THE JOURNEY 2

  It felt surreal and magical with the blue surroundings she was in. It was no dull blue, but light blue, it was very bright. It was as if the sky highlighted everywhere giving it a blue hue. She felt the brightness penetrate her eyes and she couldn't help but still stare right back at it.

  The most fascinating part was that the land was wide, vast, and deserted. It gave off a cold and calm feeling literally.

 Every saying is always right. Like right now, the proverb that suits this situation was - Everything looks different and beautiful when you are in a calm and settled state of mind.

She sighed thinking about this saying. She sinks into the beautiful scenery, trying to calm herself, at least for a while before she went back to strategizing. She leaned further into his chest feeling calm as ever since the time she arrived in this world.

****

Zamiel on the other hand felt her heartbeat settle and he couldn't help but raise his brows at these. Because for a while now he has been hearing her heartbeat skip and races more than usual. But when her heart suddenly settled, she leaned on him. He raised his brows at her head. A smile painted its way through his face.

 He made the horse move slower.

****

 Grrrowwwl

  She heard her stomach growl out loud making her blush, cause she was pretty sure he also heard her stomach growl. She is pretty hungry but she just couldn't breathe air about it until her tummy broke the cover.

She shut her eyes expecting a reaction from Zamiel. It's been nine hours since they've been traveling and nine hours isn't easy for a fragile girl like her to stay hungry. Even though she ate this morning before they left the inn she still felt hungry as hell. With the looks of it, she's pretty sure it's after four or maybe four.

  As expected Zamiel stopped his horse and so did the others. They set a campfire to cook for lunch. Zamiel helped her unmount the horse and she feels her butt cramped due to her sitting on the horse for so long without moving. 

 ( Sigh). She breathed in the fresh air around and pivoted her head looking into the eyes of every one of the men. She sighed Ramon sat on a cushion.  (" Where did he even see that"). She asked herself proceeding with her investigation. She caught sight of a huge and brawny man cooking. Strange she thought still staring at him cooking.

  She wondered if he felt comfortable handling kitchen utensils. She sniffed the air taking in the food's superb aroma. Wow, she never thought such a huge man would be such a cook. It is true when they say " don't judge a book by its cover". . She didn't even realize she was standing right in front. Guess she was really hungry that even her feet brought her here without her knowing. 

  She smiled embarrassedly about her behavior. The huge man stared up ce he was crouching down to the fire's level. He quickly stood up breaking their eye contact before bowing slightly.

  " Oh no, it's alright, I just came to check up on the food"

 She said, receiving silence as an answer and the man still bowing slightly.

  "What are you cooking?". She asked sensing he had no intention of answering her question.

   " Chicken soup with bread Your highness". 

 " Hmm. " She mumbled staring down at the boiling substance.  " You don't mind me hanging here, do you? She asked peeling her eyes off the boiling substance.

  " Of course Your highness" He replied hurriedly making her uncomfortable with the unnecessary title.

  " Can you help me with something?".

  " Anything, Your highness". He answered, bowing lower than before.

  " Then. Can you kindly omit the title please". She said making man lose his calm and composed features. He opened his mouth slightly staring right into her eyes. And he wasn't bowing anymore.

   " Oh don't worry about what you'll call me. If you feel uncomfortable not calling me by that. Then can you do me a favor by not bowing to me every single minute? Or putting the title behind every reply you give me". She said not taking a breather until she was done with her speech.

   " Can you do that?". She added staring right into his eyes.

  " As you wish your highness". The man said bowing slightly once more.

  " But you are not granting the wish". She said raising her eyebrows at him.

  " I'm sorry, for going against you. I'm used to being like these". He replied not bowing this time making Mira smirk at him.

  " What's there to be against. It's just a little request". She Said smiling at him. This had the man feel unsafe and uncomfortable conversating with a royal.

   " You don't mind telling me your name do you?". She asked still flashing her perfect white teeth.

   " Phillip". He answered right away still not free with her.

   " So. Phillip. You don't mind telling me about your food do you?". She said having her seat on a nearby stool. 

   " Of course". He said also taking his seat.

 ******

   " Look at her". Said a voice not too far away from them.  Ramon stood resting on the carriage to support his weight.   " Don't you think she's sweet". He said turning to a statue who was standing beside him. It was Zamiel.  " Don't you just wanna fall in love with her". He asked staring at him while smiling mischievously before his smile died down his face.  " But I think you know better than to do so". He stared right at his eyes when Zamiel reversed his attention to him.  " Don't mess this up". His voice turned fierce with a dash of threat in it.

   Zamiel didn't reply instead he just stared right back at him with a calm and collected expression on his face.

   He switched his gaze back to her who was starting to accommodate herself among people. She sat with the man named Phillip, smiling at him. Sometimes her expression looks confused while staring down at the boiling food and sometimes she looked happy stirring the soup with the wooden ladle. A smile made its way to his face while drinking in her expression.

   " I said mine already". Ramon Said intruding into his world before walking away from him. Zamiel stared at him making his way towards Mira's direction.

****

 Mira felt lighter talking to someone even though he doesn't feel that free speaking to her at least with time she can crack everyone's shell.  She snapped her head sideways sensing someone's presence. A smile painted its way to her face realizing who it was.

  " Your highness". Ramon said stopping right in front of them. Before he looked at the boiling substance. 

  "Mr. Avi". She greeted smiling at him. She's starting to smile genuinely unlike a few hours or maybe yesterday ago.

   " I didn't know you were interested in cooking, he stared at her departing his gaze from the hot pot.

 " Oh it's nothing really. I just feel like knowing things I don't". She replied to his question. 

   " You need anything, Mr. Avi?". She said discarding their intro.

 " Nothing much just got bored and thought to hang out with you cooks.". He joked but still, it had some truth in it.

    " Ok if you say so then welcome to the club Mr. Avi". She also replied with a joke. 

  " " That's a good one". He chuckled at her response before he also took his seat on a rock that wasn't so big but still manageable.

  " Are you comfortable with where you are sitting on". She asked with concern.

 " Oh it's fine. This is nothing compared to what I've been through in the past". He boasted waving off her worry.

    " The past?. You've been through?. I'd like to hear your stories Mr. Avi. When you are less busy that is". She said diverting her attention away from the pot leaving Phillip to handle the cooking.

  " Let's leave that for later and concentrate on our cooking shall we". She added now concentrating on the stew which just got done by the moment.

 " Is it done?". She asked Phillip the cook.

  " Yes. All is left is for us to serve it". Replied Phillip lifting the pot off the fire.

  " Let me help you with the plates". Ramon offered, getting up to bring the plates.

" Yes do that". Said Mira now switching her gaze to him.

 He soon returned with wooden plates in his hands. Mira stared at the plates like an inanimate object or an extinct material. She didn't expect a royal to be using a wooden plate talkless of seeing a wooden plate.

  Ramon had his brows furrowed with the way she kept staring at him, maybe not him but something that was on him.

  " Anything the matter?". He asked placing the plates on the rock.

 " Huh?. It's nothing I just think the plates look cute with the way they are wooden".

  "...."