CHAPTER TWO

Maya and her family enter throught the gate with their passing tickets. Horses are running around the capital.

"This is different from our state"

"This is where the emperor live" Maya replied to her sister.

"This is not just where the emperor and his family live, this place is only for the rich"

"Mother, there are also poor people like her"

A woman and her son are sitting on the ground, a plate is in front of them, people are passing and droping some coins into the plate.

Maya walk to the woman and drop some coins also, "follow the shinning star, it will lead you to your Destiny" Maya didn't understand, she wanted to ask question but a call distract her, "coming" she said running to meet her family. Maya Keep glancing at the direction of the woman as she follow them out of the market.

Why do this woman tell her those words instead of a thank you. Is this how Boland people behave but she tell others thank you. This is confusing.

The lady stop at a compound, a huge gate is in front. Maya look up, it is written Head Royal physician home, she smile.

Cyril touch the wall then the gate open. Only the owner of the compound has access to the home. As a new compound build for the Royal physician, he has to take control as the owner.

They all walk in as the gate close behind them,"this is your home, if you need anything ask me"

"What is your name?"

"Jean but call me beauty"

Mia touch the tiger status and the gate open, about to touch it again; Maya drag her away.

"If you need anything find me in white house"

"Already beauty"

She smile then bowed to them. She walk out of the compound. Mia run to touch the status and the gate close.

Each room was occupied by Cyril, Susan, Maya and Mia. Maya arrange her room with painting and books. She fall on her bed, "it soft" she stand up, walk out of the room outside. The compound is clean and beautiful, flowers are everywhere with different colour. She walk to the red color and touch it, immediately the flower fold.

"It used for protection"

"Protection!! it look.like it hiding from danger"

"Watch very well" immediately the flower spread open, "Maya cover your nose"Susan yell and both of them run inside.

"What was that?"

"That's a poisonous flowers"

"It almost kill us, we are not the enemy"

"Be friends with it"

"Are they human?"

"Those flowers are know as fire with different color, beautiful but can poison whoever touching it or stand close to it. The only way to live with such flowers is to be its friend"

"How!?"

"Watch me" she gently walk close to the flower, "am Susan Otto, I want to be your friend, am new to this compound, please be nice to me" then touch it. The flower do not react.

Maya come closer and did same thing. "They're calm now, we have become their friends"

"We should tell this to Father and Mia"

"Your father knows but it is Mia"

Mia run from the house and touch the status, two horses run in. One is empty the other one someone is on it, he jump down while Cyril came outside, "A gift from the emperor to you."

Cyril bowed to the ground,"thank you, my king"

"Call him, Best" he jump on his horse and ride out of the compound.

Mia run to meet the black horse then touch it,"what a nice name. Best am Mia, let be friends"

Maya look up, "it getting dark"

The table was set and the family gather to eat their dinner. The moon and the stars shine above them. Maya look up then remember what the woman told her, she drop the chopstick, Susan notice Maya sudden action,"you're not eating"

Maya raise her head then smile,"I feel like sleeping, today was busy" she lied.

"Okay but make sure you finish everything before going to bed"

"Yes Mother" she feel bad for lying to her mother. It is not a big deal right, she has not done anything bad to feel bad for hiding such a big information. She has to find that woman at any cost.

"Maya, what are you thinking?"

"About grandmother, Uncle, Auntie and Mary. I wish they were with us" she lie again.

Susan sigh,"you miss them right. I also miss them"

The family finish their dinner and went to bed. The night is long as Maya keep rolling on the bed and open her eyes, sit up, glance at the brush and paper on the table. The light of her room can attract her mother to come ask questions. She sigh and lie down, close her eyes tight.

Maya open her eyes to see the brightness through the window. Her eyes are wide open as she stretch her body while standing up moving toward the door.

Mia is sitting down while Susan is bringing in breakfast. Maya stop her on the way and take the food, "Good morning, Mother"

"Good morning, my child"

Maya keep the bowl on the table, "Good morning Mia"

"Good morning sister Maya"

"I have not seen Father?"

"Father went to the palace, today is day one"

"He should have eaten before leaving"

"Your father took his food with him" Susan said coming in with another bowl while she join them on the table.

