High Princess Aaleyah," Helan calls before Aaleyah can enter the door to her chambers. "I have my orders to ensure no one bothers you."
Helan's hesitant voice causes Aaleyah to turn to face him. His stoic expression gone from his face, and the captain who walks in shadows swinging his blade before others could harm her now gives Aaleyah an expression of worry. How unnerving, it seems she has not concealed her emotions enough.
"If there is anything you need, I will be guarding outside your door." Behind him the guards under his command have already taken their place throughout the hallway.
Hearing the underlining of his words Aaleyah's eyes warm as she enters her chambers. Once inside she scans the walls.
Throughout the entire palace, her chambers are the only ones that are yellow and white. The colors of the royal family have always been red and blue. In the gowns, in the doors, in the stained glass windows, in the carpets, even in the flowers. But within her chambers, Saan decorated it yellow and white. When they became engaged and he gave her the rooms she was shocked. From the white flowers, to the Elm wood bookshelf holding books that she had not seen in years. Saan had recreated her home within the palace walls.
Now looking at the chamber that looks so much like her childhood home all she can feel is exhaustion. The painting of her family hangs on the wall, a reminder that they are watching over her. Watching if she will use the stone correctly. Watching if she will give honor to the Aljehni line. Watching her, so many eyes are watching her.
Stumbling throughout the chamber she makes her way to the balcony. Falling on to the chaise longue she turns her head left to gaze at the night sky. Hundreds of stars litter the night sky, clouds rolling by hiding the light of the moon. With the warm breeze she soon drifts to sleep.
Dharam stood in the main entrance, his back still close to the door he just entered, his bow was on the ground and one arrow hanging from his hand. Asbed stood next to him with a condescending look on his face, happy to tease his younger sister.
"As if you could do better. You and father only stay here and," Dharam turned to his brother, his teeth biting the inside of his cheek to hold back his laughter, "it is called studying correct? Learning the family history and legends. History that not everyone in the family is to know." Dharam crossed his arms and deepened his voice to impersonate their father, "Learning the Aljehni history is a mantle I bare to you," he snorted, dropping the act. Some of his black curls fell out of its top not to fall over one of his amused golden eyes. He turned to face the wind so it would blow his hair out of his face, "Now Ley Ley, what could you possibly know about sparring if all you do is study?" he asked, twirling the arrow in his hand. His posture was cocky and intimidating, he was up to something and all the siblings knew it.
Aaleyah rolled her eyes, a funny act on such a youthful face. "What do you know Dharam?" she stuck out her tongue and stomped her foot on the ground. "I learn to protect the family, is that any different from what you do?" She jutted her chin indignantly, "We all learn to protect and defend the family. What I do is no different. We all protect, regardless of how different." With a huff she walked towards her brother and placed the Crocus flower vase on the table. Making her way to Dharam she made sure to 'accidentally' step on Asbed's foot.
"Ow! You did that on purpose!" Asbed yelled out pushing her.
Allowing herself to be pushed into Dharam she snatched the arrow from her older brother's hand. Ignoring Asbed's dramatics she twirled out of her brother's arms, "There is no doubt in my mind that I could learn how to use these, after all," she paused and sported an evil glint, "this is the bow I made."
Dharam rolled his eyes, "Making arrows doesn't mean anything," he attempted to argue but his siblings did not hear him. Instead they fought over who could step on the other person's foot first.
Asbed had his hands wrapped around Aaleyah's arm to hold her in place so he could get payback, but Aaleyah was too slippery, that and instead of aiming for his feet, she resorted to kicking him anywere instead.
Ignoring the chaos, Dharam fixed the headband on Asbed's head, and then turned to fix the one atop his own head.
Pushing Dharam away from the front door, Herom swung Aaleyah over his shoulder and held Asbed's ear to walk them to the chairs in the main room.
Dharam caught his footing and followed his older brother to the sofa. A huge grin on his face when he saw the brightness in Herom's eyes.
"Herom! Let go of my ear! Mom said you are not allowed to do this," Asbed yelled, swinging at his older brother's arm.
Punching against her brother's back, "Herom," she giggled. "Put me down." Aaleyah reached her arms out to Dharam who was following them to the sofa, "Help me."
Dharam chuckled, "Now you want my help? Interesting. Admit I am the better brother."
No sooner had the words escaped his mouth, that Herom turned and kicked Dharam on his thigh, "Have I become a ghost and was unaware?" he asked.
Herom released Asbed, and with both hands tossed his sister as if she was a bag of flour onto the couch.
The bun atop of her head had fallen out, and her loose curls hair fell over her face blocking her view.
Herom stood with one hand on his side, his other hand brushed back his long black hair. He pushed Asbed to have a seat in the chair and smirked at Dharam. His eyes glistened with excitement knowing that his next words would cause even more chaos. "Now," he started with a huff, "there is no need to fight amongst family." Pointing at himself with utmost confidence, "As long as I am here I am the best. No questions asked." With a shug of his shoulders he added, "I make my own arrows anyway."
