to Ramley yourself."
Now it was Anna's turn to blink - also, her turn to allow another sense of emotion on her face : embarrassment.

She nodded mutely. "Thank you, Abigail. For... Clearing the misunderstanding."
"No problem."

As Anna headed to the door, Abigail called for Anna one last time.
"& Anna?"
"Yes?"
"My friends call me Abby."











He wasn't at the stables.
Nor was he at the kitchen, helping his mother.
He was at the foot of the Hilltops. It was his most sacred hide-out.
A runaway from reality, he said.

[plop!]

Anna tried not to make a sound as she inched closer towards Adam, who had a faraway gaze as he threw pebbles into the clean lake.

[plop]

"They say..."
Adam looked up & looked back at the lake again, completely determined to pretend that no one was towering over him.
"They say that for each pebble you throw in the lake, a wish deep in your heart shall be true."

Adam snorted.

"Although, they say that every time one says the wish outloud, throwing the pebble at a farther distance, the chances of the wish coming true is higher." she said as she sat down on the soft grass next to him, couldn't help noticing that he looked so handsome under the moonlight, his hair over his eyes.

She picked a smooth pebble & threw it with all her might, saying, "I wish that a dear friend of mine would forgive me."
Adam turned around & looked at Anna, looking as if he was experiencing a dream he just couldn't believe it true.

"Now it's your turn." she said, handing Adam a pebble.
He looked down at his hand as hers held his wrist gently & placed the pebble in his palm.
She was about to move her hand away, but his hand suddenly grasped it tightly.

My hand... Looks so delicate comparing to his, she found herself thinking.

"Anna... For the past week, you have been ignoring me, completely not listening to my explainations. & just one night, you ask me to forgive you?" he said, his voice sounding (oddly) strained.
"I'm sorry, Adam. I haven't been listening to you, blinded by fury... I guess that I was a little..."

'A little what? Disappointed to find a girl in his arms - & that girl was not me? But then he might think I'm in love with him...' she thought.

"A little... Sad. Until your sister explained everything."

The dark cloud looming over his face for the past seven days had finally lifted - & his face was beaming.
Suddenly, he realised that he was still holding Anna's hand & abruptly let go, thinking that Anna may feel uncomfortable - even though she felt far from uncomfortable.

He looked down at the pebble & stood up. He threw the pebble as far as he could across the lake - which was pretty far - & said loudly, "I wish that my dearest friend knows she's forgiven."

Anna looked up at him & forgot all about her fears of her secret love for Adam being revealed.
Instead, she stood up & hugged him.
With joy.

chpter 3 : the meet

Dear Jeffer,
I have made a new friend. But unfortunately, she is also my servant. It is the only way of how I can keep her away from the horrendous world - she is an orphan, like I. Only she is not inheriting any amount of fortune. My uncle - the Slasher, remember? - has been whipping her for how long, Lord knows. I shudder at the thought.
Speaking of spine-chilling thoughts, how is your counselor? Based on your description of him, I am confident that your counselor & my uncle shall be the best of friends.
Let us push the subject away. So are we meeting at the same place the later evening?
Please write soon.
From,
Amy

Amy bit her lip as she had nearly signed love.
'Love...' she thought wonderingly. 'How familiar I am of you. Yet the pleasant side of you have not approached me. The painful part has.'
She blinked away her tears & decided not to think about that.


Knock knock.

Amy turned around & heard her friend's voice.
"Um... Mistress? May I come in?"
"Yes."

The recognisable creak of the door was heard. With a silent lock, the sounds of footsteps were inching closer towards her.
She took a deep breath & turned around.

"Amy! Are you crying?" her friend said in alarm.
"No, dear friend. No." Amy lied with a sniff.
"You are not telling the truth. & you are not very good at doing that, either. Your eyes are ringed with red & your face is tear-stained. Were you thinking of our Pharaoh?"

Amy mutely nodded her head & wiped gently at her eyes.
"Please. Send this letter to the son of Geraldine, Anna. Ramley, I think, is his name. He must be at the stables, by now. He is the care-taker of the foals. This is - say, a secret ritual we have. He delivers all my letters to the Pharaoh in discreet. Asides Jeffer, Benjamin is the most trustworthy boy I have ever met. Do take care of not being caught by the Slasher."

Anna took the rolled parchment into her bag & went off, closing the door quietly behind her.





'Son of Geraldine? Hmm... In... The stables, if I'm not mistaken, was that what my mistress had said?' Anna thought & fumbled with the string of her bag.
The stables was placed behind the kitchen, which explains the foul smell of manure.
'Thank the Lord I have not ventured with the food they serve here.' Anna thought to herself.

She carefully walked around the kitchen & into the stables.
Althought it has been just a week, Anna is still not comfortable with her new clothes Amy had bought for her. She was too used to running in rags & pants, not feminine caftans which hides her knees.

"Whoa, boy... Whoa." a male voice said in a hushed manner.
Anna was alarmed. How could such a young boy have a deep voice?
'Maybe puberty has struck one too early.' she decided.
The voice seemed to be behind the second stable.
Anna took in a deep breath & knocked on the stable-door.

A boy her age turned around & looked at her, his hand resting on a black horse's mane.
His brownish-reddish hair was unkept, ruffled & short. He was wearing rags which had a resemblance of Anna's old clothes. Only his was a little tighter, around the arms, showing off his figure.

His eyes, Anna could not help thinking, were such a pale blue, nearly a harsh tone of grey.

