Chapter 3: Swimming with peace
Zuri's POV
I made my way to the pool yet I couldn't stop thinking of the child thief in my hallway.
I pushed the white knight to the back of my mind. She was insignificant.
My demons were bigger than a little girl who wants paintings and artifacts.
I stripped until what was left was my underpants. I flexed my shoulders, it was a daily routine to keep fit.
I was about to dive into the pool when I heard a sound behind me and I turned around to find Emily standing there holding a blanket.
Great! Another problem to deal with. Ever since she came back to Castaway a week ago without my father's former mistress, her mom Eloise, I have done my best not to ask questions.
I can't know the answers if I don't ask the questions now, can I?. It was a genius plan until right about now.
"I am so sorry! I had no idea you were alone and naked! Do not behead me!" She said quickly and turned away from me.
I rubbed my forehead. Was the girl this dramatic?
I saw as she slowly started to back away from the pool and I picked up my shorts and wore them.
"Emily, we don't behead people in Castaway"
She stopped and turned to look at me. Her big green eyes laced with curiosity and a little caged mischief.
"Really?"
"Yes, really" I told her.
"So, what if I slap you?" She asked me out of the blue.
"Why would you want to do that, dear sister?" I asked her in a lay back manner.
She shrugged "I don't know. Maybe you have a slapp-able face…I don't know"
I didn't mean to but I chuckled.
Good one, Emily!
"Well, you are not wrong. I am sure a lot of people want to slap me" I answered.
"So, what happens if I slap you since beheading is out of the question?" She asked and moved closer with the heavy blanket she was dragging with her.
It was when I noticed that her eyes had bags under them and she looked exhausted like she had a worse night than me.
"What happens if you slap me…let me check, roughly...nothing I guess" I answered.
"Really?" Her eyes popped out and I could see how tempted she was to experiment that theory.
What gave her away was the way she was rubbing her hand on the blanket she was holding.
"Yeah, I mean what kind of a big brother slaps his baby sister for slapping him?"
"You hardly qualify as my big brother" she murmured but I heard her.
"What did you say?" I ask just to be sure.
"Nothing" she answered.
Smart girl…it was the right answer.
"If nothing happens when people slap the king then I wonder why people haven't been using your face for slap practice?" Emily wondered out loud.
"They can't because I will hurt them…very badly, I believe" I answered honestly.
"But you won't hurt me if I do it" she sounded confused.
"Yes, I won't"
"Why? Because I am your 'sister' is that it?"
"Yes and I don't hit kids when they act out" I answered simply.
Emily sat down on one of the pool chairs and I thought for a second that the questions were over until I heard her speak again.
"Why do people call you the devil of Castaway?" She asked me.
It hit me. No one has ever asked me that before. No one dared.
I was still trying to wrap my head around her question when she just started talking and wouldn't shut up about it.
"I googled you, everyone thinks you are a tyrant unlike our father. Why do you think they think that?" She asked me.
"I don't know but Isn't it better to just believe what they say, Chances are they are right, Emily"
She looked like she was thinking about it.
"Maybe. But I have lived through life enough to know there are always three sides to a story, theirs, yours and the truth" she answered.
I wanted to tell her that she is seventeen years old, that hardly counts as having lived life but then again, I knew better.
"Why are you called the devil of Castaway?" Emily wanted to feed her curiosity and I knew that.
"I don't know" I told her bluntly.
"I heard it is because you really ARE the devil"
"Do you believe I am the devil?" I wanted to know her opinion.
"No. I don't believe you are the devil, King Zuri. But I think you don't mind being called one also"
I smiled softly. I didn't see the answer coming
Emily was right. I really don't mind being considered the devil - A mythical creature damned to be in a pit of hell for all of eternity. That describes me so very well.
I mean I have my own personal hell, don't I? I can't sleep without one terror or another.
"Maybe I am the devil" I told her.
"Maybe…"
Her voice made me look at her. I shouldn't be surprised that she was leaning into that belief.
But If I am being honest, it would have been nice to have someone believe otherwise but well…
"But even I know that the devil was once an angel…life happens and we are left holding the scars…I am seventeen years old yet i know that. For example, you didn't ask for an illegitimate sister yet here I am and I didn't ask for a devil for a big brother yet here I am. It's life...there is nothing fair about it"
Then I realized that Emily wasn't judging me, she was trying to understand me, I couldn't remember the last time that happened to me.
"What are you doing roaming the palace at this unholy hour, sister?"
"Can't sleep…I close my eyes and the demons I am battling try to sneak up on me and so, I wake up and I wander for a while. I guess we have that in common, brother"
I turned to look at her like I was suddenly seeing a kindred spirit but a question of hers made my melting heart turn back into stone.
"Will you tell me about my father, Zuri?"
"What's there to tell? He was the greatest father that ever lived"
With that I dove into the pool and I stayed there.