"Twinkle twinkle little star…" A purely gentle and beautiful voice echoed, with a little sorrow hidden beneath…
It was approaching twilight while their eyes were fixed upon the last orange glow before dusk, and it sure was beautiful. Athena, however, prepares for the departure while Hatim somehow just gawks upon the wall with sole sorrow within his stares…
"You are free to go!" It was dead silence even after her declaration, and yet Dara said with a spin towards the camp afar and with the steps of tranquillity, leaving all Fortis and the crowd-of-cowards puzzled in the density of the burning sun…
The dusk was arriving with hefty steps as it always has, but for Cleo, this was like a mere eternity of suffering. Zera stood before him with a face as it was That day, the day of the dream. She sure wanted this, but right at the moment, it came to be as a question mark, does she have to do this? Surely became a question. Just then, she whirls to Hatim and just then, she demands with her unique tone "Take me with you!" It was simply solemn, but this has to be done before her spirits shattered apart like pieces of glasses. Hatim spun to her with certain confusion as did Athena, but after seeing her those weak and somehow strong eyes, the two did not oppose anything, yet Athena notifies her. "This is no joyous journey, child, and I will not take any oaths for your loss!" Clear and loud, ringing in her ears as to certain misunderstandings if she held any. However, that girl made her decision even in the depths of that dark prison, so this did not burden her much, but for Cleo, the story turns out very, very different, his eyes came numb and his will departed, after all, he adores her…
—
It was night and was virtually two years ago, dark and not quite rainy but the air itself sure was in the mood for a storm. Zera sat next to a person who she can call a mother. Her mother lay upon a reeking foam bed, frail as the closing death crawled upon her every second, but for Zera, those seconds felt like infinite agony, yet, who can fight against the inevitable death. Soon after a certain silence, her mother just saw her daughter's shallow face, filled with sorrow and neglected to any shred of hope, her mother embraced by a tiny smile. "Twinkle twinkle little star," In that sole silence her mother sang as, like angels tuning the fade of her echoes, it was purely delighted. Sure, it was delightful, but it was as well some last words departed from her sweet lips, Zera knew that and couldn't help but just unleash some beads of salty water but shortly her mother stopped for a moment, then continued as gawking upon her daughter. "Your father was a kind man…" In Zera's ten years of life, her mother never opens her tongue about her daughter's father. "But he was nothing like you, my child…" She continued. "His eyes were brown, the same as his curly brown hairs, charming like no other, but mostly he was a kind man…" Zera just listened and didn't let a single word slip even if she wanted to, but just listen without a drop of doubt. "He devoted his all towards his duty, he served as the royal servant!" But only then, upon hearing those words, Zera whirled those black as snake eyes to his miserable mother with fury crawling. After all, if her father Was a royal servant, then why did they have to live working all day, night long just to eat some fresh veggies? Then why does her mother have to lay on this bed despite her young age? Just why is her mother suffering from various diseases after overworking? Why did her father isn't here? Why are they living like pigs of society? "Why?" Zera opened her lips for that simple question, but her mother did not reply but just gawked upon her daughter as the questions filled that tiny head of the ten-year-old child. Only because one man wasn't able to do his job correctly, the rest of them have to pay the price. "He was a purely kind person…" And yet, her mother respected him from the bottom of her heart. "Just why!??" Zera yelled as spun her face towards her mother, squeezed with sorrow, but after, her mother went with no words but just glared at her gorgeous daughter as lapped a hand onto her cheeks. "Because he gave me you…" And then she spoke her heart out as she embraced by a tiny smile which simply was enough to bring Zera to tears of sorry, and so, she unleashes all hidden within her heart, with cries and screams. It reaches far, her sorrowful howls, and someone was listening, even if he was standing far, he listens to all and simply just listens…
—
"May I come in?" Cleo recalls that day when Zera came to live in their home after her mother's death. He was surprised to even imagine that; this would ever happen, but it sure did, however, for some reason, his mother was not pleased after letting Zera stay in their house and so, even after the agony she has been through, life did not let her rest. It might be those days that change her once forever as into a rugged one and into the one that always can be found in the centre of the problems, just as then others grew to bother bit by bit. The girl was declared as 'trouble' in the district when no one was able to scold her or made her know the meaning of life, but there sure was one, who was secretly there which Zera never came to know of until that day…
—
