A long journey

Banou wakes up in the late morning with the sun shining on her. The carriage is moving in a stable speed. She can hear people talking and laughing. Her hands and legs are still tie up. She is hungry and there is nothing she can eat nor drink in the messy carriage. 

At noon, the carriage stop by an oasis. Bardiya comes in with a cup of soup and a bowl of goat meat. He place them down on the floor next to Banou. 

"I will untie your hands and feet. Promise me you will not do anything stupid."

"I am hungry."

He smile and untie her hands and feet. There are tie marks but Banou doesn't care. She haven't eaten for two days so getting the hunger to go away is more important. While eating she look at her brother. 

"Why do you want to take me away?" She ask as she chew slowly. 

"Because.."

"Why didn't you ask me if i am happy to be taken away?"

"Should i ..."

"How did you did it when i sleep on the second floor."

"Simple. We drug. We kill. We bring you out without any interference from others."

"I remember in our younger years, you never liked me. Why now... revenge for Azedeh?"

"No i ..."

"You used to torment me. You destroy my toys. You throw in the fire in front of me and the others."

"I..."

"You never like me from the start."

"STOP INTERCEPTING WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY!"

His eyes got big and wide. His white teeth is showing to Banou how angry he is. Banou decide she shouldn't be afraid. He won't go through so much trouble just to kill her here. He might want to torment her till he is satisfy. 

Bardiya breath in three times to calm himself down. He close his eyes and open them when he is feeling in control. 

"I know i did not give you a good impression as an older brother. As the boys in this royal family, we can see that the sisters are meaner than us. We never talk about it but we know we have to side our sisters no matter how unreasonable she is. Unfortunately, you are born from a servant. The girls, they see that you have no connections nor family. Thus you are just like a rag doll that will be deposited sooner or later."

Banou's hands are trembling when he talk about the past. She chew her meat slowly and try not to think of the past. However her tears stop as she remember as far as she start walking none is kind to her. The toys are hand-down, the garments are old and have patches. Her nanny tried to get her some new ones however after they return from washing, they will be holes and her many will patch them up. She feel sorry for her nanny thus she never complain about anything. She accepted everything. When the Sultan request the children to gather, Banou is always pick to get new garments. She knows that those won't last but she accepted them and wear them to show the Sultan. Her sisters always will be fuming with anger. When she was ten, her nanny passed away. A new servant was assigned to her. An older girl who dislike Banou as she heard that Banou is a servant born princess. She felt it's unfair. However she never dare to openly define Banou but behind her back, the maid will do things that the other princess wants. Thus Banou will go to the library and leave the maid alone most of the time. Banou dont care what the servant does. Nothing matters till she is older and able to leave the palace. 

"As we grow up, i ask Azedeh to stop her childish acts. However she said that we are blood siblings, i must side her. I don't agree with her on the things she does. Killing the horse who refused to allow her to ride it. Destroy the fruit stall when she chew on a hard rotten core apple. Or kick a child beggar on the street. I don't agree with any of those. When i am upset with her, when i argue with her, i will go to the library. Because you are there. I know everyday, you are there, reading. You have a favourite spot. Sometimes, there are scholars in the library, you will ask them things that i don't even understand. However strangely you will talk and laugh with them. I want to be in a happy environment, like you. If only my sister is alike you, maybe i won't be so angry most of the time." 

Banou continue to listen with tear in her eyes. The meat in her hands have become hard and the soup is cold. The air in the carriage is soft and cooling. 

"The day Azedeh knows that she is engaged to be married, she run to me, crying and begging for help. When i know it's that bastard, i become a mad man. How can he marry my sister. So i told her we will switch the decree secretly. She agree. When father was out of the capital, we rush to his office where he kept his documents. Azedeh hand me two decrees and told me to switch the princess names on it. I copy both decree till i am done with the Marquis, i realised the name i have to input was you. My mind was blank. I stare at my sister. My mind wasn't thinking she hurry me to quickly end this neverous situation. I wrote your name down in care and put it together with the decree that are to be deliver out. The other original copies were burnt in Azedeh's room. She is happy now and i was sadden to do such a thing. The day of your wedding, i was drunk in the morning, i make my way to your wedding. I saw you from far, you look unhappy. I decided that i should take you away however knowing that bastard, i need my men. So i went off in my drunken state. When i wake up in the night, i panicked. I tried to dress up properly so that i can go out but my sister come in my room. She was in a good mood. She laugh and told me that you are arrested and in jail. At that moment i felt that it is my fault. I wanted to go to save you. However she warn me of the things i did and father will prosecute me for entering his office without his knowledge. I begin to live in fear while she hurry to prepare her wedding. While you are jail. father never realised that the brides are swapped. Also he did not know that you are in jail as Azedeh had intercepted all messages going to our father. He know nothing till one day he asked for his married daughters to return to the palace for the celebration. When he realised that his daughters are swapped and you are exiled as a traitor. He flew into a raged. Everyone was not spared. I spend many days inside the cell. Watching the sun, watching the moon. i think of you. If from the start, i am nicer to you, maybe you will marry that scholar and have a better life than living in the palace."

He look at Banou and wipe her tears.

"I will make up for the terrible mistake i have done."

"Who is the one who tip off ..."

"My uncle. He and my sister plan this. My uncle now is strip off all his titles and not allow to return to the empire. I don't know where he have gone to. No one knows where he is now."

Bardiya noticed that the food have turn cold. He gets up and goes outside to fetch hot food for Banou. While Banou is staring in daze and wonder why is this happening to her. She never treat anyone bad but why ...