Chapter 7 - Looks can be deceiving

It was nighttime and the party was still going strong. Because of the cold, people started fires and sat around them. Sharaina and Light were surprisingly still at the stream. This time they were on their own and totally drunk.

They laid down, staring at the beautiful night sky filled with stars and graced by the full moon. Their eyes partially closed and their cheeks puffy. One bottle of wine was completely finished whereas another one was almost done. Sharaina held it close to her chest.

"Light..." Sharaina softly called out to Light. "Are you still awake?" she asked him.

"Yes I am but barely." Light lazily answered.

"Can I ask you a question?" Sharaina sat upright and looked down at Light.

"Sure you can ask me anything."

Sharaina drank the wine direct from the bottle. "Why do you hide your talent? I don't understand why someone who plays beautifully like you would keep their talent a secret."

Light forced himself to sit up and his face was three inches away from Sharaina's. "I only recently learned how to play, so I'm nervous about playing for people." Light hiccuped, drowsily pointing at Sharaina, he asked, "Can I ask you a question too?"

Sharaina slowly nodded her head.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend. It doesn't make sense that a girl as pretty as you would remain single." Light gazed into her eyes in a daze.

Sharaina giggled at his question, "Well, I haven't found a suitable guy that's why." She lifted the wine bottle. "Plus this makes me forget about men. Perhaps that's why my father hates that I drink. He worries about my marriage." she took a sip and gave the bottle to Light.

"Aren't you worried about it?" Light asked her again and took a throat burning sip.

"Oh, I am never worried about that. It's not a big deal for me. It will sort itself out one day." Sharaina took the bottle away from Light and drank from it.

Light held his dizzy head. "So, you are telling me that you haven't met a sensible guy?" He asked her and yawned.

His yawn was infectious so Sharaina couldn't stop herself from yawning too. "It's difficult to find one when all they do is focus on my beauty. There's more to me than just my looks."

Light laughed softly. "You can't blame them." He said and Sharaina looked darkly at him. "You are the most beautiful girl I have seen in my life." Light said and Sharaina angrily took a sip of the wine. "You are also so real. What I mean is that I sense no pretense in you. That's my favorite thing about you. In fact from what you have shown me, I wouldn't change anything about you."

Sharaina cooled her temper and looked at Light stunned. "Do you really mean that Light?"

Light clumsily placed his hand on his chest and hiccuped. "I am giving you my honest opinion."

"I think you and I will get along just fine." Sharaina laughed.

Geren and Mayla were looking all over the place for Light and Sharaina. They had just noticed that they weren't at the party. Both Geren and Mayla were drunk. Their drunkenness made their search difficult.

They went to the stream and immediately spotted Light and Sharaina. From afar, it appeared as though they were kissing but in reality, they were just talking with their faces too close. Mayla grinned to herself.

"Babe, I don't think we should disturb them." Geren expressed his thoughts.

Mayla shook her head. "We have to leave now. It is getting late. I'll go and call them." Mayla said and walked to them.

When Mayla got to them, they were still talking with their faces close to each other. Mayla clapped her hands and giggled. Light and Sharaina slowly turned their heads to her.

Light was confused as to why she was laughing while Sharaina knew exactly why. She faced away and finished the wine in the bottle.

"I can see that you two love birds have hit it off quite well." Mayla clapped.

"For goodness' sake Mayla what do you want? Can't two people have a decent conversation in peace?" Sharaina sternly asked Mayla.

"It's time for us to leave. Remember Gemhules is two hours away from here." Mayla held her broad hips.

Light got up and helped Sharaina up with difficulty. Geren decided to join them all.

"Where are Nelex and Liss?" Sharaina asked Mayla.

Mayla rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "Who knows? They got into another fight and left us. I think Liss caught Nelex dancing with some girl."

"I heard it was Nelex who caught Liss kissing another guy." Geren argued.

This time, Sharaina rolled her eyes. "Those two will never change. Regardless we have to find them." Sharaina yawned.

"Light and I will go this way and you two will go that way. After 15 minutes, we will meet at the wagon whether we have found them or not." Sharaina said and they all agreed.

