It had been a long night, we walked for hours now, I was trudging behind the prince falling every now and then because he pulls me without mercy, both my feets are hurt but he didn't care. We sip a little of the water in the bottle so it may last long. But it seems we have no destination. We walked and walked in on a dim light of the night.
Everyone was silent, lost in their world, Luiz was behind me grabbing me whenever I was about to fall. A brother like him is all I want and will always want. He risks his life for me and I'll be forever grateful. We walked in the endless desert, passing from big star dunes to small crescent dunes in the desert, the cold breeze that played with our hair makes every hair stand in it's end giving me chills through my body. We stopped when we came near a huge mountain.
The place is beautiful only if you came for a trip with your loved ones. And a bit safe.
"Let's sleep here."
The prince announced looking around observing the place, making sure it's a good place for us to stay.
"Harritt you're first watch. Then you. You'll be the last."
He nodded his head at his guards referring to them as he called their names.
Luiz walked to find a good place for us to stay for the night. We walked behind him leading the way. When he found a better spot, he brought out the remaining roasted rats and shared it among us, and when he finished he sat next to me nudging me with his elbow.
"You good?"
He asked sitting down, concerned about me, I just nod my head as a yes without looking at him and keep hugging my knees, playing with the meat stick in my hand. I know he didn't agree with my answer but I don't know what's really wrong with me. My heart felt heavy so I heaved deeply to clear my mind, exhaling all the air in my lungs. I shook my head and felt a bit fine. As long as Luiz is next to me I feel safe.
"Here."
I gave him the meat stick in my hand when I saw he finished eating his and threw the stick. He collected it without a word. But he pushed it close to my mouth. I shook my head as a no but he grabbed my cheeks with his thumb and index finger opening my mouth, and he put the meat in.
I look at him with questioning eyes with a mouth full of rat meat, everytime I think of it I don't wanna eat.
"Eat."
Luiz ordered and I munched slowly and swallowed following his command.
"Good girl."
He said brushing my hair and I rolled my eyes eating the meat.
"It's been a long time since I've seen people carefree as you two."
Mimi, who was busy eating her meat and staring at us, spoke, heaving deeply.
"Huh?"
I turn my gaze to her with a full mouth munching on my meat.
"I don't see people that much you know and our kind are sparse now."
She added feeling sad, I feel sorry for her she must be lonely.
"What happened?
I asked, she looks so adorable when she feels hurt. I just wanna hug her right now but this Mimi, being a djinn, I don't know how she'll react, so I didn't and looked at her with pitiful eyes.
"Centuries ago, the djinns lived together in harmony until God punished us for the sins Zennon's forefathers committed. After our true form disappeared many of us died, some were separated from their family and some fell sick, only the strong ones remained and we don't live where anyone would notice us."
Mimi lets a heavy sigh before she starts, pausing as she looks up at the sky while talking as if she's in a deep thought.
"You miss them."
I confirm and she just nod her head seeing her in this situation. I felt sorry for her because I feel the exact same way before I meet Luiz and she's been lonely for God knows when.
"I miss them."
She heaved deeply then continued.
"I miss my father, the leader of our clan of the keepers of the stone.
And my two brothers I was the only female child and the last of them. I have a female friend though. Veey."
She paused heaving, and I noticed I didn't even know her name so I cut her off and asked.
"Sorry but I don't know your name."
"Veena, I'm Veena the last and only female child of Voyn the leader of the Vitalians."
She paused and looked at me feeling proud of her title but a little scared at the same time.
"My two elder brothers Vikk and Vraz are more powerful and stronger than I am, but for centuries we've separated from them, I was the only one that remine with our father, we haven't seen them since. And ..."
Her voice cracked, and she stopped sniffing.
"And?"
I asked her to continue her words filled with pain.
"Years passed and father became weak, so he became sick and died."
I never saw a cat cry but I swear I saw a tear fall from her eye and I don't know when I hugged her. The memory of Ye'ye dead rewinding in my head. I only live for two months without him and I feel as lonely as hell. She must have suffered a lot.
"I'm... I'm sorry for your loss."
I stammered, and a hot tear fell from my eye. I feel Luiz hands only my knee rubbing it gently in a soothing way. All these while the prince was sitting beside me sleeping or pretending to be asleep.
I was immersed in the hug with Mimi stroking her back gently when I felt a sharp pain on my feet making me yelp standing up, and jumping on one leg.
"Ouch, ouch, my feet, my feet."