There was an eruption of disagreements from the boys, and Aaleyah was attempting to disagree, but one may find it hard when they are still trying to get themselves together after being thrown around. Dharam was the first to stand up, feeling slighted; for he obviously thought Herom would side with him, or speak highly of both of them. Asbed was simply tired of always being teased and refused to have no say in his own skill set.
Herom relished in the chaos he had created. He plopped onto the couch and yanked Aaleyah into his arms, ruffling the hair she had just finished fixing.
With the overlapping of voices, the siblings were unaware of the conversation their parents were having in the other room. But wrapped in her older brother's arms, Aaleyah could see their grave expressions. However she paid it no mind, if anything her parents could be upset at her siblings for something they had done wrong.
Saan closes the door after nodding to Helan and enters Aaleyah's chambers. Closing the door quietly behind him he walks to the backside of the room where the bed is. Moving the curtain he realizes the bed is empty and pauses. The moonlight shines through the window, and as the wind blows the curtains from the balcony beyond the bed catches his attention. As the curtain blows into the room, bringing the smell from the crocus flowers, he can make out the shadow of her feet reflecting a shadow on the floor before disappearing as the curtain falls back.
Walking towards the balcony he can hear murmuring, "Leyah?" he calls out almost scared to wake her. But her head shakes left and right as she takes quick shallow breaths. Sitting on the edge of the chaste, her feet brush against his thigh, "Shh, it is just a dream." He runs his fingers through her hair to soothe her.
Aaleyah stood at the back of the manor, her hair in a loose braid at the back of her head. Tears ran down her cheeks shaking off from the force of her shaking her head. "No." That word broke through the warriors she had put up to hold her sobs. Her hands clutched tightly onto her father's arm refusing to let go. "Don't do this!" she pled as her siblings rushed out around her to fulfill the plan. From the corner of her eyes she could see Dharam stand at her side with his bow and arrows. Her heart wanted to cry so badly but all she could do was exhale faster. Zale raced past her bow in hand. He didn't spare her a glance, both twins knew; one glance and they would break down.
Her father shook her by the shoulders, "Aaleyah, put this on." He told her, unaffected by her cries and tears. He unhooked his daughter's nails from his arm and thrust the locket into the center of her palm, closing her fingers around it, "You run to the High Prince, stop for nothing." he told her, his golden eyes glistened with his own tears. His hand caressed her face, and he moved loose strands of her hair back, "The High Prince will protect you. Do not turn back. Do not come back for anything." His hands moved to grip her shoulders tightly, "Do not so much as turn your head to look back, do you understand me?"
Aaleyah forced herself to nod, her chin trembled as she held back her cries. But she was only a Red and 3 Blue moons old, she had never held back her sobs like this before. She had never been told to abandon her family. She was always told that family stuck by each other. Annoying or not, teasing or not, good at making rice or not. But this time her father was telling her to leave everything behind. Was resting the survival of the entire clan on her.
Her father turned to Dharam, "Get her to the horses," he ordered.
Aaleyah shook her head, "He can come with me," she pleaded. Don't make her do this alone.
Her father dropped his head, "Ley Ley, please," his voice broke, the strong mountain that was her father was cracking before her, "Do not make this harder. Your brother will get you to the horses and you must go, give the locket to no one, ever." Then with a deep breath he added, "No matter what I love you. You are an Aljehni, you must never break." Then he pushed her into her brother's arms and left.
Reaching her hands out Dharam held her back and dragged her the opposite direction, "Ley Ley we have to go," he urged her.
"Father," she mumbled. What if this was the last time she'd see him. Would his retreating form be the last thing she saw? "Father!" Her body sunk into her brother's arms, her feet forced to follow the path opposite of the rest of her family, her vision blurred with tears. "Don't send me away." Then clutching onto Dharam, "Don't make me go. Not without mother, and Herom, and Zale, d d don't make me go."
Dharam's resolute face turned away from her, "We have to go Aaleyah! The longer we stay the more danger for the others."
Wiping her tears from her eyes, they immediately filled with more, when she blinked she saw her father rushing out a door with his sword. "Go! I told you to leave, do not choose now to disobey. Dharam!"
Hearing his name Dharam gritted his teeth and lifted his sister by the waist and rushed in the direction towards the stables.
Saan uses his sleeve to dab the sweat on Aaleyah's head. "Leyah it is just a dream you are alright," he attempts to soothe her, but her whimpers worry him. He should have known something was wrong. He foolishly assumed she was angry at herself. Now with her nervously shaking he realizes that speaking about her family unlocked pain she had for so long hid away.
Aaleyah tripped over the body of a servant, her hand sliding in the puddle of blood staining her grey dress. She did not even have time to scream before her brother urged her once more to keep moving.
Lifting her up, "Ley Ley, it is too dangerous. I cannot hold your hand, you need to be vigilant," he desperately told her. Pushing her ahead of him, "Just keep running, imagine you are racing Zale to the stables. Didn't you always say you were the fastest?" He aimed his arrow and shot at a man, and the body fell from the roof and cracked a few feet in front of Aaleyah. "Just keep running, I will clear the path for you."
