Chapter 2

He had crossed the border. He had crossed it unscathed. In a way, it made no sense to him. Such a simple idea could have been done by anybody. Anybody body from outside could have smuggled their way in easily like that by hiding among a merchants clothes. He had been sure that the soldier at the guard gates would go through the goods but the soldier hadn't. Maybe, the soldier was just lazy. Sar thought about it for a while. After some thought he decided to leave it and to focus on what lay ahead.

He peeped out again and saw that the merchant's caravan was passing through a market. The market was completely filled with people: men, women and children alike that the merchant's slave had to shout at anyone in the way to get the caravan moving forward. The horses attached to the caravan also seemed to have a hard time. The slave had to pull the reins continuously to avoid trampling the children who ran about like chicken. The caravan was moving at a snail's pace and Sar decided that it would be the best to get away from his hiding place. His back was aching from being cramped in for a long time. Getting out of the caravan was an easy task for him. After getting out of the caravan the well dressed people in the market would definitely stare at him, which would definitely make him get him caught, as he was still wearing the worn out rough cotton his aunt had stitched him. His aunt! He froze: he had completely forgotten about her. The caravan, suddenly, went over a stone on the road. He was jolted roughly and he hit his shoulder. He let out a cry of surprise. It was then he understood his mistake. From the slowly moving caravan he jumped out, landing light on his toes and the like a creature of the air he ran and melted into the crowd. As he ran He could feel the eyes of the merchant on him. The merchant had seen him. He waited for the merchant to raise an outcry. But the market did not have any sounds other than the sounds it usually had. Relieved he bent his head and walked with the crowd.

This happened very quickly and before anyone could look at him twice he was gone. He slipped into alleyway. He was hungry but before he tended his stomach he had to change his clothes before any one saw him. He began searching for a house with clothes hung out for drying. He was in luck. He stole those clothes and changed into them. Now he felt very confident. Now for food he had no idea other than stealing. Stealing was one of the things he was quite good at. He had the quickest fingers and most agile feet back in his village. He could move around and jump like a cat earning him the nickname Lightfeet. He rentered the market trying to located a stall to niche food from.

Suddenly a trumpet blasted, and the crowd dispersed to the sides. At the far end of the market, some soldiers riding horses marched forward. Those were the royal guards. Next on a golden does held up by twelve slaves a tall figure came. He was seated on a small throne. The people all hastily prostated before him. Sar followed suit. He heard someone say that he was the prince. He was smiling and the most terrible thing were his eyes. Those were the eyes that belonged to the world's worst criminal. They were cold and unyielding devoid of any warmth. Sar saw that nobody dared to look at the princew. After the procession passed, the people stood up straight. Most of them looked unhappy. Of course they had to look unhappy if they had their future king as cold as that. Then a small palaquin passed. It was covered by red silks. The people all craned their necks to look at the figure hidden behind the silks. A small and delicate white hand drew the silks a bit to side and then the hand let go covering the palaquin yet again. When the people were still engrossed in the palaquin, Sar seized the opportunity and nicked some bread off a bakery.

The first euphoria he had after crossing the gates had faded and he was left with only weariness. The bag he had with him was in the merchant's caravan. He did not know what he was supposed to do. I do not have anything that belongs to me, he thought. Even the food he ate and the clothes he wore were not his.He did not know where to find the merchant's daughter. It was turning dark. The night guards would be suspicious if he walked around aimlessly at midnight.

He looked at his surroundings. He cursed. He should have given more attention to his surroundings. He had reached the wealthier part of the city. The crowd had also become sparse. The people all wore rich, imported silks. Sar stood out like a sore thumb. Anyone who looked at him could see that he did not belong here. But to his surprise nobody gave him any notice. They were all walking towards a house. Sar slowly fell in step behind two heavily decorated plump women who were no doubt the wives of some rich noble.

