V

Moors’ Royal Guards

 The prince and I were quiet as we walked away; the silhouette of Great Shrewsbury's walls towering ahead of us. The sun was almost gone from the sky, and we were supposed to be preparing for our camp to sleep on, but due to the recent events, we chose to leave the town instead of lodging for a night.

It was the wisest decision to make, after all.

Kalare flew over in a sudden, his majestic brown wings were against the setting sun. It was another pretty and calming sight to see. "Eos and I will fly ahead to look for possible space to camp on," he announced.

Eos was beside Scylla who was sleeping peacefully in Farrio's saddle. His eyes were weary but he still agreed to come with Kalare. 

Henry's gaze followed the two but did not dare to ask where they were going. Despite being with him for a short time, I am aware that he always spoke his mind, he asked questions whenever he's confused or just simply curious. 

However, today, he did not speak, and I am completely aware of the reason.

"Eos and Kalare were going to look for a place for our camp. They will be back," I spoke softly, trying to ignite a conversation with him. Instead of replying, he just gave me a nod.

It was frustrating to have a human companion, but not being able to converse freely, to explain my thoughts, to prove that, no matter how it may seem, I am not a witch. 

However, it was plausible for him to think otherwise.

It was not long after when Kalare and Eos came back, bearing good news. After a few miles of walking, following my friends’ direction, we arrived at a small pond covered with thick and tall grasses. It has signs that say people were not allowed; it was also near the road’s trail and the possibility of someone stealing from us as we slept was high. Still, no other options were available. 

Henry made fire as Kalare and Eos spread out clothes for our small shelter, while I prepared Farrio and Clementine’s, our new horse, water and meal. 

Clementine was a joyous and observative horse for she was delighted when she found out I could talk to animals. She also shared stories before we left the town, but stopped when she noticed the tension in the air.

Eos nudged Scylla’s body using his left wing while he ate his meal using his right. “Wake up, sleepyhead, you need to eat.” The latter moaned, her face was scrunching out of irritation.

“Let her rest for a bit, Eos. She’ll wake up once she’s hungry,” I softly whispered, wanting to smile at my friend’s gesture. 

They were, indeed, very sweet and thoughtful, unlike the people I have met at the town. The toothless merchant, the feisty lady, the thief, and the men and women who refused to stop the thief despite seeing how he stole from me. It was still a question for me on how they could just watch.

I have imagined visiting towns and conversing with various people, and I was right about the beauty of places and nature, but with people… I never imagined that it would be like that. 

Books did not prepare me for such things.

“Did you see how we attacked the thief? My wings covered his face, and he was practically begging for mercy.” Eos laughed loudly, bringing back my attention, as he shared stories with Clementine. 

“I saw it! Oh, how I wish I could fly as you do!” 

“You wanted to fly? But you could run fast!” Kalare argued.

“It is beautiful to run, yes, but the sky just looks inviting to me. It looks peaceful and calm, and I wanted to touch the clouds as I flew.” Clementine sighed deeply, daydreaming. “Horses run fast, but we are limited; we are deemed as pets and transportations. We do not have any freedom like birds.”

“It’s like horses like us were born for mere transportation and nothing else,” Farrio agreed.

My heart ached for them, and for myself. We were just the same; being imprisoned by duties and tasks, unable to explore and live for ourselves.

“Worry not! You are now with Cola. She takes care of all of us, and lets us live the way we wanted to live. We will have fun together!” Eos cheered and the two seemed to enlighten with his statement. 

I only gave them a sheepish smile.

It was not long after that they had finished eating, and quickly fell asleep. It was a good opportunity to change the bandages in my wounds, and so I took it. 

Henry was still eating, and he did not bother asking where I was going, nor bother in conversing that was why I just left without speaking a word.

A few walks was all it took for me to reach the pond itself. My hope in taking a quick bath disappeared when I saw the state of the pond. 

It was dying. 

It was full of algaes, and the water was not blue nor green, but brown. No small fishes can be seen, too. 

How could people let this pond die? 

It was a shame that this pond could have been beautiful with just proper care.

With grief and disappointment in my mind, I started to remove the ribbons in my dress. When I was only left in my white corset,  my body shook due to the cold breeze. Nevertheless, the freezing air was nothing compared to the sting I was feeling in my wound.

I wonder how many weeks would it take for it to heal completely. 

With soft and careful touches, I slowly unwrapped the bandages. My face scrunched from the pain as I felt the separation of my skin with the sticky cloth. 

“Merde!”

Upon hearing a voice, my hands were quick to cover my nakedness. “What are you doing here? I am changing!” 

Henry was standing with his back turned in my direction. He was holding his head as if he could not believe what he had just seen. “I am not aware! You did not say anything, I just followed you to ensure your safety.” His breathing was heavy as he spoke out reasons.

My brows knotted as I saw through the lies he was trying to tell. “Are you certain that you are following me for my safety, or for the people’s safety?” My voice sounded different as I spoke.