Aaleyah glanced back and her skeptical eyes met her brother's. Blood ran down his left arm, his hand covered in it as he clutched his bow. The 12 arrows at his side would not be enough.
He shook his head and smiled, "Trust in me."
Shivering in fear she forced herself to move, the faster she moved the faster she could save them. She had to save them, she had to get to the palace in time. She is the only one who can, with those thoughts she pushed herself to run faster. To the left she heard a scream and turned to see her sister Amenah stabbed with a sword. The scream did not belong to her, but instead Herom. She had never heard him scream before, and her feet trembled under the weight of the pain in her chest. Flesh wound, she told herself. Amenah will not die, her mind said, but her body still sobbed. Hearing yells and bodies hitting the floor she screamed internally and forced herself not to turn around.
Saan's heart tightens with worry, wiping her tears, "Leyah, please wake up. Leyah." Shaking her shoulder, "Leyah!"
Dharam slammed into Aaleyah's shoulder and they both hit the ground. The stables were right in front of her. Her head hit the dirt when she fell and she slowly turned to her brother. The arrow in his back being the first thing she saw. "Dharam!" She forced herself to sit up on her knees and helped sit her brother up. "No, no, no, no," her hands shook. Should she pull it out, should she break it? Something she was told before in the past she couldn't recall in the moment, the feeling of fear, helplessness, and trepidation was drowning her.
"Ley Ley!" Dharam clutched his sister's hands, "Look at me, look at me," his calm voice halted Aaleyah's break down, "I am fine. Everything is going to be alright," he nodded at her, blood covering his arm and the left side of his torso, his hair caked in dirt and dried blood. His quiver was empty of arrows, everything about the screamed hopelessness, but his soothing voice helped her remember how to breathe again. He grunted as he forced his wounded body to stand, "We have to keep going, you are almost there." He extended his right hand, which had less blood, and squeezed her shoulder, "You are doing great."
Aaleyah held tightly to her brother ignoring the blood, regardless of what he thinks he will be going on a horse and coming with her. She would force him, she would not leave without him. Her eyes fell to their hands, her hand was now covered in her brother's blood, a feeling she could not find the words to describe. It was warm, it was surreal, lifting her other hand she stared at it in a daze, this hand was also covered in blood. Blood from a servant's body. But her left hand burned, is blood supposed to burn?
Dharam placed all his remaining daggers into his sister's hand, "Take these, you are great at using them," he told her, finally acknowledging her skills.
Moving her gaze from her hands she stared at her brother's crying face. His tears left clean trails on his bloody face. But with her hands dirty there was nothing she could do to clear them away.
"Ley Ley," he took a sharp breath and his hand clutched his arm. "I never meant it, of course I know you defend the family. You will always defend the family." Weakly pushing her shoulder, "Keep moving," he said as he stood to the right of her and pulled out a small blade to face the assassins that finally caught up to them.
His smile was gone, and his grave face turned to her with one sharp nod, and taking that as the signal Aaleyah ran the rest of the way to the stables praying that she would see her brother again later.
Beside himself with worry Saan lifts Aaleyah into his arms, "Leyah please wake up." Her cries are louder now, her sobs painful for his ears to hear. "Leyah, please hear me."
Flinching away Aaleyah screams, "Dharam! No!" her arms hit against Saan's shoulders, her strength surprising and Saan finds himself falling off the chaise. Squatting beside her his hands squeeze her, "Leyah, you are not there anymore. Open your eyes," he tells her sternly.
Light from the halls illuminates the entrance to the chamber, "Go back," he orders Helan, knowing he came because of the cries he heard. His eyes never leave Aaleyah's agonizing expression. He could hear her mumbling her brother's name.
Aaleyah should not have looked back, her father had ordered her not to. She should have listened, instead her golden orbs turned behind her as she ran for the stables.
Dharam's bow had lost its original use and was being wielded as a staff, swinging left and right with precision. More blood poured from his wound and as he staggered back from a hit spitting out blood. His swayed steps stayed between his sister and the assassins, refusing to allow them to pass.
One of the men saw his staggering steps and decided to chance it and race for Aaleyah, but Dharam threw his bow with accuracy, and dove after him. Dharam rammed himself into an assassin next to him and as that man fell Dharam unsheathed his sword. Holding the blade in one hand, the other clutched against the wounds on his shoulder, Aaleyah could not see her brother's eyes but she knew the look he gave was filled with determination. Regardless of the wounds littering his body, Dharam would back down from nothing.
Holding the stolen blade up Dharam backed towards a tree.
Aaleyah reached the horses and hopped onto Zale's barebacked. Turning the horse towards the gates she hesitated for one last look.
Ripping the arrow out of his back, Dharam stabbed an assassin in the throat, while simultaneously kicking a blade out of another's hand. He did not see the third man who rushed behind him, and as Aaleyah's horse picked up speed, Aaleyah saw Dharam stabbed in the side.
Forcing herself awake, her hair sticks to her face from the beads of sweat, her eyes wandering around, and her head turns behind her as if her brother will be there.