VI. She's closer than you think

Dedicated to Omidiji Teniola

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Farah observed her surroundings and shook her head internally.

Mortals, she couldn't help but think. They were playing with fire. Someone in particular was playing with fire. How dare they try to alter Fate's power or what was to come.

Her eyes roamed round and settled on the princess whose heart thumped loudly and her lips still quivered longing for the warmth of Rapha's lips on hers. She still stood in front of Rapha who still held her hands in his.

The queens mouth was pressed in a thin line as her blood was at the highest boiling point known of. How dare a servant take away a part of her daughters innocence. Her green eyes were sharp and the scowl she sent Rapha's way made him aware that the princess's hand was still in his.

He dropped her hand quickly and joined the other servants. He was present at the ball but his mind kept going back to the kiss. What was going to befall him. He turned to look at Nä-ræl who quickly looked away as she blushed.

She felt like something was missing when that spark of electricity from his touch was no longer there. She longed for him, badly and she knew it. She knew she was falling too quickly and that she had to let go of whatever she was feeling. Her mother would definitely not allow it.

A servant!

That was unheard of.

Farah shook her head and mind-linked Fate who chuckled at whatever Farah said to her.

Yes, yes it would soon come together!

Unease spread round the grand hall at Fate's chuckle and fear settled in their bones when Farah smiled, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She looked round the hall and smiled at Rapha who had the corners of his mouth twitching. He and Nä-ræl were both amused at how people were so afraid of her when she meant no harm.

Even the queen trembled, all attempt to make her subjects fear her when Farah was there failed and she was furious. The queen hated the fact that she was nothing but an ant in the presence of a creature who could be mistaken for a young child if she was in her true form.

The king still held the glass of wine in his hand and looked oblivious of why everyone wasn't dancing. He knew Farah and the other supernaturals were there but why didn't anyone move after paying obeisance to them. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he sipped his wine on in silence.

"Did you cease?" Farah finally asked, shattering the silence and increasing the fear. At her words, they all trembled even though they didn't understand.

"Time?" Farah asked, "Tell me did you?"

"Not at all," Time said chuckling softly. His laugh was hearty and it sent a little bit of relief into the bones of the people standing.

"Pray tell me why they haven't resumed their duties?" She asked again scanning the crowd. It seemed like everyone's lips trembled in synchronization making it seem like there was a lip choreography in motion.

Farah cocked her dark green and scanty eyebrow at the crowd and immediately they resumed their various duties. Servants began bustling about, couples began dancing and Ærtle came to ask Nä-ræl for another dance.

Nä-ræl could sense that Ærtle was not angry because of the kiss she shared with Rapha minutes ago. It wasn't even a real kiss! She exclaimed to herself.

It was more of a lovely brush of warm lips on hers, that made her knees extremely weak and her stomach to jostle.

She wondered why Rapha wasn't in the dungeon yet, why they didn't take him away even after Farah had appeared.

Was the kiss her imagination?

She shook her head at that thought when she glanced her mother's way and saw displeasure in her eyes. She looked like she was going to murder Rapha and Nä-ræl didn't want that. She took a look at Rapha who stared at her with an emotion she couldn't decipher, but all she knew was that the kiss was real.

But why did everyone's not seem to take notice.

Her mind wandered about, looking for answers and she soon forgot that she was dancing with Ærtle until his obnoxiously loud voice cut of her thinking by saying, "It's time for the dinner part, only nobles are allowed so I will most certainly see you at the royal table, seeming I am a dukes son."

Nä-ræl scowled internally but gave him a tight lipped smile.

Proud and obnoxious son of a bachelor!

Her eyes swept round various people and they finally met the furious eyes of her mother who walked towards her with calculated steps. Her lips were pressed in a grim line which disfigured her face.

The king thought his wife looked funny so he gave a small chuckle,and continued sipping his wine while other nobles took seats at the table. The supernaturals took their seat too at the very long table which could accommodate about fifty people.

Nâ-täshâ took a seat opposite the king, at the long end of the table. She smoothened her gown with her hands before sitting down. The supernaturals sat at the horizontal line of the table and others were reluctant to seat near them but they had no choice. It was as if a spell had compelled them to sit so they sat.

Nä-ræl took at the opposite side of the supernaturals and immediately, Ærtle, the dukes son sat beside her. She wished only the lord's and ladies sat at the table. She surveyed the table, everyone had taken a seat but one person was missing. Someone wasn't there.

The king noticed it and spoke dropping his glass of wine that he had been sipping slowly since the beginning of the diner ball. "Where's Farah?"

"Oh she's closer than you think, go on with what you have to say," Magicka said chuckling softly while Karma laughed as she was mind-linked with Farah. Cupid sensed it but said nothing, he simply observed Ærtle who was always following the princess about.

Some things aren't just meant to be He mind-linked Farah.

Of course they aren't, Farah chuckled.

"Yes, she's close by," Nä-ræl said looking behind her. A blush stained her cheek when Rapha caught her eye and she quickly looked forward, facing everyone at the table.

"What do you mean?" The king said, ignorant of what she was talking about.

*_*

Rapha bustled about, refilling people's cup with wine. A servant tapped his shoulder and he turned to see the smiling figure of another make servant who had a sleek black hair and green eyes.

Something about that servant was strange and he couldn't place it. The servant widened his smile and Rapha took another look. Seeing who it was,the corners of his lips twitched.

"I'm honoured," he said bowing to Farah who smiled some more looking towards the princess's direction with twinkling eyes. He caught her eye and beheld the beautiful blush that stained her cheeks before she looked away.

*_*

"Exactly what I said," Nä-ræl said to her father, "She's beside that handsome servant, Rapha." Immediately Nä-ræl said that, she regretted it as her mother looked at her in anger and in confusion as she saw nothing but another servant who smiled widely at her.

"The handsome servant with a fairly long hair?" Nä-rutø asked his daughter.

"Yes father," she said humbly as she lowered her face to cover her blush. At least her father agreed that the servant was handsome.

That was a good start, wasn't it?

"I don't see her," the king said gloomily, "You must be imagining nonsense!"

"No father," she said raising her chin defiantly, "Old age has probably begun to affect your eyesight,"

"I can see everything as clear as daylight." he said.

"My king," A sleek black haired servant said, holding a pitcher of wine in his hand as he refilled the king's glass. "Perhaps your daughter is right, old age has begun to affect your eyesight!"

"Insolence!" The queen roared. "Seize him!" She commanded to the guards around but they all stared impassively ahead and the corner of the servants lips twitched.

Nä-ræl tried to speak but something was holding her back, her throat was closed tightly that she couldn't even utter the smallest of sound.

"Guards!" The queen roared again but the results were still the same.

"My king," Rapha said as he approached the table, "I would advice you not to drink out of that cup," he said eyeing the other servant closely.

The queen sent him a glare that could have frozen an ocean in the twinkle of an eye but he remained unfazed as he looked at the king.

The king out the cup to his lips but as he tilted the cup to take drink from it he felt nothing on his tongue. There was no taste or filling.

Rapha shook his head and so did Nä-ræl, how could he be fooled by glamour?

The king felt a sharp pain in his chest and clutched it tightly as he set the goblet of wine on the table.

Many look but never see, He heard a voice in his mind say, humoring him.

By then, everyone had gathered around the king. They tried to lift him up but he waved them off and yelled, "I'm blessed!"