She dig out the Rice and soup and place them on each of their plates, "alright kids, let eat"

They all pick up their chopsticks and begin to eat.

A lady walk inside the compound attracting the attention of Mother and children.

The lady bowed,"My lady, the highness our empress seek your presence"

Susan take in the last spoon as the lady finish her sentence,"Me!?"

"You're Cyril Otto wife. Your name is Susan"

Susan stand up,"let me change into another dress" Then run inside.

Maya clean the table and take the dishes inside. Susan enter the kitchen, "take care of Mia, I will be right back"

"Yes, Mother" she said as she came out, together the lady and Susan walk out of the compound.

Maya came out while Mia run to her, "this place is boring, I want to go out"

Maya see the opportunity that Mia brought before her and she has to take it. "Okay, let go out"

Mia jump and run inside while Maya follow behind.

Maya and Mia came out with a flesh look. Mia love pink, her hair fall at her shoulder with pink pair of shoes.

Maya is wearing a yellow long grown with red shoes, her black long hair is tie as a bun together with the blue bamboo hairpin on it. Together they both walk out of the compound and the gate close behind them.

They walk together down the street, feeling the breeze touching their hair and grown, walking with joy and confidence. Maya is also using his side eyes to look for the lady.

"Sister Maya, look"

People are gathering in a circular form,"they're having a fight competition. Let go"

Maya follow her little sister as they run to join the people. Maya and Mia push their way to the front.

The people cheer as a tall man with build muscle pounce the other man to the ground, he could not stand up as he was drag out of the ring. The people shouting,"tiger!! Tiger!! Tiger!!"

"Who is next? Come out!!" The people scream more.

"He fight ten men and defeat them all"

"He is the winner"

"I will challenge you" a voice yell out as the crowd give way for him to walk forward. He is small compare to the man in front of him.

The man man glance at him from head to toe and laughs,"you can't beat me with this body, you're weak compare to me"

"I may look small in your eyes but to me you are just a man with empty brain"

The strong man shake his head, "let see if am a empty brain or you're" he jump into the sky then hit the ground and display his fist.

He is calm. The strong man run toward him as he watch. He is not doing anything to stop him, he should do something.

About to pounce the weak boy,; he draw out his robe immediately it fly to the forehead then he jump, together his leg and robe hit both strong man head and his stomach.

The cheer slowly come to its lowest as the strong man move backward and fall to the ground.

The men that was sitting run to check on him then drag him out of the ring.

He walk to the bag of coins place on the table, bowed to the crowd then to the three men sitting at the other end then pick up the coins. The crowd give way as he walk out.

Maya follow behind to catch up, he look suspicious to make such a strong man fall to the ground just like that.

The man enter a building,"Mia wait for me here"

"Yes, sister Maya"

Maya enter inside as she hide behind a wall. He pull out his upper cloth which make Maya to cover her eyes then open a little to see what will happen next.

He put on a different cloth, a woman grown which is yellow then pull out his short hair then a longer one fall at his shoulder, he turn to face Maya direction and pull out a face mask, his real face. He is a girl!! Maya cover her mouth not to scream.

She enter another room while Maya run out of the building breathing fast then breathe in to process what she saw inside. She hide behind the wall as her footstep approach. This time used yellow veil to cover her face only her eyes were visible.

She walk the opposite direction as Maya follow, she enter a compound and a boy run to her. She brought out the bag of coins, "used this to take care of yourself and treat your mother"

"Thank you, Sister" the boy said and run inside. A carriage from nowhere stop in front of her then she enter and it ride away.

"Sister Maya!" She called. Maya touch Mia head, "you follow me here"

She nods,"this lady disguise herself as a man just to feed the poor. She is my hero"

"Is getting late, let go home"

On the street everyone suddenly bowed their head to the ground. A carriage is passing, two horses at the left and right side with soldier riding, behind ten soldiers is walking following the carriage while another two soldiers are in front with horses.

Maya raise up her head a little to steal the glace of the prince. His side view is clear as a sun then he turn to face Maya, his front view is perfect, nose, lips and eyes. Maya got lost in those beautiful blue eyes but his gaze is cold as ice. He turn his face then the breeze close the cloth of the window.

"He is beautiful" Maya murmured with a smile.