"Say sorry!" It was a day and as well was burning beneath the mighty sun. The crowd was gawking as the men were laughing. "Yes, that's our boy!" Among them, one said. Cleo stood in front of a young boy just the same age as his, but the boy's nose was drooling blood a little after getting a punch from Cleo. It was quite amusing for Cleo to take violence over words, but what can he say to his silly heart, after all, that boy said something not pleasant about Zera. "Say sorry, please!!" Cleo yet again shouted, but that boy was rather annoyed than being afraid, still, "I will! But what are you to her?" He replied. "Why do you always get mad when it comes to her?" The howls came into view from afar and Zera, after hearing some hearable yells, wandered with calm steps, she was in no hurry and just walk towards some spicy drama in everyday alleys, pushing and passing, Zera walks further into the pit of a crowd and promptly reaches, but what she beheld was a truly stunning sight, Cleo, who she had known since childhood was using fists! She just never even imagined a kind person like him was capable of something like this, yet, this moment itself was spicy enough to fuel her for some upcoming days and she adopts a smirk. The crowd of men grew even more intense upon that boy's point. "What is she to you?" The boy asked once again as Zera's smirk grew even wider. "I…" Cleo let out a letter and for some reason, Zera's smile completely disappeared as if in an instant, she realized it all, that kept behind his those expressions. "I…cherish her!!" Then, the moment halts and that boy does not bother another word, except, "I'm sorry." He walked as the crowd made some-place for him to go out while Cleo, as well, decided to exit, but just when his swirl took place, his eyes found her, standing in the crowd with vast stares. Zera just glares at him, just the same as he does, the minute felt like hours as their eyes just gawked at each other's pupils. "No!" Zera moved her lips slowly and simply walked away, leaving Cleo unknown…
As the day passes, the night takes over and the stars begin to shine to erase the cruel darkness. Zera lay on a wheat sack, thinking of the day and the words of the day. It was an abandoned barn that doesn't have a ceiling, just as so the view above could be seen, as well as why it was abandoned, but for Zera, this was the only place where she could stay for hours and did not get into any trouble, it was her own little home. As her view whirl across the never-ending twinkling stars, her lips just moved on their own. "Twinkle twinkle…" Somehow even when she got swallowed by darkness, this melody always helped her, even now, "♪Twinkle twinkle little star♪" But, all of the sudden, Zera came to realise something. "Wait, what comes next?" She scratches her head unfamiliar with the next line. After all, her mother never came to sing the next line but mumbled over and over, however, Zera knew there sure was a next but 'what' was unknown as she inserted her head into that wheat sack, "Aargh! I don't remember it!" And soon then, she whirled her head up, towards those shining as blue stars. "Ah, I'm drained…" She yawned as closes her eyes slowly as quiet snoozes took over little by little all lonely. He yet again stood close outside this barn, enough not to bother her, he simply stuck his feet upon those grounds and soon spun those blue sea eyes as the stars reflected upon them, making them one of the most beautiful things, but those same eyes were in deep swelling misery. He stood for some of those seconds and then walked quietly, yet, how long this hide and seek will continue was sure a question that might never be answered, but little he knows… "So, that idiot Was here…?" Zera's lips mumbled and her open eyes just fixed onto those same stars, after all, his steps were not silent enough. "But why?" Yet, the question remains unspoken that day…
—
"He can't be serious!" The time flies with no feet to halts but with the winds steering to destiny. Zera, somehow from that day forth came to notice Cleo. She came to know the truth, she became aware of someone kind to her. "Why does it hurt?" Zera grabs her chest tight, unknown as to why it hurt so much, she peeks at distant Cleo with her left glance and the pain immense as she watches him. "Just, why does it hurt?" He saw her glance and walked with calm yet hesitant steps, stood before with gapes of loath. "Are you not feeling well?" She had already spun those sneak-peeks long ago after his posture turned to her, she now closed her eyes, pretended not to notice him and woke by his words, but that sure wasn't the case. "Nah, I'm good." She then replied, and so, he veered and again moves to that same distance he came from, but Zera, just then, she crouched from resting and gawked at his back. "Cleo…" Her lips moved with a very little vocal. "Cleo!" But somehow as seeing that back of his, she yelled and in a single instant, Cleo was facing her with eyes full of sparkles like never before. "W-what? Is there anything?" He asked and she did not reply, but just gazed at his figure, unfamiliar as to why she yelled his name, but yes, she surely wasn't regretting it. "It's… nothing…" And yet, she couldn't able to say it…
—
The day of that dream. Cleo lay beneath his warm blanket, despite the burning atmosphere in his room, he just can't sleep without that blanket of his. "Chi, chi!" Suddenly a mysterious voice echoed through his room's curtain as his eyes opened a little. There wasn't any door but a red curtain, parting his room to the rest of the house and behind it, begin a mysterious echo. "Chi, chi!" Again, but this time around, Cleo's heart was on the brink of demise with mere fear. He pulled his blanket over his head, pretending to be dozing and chanting the name of the one he believed in, however, "Hey, wake up already, dumbass!" Her voice a loud little and Cleo's fear rose differently than earlier, but as he soon stood, walked to that curtain, and opened it, he found someone he expected the least, Zera. "Ah?" He merely let out that while she was gawking at him with the crossed eyebrows. "Come!" She then said.