Light and Sharaina searched but their search proved to be fruitless. The 15 minutes were up, so they retreated to the wagon. When they got there, they didn't find Geren and Mayla. They proceeded to sit down and wait for them instead.

Suddenly, the two heard someone getting slapped from behind the wagon. They rushed there and found Liss angrily holding her red cheek. She glared at Nelex who was fuming with rage.

Seeing their condition automatically forced Light and Sharaina to start sobering up. Light took one step forward and Liss slapped Nelex back. At that point Sharaina held her back while Light blocked Nelex from going any closer to Liss.

"I am getting sick of you hitting me any time you want asshole!" Liss screamed.

"I am getting tired of you cheating on me!" Nelex shouted back at her.

"I wasn't going to cheat on you hadn't you danced with that fucking bitch!" Liss spat. "Sharaina, let go of me. I want to show him that I can hit just as hard!" Liss tired to shake Sharaina off but her hold was firm.

"Why don't we all just calm down, huh?" Light suggested.

"You know what, I am done with this shit. You need to grow the fuck up. I have had it with your destructive jealousy. I wasn't even dancing with that girl! She was dancing next to me but you! You kissed another guy in my face! What the fuck Liss?"

"I am also done with you! It's over! I never want to see your face again!" Liss screamed on top of her lungs.

"Fine! I am out of here!" Nelex angrily walked away.

Liss threw the bottle she was holding in anger and it shattered close to Geren and Mayla's feet. Without another word, she got into the wagon. Geren looked at Sharaina with eyes full of questions, but she shrugged her shoulders.

Sharaina and Mayla followed Liss into the wagon. Liss threw herself in Sharaina's arms and cried. Light sat outside the wagon with Geren. With one hit of the whip, the horses raced out.

****

The poor cleaner had his swollen feet in a dish of steamy water. He sat comfortably as he blew on his tea. His children sat around him telling him stories about their lives in his absence. His wife was busy serving dinner as they chatted.

A knock was heard at the door. She joyfully went to open it and standing outside was a woman hiding under a blanket. Without thinking twice, she let the strange woman in. Once she was inside, she dropped the blanket and revealed herself to the cleaner. He recognized her immediately and gasped.

"Emelinia! What is the problem?" he asked her.

"You have to leave now Ulanos." Emelinia said in horror. "Your life is in danger." she stressed.

Ulanos dropped his cup of tea onto the floor and it broke to pieces. "What do you mean?" His hands were shaking.

"Queen Lavila has sent royal guards to come and kidnap you and exile you without your family. They are on their way right now. Please you must leave." Emelinia insisted.

Ulanos' wife started to cry. "But why would she do that? Didn't king Raglan pardon him?" She asked Emelinia.

"I exposed her evil nature to the king." Ulanos made his wife understand.

"I am leaving now." Emelinia put the blanket back on. "You must hurry and leave too."

Emelinia hurried out of the house. As soon as she left, the family packed what they could and loaded it into their only wagon. They quickly got in and off they went, disappearing into the darkness. The wife and children looked back tearfully at the only place they ever knew as their home.

When the guards got to the house, they found it abandoned. They reported it to Queen Lavila, and she roared furiously at them.

"You idiots! How dare you let them escape?"

"It appears that someone warned them of your intentions, my queen." one guard who had the courage to speak said.

The moment he said this, Emelinia became tensed. She nervously continued to fan Queen Lavila. Luckily for her, she left the castle without anyone noticing and returned in time. However, she couldn't help but stress about what if someone saw her leave.

"I should have you fired for your incompetence!" Queen Lavila spilled her wine over the bowing guards.

"It is enough, mother. You are making unnecessary noise." Prince Meelzib said as he entered the room. "The thief escaped. There's nothing you can do now." he yawned.

"I will find out who the treacherous eavesdropper is and when I do, they will pay with their lives!"

Emelinia nearly lost her balance out of fear. She breathed in and maintained her composure. Dragging attention to herself was the last thing she needed.

"Leave my sight!" she ordered the guards, and they left immediately.