It was the first time I have spoken with such frustration and anger. 

The scary thing about it was that it felt satisfying. Satisfying to release the emotions I had been feeling, to release the maddening thoughts. Satisfying to feel angry. 

Henry’s silence proved even more that he really thought ill of me. It was heart-wrenching for he was the first human being I had really interacted with, and here he was, accusing me of being vile and evil.

“I do not think of you that way, Cola,” he argued, however, hesitation can be heard from his tone.

“Do not lie to me,” I murmured. Hesitating was one thing, but lying directly was another. “Can you please leave? I am trying to change.”

A heavy sigh escaped through my lips when he finally took a step away and vanished into the darkness. Once he was gone, I continued changing my bandages and clothes. 

Henry was leaning on a tree's trunk when I came back to the camp. His eyes were in the shade of forest green, a shade that I had only seen whenever he was thinking deeply. That shade can be oftenly observed nowadays; as of why, I do not know. 

"What are you?" he asked even before I could walk past him. "You say you are not a witch, you say you are not a Godmother, and you are certainly not a human.

Then, what are you?" he repeated.

What am I… 

"I am no one," I answered truthfully. "I am not anything, not even a real person. I was not born, but created."

The words were heavy to say, but when it escaped my lips, I felt peace. Peace for I could finally admit everything. Peace for I finally have someone that would listen to me, to my story. 

And peace because, after years of loneliness and isolation, someone, a human other than the Godmothers and King Stefan, would be a proof that I existed. 

Henry stood still, contemplating on my reply, his sharp jaw was clenching as he gazed upon me directly. "What does that mean?"

“Princess Aurora’s Godmothers created me to guard her, to be the world’s first defense in case she wakes up. I am not like anyone who was born from a mother and a father. I was created from magic. I was created, not to live, but to be an obedient guard.” My lips were trembling as I continuously spoke.

It did not occur to me that saying everything out loud would wake the emotions that I had kept all these years. The sadness. The loneliness. The hopeless wishes. 

Henry remained silent as the embarrassment from my own words caught up in my throat. It was hard to look at him without feeling the heat in my cheeks spreading throughout my face and neck.

“That was why King Stefan tasked you in this journey…” he trailed. I nodded as a response. “How is that even possible?” He looked baffled, and amazed at the same time; his eyes were sparkling and in the shade of jade green.

“I do not know.”

“You were created from magic, that was why you have magic?” he clarified.

“No. The Godmothers had blessed me with theirs.”

“That’s--” He blinked quickly. Twice. “--magnificent.” My lips pursed, surprised at the reaction he had shown.

Silence reigned upon us as he continued to stare at me with amusement in his jade green eyes. It was uncomfortable, but I could not bring myself to speak any further for I do not know what to say as well.

“I apologize for thinking ill of you,” Henry started. “At first, I thought you were really a witch, but I have been with you for days, and you did not harm me nor anyone. I refused to believe that you could.”

My chest pounded loudly. “Really?” I uttered, my voice as soft as a feather.

Henry chuckled, his deep tone reverberating in my ears, making my heart thump faster. “Of course. I had seen how kind you are, even to a person like me; it is impossible,” he complimented.

“It is not hard to be kind to you, for you are kind, as well.” 

The prince shook his head slightly with a humor plastered on his lips. “I am not kind, Cola.”

“You are,” I insisted. “If you are not, you would not be here on this journey with me. You would not risk your life.” Even though I doubted his intentions in the beginning, he showed that he was, indeed, pure and kind later on.

Still, that did not erase the knowledge that he was the one who had woken the princess, but it does not matter, as long as he’s here to correct his mistakes.

He shook his head once more. “I did not come with you to help you. At first, I only came for entertainment; you were humorous and such a mystery that I wanted to be solved. However, when I found out the importance of your task, I decided to help you for real.

“The guilt also ate my insides up. I could not bear for other people to suffer due to my ignorance; I was the one who woke her up, I should, at the very least, help in making her sleep again,” he continued.

“Even if she’s your true love?” That was the question that has been bothering me, ever since. 

“Love…” he whispered, his eyes gazing upon the night sky where stars were sprinkled all over. “How could she be my true love when I do not know who she is? How could I love her when I did not spend any second with her?”

My forehead knotted at his sentiments that were unclear for my feeble mind. 

Henry laughed lowly. “Your expression says you are confused.”

“I am,” I honestly spoke. “What do you mean by that?”

“Have you not loved before?” he asks, his voice has a hint of teasing in them.

 The heat in my cheeks came back, but with more intensity compared to the last. “I love my Godmothers, and my friends.”

He laughed. Not a low laugh, but the one with loud, and deep laughs. A sincere laugh. “I am not pertaining to the familial nor friendly love, Cola.The romantic one.”

I have read those in books, and I would be a liar if I would say that I did not dream of it once. It was comforting to imagine that someone was destined for me, but it was also pathetic because deep down, I know that it was impossible. 