"May I help you?" the boy said in a polite manner.
"Um... Yes, you may." Anna found it very uncomfortable giving orders to someone at a lower status than she is. "Are you Ramley, the son of Geraldine?" she asked.
He nodded his head.
"I am here to send a letter from my lady, Amy Shari?" she whispered & took out the letter.
"Oh! So you must be the new girl of Master Zeddy to his niece, I see?"

'Why does everyone know of my story?' Anna thought & blushed furiously.
"Do not mind me. My hands are a little... Dirty from work, I'd say." he chuckled & wiped his hands on a rag at the fence.
He stood up from the stool & walked towards Anna.
'Heavens... I have never met a boy so tall. Taller than me!' Anna thought as she looked up into the face of Ramley.
He was just a head taller than she was.

Anna gave the letter to him & he kept it safely in his pocket.

"Well... That is all for now. Thank you." Anna said & gave a small curtsy & turned around, heading for the stable-door.
"Wait."
She froze & spun to see Ramley smiling at her.
"What is your name? You know mine. I think it is fair that I know yours." he said.
She felt a tug at the end of her lips & found herself smiling at the boy.
'Charming fellow...' she thought.
"Ah... My name is Anna." she said.

"Anna..." he muttered. "Well... I'll see you around, Anna."
"Yes, I am sure we will see each other soon, Ramley." she said & gently push open the stable-door.

"Oh, Anna?" he said again.
She turn around & looked at him, not at all annoyed for being called by him so many times, instead smiling like a fool.
'Odd...' she thought to herself.
"Do call me Adam." he said with a grin.

Anna flustered as he looks so handsome with a smile.
"Okay, Adam. Well, see you soon." she said & walked towards the kitchen.
For a reason she cannot figure out why, it felt as if Anna was floating on air.








Two days later, Amy heard a familiar knock on the door.

Knock knock!

Soft yet sharp, it was a signal which indicates that it is her best friend who is behind the door.
"Come in." she said softly, just for good measurements.

Anna came in with a letter in her hand. During the past few days, Anna seemed to be so happy.
She had a smile plastered on her face - but not intentionally.
'Ah... I have done my friend a good deal. It seems that she has met her first love.' she thought.

The brunette rushed towards her lady & handed her a parchment - clean, neat.
On it read the familiar addressed to Amy Shari with the recognizable spidery handwriting.

Amy opened the letter carefully as she always does & read it aloud:

"Amy,
It is so good to hear from you again! A new friend, you say? That is good to hear. What has the Slasher done now? Whipping innocent girls. If I had proper evidence on this disturbing news, it is he who shall be whipped! Yes, you are right - as usual.
The counselor has seemed to be breathing down my neck every now & then.
I have always wondered whether it is his latest hobby, seeing as how he has no wife to love or friends to talk to fill his time.
I am looking forward for our meet.
Same place, same time.

- Jeffer
PS: I do hope this is the soonest the letter had arrived"

Amy sighed & hugged the letter. Even if it had been nearly a quarter of the month, it feels as if Anna has been her best friend since eons ago & she does not give an iota on how ridiculous the sight of a girl hugging a letter.
'It is, after all, a letter from Jeffer. I am sure that that is perfectly acceptable.' Amy thought.

Like every other letter she has received, she carefully folded it & put it in the box under her canopy.

"That is very endearing of the Pharoah." Anna said & smiled at her friend's joy.
"Yes, he is the type of person who would care." she replied.

The past 2 nights since the day she had met Adam, Anna had gone out with Adam to pat horses.
The first night he had asked her to follow him to the stables, as he had late-night duties he had to attend.
Anna was too happy but to follow his invitation.
While he groomed the foals, he had talked about his past life. How all his 14 years he had no choice but to follow his father as his mother had passed away.
Anna told him of her story & he tut miserably.

The second night Adam had asked Anna to follow him to the hills.

She had heard of it, the Hilltops. It was supposed to be where lovers ran off through the night. There was a believed omen that if it rained as you run at the Hilltops with your lover, it is considered as true love.
Of course, Anna had never believed at these superstitions, seeing as how she was cynical of the idea of love.

Now, she had changed & secretly hoped that it was true.
The two of them laid flat on their backs & did star-gazing, managing to make a wish at a shooting star.
Soon, it began to rain & Anna & Adam made their way back to the Hut laughing.




Later that day, Amy went to the Sacred Garden & sat at the marble bench, looking at the dark blue sky & wondering where the Pharaoh is.
"Boo!" a voice said behind her & she jumped in fright.
A boy exceedingly tall for his age was laughing so hard that tears were rolling at the corner of his eyes. Amy glared at the boy furiously & put her hand to her heart - only because it was beating so fast out of shock... & excitement.
The boy wiped his eyes & walked slowly towards Amy, his hands in his silk-pants pockets.
"Well, well... If it isn't my dear friend, Shari. Your highness." he said with a mock-bow.
"Nice to see you too, Jeffer." she said with a smile.

During the day, Jeffer would have been a no-nonsense boy, trapped within the four walls to finish the taxes, rule over his country properly while sitting in a throne.
But at night, when he meets up with Amy, he feels just like a care-free boy, who has rights to jump around or tap-dancing or parading around for the sake of Amy.

"So... Has the Slasher done any damage to you?" Jeffer said with concern, his eyebrows knit together.
"No, friend. He has not. But he has whipped my new friend, Anna." she said with a bitter tone.
"We-ll, lets forget about the Slasher & the egghead of a counselor! Let us escape the worlds as we always do! A one-night runaway from reality!" he said & leaned over Amy, acting tipsy at the joy of freedom.
Amy let out a laugh & Jeffer laughed with her.



Truly... This would be one of the nights she shall cherish in her memories...