"What's wrong?"
Luiz asked, grabbing my hand, and sitting me down.
"There's something in my shoe."
I cried, wincing. He removed my snicker and checked my feet.
"It's a scorpion bite"
Mimi said observing my feet.
"Scorpion, what? Where and how?"
I asked, grabbing my feet to take a look, there was a scorpion hanging on my thumb but when Luiz took it off the pain was gone. Advantages of having healing abilities, you just feel the pain for a couple of minutes and you're fine.
"It stopped."
I announced to them giggling, Luiz held my leg in his hand and pinched my finger to see if it's true.
"You seriously don't feel anything now?"
Luiz asked and I nodded while Veera rolled her eyes.
"You don't have to act all painful when you're not."
She playfully mocked and I defended myself.
"I did feel a pain for a second, but it was gone in a giffy"
"This is your only time to sleep, exhaust it and you'll continue sleeping while we walk."
The prince chirped in cutting me off, so he wasn't sleeping all these while. His two guards were sleeping and Harrith the one on the first watch was dozing off.
Yeah, yeah, I rolled my eyes, you didn't let me sleep then, now, all my sleep is gone. I didn't feel like sleeping anymore.
That's what I wanted to say but keep quiet instead. I really needed to sleep so we arranged the place to sleep but a wild wind came from nowhere accompanied with a strange noise. I closed my ears with both my hands blocking the noise, but it didn't, making us fall asleep.
***
I opened my eyes feeling the cool airbrushing on my soft skin. I turned my head and realized I've been using the prince's chest as a pillow. I yank up fast before he wakes up and finds me sprawled all over him but the necktie that linked us makes me fall on him again.
"Ohh Lord, I've totally forgotten I'm tied up."
I murmured under my breath, my attempt must have wakon up the prince. I closed my eyes waiting for his rude attitude, now that I've fallen on him.
"Up so early?"
He asked, I can feel his eyes on me. I feel a little at ease hearing the voice of Drly, it wasn't the prince. I let a deep sigh of relief, if it was the prince he'd had pushed me off him and sending glares and rude words.
I look at him without knowing what to say, his silver strands hide much of his blue eyes. And his pink lips are twitched up. Damn, he looks handsome even after he wakes up from sleep. I know my hair is messy now and I look like a potato.
I broke eye contact and tried to get up again but he wrapped his right hand on my tiny waist.
"Stay for a while, it's cold."
He whispered into my ear, with his eyes closed his husky voice vibrated under his chest. I gulped, what is he doing? I turn my head to see if anyone is awake, but the guards are all asleep and no sign of Luiz. Thank God, because I know my face had already turned crimson red.
"I .. I ..."
I stammered trying to get up but his arms were firmly holding my waist, though it's so cold, he can't just grab me to warm him up. I don't know how I end up cuddled on him, it must be because of the cold, because I feel much warmer with his hands on me. We can't just stay like this, like newly married couples.
"You can use me instead."
Luiz's voice called from nowhere. I jolted pushing his hands off me and up sitting my tomato of a face, Dryl sat up too. I send diggers at him.
"For your information, I'm not a gay."
Drly twitched his lips, brushing his hand in his hair. When did Luiz get here? He scared the hell out of me. Has he been watching us since? I turn my head feeling Luiz gaze on me. I couldn't look up at him nor say anything. He bent down close and grabbed my wrist and untied my hand.
"You're not never to sleep on him or next to him."
He ordered sternly like a dad.
"Err ... Is ... not ... errm"
I wobbled not knowing what to say.
"I don't want to know."
Luiz cut me off before I could explain, he just stood up and pulled me with him.
The sun is just rising, the view is amazing. I wish I'd got my phone with me to take the beautiful scenery, I walked following Luiz feeling weak. Drly got up too and called his guards that were sleeping lifelessly.
"Groy. Ruth. Niko."
Dryl, called their real names and they jolted up in unison rubbing their eyes.
"Where are we?"
Baldy asked sitting up as he observed the place.
"When did we get here?"
One brow asked Baldy, confused as one brow. Something feels odd it must be from the strange wind of yesternight because the prince has shifted back to Dryl and the guards are no longer possessed. They turn back into their normal self. I looked at Mimi that was sleeping half dunged in sand, she might be back as well.
"Mim?"
I caressed her back and she meows stretching her hand, I picked her up wiping her sand from her start to like Veera but I really missed my Mimi, my best friend.