8 The boy I I

Before she could do anything she was caught by Ma Themba, the main cook.

The woman was furious and dragged her into the kitchen, she was made to assist them with the cooking in the hot, smoke filled room and loved it.

She tried her best and asked many questions, Ma Themba was surprised, she also learned a lot faster than usual.

She was so proud of her, she decided to let her go as she had requested from the beginning.

Luna saw a fraction of the collosal empire, it was amazing, yes the palace was grand and made from gemstones but the empire was her people, she loved them.

She saw the monkeys causing mischief, the birds fluttering in and over compounds, the beautiful white waterfalls and the people most of all.

She followed a family going to their farm and took a detour following a monarch butterfly.

Elu was reading about the seventy- two types of water ice when someone tightly gripped her arm.

She turned to see the Advisor with rage in his brown eyes.

"Where is the princess?!"

Elu was scared just by his voice and couldn't answer.

He dragged her into the various rooms till Ma Themba came, happy to see her.

"Elu, my darling, what is going on?"

"This "your darling" just lost the princess."

"She couldn't have, she was just with me in the kitchen."

Elu was crushed as Ma Themba started to realize she had treated the Emperor's daughter like a slave.

She placed her hands on her head and moaned, that was punishable by death or exile and she couldn't go into Saggezzia either so...

"You are going to lead us to where you hid her Highness, do you understand?!"The elder yelled.

She couldn't move, he furiously sent the guards to find her, as for Elu, she'd wish her life wasn't spared...

Luna was mesmerized by the beauty around her, the orchids, daisies, snake plants, spider plants, Weaver birds, Gray Plantain eaters, Great Turacoes and especially the bee eaters.

There were so many sights but one caught her eyes, a pair of peering eyes from behind some vines. They were amazing!

Never had she seen any eyes like them before. They were almost white.

Yet in the shadows she could see a blue colour, she blinked, they blinked twice, she blinked once more...

It shouted something like,"Kach mi!", then ran away.

"Wait!", She yelled in Xhosa.

She chased after... him, a boy. He laughed as he dodged through the thick green leaves, she realized his skin… it was the colour of the sands of the sea. His hair, it was like gold, yet like white, she couldn't tell.

After almost twenty seconds of running her fingertips touched his shirt and he looked back and smiled at her...

She smiled back and dived to get him then, a strong arm grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up. She yelled and fought back but her seven year old arms were no match for his super strong twenty or more.

She looked back and saw the eyes. He blinked, she blinked twice, he blinked again... Then he said something else before running away..."Ca mon, kach mi ief u kan."

"You again! Running away and letting us get worried sick...."

The rest wasn't important to her, apart from,"...get what she deserves."

Elu...

"Please don't punish Elu, it was my fault, I made her do it."

"She was supposed to keep you safe!"

"What happened advisor?"

That voice, Elder Lethabo?

She hadn't seen him once in like two months…

Elder Lethabo was the emperor's most trusted elder, guard and one of Luna's teachers, he was her favourite as he often acted like a father to her.

"His Majesty's daughter ran away again and those two slaves helped her, putting her life in danger!"

"Weren't you in charge of her safety and didn't the maids assist her as is their job?"

The advisor was speechless.

"Now I'd advise you, advisor, to keep a better eye on his Majesty's daughter and if you punish her or the maids, I will not hesitate to have you go through the training of an imperial guard."

"...Y- y- yes, elder Lethabo."

An imperial guard is a special division of the royal guard where those who accomplish the extremely tough training are usually reserved for the toughest missions like guarding a royal 24/7.

Their training is so intense that only extremely talented people were employed. Men and women were allowed to train.

They trained in all the techniques of a fighter, runner, swimmer and climber, even Luna couldn't learn all of them as they were too many and she had other things to learn.

People who accomplished this training were usually next to undefeatable, with forty normal guards unable to defeat one of them.

Luna couldn't hold her excitement anymore and jumped onto the elder.

He had expected this and caught her in his arms.

"Thank you Elder Lethabo."

"But Luna he was right, you shouldn't be running away like that."

She felt sad for hurting his feelings and apologized.

"I have to go, don't run away again."

"Go now? But..."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

She knew he meant it, when he said that, he'd come back within three days.

When she was alone with Elu, she said,"Elu, guess what I saw."

Elu remained silent.

"Elu, I'm sorry I got you into such trouble, I won't do it again."

Elu brightened up.

"What?"

"A boy."

"I'm confused."

"A strange boy, his hair was light yellow, his lips were pink, his skin was fair, fairer than... yours and his eyes, oh his blue eyes..."

Elu snapped her fingers to wake the Princess from Dreamland.

"He sounds dreamy", Elu said with a teasing eye flutter.

"What? No, he's... special."

Elu didn't believe her lie, but pretended to.

Luna slumped on her silk bed and thought of how to escape again.