I am coming for you!”

"What are my duties?" I asked. To which Chris immediately replied with his finger on his mouth and a shush, "shhhhh". I got what he meant, I had spoken in between again. I put up my finger on my mouth and crossed my hand.

Chris sighed and then continued again, "so now you know the whole story, history and the duties of crown's shield; It looks like the duties of The Moon were given to the Shield but no. As the CROWN's MOON - you have the duty to end whatever problem arises and is reported by the Shield so the crown doesn't have to face them, be the last defence layer for the crown and handle the courtly matters in absence of the crown. If a big war comes MOON strategies first; And if for any political and diplomatic matters the crown is unable to travel, the MOON does the job." Chris pointed at me and said, "That is your job as the Crown's MOON. You have to be as good as the Crown. For ME! as a Shield, I just have to spy, attack, protect and obey"

"Hmm", I hummed through my closed mouth and looked at chris to see if he had more to say.

"That's all! Rest you have to research on your own" Chris said looking at my expressions.

"Okay!...Its a lot to digest all at once but I get it now", I replied but I had nothing to say anymore. It was truly lot to process and a lot to accept, it was not a child's play anymore! My life was on line and with me lied a lot of decisions of responsibility, most of which I'm still not sure would I be able to fulfill. As looked at the water surrounding the 4 sides of the pavilion I could see my reflection in it, and as the ripples formed on the water surface my face distorted. 'I truly still am not ready!'

I looked at chris and he looked at me a but puzzled titling his head slightly. I aberted my eyes off him and asked, "why did you tell this all to me?". He had a ridiculed expression on his face and then he chuckled, I was confused by his reaction but I waited for his response. "I'll tell you what aphie! All of this is known to us by the age of 10. Plus now that you know it all my burden lessens, you now understand my position and my intent", chris answered an stoped for a moment, he sighed and this time looking at me with his cold heartless look continued, "And I refuse to serve a Crown's Moon like YOU! The most incompetent and the most useless that I had ever seen!"

I widened my eyes at his words and opened my mouth to reply but couldn't say anything, afterall he was right! Chris moved close to me standing tall above me and leaned in, with total disgust in his eyes he said, "You don't qualify to even the serve the crown as their servant! How many months have you been feeding off my family's favour? Not once have you attempted an escape, or do you wish for me to babysit you throughout your tenure?".

My breathing paced at his words, I was furious! So furious and angry. But I wasn't feeling this way for what he said, It was the fact that whatever he said was true! What have I been doing here? I had a proper chance to escape so many time! And I have been sitting here wishing those responsibilities never came in my life. I just kept staring at his eyes, I didn't know what face was making but his words bore into my heart. He backed himself off but I couldn't move, the reality was too hard to accept! Or probably It is very easy, it was me all along who never wished for it to be true.

The birds started chirping in the background, it was already dawn and the sun would be up any minute. I pitied myself for whatever I was feeling last night! It was all just to run away from reality. Chris turned and started walking away but Suddenly stopped in his place, "I had a conversation with your dad" he said, those words felt like such a relief yet I had a shameful feeling probably about how I would face my dad!? Since I didn't say anything chris continued, "I won't reveal the entire conversation but he asked me to remind you of the promise you made to him!".

Those words hurt me, the promise! I had been running away from that as well. As chris started to walk away I called out to him, "chris wait! What else did he say? Is her well? Is he... umm...is he disappointed?". Chris was halfway on the bridge with his back facing me, even from behind I could tell he was laughing. The laughter slowly increased as he turned to look at me slowly, I stood there confused yet concerned about my dad.

"Aphie!" Chris said laughing, "He doesn't have to say it! You truly are a disappoint to all the previous crown's moon". He kept looking at me heartlessly and continued his laughter, while I stood there totally broken not knowing at all what to do! 'Am I that big of a disappointment mara? I am aren't I'. His words left me in shambles and the way he was looking at me made it all the way worse. I couldn't hold my tears and I broke down, trying to stop myself but I couldn't; I just couldn't forgive myself for repaying my dad this way! To be such a disappointment!

Chris walked to me with a very obvious fake concern, "poor dear, want me to hell you as always!?" He looked at me but I stole my glance away from him but he pulled chin up to make me look at him, in a taunting way he said, "aww look how helpless this little birdie is, should I help you fly?". His words were rubbing salt on my wounds so I just closed my eyes instead of looking at him.

But he held my wrist and dragged me behind him outside the pavilion on the high arch of the bridge. The sun was up behind the hillock at some distance, chris stood close behind me and with his face on my left shoulder and his arm extending from my right shoulder he pointed at the sun. The scene was worth the watch but I was not in the mindset to enjoy that.

"There!" Chris said, "see where the sun rises, to reach and cross that hillock starting from here takes 8 hours by foot, You know there is no fence to this mansion on the east side. If you start right now, with all the break and your speed considered you will reach there by one o'clock in the afternoon."

What was he talking about!? Why was he telling me all that!? Was this a trap? I looked at him with cross eyes but he had was smiling looking over the horizon, I looked ahead and all I could see was his finger pointing towards the hillock. My tears were dry on my face and looked at him again to see what exactly was going throw his mind. He had his maniac expression on his face as he turned towards me, so close I could feel his breath and my eyes kept shifting from his one eye to another.

"Here!" He said, "let me baby sit you a little more birdie. Go ahead I'll give you a 4 hour jumpstart". He then held both my shoulders from behind and came close to me ears whispering, "Fly as fast as you can little birdie because after that I am coming for you!"