Chapter XXIV

The next day, Prince Ayaan ran the course again and the same thing happened when he got to the ropes.

Day after day, he tried again and again to no avail. Sometimes he began to wonder why he had to run the same course everyday. He was getting tired but didn't loose hope. He couldn't bear seeing his mother and father worry again because of him.

One evening after training, Emress was reading her book of spell and Ayaan, having dinner when there was a knock on the door.

"I've been hallucinating a lot these days. In the woods, now someone's at the door?" He thought shooting Emress a puzzled glance.

"Prince Ayaan could you get the door?" She asked.

"Get the door? For whom?" He asked in shock.

"It may be one of the neighbors," she said.

"Neighbors! You never said anything about neighbors," Prince Ayaan said a bit disturbed.

"I've never met a single soul since I got here" He added.

"I've told you before not everything is the way it seems, so please get the door." Emress said.

He stood up reluctantly and went to the door. Turning slightly he looked at her timorously.

"What if it's a ghost?" He said.

"Prince Ayaan, open the door." Emress said firmly.

Closing his eyes he pulled the door gently. Standing before him was a pretty girl about the same age as him, holding a basket. Puzzled at the opener, she rose an eyebrow.

"Aa, okay! He... Hello..." She said.

"Please if you're a ghost, just go straight to Emress. She's the only one who does ghost-talk. I dunno if she does, but I'm sure she can, please don't take me!" He cried out his eyes still closed.

"What are you talking about? I'm Reem, Dzemis has sent me and I'm not a ghost!" She said in a feisty tone.

Opening his eyes slowly and lo, standing before him was a pretty young lady. Embarrassed, he grinned.

"Ah!" He said as he gazed at her.

"Hello! A simple; come in, let me help you... Would have been better." She interrupted.

"Ah yes! Forgive my manners, please come in," he said.

"Well it took you long enough" she thought.

"Reem? Is that you?" Emress asked.

"Yes Emress," Reem returned as she entered the sitting room.

"How nice to see you," Emress said.

Ayaan stood with the basket in his hand as he watched them.

"Nice to see you too. You look lovely by the way," Reem said.

"Ayaan, could you please keep the basket in the kitchen?" Emress asked.

"Yes, sure." He said snapping out of his little drazzle.

When he got back, Emress just had to engage them in a conversation by introducing them to each other.

"Ayaan, this is Princess Reem-Noor of Anubahd," she said.

"Reem, this is Prince Ayaan of Dralde," Emress added.

"What's the Princess of Anu... Whatever Emress called it doing in Dralde. In the woods for that matter?" He thought.

"Nice to meet you Ayaan," Reem said.

"Or should I say the Prince who's afraid of ghosts?" She added.

"Ha! Ha! Very funny. Nice to meet you too Reem-Noor," Ayaan said.

"Just call me Reem, nobody has called me Reem-Noor since my dad." She said sadly.

"Oh I'm so sorry." Ayaan said apologetically.

"No he's okay and alive... It just kinda brings back memories I don't want to remember," she said.

"I'm sorry about that." Reem said.

He saw the necklace around her neck and searched to see if he could find any pendant.

"Your necklace, it's nice." Ayaan said.

"Oh thanks, Dzemis have it to me." Reem returned.

"Dzemis?" He asked.

"Yes, he's a mage just like Emress." She returned.

"Oh okay," he returned.

"You two just excuse me, I'll be back," she said.

Emress went to her room to get something. She entered her and shut the door behind her. She moved to her bookshelf to return the spell book. Her crystal ball was sitting next to her yarn and crotchets on the centre table.

With the aid of her crystal ball, she checked the condition of Ayaan's medallion. The last time she did it had lost it's glow.

"Let's see if there's anything new," she looked at it and sighed.

Putting her hands on it as she had moved closer.

"Show me the medallion," she said.

The crystal ball showed two lights glowing with equal intensity. If it were only Ayaan's the light would have only a sky blue glow but this time it had another color too, coral.

"Another medallion, Prince Ayaan you are one lucky man," Emress said in excitedly.

Meanwhile, Ayaan and Reem sat quite half of the time. Reem couldn't take the silence as it was starting to bore her.

"So Ayaan, what do you do a part from being scared of ghosts?" She asked funnily.

"Seriously? I train. That's what I've been doing since I got here," he said.

"That's awesome. I train too." She said excitedly.

Not quite convinced, as he imagined what she would look like after running for two hours and laugh.

"Why are you laughing? You don't believe me, do you?" She asked.

"I never said anything and I can laugh if I want to," he said.

"Okay, how about a friendly match tomorrow? The one who touches the ground first loses." She suggested.

"I don't know..." he said.

"I haven't really practiced fighting since I got here," she said.

"I'm not sure..." he returned.

"Are you scared I'm going to make you cry or what?" She asked.

"You're joking right," he said laughingly.

"Cos I'm sure you must be thinking, she's a girl I can't possibly fight her." She said.

"Trust me, I know that's exactly what's going through your mind right now," she added.

"Maybe," he shrugged.

"Oh puh-lease," she said rolling her eyes.

"Okay fine, if that's what you want," he said.

"Awesome, don't worry we'll only use our powers." She said excitedly.

"Okay, wait you have powers?" He asked surprisedly.

"Well, duh!," She said.

"Oh right, I'm sorry I asked." Ayaan said when it sounded like she was about to drown him.

"Um... It's okay," she said.

"She's so feisty, I hope the other neighbors are a lot nicer." Ayaan thought.

Something seemed to glow right where the pendant of Reem's necklace was but Ayaan concluded it was probably another one of his hallucinations. Reem stood up and was about to leave when Emress came out of the room.

"Leaving already?" Emress asked.

"Yes Emress, I'd better get back before it gets really dark." Reem said.

"Alright dear," Emress said.

"Princess Reem here suggested a friendly fight tomorrow," Ayaan said in a tone hoping Emress would refuse.

"Reem are you sure about that?" Emress asked concernedly.

"Absolutely, we'll only use our powers. That's why we've been training right." Reem returned.

"Well yes... Alright then," Emress said.

"Oh no! Now I have to fight Miss feisty curls while I think of ways so she won't get hurt. Thanks a lot Emress!" Shaking his head as he thought.

"Goodnight," Reem said.

"Goodnight. Ayaan please see her off," Emress said.

"No it's fine, I'm sure Dzemis is already on his way here." Reem said not wanting to bother Ayaan.

"It's fine, let's go. I'll walk you." Ayaan said.

"Well alright then if you all insist," Reem said.

The two of them had only works half way when they met Dzemis in the way.

"Good evening to you," Ayaan greeted.

"Dzemis, this is Prince Ayaan he was going to walk me to the house if you hadn't come." Reem said.

"Nice to meet you and thanks for walking Reem home." Dzemis said.

"It was nothing," Ayaan said and they parted ways.