The next few days afterwards, I was summoned to the main palace.
After nearly eight months married to Ephraim, I almost completed the royal lessons for the empress to be. Although he never revisited me after the incident with Ara, I still expect him to re-appear to the west palace.
But, right this very moment, as he stands in front of me, darkly tall and his wavy long hair covering his forehead is no way to be seen but smoothly combed up. Befitting of a crown prince on official duty. He still looks hunk with his official attire, shiny and well-polished set of shoes. No more the man I know wearing faded loose jeans, a slightly tight t-shirt hugging his body like a glove smiling at me sweetly. He had tied his loose wavy long hair into a loose ponytail with a short bang on his forehead. I took a glimpse at his big, strong pair of hands. Once, the same hand holds my hand like a glove. I bit my lower lip as I stared straight at his light hazel green eyes.
I was on my way to see Emperor Aleq, and I normally used the shortest pathway to get to the palace, but somehow, I was not in the mood to get to the main palace urgently, so I chose the longest path to reach the throne hall. It was a totally awkward atmosphere. Nobody says anything. Even the train of maids, guards and ladies in waiting were in silent mode. Everyone waited and stole a peek with anticipation.
We stared at each other shamelessly for the longest moment before he was the first to turn away. I was disappointed. I thought he... No. I thought we had chemistry.
"How are you fairing?"
"I'm good."
"Good to hear," silent. I am the one that is still staring hard at him, trying to gauge his feelings or actions. At the same time, I hope he will say something about knowing me somewhere. "I heard about what happened to your tree. I apologize for what happened."
'No. this is not what I want to hear from his lips.' All I saw was his lies and more lies trying to defend his lover. "Don't you have anything to say to me?" I cut off his attempt to apologize.
"What are you saying? I don't have anything to say other than I sincerely apologize." he bowed his head.
"Thank you for your concern, your highness, but we're good. Thanks to your help, I was finally able to put a barricade on my tree. I hope whoever did that despicable act to hurt the tree; I'll make sure they get punished. Soon." I bow slightly at him. "Good day to you, your highness." I walk past him. Slowly, elegantly, I turn to a fast pace walk, but the tension in my heart is still in a rumble, stuffy that I began to run. And run.
"Your Highness!" Lady Mari's shouting sounds from afar.
I didn't hear or know where I was until I heard a comforting voice above me. 'Mundane girl'
I closed my eyes, shut my ears. My breathing was heavy. It almost choked me. I wish I had my tears for me to drown in it.
########
"Who are you? A monster?"
"No. I'm not a monster." a little girl nervously gulped down her saliva, watching the other kids laughing and had their fingers pointing at her, nonstop calling ' monster'. "No. I'm not a monster. Believe me." Her eyes were red and felt hot, but it was dry.
"Why won't you cry?"
"Aye, show us your tears."
"Let's beat her and see if she cries, and we will see her tears then."
"No! Don't hit me!" Several children bigger or smaller than her start to circle her, about to pound her to get what they want. To make her cry to tears. "I will cry. I promise I will cry!" but they never believe nor listen to her little plea. They were more interested in bullying her into pulp for the rest of the summer season.
"Hey, see, her eyes have turned red. She's the monster. Run!"
That little girl didn't dare to go home with all the bruises all over her body and face. She stayed for three days in the jungle not far from the village. Only come home to steal some food from the kitchen and run back to the jungle. At the same time, listening to Ah Ma's nagging about how useless all of the sisters are in the house, lazing around without finishing the house chores. Ah Chie knew what happened to her, unable to comfort her, but she shared some of her food and placed it on the kitchen's windowsill and some salve for her bruises.
While sitting on the edge of the jungle and the village, separated only by the river, the little girl stares at the sunset, eating her dinner before it becomes dark. She reminisced about when her last cry was. Her own father left them, but Grandma told a different story. He went to work in the city with her mother.
But when her mother passed away, no sight of her father. She was only six years old when her mother died. Standing at the side of a pole of the house, she just cried her eyes out when her eldest sister came in crying out loud before she was dragged away by her brother-in-law by the arm of the house. She tailed her sister only to witness her brother-in-law plant a slap across her face so hard that she nearly fell to the ground if she didn't hold on to the nearby pole. That little girl stood rooted to the ground, petrified at the shocking scene, not aware a single tear of fear fell to her face for the last time. Her whole body was trembling in fear. Her breathing became haggard, and she was barely breathing, but she was such a strong girl. She slowly walked her way back to the house.
She remembered his words that day. "Wipe off your tears. Don't embarrass me in front of others with your crying!" It was loud and hard in the silent night. She just witnessed a brutal act and something that she never expected from someone so sweet to them the whole time.
The second time she saw her sister come into the house, looking tired, hurt, with a red palm mark on her left face made her tremble even more that she tried to hold her breathing and tears so that she wouldn't receive such a treat like her sister. The next thing she knew, that little girl passed out in front of her mother's coffin.
#####
'What was that?'
I wasn't aware where I was, and the second I knew, I was already on the swing. Slowly lift me and move to calm the unexplained emotion within me. "Wow, where am I?"
'Ara! Get me down now.' Another kind of adrenaline rushes to my heart, beating hard as I know how high this idiot ancient tree lifted me.
'You shouldn't have ignored me when I asked.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Those memories. That little girl was you right?'
Silent. How much power does this tree have? He dared to look into my head. But, on the bright side, I want an extra head to figure out why I can't cry out tears like a normal human? Still, I let him hang without an answer.
'You know, I once knew a person that can be of help to your problem. He came down to this land with the goddess of star. Maybe you can seek him.'
Ara slowly lowered me down from the swing. 'What is that person's name?' I asked. I couldn't possibly believe him, but I try to be a good listener.
'His name is Lord Romou.'
'Huh!' I blinked at him several times in confusion.
'I know what you were thinking. It has been too long since my last encounter with humans, mundane. I am not sure if the High Priest Romou and My Lord Romou are the same person. You need to find out for yourself.'