"How do you know Zeven?" Chris was curious as to why the prince of Tamsia was out in the middle of nowhere. It was odd that a prince, the heir to the kingdom, would be allowed to be so far removed from the palace. What led him here?
Mae looked pleased with her question. Her grin growing almost shy as she curled her toes in slightly, and the flush of her cheeks swelled. "I can't remember a time before him. He was the one that moved us out here almost ten years ago. We used to live together at the palace, but then he went away and didn't visit often. Even when he came back to the palace he didn't stick around for long. I mean, he sent letters, but it's not the same."
Chris stayed quiet and nodded in agreeance, before Mae continued, "And then when he and my brother went off to train in the military academy I didn't see or hear from them for almost 2 years. I was extremely lonely, locked up inside that palace. No one aside from the nurses would speak to me." Her eyes looked to the side as her smile faded for a second. "I'm sure he was given similar treatment in the place, which is why I can't blame Zeven for leaving, but I prayed each day that he would take me away from there. I wanted to see things outside of those four walls. The world outside was a mystery to me. I was hardly well enough to step foot into the gardens but a few times, but just knowing that they were out there kept me going during those years. And that one day I would be able to see the flowers with them." Mae looked at her hand painted walls and then back to Chris, picking up from where she left off.
"Eventually they returned, but during that time they had both changed so much, it was like they were completely new people. The people who returned to me were so different from the ones that I had said goodbye to, but at the core they were still the same. We adjusted to this new normal. I count myself very lucky, there are many families who never get to say hello again after they say goodbye."
Mae talked about such heavy things like a feather that rests on the air. She smiled again after she stopped talking, but it was a different one than earlier. It made her look older, more dignified.
A creaking came from down the hall and Chris turned her torso to face the door. "Zeven must be coming back."
"That's not Zeven, it's my brother."
"How can you tell."
"Footsteps can tell you a lot about a person if you know how to liste-" Mae was cut off by the door creaking as it opened slightly.
At the same time Chris and the man saw each other. Their eyes locked and Chris felt her chest grow tight. She stood up from the bed as he entered the room slowly. He made his way to the opposite side of the bed, resting his hand on Mae's shoulder without looking away from Chris.
As he moved so did she. Making her way towards the door. She was almost out of the room before a certain gentleman appeared in the doorway.