11 - Moonlight

Maria was stupefied at what Alaia did. Her body became stiff. Her mind suddenly shut down, receiving errors that her mind wasn't capable of thinking about anything for now. She could feel her dry lips tingling at the sensation she had never felt before. Her heart was wildly beating inside her chest. Her hands stopped midway, too shocked to do anything.

Alaia's lips weren't moving, neither were Maria's. They were just pressed against each other, sealing each other and allowing each other to feel the softness of their lips. Alaia's half mask is bumping Maria's face, but she seems not bothered at all. Maria's hands fell to Alaia's shoulders, not pushing the older girl and just resting her hands. Maria blinked her eyes repeatedly, trying to process what was happening and asking her mind if this was real or just a product of her naughty mind?

Alaia's eyes suddenly opened, meeting Maria's shocked orbs. Even though Alaia's eyes are only an inch away from Maria's eyes, Maria can't tell the color of Alaia's eyes due to the thick trees that stopped the moonlight from passing through and the shadow that Alaia's mask made. It was a waste. Maria is dying to see her eyes, but despite having the opportunity to be this close to her, she still can't see how beautiful they are. It was indeed futile.

It took only one second for Alaia to realize what she had just done. She immediately pulled away from Maria, covering her lips with the back of her hand, and made a two-step distance between them. She cursed her mind, blaming it for not thinking of a better way to shut the younger girl's mouth. She isn't sure where that idea came from. For the first time, she felt so stupid.

Maria looked away from Alaia for a second and leaned away from the tree, asking herself if she had really lost her first kiss just now to a person she barely knew. Alaia wanted to explain. She wanted to speak and clarify things so Maria wouldn't misunderstand her action, but she couldn't open her mouth. She couldn't think of anything to say. She doesn't know what she should say. She doubted if Maria would ever believe her if she said that she only did that to shut her off, but that was really the reason why she kissed her. Nothing more, nothing less. No matter how she explains it, she will surely sound stupid and childish.

Alaia gulped down and put her hands on her waist, refusing to look at the blonde while biting her lower lip.

"W-Why did you kiss me?" Maria finally managed to ask, touching her lips and staring at Alaia's face without daring to blink at least once.

Alaia looked back at her, stared at Maria for two seconds, and asked the younger if she really was asking that question through her eyes. Maria's eyes are the only thing that are visible in Alaia's eyes because there's barely moonlight that managed to slip through the thick leaves of the trees. The moon only illuminated Maria's eyes unintentionally, letting Alaia get a glimpse of Maria's chocolate eyes, which became even more beautiful because of the moonlight. Alaia felt like she was going to melt at Maria's stare. It's making her uncomfortable and unjustifiably nervous.

There's no way Alaia would be able to answer that question. There was no way she could form an answer while staring directly at Maria's eyes, so she looked away, hands still on her waist. Alaia was about to say that she did that to shut her off when she heard voices and footsteps drawing near them. That reminded her of what they were doing there and what she was supposed to do before she slammed her lips against Maria's.

Instead of answering Maria's questions, she pulled Maria away from there and started running. Because Maria is still in a daze, busy thinking about why the mysterious girl kissed her, she ends up doing what Alaia wants her to do. She let Alaia pull her and just stared at Alaia's back. She only returned to herself when she heard the voices of the guards. Her eyes widened in realization and the kiss was pushed aside in her mind. She stopped running and pulled her arm out of Alaia's grasp. She was about to scream for help while running in the opposite direction, but Alaia was quick to turn her body around and blow some air into her face. That gave a déjà vu feeling to Maria as her eyelids suddenly became heavier and heavier until she fell asleep. Alaia carried Maria in her arms and quickened her pace. If she had known this would happen, she had already stopped Maria on her desperate escape plan when Maria was just sneaking out of her palace that night, 3 days ago.

--

Maria groaned and turned her body to the other side of the bed. Her whole body is aching, maybe because of all the running and walking that she did for 3 days straight. And the fact that those days of walking and running went for naught made her body ache more. She had already lost count of the sighs that slipped between her lips. She just can't believe that she still failed to escape even though she's only one step away from that. She thought that the heavens were on her side, but it looked like they were just playing with her. If she was destined to be caught, why didn't it happen when she just barely started her plan, not when she was almost at the finish line? That crushed her determination, leaving her helpless and lifeless. She just wants to forget everything and lie down on the bed while glaring at the wall and killing the mysterious girl on her mind over and over again. Miraculously or maybe because she was in a terrible mood, she forgot about that kiss.

She's been awake for almost one hour already and the sun rose hours ago, but she still looks like she doesn't have any plans to get off of bed. She didn't know what time they managed to get back to this place, because when she lost consciousness, she ended up falling into a deep sleep and when her eyes sprung open again, it was already morning. She was sure attempting to escape again would no longer be as easy as the first one because of what happened. She's also certain that she will get a scolding or maybe a beating from the beast.

Speaking of the beast, Alaia slammed the door open and walked closer to the bed. She stood in front of Maria and waited for the younger girl to look at her.

"You know that I didn't bring you here to let you slack off, right?" Alaia uttered, crossing her arms on her chest over the manly white tunic clothing she was wearing.

Maria boldly rolled her eyes and then looked away.

"I'm too tired to do anything. I'll make it up tomorrow, so just let me rest for today, Your Highness." Maria lazily uttered and turned her body to the other side. She closed her eyes, pretending that she was trying to get back to her sleep.

Alaia glared at Maria because of the impolite manner that she was witnessing in the younger girl. Yes, Maria did call her 'Your Highness' but refused to stand up and greet her. To make things worse, she even turned her back on Alaia like she was talking to a casual friend and not her Lord.

She sure has a talent for getting on my nerves.

"I don't care if you're tired. It was your fault after all. You desperately escaped from here, thinking that you could do that even though you never stood a chance at the very beginning."

Alaia's statement triggered Maria's irritation as she abruptly sat up on the bed and glared at Alaia.

"Well, excuse me, Your Highness, but I have a family that surely needs my help. That's the sole reason why I desperately escaped from here and spent 3 days alternately walking and running. I endured all the pain, exhaustion, and the growling sounds of my stomach for my family, but in the end, I still failed to get far away from you." Maria uttered with hatred visible on her face and clear in her voice.

"I'm not like you, who no longer have any family members. I'm not like you, who probably no longer cares or loves them. So, excuse me, Your Highness. EX-CUSE-ME." Maria continued, burning holes in Alaia's face with her stares.

That statement infuriated Alaia as her arms fell to her sides, then clenched her fists. She glared at Maria but because she was wearing a mask, the younger girl was oblivious to that fact.

I don't care about my family? I don't love them? Isn't that the reason why my life turned into this? Because I loved and trusted them, my father and older brother died. I loved them so much that I'm willing to take all the punishment just to avenge their deaths. Do I still look like I don't care about them?

"If you were in my situation, that's what-"

Maria's statement was cut off due to surprise when Alaia leaned down and leveled her face at her. She couldn't see the expression of the girl, but the aura she felt sent shivers to her spine. It feels like venomous snakes are crawling all over her, telling her that one wrong move of hers would possibly lead her to lose her life.

"You don't know anything, so shut your mouth."

Alaia uttered then straightened herself and exited the room with a loud slam of the door.

"What the hell is wrong with that person?" Maria whispered when Alaia was finally out of her sight, letting out her breath that she didn't realize she had been holding.