For someone who was suspicious of the child, it was kind of him to offer to let the kid stay in an orphanage.
"I - " the child uttered meekly
"But I'm not an orphan"
To let their children run around, could it be that he's not being given any attention? Where could they be, why are they letting a child wander in such dangerous streets looking so unfortunate?
"But where are your parents?" I asked, but instead of saying where they are, the child's eyes sparkled hinting tears are about to fall, little hiccups and choking sounds followed, the child wiped his face with his thin arms. Before I could comfort and hug him, the kid ran away. Is he scared? is he ashamed? where could he be going? I have to comfort him. With nothing else in mind, I chased the child and what met me was far from what I expected the houses in the capital would feel like.
The tiny figure of the child running and fleeing with all his might led the way to different lanes and corners. Each corner we turn to grows father and farther from the facade of the capital I arrived to. Every turn, the sun grows dimmer and the stench that greets me grows stronger and stronger and at last, the child stopped in front of a house. The small bony hands of the kid grasped unto to wood and pulled the door.
*****
Ashamed by what he's said, the prince is also surprised that the child has parents. What kind of parent would let their child steal and get involved in such a dangerous world that grew in the kingdom he's about to own? Since when did this happen? As a child, he was never deprived of anything luxurious; from clothes, jewelry, toys, wooden swords, foods, there never came a day when he lack anything and had to steal but the child in front of him is the complete opposite all because his parents let him run around without proper guidance.
His train of thoughts was suddenly disrupted by the sound of the child trying to hold back his tears. The lady in front of him seems to have said something to guide his tiny heart. "Oh what a kind lady", he thought. If it were the other noble ladies, they would've cowered away from the dirty child but this girl, she was about to hug him.
However, the hug didn't happen, the boy suddenly ran away and the lady followed. He also ran after the lady and the boy, he thought of how amusing and refreshing it was for this girl to run after the child to every corner they turn to, to him, this was so interesting and his eagerness to know about the girl grew. With the wind, like a passing moment, his cannot recall what the lady was chasing while aimlessly running after the person of his interest.
*****
The door opened and what greeted them was the sound of a young child crying and a woman grunting and looked as if she's writhing in pain. The child ran towards the woman, it finally clicked what has happened.
"Mother! mother!" the child, sternly wiping his swollen eyes and snot, held the woman's hand.
'Ahhhhhhh, how terrible of me', with what is happening in front of her, Uriel finally understood why the child looks like this. Ashamed by her earlier feeling that only she can comfort the child, Uriel looked at the floor, grasping her skirt, unable to meet the eyes of the child who looked back at her, as if he's asking for help.
Her heart is generous but what can someone like her give? Her family had just moved and could still barely make any food for themselves. She has no knowledge about the mother's illness, nor does she know who to turn to. Far from being able to do anything, how could she even think about comforting the child. Still looking at the mother and child, the man whom she had forgotten was running after her placed his hand on her shoulder.
The suffocating sound and sight of the mother grunting and the child holding his cries while embracing his sick mother was broken when a sound of laughter came from another room. Uriel and the man turned their head towards the room while the child remained unshaken. Seeing as how his two visitors are curious, the child spoke.
"That's father and the auntie who took care of my mother while I was looking for -" the child suddenly paused then looked at his mother who was looking at him.
" - medicine " the child looked at the pair who'd just came out then to Uriel and the prince.
Deprived of cruelty and caged by the peace she'd always lived in, Uriel could not understood why the child lied, something that she'd never done before as she's always valued honesty, she could not understand why the woman who was supposed to be the kid's aunt is looking at the child as if he was a piece of dirt, nor the father whom albeit resembling her own father's frame, does not show any gentleness in his eyes. It was a sight she'd never seen but something deep inside her is trying to slip out, attempting to break free but even she cannot comprehend. What is it that is missing? what is it that she's not seeing? Her heart beating ever faster than before, everything that happened to this moment and everything that she'd felt is far from how she wanted her life and heart to become.
She can feel her fingers sweat and the air grew colder, with the child's mother coughing, smashing through the silence and laughter, the father completely broke the atmosphere and welcomed his guest. He'd never seen such an elaborate clothing wrapping up such an expensive looking man, glitter and gold flashed in his eyes, a long lost friend he can no longer remember the time he last laid his eyes upon.
" Come in dear visitors, what brings you here, especially you young man " he asked
" We'd caught the child as he was working hard to give his mother medicine, he then ran so we followed him. We were thinking of putting him in an orphanage incase he doesn't have parents, fortunately, he has two " the prince said
" Pardon me for saying this but are you implying that the child looks like he's neglected and that we are worthless parents for letting our child roam? " the man whose smile broke said in a deep angry tone
Uriel didn't understand how the man had reached that conclusion, the prince meant well and the child does look like he'd never received care.
" No, it's not like that, rather, the orphanage is actually a school for orphans however, it also teaches those who aren't " the prince replied
*****
Walking home, thoughts clouded my mind. The talk with the child's father was like walking on thin ice, whatever the blonde man said that meant well, the father would interpret it in a negative manner. I never knew words can be good but can mean bad to others, does that mean that words that meant bad can be hidden in phrases that sound "good"?
The man before me suddenly stopped walking. His golden head turned towards me as he looks at me with a face of wonder, looking like he'd seen or heard something he'd never seen before.
" Pardon me for asking but were you serious for saying that? " the man said.
'What did I say?' I thought as I looked at him with a similarly confused countenance. Without hearing my response, the man made a sound of a held back laughter as he covered his mouth with his face turned away. Is he not taking me seriously? Did I say something funny?
" 'What did I say' is written all over your face my lady, what is your name, by the way? " the man asked
" It's Uriel, Sir "
" Miss Uriel, you probably unknowingly said your thoughts but yes, the answer is yes " the man suddenly looks kind of serious as he continued.
" In this world, words can sound good while hiding horrible meanings and horrible sounding words can also be full of sincerity and compassion " the man finished.
" I haven't really encountered that before, the countryside was a small yet peaceful place, I've learnt so much today " was all I could say.
" You don't have to think of yourself as naive, it is also up to people's hearts to interpret words - " the man stopped and looked at me once again
" I - It's just that your heart is pure, unlike any that I've seen " his face was flushed, strangely, I feel like I've seen this before. Chill ran down my spine and my heart started beating but unlike what I've read in novels, the air suddenly grew cold, and I knew immediately, fear and a hint of satisfaction grew as I look at the man in front of me.
I want to hurry home.