It was a few hours before dawn, she detoured with her hand tied behind while Cleo followed her silent steps with hesitations. The sky was clear as the twinkling stars performed the beauty show. "Those are so attractive, aren't they?" Zera spoke after overbuilding the thoughts, but for some reason, Cleo did not loosen his lips there but pointed his index to one of the most shining in those stars up above. "Polaris." Zera stopped. "It is also known as North Star…" He turned that finger to another which seems just like a diamond. "Sirius." Turn again to another orange one. "Betelgeuse, Vega, Alpha…" They stood next to each other as Cleo wandered his fingers across the world and Zera whirled as the cold breeze wiggled her short, black hairs. Her eyes fixed upon his twinkling ones for a mere second or two, but for her, it was no less than a moment she could live through for hours. "W…why?" Her voice shrunk, shrunken enough for not to reach him. "Umm, what?" Cleo asked, spinning to her. "N-nothing… so, do you like stars?!" Her tone changed. "No, I don't!" Yet he bluntly replied and paused his blue eyes, then proceeded. "But, you like them, don't you?" The moments halted as Cleo came to realise his words, and instantly blasted with red as he scratched his head, but for Zera, it was pure misery and for some reason, her expression turned to something fearful. "I have a dream…" She then finally let go of her heart and said. "My father…" Cleo swirls his blue stares. "He served as a royal servant in the Kingdom of Leos!" Cleo grew worried. "He was kind according to mum." In an instant, within her words come across her mother's phrase. 'Because he gave me you…' She came back to the moment. "I want—will find him!" Another gale of wind blew as those black snake eyes filled with determination. "What are you talking about?" Cleo broke the silence. "You—what?" He lapped his hand onto his forehead, filled too full with sheer tension. "Royal servant? It is over ten years since the destruction of the Kingdom of Leos, you don't even know whether he is alive or not!"
"I know he is alive, he has to!" Zera replied with no pause. However, Cleo soon walks towards Zera, grabs her onto the shoulder as gaze into her eyes. "Listen to me, it is very dangerous. You know the nature of Fortis better than me and you know how disastrous Artelia is, we know, it's in our everyday journal, so please don't!" It was fear he was speaking of and it was mutual. Yet, foolishness has no breaks but simply wings of freedom. "Cleo…" She removed his hand from her shoulder as her face soaked with sorrow. "I have nothing left. I have to find him…" Her words scar his soul and his will and left merely pain within his stares. The night was ending as the stars began to disappear, Cleo loosened his legs as he sat on that soiled ground while Zera stared at him, sitting in front of him. She wasn't sure herself, why she went and told everything to him, but yet again, she was not regretting it, presently at least. After long sitting with no words to share, Zera stood on her legs and walked with gentle steps, leaving the lad all alone in the shackles of disarray, but seeing her walking felt as like, she will never come back again and so. "Zera!" She spun. "It's 'How I wonder what you are.' " He yelled. "The next line! I read it in a book!" As then, unknown to why, but she swirled her head from him, putting her back on Cleo. "T-thanks…" She expressed gratitude and not another word but hurried her steps which soon turned into sprinting that drove her far from him, far to reach that barn and to stand in that barn. She stuck her back onto a wall. It surely was warm, but not enough for her to sweat as much as now. Her face crammed with rose and her breaths were much heavier than they should be after running some. "Just what the hell I am to you?!" Her tongue said.
—
And so, the cart takes off. It dragged by a massive black bison, not quite comfortable, but surely fast to ride. The sun had vacated the horizon and left merely a pinkish atmosphere that was beautiful on its own. Hatim just stares at those walls and Athena mum. Cleo stood and Zera wandered into that bison ride as far they went as more pain thrived. Just what destiny held for them was an answer, anyone sure wondered. 'Please. Please. Please.' Cleo, unknown to anything and simply chanted in his head from his heart, as he eases his head and gawks at those brown shoes, neglected to everything but sorrow. "Hey, dumbass!" However, she then yelled from that moving cart, waving a hand and going farther, and so Cleo reels his silly face to her. "When I said, 'I have nothing left.' " She paused a little. "I lied!" Took some time for Cleo to comprehend the situation and the words, but after understanding it all, he embraced by a massive, lovable, smile that lasted for the rest of his day. "Thank you!" He yelled and Zera smiled. "I will wait!" But upon hearing that, Zera instantly whirls, putting her back upfront and simply covering her face with a single hand, hiding that full of rosy redness. " 'Waiting for me'? Just what am I to you?!" She whispered not recalling the two sat in that same tiny space, but this wasn't the time to bloom red, or filling with sorrow but a moment to laugh and glow as much as they want, just who knows what destiny chose for them? And so, the trio left Melidiona, passing those black, shiny bricks wall from metal and a massive gate.
"They left, chief Dara." A man said to Dara, he was the same person who released Zera, and Hatim so he could fight the mighty Dara. Dara remained mum to a certain while sitting onto a comfy black bull's skin seat. "Hmm…" He replied, tried to be uninterested but soon after some thoughts he crossed, he stood, walked to a window, calmly he blinked, gawked at the same pinkish sky and for some reason, adopted a bold smile. "Vestal, you son of a virgin, you did it!" He whispered. "You did what Leocus feared most!"
"Destiny sure is a bitch."