"We have to hurry, Mara", one of them said," it's said that all the noble families and merchants are invited. It will not do any good if we get the last seats. We spent lots for our attire. " " Of course. Is the royal family coming? I hope so though I hear the contrary. It's good to be in the grace of the king. Oh! I had forgotten. Princess Lu had come earlier. I don't know if she is a beauty as the rumours hold. The prince is to be betrothed to her. Oh Suz! We will be invited to a royal wedding too", the one named Mara said.

"No they won't be coming. I heard it from my husband. The royal family does not meddle in the noble affairs. Though a lot of peasants are invited. I hate to think why such a rich and wealthy merchant would want to invite those measly peasants while inviting all the merchants and nobles", Suz said. 'All the merchants...' ,Sar's ears perked up at that.Luck had favoured him, he could find his sweetheart or at least know her whereabouts and according to that lady named Suz he could enter the house as an invited peasant.

Sar walked up to the house and he saw two guards stationed outside. He assumed a face of confidence on his face entered the house. The guards actually welcomed thinking that he was one the peasants the merchant had invited.

Once inside he felt as if he was in another world. Up to now he had lived in a small grubby house with his aunt. He had never seen such a splendor everywhere. Along with awe he also felt nauseous, especially when he saw two children playfully throwing small iced cakes to the pet dogs. The people in his village would literally kill for such a delicacy to eat. He also felt a primal rage at those people who believed themselves higher than the other poorer ones just because of their birth.

He slowly walked around the richly dressed people searching for the familiar face. She would certainly remember him, won't she? He suddenly panicked. Of course she wouldn't forget. She had spent a week in their village and both loved each other at the first sight. Both of them had wandered around the village, holding hands. Sar had shown her his favourite hiding spots which only he knew. In the last day, she had sneaked to his house at night and both of them had gone to one of his hiding place. It was there he had asked her to marry him, she had agreed and they spent the whole night together. The next day they had a tearful parting with the promise that Sar would meet her after two years in the capital.

Remembering this, Sar began searching still more earnestly. He couldn't find her anywhere. He climbed the stairs and ducked into a corridor. He suddenly bumped into a hooded figure. The figure was about to fall backwards. When Sar held her, the hood fell away. The figure was a girl. She was very beautiful. She had usually luminous green eyes, full red lips and long blonde hair. His heart skipped a beat. But this was not the girl he was searching for. He suddenly let her go. She looked at him angrily and said"Watch out where you are going. ". She then pulled back the hood on her head and slowly slipped into the shadows. He stood there for a second and then began moving forward.

Sar had searched the whole house. She wasn't there. Dejected he slowly made his way towards the front door. He felt suffocated inside. Suddenly everyone around him cheered and clapped. Two distant figures came down the stairs arm in arm. They slowly made their way down the stairs.

It was actually a wedding celebration. The bride and bridegroom, both smiling brightly came on to a small stage. Even at a distance Sar could see that they were in love with each other. He smiled wistfully at the united lovers and was about to leave the house. When suddenly something fell in front of him, it was the bride's bouquet. He picked it up. He could feel the eyes of all the people on him. He looked up at the stage. He froze.

He now understood why he could not find her. It was because she was the bride.

What an irony,he thought, she was getting married to another man on the day they promised they would get married. The bride had gone pale. she recognized Sar. She looked at him with a mixture of fear and shock. Her father shook her and asked her if she knew him. She looked at her father and shook her head no. She'll shocked, Sar turned around to run away. He saw that the doors were blocked by the guards. A lot more guards were coming towards him. He couldn't get caught, he told to himself. He forced himself to run on away from the guards. A lot of people tried to catch him, but they couldn't even grab him. He ran up the stairs which was a bad move. He looked around for windows to jump from. But the rooms were locked. He could hear the guards behind him. He turned corridor after corridor was hopelessly lost.

He had lost his captors but they would find him soon. The sounds of guards came nearer. He was about to run further, when a door opened and a small, white hand shot out grabbing his sleeve. "Come in quickly",a voice whispered. He knew he could not trust anyone in this wealth mad capital but something in that voice made him hesitate and trust it.

He went inside the room and shut the door against his first love and the guards who were going to kill him for keeping a promise that seemed now futile.

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