“No. I have never loved romantically before.”

“Love cannot be measured by a kiss, let alone, a belief. Yes, I had woken Princess Aurora, but it was because there was a possibility that we would love each other truly. A possibility that was long far gone the moment I found out what she really was.”

His explanation was both clear, and unclear for me. I thought love was simple, like in the books where the prince and princess gets married immediately after finding each other.

“You are still confused, ai-je raison?” I nodded as a response.

He gave off a teasing laugh before tapping the top of my head softly. “You would find out once you have experienced love, little one.”

Little one... 

I like the sound of it. It was like a nickname given to me from a friend.

“Have you experienced it?” I asked and tilted my head in wonder.  

A prince like him would have the highest possibility to be involved in relationships.

Henry stared at me, scrutinizing my face, probably contemplating whether to answer my question or not. In the end, a teasing grin spread on his face. “It is a story for another night, Cola,” he stated, mimicking the words I gave him two nights ago.

A chuckle escaped my mouth. 

He was, indeed, wise.

👑👑👑

 The sun’s rays met my eyes when I opened them. Birds were fluttering and cooing to the morning light as the sun shone brightly above. 

 It was a fantastic morning for the nightmares did not come, and the wound in my back did not ache as much as before. It was another day for another trip and hardships, but with my friends, we could handle anything.

 However, my joyous and delighted morning turned sour when I noticed that the prince and my friends were nowhere to be found. 

 My head throbbed at the possibility of betrayal, my chest pounded as I stood up and roamed my eyes around the place. 

 Nothing. 

Not even their saddles, nor clothes.

 “Cola! Cola! Are you awake? They took Henry!" 

Clementine came rushing, her wide gallops were echoing loudly whenever it met the grassy earth. She was panting while her eyes were bulging, a look of panic was written all over her face, and it widened even more once she saw me. 

"Cola! Some guards took Henry! And then Eos asked if we should wake you, and Scylla said we should let them take the prince, but Kalare said that the prince already apologized to them already so they should run after them, and--" 

Henry… apologized to my friends? Was that the reason why they were a bit kind to him yesterday?

"--Kalare and Eos flew while Farrio ran with Scylla on her back, and they told me to--"

"Clementine, take a deep breath." I held her saddles, caressing her head to calm her down a bit. "Do you know which direction they have gone off to?"

"Yes! Come on, sit on my back!" 

"Wha--" 

Before I could continue my sentence, Clementine expertly bowed and put me on her back. It was a quick movement that it took minutes for my mind to process what had just happened. Before I knew it, Clementine was running as fast as she could while I gripped tightly on her leather straps. 

My chest was booming hardly as I tried to focus on what was happening instead of the terrified emotion I am feeling.

I could not believe I was riding a horse in this situation.

When we exited the pond, silhouettes of men in horses came to view, while two birds were hovering above them. They were too far to get a glimpse of what was occurring, but fortunately, Clementine was running fast to catch up. 

When we were close enough, it became clear that the men in horses were not just mere commoners, but royal guards. Their uniform shows the color of the Moors, red and gold. The prince, on the other hand, was tied up, his mouth covered with a red cloth while sitting beside a beefy and bulky man with a long beard.

“Cola! You’re here!” Scylla howled in delight. “Save the imbecile-- I mean, the prince!”

“Clementine, can you get us closer to them?” We are still too far to grab the prince nor battle the men. Nevertheless, battling was not the answer; we could just grab the prince and run away as fast as we could. 

“Got it!” 

Clementine tried to run faster. Her breathing was heavy as she got closer to the men, but in no time, the royal guards started to notice our presence. After a while, they stopped in the middle of the road, their horses facing ours as they drew their sword, ready for combat.

“Stand back, young lady.”

“Let go of Henry,” I confidently stated even when my hands went cold.

We are outnumbered but using magic was not an option. The royal guards could immediately spread about my magic; if that happens, making the princess sleep or not, the King would still end my existence.

“Do not be a fool. Stand back and do not follow us.”

My eyes went to Henry’s. He does not even look a bit scared nor panicked, instead, it was sharp and calculating. I already understood what he was trying to imply: he can escape, but he needs a distraction.

With a nod at his direction, I got off Clementine and took a step forward. The royal guards immediately raised their swords, all of their attention was on me and my friends. Henry took the opportunity to expertly remove the knot in his hands.

“Cola! They could harm you!” Kalare warned.

“We are serious, young woman. Stand back before we could hurt you. You do not have any business here.”

“I am serious, too. You should let go of the prince.”

When Henry successfully removed the cover in his mouth, he used the rope to tie the beefy man beside him and ran towards my direction, grabbing me to ride Farrio while he was maneuvering, embracing me from behind.

The prince was holding Farrio’s reins, guiding the latter to run faster to escape while our other friends came following. 

My chest was producing a deafening noise that reached my ears due to its thumping, and I do not know if it was because Henry was embracing me, or because the guards were running after us. 

It was probably the latter.