Prince Ivive opened the door and entered Teri's room. He saw Teri putting on the last layer of his clothing. It was a white and ash outfit that Ivive had chosen for him, the same colors that his late brother Ivan loved to wear.
"The one who can't knock. From your footsteps, I know it's you, Prince Ivive," Teri said without turning around.
"I came to check on you. Everyone is ready to go. You seem to have managed to dress yourself without anyone's help," Ivive said as he walked closer to him.
Teri spread his arms and smiled. "As you can see, I'm fully dressed and looking good."
Ivive stared at Teri and felt a pang of nostalgia. He looked so much like Ivan, except for his silver hair. Ivan had been his younger brother, the sixth prince, who had died two years ago. Ivive wondered what it would be like if Ivan and Teri ever met. Would they get along? Would they be mistaken for brothers?
He reached out and touched Teri's hair. "Let me help you comb your hair," he said softly.
"I appreciate your kindness, Your Highness, but I don't need your help," Teri said as he bent down and searched his traveling bag for his comb.
Ivive saw the comb on the bed and picked it up. He played with it in his hand as he spoke.
"We have something in common, you know," he said casually.
Teri didn't reply. He kept searching for the comb.
"What's her name?" Ivive asked.
Still no answer.
"Is she your first elder sister? The one that follows you around?" Ivive asked.
Teri froze for a moment and then straightened up. "What are you talking about?"
"As I said, we have something in common. I can both ghosts," Ivive said as he walked behind Teri and placed the comb in his hair.
"So you can see her too?" Teri asked in surprise.
"Yes, I can. I've been seeing her since the first day we met. I didn't know you had the same ability then since you're blind, but I noticed a difference when we were inside and outside Dew City.
Dew City has a barrier that blocks ghosts, so she couldn't enter. But when we left the city, she was always by your side," Ivive explained as he combed Teri's hair gently.
"You're lucky that she's always with you. My mother...,she died when she gave birth to Ivan.
I was outside her palace that night, playing with the fireflies. I saw her walking past me, but she didn't stop or smile like she usually did. She looked sad and tired.
I called her name and she turned to me with a faint smile. That was when I knew something was wrong."
Ivive paused and swallowed hard. He continued his story.
"I saw the king coming out of her palace. He looked at me and said, 'Go and pay your last respects to your mother.' Then he walked away without another word. I felt shattered as my eyes widened in fear. I was only eight years old then."
Ivive felt tears welling up in his eyes. He blinked them away and went on.
"I ran to my mother and hugged my hand passed through her, and she didn't move or speak. She just smiled at me and said, 'I love you, but you have to move on.' Those were her last words to me."
Ivive stopped combing and hugged Teri from behind. He buried his face in his hair and whispered.
"That was the same thing Ivan said to me when he died."
Mizak entered the room and saw them embracing. He cleared his throat and said, "We have to go now."
Ivive let go of Teri and threw the comb on the bed. He wiped his face and composed himself.
"Done," he said with a forced smile.
The three of them walked downstairs and outside the inn where Elley was waiting for them.
They joined a crowd of people who were heading to a large hall for a night banquet.
Mizak and Teri sat across a table with their belongings on the ground while Ivive and Elley sat across another table next to them. They were served food and liquor by the servants.
Hoself announced loudly, "I present to you, my wife!"
A woman in blue clothing walked in with a group of girls in white behind her. She wore a transparent nose veil that covered her face except for her brown eyes. She also wore gold bangles and had her long black hair styled with beautiful accessories.
She looked elegant and graceful as she walked.
The brown-eyed woman in blue was a captivating sight. Her dress was similar to the one Teri had worn at the banquet where the merchant's valuables were stolen. The guests were mesmerized by her beauty.
"She's a very beautiful lady. I wouldn't have believed she was real if I had only seen her painting," Prince Ivive said as he admired her.
"From her dress, she looks like a Delmos lady or someone who likes their style. The people of Delmos are known for their beauty," Mizak said.
The music started and the ladies began to dance. They moved gracefully and swiftly, like petals in the wind. The woman in blue was the center of attention, dancing with elegance and charm.
She was a stunning performance that made the guests forget about their food and drinks.
Mizak glanced at the merchant's wife, who was dancing and he noticed a resemblance between her and Teri.
"What is so interesting that you are all focused on the dance? This woman is a vile woman," a lady's voice behind them said.
The lady in yellow continued her story in a bitter tone.
"This woman is a vile woman. She was a street orphan who was taken in by the merchant's first wife when she was young. The wife had a daughter who was younger than her and they became friends.
The merchant later found out that she was the daughter of one of his old friends who had died. He treated her like his own daughter and gave her everything she wanted.
The two girls grew up like sisters and best friends.
Years later,the merchant's wife became ill with a disease that had no cure. She loved her husband and trusted him, but she started to hear rumors that he was having an affair with the orphan girl. She didn't want to believe them, but she decided to find out the truth for herself.
One night, when everyone was asleep except for the guards, she went to her husband's chamber. She heard strange noises from inside and opened the door. What she saw broke her heart. The orphan girl was on top of her husband, moaning and moving. They didn't even stop when they saw her. She fainted on the spot.
The next day, when she woke up, her daughter was by her side. The orphan girl came to her and begged for forgiveness with crocodile tears. The merchant's wife was known for her kindness and forgiveness. She forgave her as if nothing had happened.
But she didn't live long after that. She died a few months later and was buried with honor. The orphan girl didn't waste any time. She married the merchant two days after the funeral ".
Prince Ivive turned around and saw who was talking. He quickly turned back in shock.
"I don't think you want to know who was telling us that story," he said.
Teri exhaled as he put down his cup. "I recognized the voice even though we had only one encounter. If I'm not wrong, isn't it the bad-tempered lady in red?"
Mizak, Elley and Prince Ivive looked back and saw her sitting alone at a table behind them.
She looked different. She wore a yellow dress that flattered her figure and her brown hair was neatly styled.
"Don't think I have forgotten about you, silver-haired blind boy. I'll settle the score with you later. But for now, I have other things on my mind," she said.
"Why does it sound like you want to harm someone? Miss, you should restrain yourself," Teri said.
The lady scoffed. "Restrain? I'll harm anyone who is a friend or family of that lady."
She pointed at the woman in blue.
"Lady Darlene Ereen."
Teri felt a jolt of shock run through his body. He felt like his soul had left him.
"What...what...what do you mean?" he asked.