Chapter 10

[Cahalle]

Something pulls me out of my dreams. I reach for my sword, immediately alert, taking in my surroundings. The sun is just setting, the air is still. Any sound made, will be heard. I am in a small clearing. There are bushes and ferns around the edges, then trees behind. There is a single trail that leads back to the road.

Crack.

The sound of a twig breaking comes from behind me. I whip around to find only trees and ferns. Whoever it is, they aren't an animal. No animal would creep around like that in its own home.

"Show yourself!" I command, moving towards my horse. There is a rustling in the bushes in front of me. Standing there is a boy, no younger than eleven. He is trembling in fear. I am shocked. A boy, moving so silently? Except for the one twig, he had moved without sound. I sheath my sword.

"Come here." The boy obeys without hesitation. No longer standing in the shadows, his face is now visible to me. Scars cover the dark skin that stretches over his small, underfed body. His black hair is shaved to almost nothing. His dark eyes sparkle with a sad knowledge that he shouldn't have at such a young age. I feel sorry for him.  Whoever he lives with, they are obviously cruel to him.

"Are you hungry?" I ask, reaching into my saddle-bag. He nods eagerly. I pull out some bread and berries that I brought with me.

"What is your name?" I ask as I sit. I break off some of the bread and hand it to him. He takes a bite, swallows, and then answers.

"Michael."

"Who are your parents?"

"Don't got none." His answer doesn't surprise me. I want to ask him who gave him the scars, but I don't want to scare him away. Silence settles. We finish eating in silence. Michael sits there for a moment before hesitantly getting up and brushing off.

"Thank ya', mister, but I best be goin' now." He says before turning and walking away. I smile and shake my head. A strange boy. A thought occurs to me that, maybe I could have some company.

"Michael, wait." The boy, now at the other end of the clearing, turns around. There is a little bit of hope shining in his eyes. "You have any specific place you need to go?" I ask. He shakes his head. "Then are you up for a little adventure?" He smiles and nods enthusiastically. I smile back. He is a strange boy, Cecilia would love him.  Cecilia...

I sigh. I miss her so much. She always had something to say, but never babbled. She had never been afraid to be herself around me, never pretended to be in a high place, but never lowered herself for pity. She is one of a kind, and the only one I love.

I look to Michael, he is staring at me. There is a look of understanding in his eyes that I've only seen in one other pair. A beautiful, feminine, silvery grey pair of eyes. Her eyes. I miss the way they would spark when she got mad, or the way they glittered when she got excited. Those eyes that sparkled with life.

"Let's pack up." I say. I don't want to sit here just thinking. I have enough time to do that on my horse. At least now I will have some conversation to fill some of the silences.

Michael continues to stare at me.

"You got a girl don't you." How he knows is beyond my understanding. I nod.

"Yes, I do." I say. "Or rather, did. I'm looking for her." I sit there for a moment longer before getting up to pack my things. It doesn't take long, we are soon on my horse, and back on the road, continuing the journey.

[Cecilia]

My dreams torment me night after night. Memories come and go like the waves of the ocean, leaving me tired from thinking all night. It's been a couple months now. I write almost every day, putting memories on paper, keeping record of my life in a strange way. I don't write them in any specific order, they just come to me. I roll over in bed. I need to get up, but I am so tired. It seems I haven't slept at all since I arrived.

I sigh. I should get up...

I really should...

I need to...

I sigh again, sitting up. I swing my legs over the edge and slip out of bed. The cold floor shocks some of the sleep out of me. I stumble over to one of the many mirrors in my room. I look the same as always. My hair, a startling shade of red, falls down to my waist. My eyes are a silver/grey color. My skin is pale, my body thin. I have freckles covering the bridge of my nose, and spilling over onto my cheek bones. Over all, most would consider me a rare beauty. Finishing my self observation, I move to the wardrobe. The fence dresses I always dreamed of as a girl hung there. So many of them, all so bright and colorful. So different from the drab grey dresses I was forced to wear at the orphanage. Some would say my life had turned around completely, but they are wrong. I still live in pain, dresses and titles can't fix my broken heart. I shake the thoughts out of my head and randomly grab a dress and put it on. I am wearing my favorite peach silk dress with the lace sleeves. I grab my brush off the dresser, quickly brush through it, and pull it up. Appropriately dressed for the day, I head down for breakfast.

[Robert]

Once again, my sister barely eats before going to the library. It has become her usual routine. Every day she looks more, and more tired. I can hear her sobs through the wall that separates us. Every night she cries. I wish I could do something, but she doesn't talk to anyone. She spends her days alone in the library, and her nights in her room. She doesn't talk much at dinner, and when asked a question, she gives only a short reply. I am tired of it. I won't let it go on much longer. She has mother worried and father upset. Not to mention she barely eats, doesn't sleep, doesn't talk. I swear she has a death wish. She doesn't take care of herself. I push away from the table and head for the library to talk to Cecilia.

When I arrive there is no sign of her. Only a quill and some ink left out on a desk. I shake my head. What happened to her? Nobody is that sad without reason. Once again I find myself wanting to return the favor paid to my sister. I sigh. It would be wrong, it might start war, something that isn't wanted. I walk over to the desk. The top drawer is slightly open, a piece of paper not fully pushed in sticks out. I open the drawer and pull the paper out. It has her handwriting on it. I can't stop myself from reading it. I have to know, and it's obvious she won't talk.

The smell of roses is strong, and familiar. I hear footsteps behind me, those are familiar too.

"Cecilia, are you all right?" A male voice says. I feel a tear fall. How could he be so cruel? To act like that around me, yet not really care! I had seen him with her, I know it's her he loves. "Cecilia?" He repeats. I want so badly to run away, but I know I can't.

"I'm fine." I whisper more to myself than to him. I get up and begin to walk away, but he grabs my arm. I try to pull away, but his grip is like a manacle.

"Let me go, Cahalle." I demand. Whether or not he is a prince, I am going to get my way this time. He seems shocked by the grim determination in my eyes. I take my chance and rip away.

{Later}

I am walking down the hall, towards the voices I hear. Soon I am close enough to hear and understand them.

"...I love her father." One says. It's Cahalle. The king sighs.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" The king asks. 

"Yes." He replies. I know who he is in love with. Her. I feel my heart breaking at the thought. I run.

    Cahalle? As in Prince Cahalle? The writing leaves me with more questions than answers. I need to find Cecilia. She is going to talk to me.