Chapter 53

There were a few guards around the palace, but it seemed as if Aliyah had mastered the art of sneaking out unnoticed. She placed a finger on her lips to ask me to be quiet once we were outside. She had made us pass to the back of the house through the kitchen. No one had questioned us there. I suppose they didn't have the authority to do so,and so they had stood still as we passed, bowing and waiting till we exited the kitchen before they resumed their work. 

" They won't tell, trust me, " she assured me once we were out. I trusted her completely. We had to pass through a flower garden that had been left unattended, the flowers now dry and withered due to the hot midday sun. She pointed towards the gate and asked me to hurry along.

We quickly made our way towards it and passed through the smaller gate on the side. Then I followed behind her in silence. Turning when she did,not saying a word. But then when we finally got there she stood and turned towards me. We were behind a deconstructed building,the stones acting as cover. I sat down on one and looked up at her,intent on thanking her, but she asked me not to. 

" I told you she wouldn't mind, didn't I?" she asked. I recalled her having said such a thing in regards to my mother. She had seemed quite sure about it, I asked her how she had known.

Chuckling, she walked a couple of steps away from me and placed both hands on her waist, then she looked out into the distant. Searching for Siran I assumed. 

" When she had come to my school, she saw this couple. Females though, they had a daughter admitted there. My mother saw them kiss and she almost passed out, but yours?" Aliyah turned around, a find smile on her soft features..." Your mother simply watched, then afterwards, when my mother wasn't around, I asked her what she thought of the couple. Do you know what she said?" Aliyah crossed her arms and looked at the empty space.

" She said, ' You cannot control such matters my dear, they choose to love. So let them love' "

I wondered why she hadn't told me that earlier,I wouldn't have been as opposed to telling my mother as I had been. But the important thing was that she was now aware. Not long after, An old yet familiar white truck pulled over next to us, Aliyah immediately stood and watched as this boy I doubted I'd ever seen before walked out of it. But the cape on his head prevented me from seeing him clearly. He seemed to be about our age. His face beamed once his eyes landed on Aliyah, then I watched as the two walked towards each other and hugged for quite a notable amount of time. The boy, Siran that is, closed his eyes. His grip on Aliyah firm. And with keen unblinking eyes I watched him whisper something to her ear before he kissed her temple. She giggled into his chest in the way of a teenage girl with a crush.

This was however nothing so minor.

I immediately understood the status of their relationship. When they finally drew apart, he kept his hand on her waist and they walked towards me. I was slightly in shock, not having expected that. 

" You must be Jerald, it's truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance, " Siran spoke, extending his arm in greeting. I shook his hand and told him the pleasure was mine, pushing my earlier shock away and getting back to the present.

His voice was sure, deeper than one would expect yet it still carried a hint of melody. He used his free hand to take off the cape and then he looked down at Aliyah and asked her what he could do. She was shorter than he was, and so she had to look up inorder to level their gazes. 

" He needs a place to stay for now. Before we discuss where he'll go, " she briefly explained. Siran responded with a simple nod of his head. Making me realize that they had discussed my situation before and he knew what exactly was going on.

" I'll come by tomorrow, possibly at noon, " She told me. As long as I wouldn't be spending the night in that palace,I was certain I would be okay.

" Don't worry about anything Jerald, I'll take care of it all. "

My sister was a misunderstood angel who others considered to be bitter.She was sweeter than they'd ever know. 

She stepped forward and hugged me,

" I'll have to go and fetch something in town first, then I'll come over and we'll work everything out. Siran is noble, you may put your faith in him, " she told me before letting go. Then she said she had to hurry back home before our father arrived. 

I watched how Siran was looking at her, and before she left he took her hand and kissed it.

" Goodnight, dream with the stars my princess of the sea, " he told her in our native tongue. She clearly wanted to do something affectionate as well, but I suppose having me there watching was making her uncomfortable. She smiled and we both watched her walk away. 

Afterwards,Siran gestured to his truck and asked me to get in, so I walked around to the passenger door and did just that. 

He put on his cape again, covering his dark hair, then he drove in silence for a while until the silence became too loud. Forcing one of us to speak. I chose it to be me.

" Thanks for coming to help at such short notice, " I told him and he gave me a curt nod, then he turned to me and said, " Anything for Aliyah, " 

The honesty in the words was clear, he meant what he said. I found it charming, wondering just how the two had met but not wanting to ask because it wasn't my place. 

" We've met before, you and I. Long ago though, " he told me and I frowned. If we had then I was certain I'd remember him,but I didn't and that made me feel awful. 

" We have?"

He confirmed it, smiling not with his face, but rather with his grey eyes. The shade soft... evocative.

" My father used to deliver milk to the palace long ago, I used to accompany him sometimes. Then one day I stumbled across you in the garden while you were-"

" Planting watermelon seeds.." I finished off before he did. Finally remembering the young boy that had come by to ask me what I was doing. He had been dressed in a pair of shorts and a vest despite the chilly weather. And when I told him what I was planting he had told me it was all in vain.

" Watermelons can't grow in this place, the climate won't let them, " he had told me. And I had wondered how he could possibly know that. I had been about seven or eight at the time and he didn't look much older.

On asking whether he was sure he had vigorously nodded his head.

" My father is a farmer, he told me so himself. Try planting oranges instead, " young Siran had advised me. Then I had watched as a shiver coursed through him before he sneezed. 

" My ma says you shouldn't stay in the cold unless you're warm enough, here..." he had looked at me strangely as I shrugged out of my jacket and handed it to him. Insisting he take it when he had attempted to refuse. Then I had waved goodbye on sensing my father's presence. 

" I'll go now, " I had hurriedly said, dusting my hands and running into the palace.

" That was you?" I asked Siran and he told me it was. He looked so different now. 

" I never got to thank you for the jacket..now it appears I have the chance, " he said. Then he drove on. And I leaned my head against the window and thought about where I could possibly go. Several options came to mind, I thought of Calen's cabin but I ruled it out immediately. I wasn't intending on putting him at risk. And once that was out of the equation, I was left with either Seville or my aunt's. Both of which I ruled out as well. 

I hated to admit it, but I was used to having almost everything handed to me. My father has always ensured we never lacked, and so it was difficult for me to try and think of a solution that didn't involve money which I didn't have.

After thirty or so minutes Siran stopped the car, and I finally looked up. We were in a sort of farm house far from town. It was dark outside but I could clearly see all sorts of plants around the compound. He told me we had arrived and got off the vehicle. I blew out a breath and did the same. The air was so fresh there,so I took in several deep breaths.