1 BEING DIFFERENT

THE BEGINNING.

THE AVEL EMPIRE

Two beautiful ladies were engrossed in working in a massive medieval looking chamber. One was busy preparing the bed while the other was busy preparing a hot bath in the bathing area of the room. The two ladies were working in a haste as if they were being timed. Their hands trembled with every movement they made as they were working. It was very obvious that they were eager to finish their work and leave the chambers. It was as if they were frightened of something about the room. The pretty dark skin lady with long curly hair that was making the bed finished her work and hurried to the door. She opened the door and glanced outside the corridor and gasped immediately:

"He's coming!"

The other lady with a shoulder length curly braids panicked and asked her friend who was fighting the urge to leave her behind to please come inside the chambers but her friend only grumbled under her voice:

"I am sorry Narla, but I am too afraid to risk it all"

"Nadine? What did you say?"

"I said he is coming… Narla I am sorry! I can't wait for you any longer…"

Nadine ran out of the chambers as fast as she could, leaving behind Narla who was still trying to adjust the water temperature for the prince. There was no way Narla will run and leave behind her duties. That would mean the death of her if she even tried something like that. Feeling hopeless she continued her work in fear and tears as she prayed to finish her chores before the tyrant prince arrives.

Unfortunately for Narla as she was done with setting the bath the prince arrived. She quickly bowed her head and stuttered:

"I-I –I –I beg to be excused your highness… I am done with setting the royal bath for you."

He smirked as he walked closer to her. The room was barely bright as there were only a few lite candles and lamps, so Narla couldn't see clearly. Actually the only thing she was able to see in the dimly lit room was the icy blue pair of eyes walking closer and closer to her. Completely frightened to think straight Narla kept moving backwards as she quivered with her eyes fixed on the icy blue eyes walking towards her. The prince stopped walking after her along the way and watched as she kept moving backwards faintly in fear.

He inhaled deeply and exhaled as he walked away towards his bed. He took off his shirt with his eyes fixed on her and tilted his head to the side:

"Boring!"

Narla's head was still bowed. She was too afraid to look up at the man whom she thought was still staring at her. The prince ran his Masculine slender fingers through his silver curly blonde long dreadlocks and sighed:

"What exactly are you still doing here?... or… Do you want to bathe me?"

The prince clicked his fingers and the lights in the chambers all came on and brightened up the room. She quickly looked all around her and finally her eyes rested on the prince. She was speechless. The prince was the definition of beauty. If she wasn't looking at his bare chest. She would have thought that the prince was a woman. His skin glowed under the bright lights in the chamber and although his eyes were cold, his caramel skin glow gave out a warm feelings to anyone who dared to look at him long enough. His face was flawless like a living god. The prince was very tall, he had a beautiful slender shoulder and a sexy looking back. His abs were charmingly attractive and he also had the most captivating tiny waist. In all he was a walking definition of beauty.

"Do you want to die?... what are you still doing here?"

Narla swallowed hard and raced for the door feeling flustered after what she just did. Staring at the prince was not something she would normally do. That day was the first day she was looking at the prince up close. Normally she would just talk to him with her head bowed or she would make sure to finish all her chores in his room before he returns, in order to avoid any encounter with him.

It just happened, that she was staring at him up close and even though she wanted to look away she just couldn't. At least not until she heard the prince's voice echoed in his chambers. After taking a close look at the prince now she understands why the whole kingdom thinks the prince is a princess and not a prince. Anyone would mistake a beautiful man like that for a woman. Narla walked away after she left the prince's room in deep thoughts.

The prince slumped on the bed after the maid left and exclaimed;

"For how long are you going to stare at me from a corner…"

A white snake with shiny scales slithered from behind the dressing mirror in the prince's massive chambers and said:

"Pardon me your highness but it still marvels me how cold you are even with the ones you claim to have feelings for."

"I can't help it Nyoka!"

The prince took off his trousers and walked to the bath lazily.

"I am not surprise seeing that you can hide your true identity as a princess for this long without a single soul knowing."

"Well… what can I say Nyoka?... it's the perks of my magic…"

The princess closed her eyes as she allowed her body to immerse in the warm water.

"I sometimes wish I was born a man perhaps then my mother will love me like she loves my twin brother…"

The snake slithered to the bath tub and lingered by the corner as he replied her:

"Your father loves you dearly."

The princess opened her eyes and they were glowing ice blue color. She exhaled and the water in her bath tub froze. The white snake moved away swiftly from the freezing bath tub and lurk around the corner with its eyes fixated on her.

"Yes! He does, I am lucky to have him."

She wore her striking red robe and strolled to the big window in her chambers. Her eyes were lost to the stars as she looked up into the skies:

"It's funny because I feel that I am loved and supported by my father only because it's beneficial. If I wasn't a lord, will I still be loved? Or if my brother was a lord as well will I even be noticed or valued? It's not difficult to comprehend that I am only tolerated and not loved. Come to think about it, I wasn't even supposed to be born in the first place. Sometimes, even I crave for my mother's love"

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