62 Dark Sky Bright Sands (2/2)

Her mother patted her arm, yawning and moving away, ”Good girl. Put the boy in his bed and you rest. Tomorrow you will need to be ready to entertain most likely. We will see what your father calls for.”

She nodded and her mother turned, retiring to her bedroom while Usoa took the child into his own room, just off the side of their mothers. A nursery of sorts, now filled with the toys for a boy, not a baby. They had all stayed in the room at one time, though she barely remembered it. She settled Zorion under the blankets, the desert air chilly at night. Brushing his hair from his forehead she left the room, intent on her next tasks.

She looked down at the dress, the one that he, Lloren had said did not suit her. In the lamp light it was worse, the yellow dulling into shadow almost. There's time to change, she thought making her way back to her own room, the familiar courtyard. She paused to touch the petals of one of her carefully tended flowers.

How did he match this feeling so perfectly, she wondered. Annoyed with herself for thinking of him she hurried into her apartment. The cat met her, wrapping herself around her legs for attention. She bent scratching her head and neck for a moment before moving into her bedroom, the lamps all lit by a servant, the breakfast tray removed.

Sighing she stepped into her room, shrugging out of the dress that he had found so distasteful. Her skin bare she turned to the small basin of water that had been left out for her. She bathed leisurely, washing away the scented oils, leaving her skin light and fresh. Clean she slipped on a dark tunic that left her legs bare below the knee. A worker's dress, the form loose, hiding her figure. The dark color would help her slip through the darker halls without notice. She put on a pair of sandals, lacing them quickly and threw a shawl over her shoulders.

Dressed, she sighed, heading back out into the halls. As she passed, servants hurried through the hall, snuffing the lights save for the main passages or those halls that knew their masters were still about. Much of the Garden would be in darkness which was fine, she had traveled the halls since she was a child, there was nothing to fear. The Hidden Guard would be posted throughout and although they would see her, they had no need to report her movements.

She moved in darkness to avoid the gossip.

She left the Garden and moved through the tiled halls quickly, crossing courtyards and up flights of stairs until she reached the far edge of the palace, the top of the south east tower. She stood, looking out at the desert sky, inky and dark spotted with white stars. The desert stretched, the sand blue and bright for as far as she could see.

My new home is somewhere beyond that, beyond the borders of this realm, through the Third Realm and in the dark, she mused.

”Usoa,” a familiar voice called.

She turned to Ferran, his eyes used to the dark, his face clear. A straight nose, wide dark eyes, and a strong chin. Close cropped hair covered his head. She smiled at him.

”My darling,” he said, crossing the roof to her, wrapping her in his arms, before pressing his lips, dry, to hers. He pulled away, ”You have told them that you are not going, correct?”

She shook her head. I cannot leave my sister to go alone. It is dangerous, you know that, she said. You can come with me, she added.

A darkness came over his face, ”You were to tell them that you could not go. That you were otherwise committed!”

But I'm not, you have never asked for my hand, she answered.

”Is that your game? Do you want me ask your father for you? Face the Emperor? And for what? You know he will not consent to that. At best I would be a consort,” he sneered.

She sighed. Why did you call me out here?

”To talk to you about us, our future. Make sure that you were staying here with me,” he answered.

You must give me a good reason to run away from my duty to please you, she said.

”I keep trying but you put me off,” he said slowly wrapping his hands around her hips, pulling her close. He kissed her again, more forcefully this time.

She pulled away, fighting against the frown that tried to stretch to her face. She had not found him displeasing when he first approached her, months back, a few comments in the halls had lead to some meetings. She had enjoyed their time together but recently he had become overbearing, his touch too forceful.

And he had never made her shiver like Lloren in those few moments. Don't think of him, she scolded herself.

”Give me a chance,” Ferran said pulling her back, touching her lips with his.

I'm very tired, she said stepping away from him.

”It doesn't have to be you that goes, you know that. They can get one of the girls from the street, she can take a whole group of them to serve her just as well as you can. You should stay here, stay with me,” he tried again.

So I can serve you, she questioned.

He grinned, ”I'll need to teach you first.”

She rolled her eyes. I'll think about it, alright? That was not a good reason to drag me all the way out here this time of night.

”Are you not happy to see me, my sweet?” his voice low as he touched her face.

She forced herself to smile realizing that she would have preferred to enjoy the view alone rather than navigate his advances. She had barely had the the time to sort out her own feelings around leaving, let alone how the man she had allowed to hold for a short time felt.

It's not that, she said. The day has been very long,

He reached for her, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her forehead tenderly. ”My apologies, I wasn't thinking. Of course, we can talk tomorrow. I was just anxious, now that they're here, that you wouldn't think of me at all.”

Don't worry, Ferran, I cannot forget you, she smiled.

”Alright, then, I'll let you get to bed. I'll leave first,” he said.

She nodded and turned, exiting the way he had come, leaving her alone on the roof. She turned back to the sand and sky. If I tell father that I want to stay with him then would he let me? Do I even want to stay here or do I just not want to become a servant to Esti?

She had never questioned it, never asked if there were other options but she realized, she would miss so much and she had no idea of the world she would enter once they passed through the realms. She wrapped the shawl around her shoulders tighter and breathed in the night air. Will I forget this, she thought as she opened her eyes, searing the memory of it into her mind.

Sighing she turned, leaving the roof, her mind no more settled than it had been before.