"I stepped back, fearful of who was right in front of me", Tolug explains, remembering it like it happened just yesterday. "Princess Maba of Crándactar was before us, lost and hurt. Then, I heard your father coughing, gasping for air. He opened his eyes and saw me hovering over them… and what he did next left me speechless. What, did he attack you?" Zul asks, smirking. "No, he reached into a bag around his waist and extended a pouch to me, and in a whisper, he said, please, hurry, pour this into her mouth to save her."
"I stood there, perplexed and unable to move. He did not know her, but he cared to save her life. The man rolled over on his side so he could sit. He grunted in pain as he sat, and carefully, he managed to pour the mysterious substance into the princess's mouth. Then, he laid back on the ground and rested a few minutes, just waiting for whatever he gave your mother to work."
"I did not know what to make of the scenario unfolding before my eyes. My oath told me I had to report to my leaders Princess Maba was here, and unfortunately dying. My instinct, however, told me to wait and trust the Kandreo man, who would give away his own potion, something he would use as a last resource to revive himself, to save a Farrix stranger."
Toran wanders outside the bedroom, and when she appears at the door, we all look in her direction. "Sorry, is this supposed to be a private meeting?" She asks with a serious tone, looking timid. "No", I answer with a smile. "It should be!" Zul takes no time to add, talking between his teeth.
"Well, in that case, you are screwed, because I have been listening outside the door for a few minutes." She directs her smart comment to Zul, and he lowers his head, grinning in a way I can't tell if he is satisfied or angry. He shakes his head and so does her, then they both look at each other and simply stay silent.
I invite Toran to come in and Zul doesn't have any remarks as she sits next to me. Once we all direct our attention to Tolug, he continues the gripping story of how my parents met.
"A few minutes passed by and suddenly, the lady abruptly sat up, gasping frantically", Tolug says, referring to my mother. "Her eyes were wide and she looked confused. She needs water, Andreúl's raspy voice called out, still almost in a whisper. Your father sat up, slowly, because he was still in pain. He got a canteen from his bag and held it to your mother's mouth. She grabbed it from his hands, desperately, and drank it."
"Your father nodded. I know… You feel like you are burning, he said to the princess. It will pass. I promise, Andreúl added, convinced of his words. After drinking all the water, Princess Maba cleaned her chin and stared at us. Then, she realized her neck was exposed and quickly tried to cover it. Your father had no idea why she was acting that way, but he gave her some space, noticing how frightened she was. The Kandreo people knew nothing about the rare pearl of your necklace, but I did."
"I told your mother she was safe and that no one knew of her whereabouts in forbidden territory. Your father, curious of who she was, asked about her, and I could sense the princess did not want to reveal her identity to a Kandreo. I ignored his question. Instead of answering, I spoke to your mother. This man saved your life, I said to her. The princess' eyes softened. She looked surprised and pleased. Then I am entirely grateful and in debt with you, sir, she said, turning to Andreúl. Please tell me your name, so I can one day repay your kindness."
"Andreúl introduced himself to your mother and she lied to protect herself. Princess Maba told him that she worked for the crown. She was honest about trading artifacts for a cure that could heal the queen's illness, and she explained she was doing so without the royal family's knowledge or consent."
"Andreúl was happy to hear she worked for the crown, and immediately opened up about the group of rebels like him trying to overthrow the Kandreo government and form part of the allegiance. The princess' eyes sparkled at the sound of the Kandreo's passionate political ideas and desire to restore his people to the kingdom."
"Hours later, Andreúl's company found us and took us to their camp. There, we ate, and your parents' injuries were properly treated while the rebels shared their revolutionary plans with us. The sun started to set, so it was time for your mother to return home. Before the princess left the camp, she promised she would talk to the people she trusted in the kingdom about the revolutionary friends she met while she got lost in the Meadows. That was the story she had to tell back home… and her identity stayed hidden from everyone outside the Kingdom that day."
"Princess Maba had told Andreúl to meet her in the Meadows in five days, but when the day came Andreúl waited where the princess said she would be, and she never came. He grew anxious, because he thought it was very unlikely for her to forget or dismiss their meeting after the connection they had made. I worried for the princess, because I knew she could be in trouble if someone suspected her of treason."
"I was right to worry. The next day your mother rode to your father's camp and insisted on being taken to me, so your father found me. Princess Maba spoke to me in secret and revealed she had told her father the truth about the herbs she gave to her mother. This upset the king, but she did not stop there. The princess explained to King Etrón how a Kandreo man saved her life and she also told him about the revolution brewing within their tribe. Your grandfather was pleased to hear that."
"Unfortunately, the king trusted the General too much." "Blindly, to this day", Zul says with a muffled voice, while rolling his eyes. "Yes, blindly is the word", Tolug admits. "The king consulted with the general on the matter of meeting the rebels planning a revolution, but General Mosk twisted King Etrón's thoughts. The general made the king doubt his own daughter's intuition. He made her seem like she was out of control, reckless and full of naive ideas."
"General Mosk convinced King Etrón that the princess needed guidance and that it was time for her to get married to a man loyal to the crown, so loyal that he would overlook the fact she committed treason in order to keep the kingdom safe and the royal family happy. That was General Mosk's genius way of blackmailing your grandfather. So, the next day, it was decided that Princess Maba had to be engaged to General Mosk. She never liked him."
"Your father tagged along as I took your mother to a safe place where she could hide among other fugitives. I have known the community for years and the people there were peaceful and helped each other. Before leaving princess Maba in the hands of a close friend of mine, she decided to confide in Andreúl. She told him the truth about who she was and why she had to escape the kingdom. The princess did so to warn him, because she feared him and his rebel company could be in danger."
"After that day, several searches were conducted to find the princess, but they all failed. Meanwhile, your mother was heartbroken. She never thought the king could be so easily manipulated. Eventually, news spread about your grandmother's death. Although she had recovered from her illness, she needed more treatment and the herbs only grew in Kandreo territory. The news infuriated the princess and something snapped inside of her!"
"More than ever, Princess Maba wanted the Kandreo people to be liberated from their evil dictator, and the segregation between tribes to come to an end. She invested herself in the rebels' revolutionary plans, and the friendship between your parents grew stronger."
"Eventually, your father's camp moved to your mother's location, in search of more stability and safety. I continued to be friends with them and more so, a faithful ally. The three of us saw each other regularly and we were considered part of the rebels' family. As time passed, we also became rebels, trying to bring peace to a divided planet… and somehow between our time together, the princess and the rebel fell in love."