Chapter 15: Familiar with you

Meanwhile…."Bartender, what happened to the stranger?" Maia asked as she had one more drink and paid for her drinks, "the women took him upstairs…" the bartender said shaking his head, "He will be in for the surprise of his life, I am sure hahahaha!!!" Maia laughed as she knew exactly what type of women they were, as she took down her drink. The song finished as suddenly, she hears a man scream, from upstairs "Aaahhhhhh!!!!!" when the stranger comes running down the stairs in the fright of his life, his hand on his chest, huffing for breath, his clothes all dishevelled on the steps as he looked like he had seen a ghost, his mask almost falling off, which he put back on briskly, scuffling his hair, "I did try to warn you, ahhh….like my friend said, you men need some 'women in your life'' hahahahah!!!" Maia laughed in mockery, along with the whole bar, as they knew what had happened, as she took down another drink, he looked at her as he walked down the stairs and looked at her for a moment, (Song comes on: Nickelback: Midnight queen) - "What? Want another drink?" Maia asked in innocence, as her and her friends did not wear their servant attire outside of the palace, as they wore casual covered clothing in that era, when suddenly, "Baby, come back!!" the women called out to him, Leon looked behind him, then looked at Maia suddenly, "you, come with me!" He grunted hurriedly and demanded, as to try to keep some honour as a man, as he grabbed her hand, "Huh!!?" she grunted in surprise, running out the tavern together, "my horse!!" He exclaimed, as he grabbed his horse and took her by the hand "Jump on!!" Leon exclaimed. Maia didn't hesitate as she jumped onto the horse behind Xavier, she didn't know it was the King, as he was disguised as a commoner, and both jump onto the horse together, and both rode off together into the night, towards the palace, through the kingdom streets, the palace in sight, "Why are we going to the palace? the guards will not let us in at this time of the night, we will get arrested!!" She exclaimed, as the wind fluttered through their hair, when suddenly, Leon remembered he was out of the palace unawares, so he thought quickly, "this way!" He said as he triggered his horse to run faster and went passed the palace, as they went towards a place that only the King knew, (song ends at the sight of Leon's horse running into the horizon that night).

It was a secret garden about half an hour away from the kingdom, overlooking the kingdom, "Wow… this is so beautiful" She said softly as she was sitting behind this stranger on his horse, overlooking the view of the kingdom from this mountain garden view, "Yes, it is isn't it?" He responded softly, looking behind facing her, looking at her, then looking at the kingdom. He got off his horse and helped her off as well, to stand next to him to see the view of the kingdom. Suddenly, Leon falls to his knees, traumatised almost in an amusing manner to Maia, "I… can't undo what I have seen tonight… my eyes….cannot be cleansed…" He said in a saddened and traumatised tone of voice, putting his hands on his eyes and his face, in shame and anguish.

When Maia heard and seen him react this way, that, she burst out into laughter that she fell to the ground in tears of laughter, holding her stomach from the hardness of the laugher, "I tried to warn you …but I can relate" She laughed. Leon looked at her suddenly, "you mock me, woman?" Leon grunted, looking at her suddenly as he glared at her mockery, to which Maia continued to laugh at him. Leon looked away shaking his head in shame. "Maybe you should listen when people try to warn you about things hahahahah!!" Maia laughed.

When Leon heard this, it made him think a little. Composing herself, Maia asks him, "Hey, I'm sorry but that was too funny…I needed that laugh, thank you.. " She said composing herself,

Maia goes to sit next to him, "Why…. do you let your friends treat you like that earlier….?" He asked her. Maia glanced at him, "They are just teasing me, Xavier… we may look like we fight and bicker, but we all have been through a lot together and serve the King with our hearts…. If it wasn't for that to keep us together, I don't know what will…" she said kindly to him. "I see…" he responded simply.

"So Xavier, what are you doing in this place? Are you running away from another kingdom or looking for a new home?" She asked him curiously, as she suddenly sobered up, "She's completely sober now…" Leon thought within himself, "You like to be very nosy, don't you?" Leon responded in a serious tone of voice, "Well you did drag me along when you ran away from the tavern?" Maia responded to point out that she may as well ask since he brought her along, "Yes, I owe you that much…" He responded softly. "I…. just needed to get some fresh air…. …." He smiled at her softly, then looked off into the horizon, as the calm night breeze swept across their faces, his hair fluttering in the wind, as he had removed his hood but kept his mask on, not to be recognised as the king. "nothing wrong with that, sometimes we all need to get away from things in our life to recap and see what needs to be done next." She said softly looking towards the palace.

"Her smile…." Xavier thought to himself... "You sound like a nice guy, Xavier" she grinned and smirked in tongue and cheek. "Do that any further with me and there will be consequences, I am only a man you know…." He said as he looked away.

Maia chuckled. "You look cute when you don't know what to do" Maia said softly flirting with him, when all of the sudden, Xavier looked at her, took her in his arms and laid on top of her, "you're mocking me now huh?" he said raising an eye brow looking into her eyes. Maia chuckled further softly. "Why don't you fight back? How come you trust me so easily?" Xavier asked her suddenly.

"I don't know….I feel so familiar with you, I just can't put my finger on it, I feel like, I know you?" Maia said softly yet curiously looking into his dark eyes under the moonlight, as she tried to embrace his face tenderly, when he pulled away suddenly and looked away for a moment, "no, it doesn't…." He said looking away, and got up from her.

"Me and my brother used to come here as children, to escape the rules from home…" Leon said to her softly. "Really? What rules?" Maia asked him curiously staring at him, as they now sat side by side together. Leon looked at her for a moment and took a deep breath, "Let's just say certain rules our family must follow…" He said kindly. "Oh… sounds tough…" Maia responded. "you have no idea…" Leon responded as he looked away.

(Song: - Piano Music) - Suddenly, Leon's mask almost fell off, revealing half his face, he panicked a little as he tried to fix it back together when suddenly, Maia caught the string that held the mask on Leon's face, Leon grasped as he thought he would be recognised, however, being so close to Maia, in a gentle way, felt comforting to the troubled king, clenching his eyes closed tightly as he drew back slightly, "Don't worry, you don't have to remove your mask…. You have your reasons…." She said and smiled kindly, looking at him softly and understandably, as she got closer to him to tie up his mask, under the clear starry night, with the moonlight being their only light, with the kingdom lights reflecting upon them both. Feeling her warm breath against his lips as she was so close, staring at her lips, her face and her soft ivory skin, as her clothes revealed her cleavage slightly. The fact that there was not much light, was an advantage to Leon, so he would not be recognised by his servant. "You can see very well in the dark…." Leon complimented at her, "thanks…I guess we all wear masks under the cover of darkness to hide who we truly are…." Maia replied softly yet sadly whilst she tied the mask knot for him tenderly.

Leon stared at her as he felt her warm breath against him as she tied his mask for him, "Do you…. wear a mask, to hide who you truly are…" Leon questioned her curiously in a low husky tone of voice, as she tied his mask, being in front of each other, as he took a breath asking her such a question. Whilst Maia tied Leon's mask, she went quiet as she looked away for a moment, "we… wear a masks everyday…." Maia said sadly as she looked down and moved away slowly, "There, all done. The mask will stay in place like that if you don't move around too friskily." Maia smiled. Leon felt the mask in place and in order, being grateful for her understanding, "You…. are very kind…thank you..." Leon said to her softly as he looked at her softly behind his mask of 'Xavier.'