Street Signs

Chapter 18

BRIELLE

The color of fire hearths and tangerines, orange-gold, extends far and broad. It's just a reflection of dawn, the promise of the rising sun after the velvety night has passed and the country has rested once more. And now, was my rest too.

Lying on the soft and wide bed, I let out a deep sigh. In the morning, I was told by Prince Valor that I could not exit the place just as fast as I wished because he would still be going to find the portal going out. So, I was here in his room after he brought me in here secretly. I had no house to stay in because everything was occupied; neither I was allowed to sleep in other rooms of the palace because once the king and queen knew that another lady was sleeping in the royal place, they would think I was someone being courted by the prince. Or worst, I might be arranged in a wedding with him, and I didn't want that!

The prince told me that his mother and father were currently looking for a woman that he could marry before they go to the battle against the Baspiritus. He had the right to choose the one he could be within eternal, but he was given a limited time only to look for that someone. Within two months, if he did not still find one, he had no choice but to marry the woman that would be offered to him. Another condition given to him was, when they caught him having another girl in his room, he would going to marry her.

In my case, I was worried, but because I was with Prince Valor, I could feel at the same time that I was safe. I did not still know him totally, but I thought I could trust him in protecting me, though there was still a little doubt. I just didn't want to give him my full trust, or I would regret it in the end. In the meantime, while waiting for him to fulfill his promise, I would stay in his room in secrecy.

It was a deafening silence inside the room. The man who was peacefully sleeping on the ground brought me a head turn. Prince Valor was so handsome as he slept, that steady heart, those steady breaths, too late for me to realize the splendor he possessed. He wasn't supposed to be sleeping there if only he didn't have a strong ego speaking to him. He told me he didn't want to sleep beside me because he had respect for a woman; he also did not allow me to sleep on the sofa. Neither he chose to rest there because in case someone entered the room, he would be able to hide me immediately.

I doubted someone would be able to enter since he locked everything— the door, the windows.

Trying to get up in bed, I assured first that the prince was really sleeping peacefully. I even went to him and opened his eyes, testing if he would react to it, but he didn't. A little smile touched my lip before I quietly walked away to him going to the window. Before staying there, I peeked over the curtains first and see if there were people outside that could see me; unfortunately, there were security wandering their eyes all around. I could not sleep and I did not want also to go back to bed, so I just sat there and lay my back on the wall.

I rubbed my face in my hands as I thought of the camp. It was the first night there and perhaps, Dad had already called me to check on me. I could think he was also wondering now why I wasn't replying to his texts or calls. I wouldn't be wrong about this, that when I'd come home, he would ask me about the matter. But worst, if I did not get out in here for four or five days, my dad would be looking for me, knowing that the camp was just ongoing for less than a week.

Still, with my face that could not be painted, I lifted my head again and set my gaze outside the window. I could not stand there because if I'd do, someone outside would see me, especially since the curtain was just white and see-through. I gazed at those bright friends of the moon and their pattern that seems so fixed and yet ever-changing, distant lights to call my heart. Every time I would look up to them, I could think that Zayden was also one of them, appearing during my darkest times to give me light. It had been months since he passed away, but I could still feel his presence being with me wherever I go.

A little smile barely touched my pale lip. Over the days that had surpassed, I was slowly making it, being brave towards the things that at first seemed impossible to overcome. However, sometimes, when I could think of the dreams that Zayden wasn't able to achieve, it was making my tears fall through my cheeks. But no matter what I do, no matter how many tears would flood the room, I could not get him back to life. And so, I was trying to still see the bright side and just hoping that in another life, I would see him again.

"Why are you still awake?"

The thoughts running inside my head weren't able to continue when that voice rang in my ears. I turned around to see him."I can't sleep."

Prince Valor walked towards me and sat beside me. "I hope you didn't stand here in the window area."

I shook my head. "I saw the men guarding the palace," I said. "They might see me here, so I just hide here so I can still see the beautiful friends in the night sky."

"What makes you love them?" he asked as he also looked up to them.

"Since I was a child, I really love seeing the moon and stars," I mouthed, also looking at the nightscape. "I can still remember, every night in my room, my mom would come there to read stories for me. And whenever she would talk, she would look at the night sky. I was bothered, so I asked her. Do you know what she said?"

"What?"

"'The stars are just like the loved ones that have gone away. They might be not here physically, but with the presence of the stars, they seem like they are just here, guiding us and giving us light through our darkest moments. Even in the day, when we can't see them, they are actually still there. And the moon... it was everything.'"

The prince smiled as he turned his glance at me. "Deep. Is that also why you love them?"

"Since she told me that, I also started to have the same idea 'cause she was right. And the moon, by the way, she didn't tell me the exact thing why she loved it, but when she said it was everything, I just couldn't agree more."

"Well, your mom was right, though I don't really appreciate the moon and stars. But seeing a woman like you valuing them, I'm being moved too. I guess I'm starting to love them also."

I swallowed my saliva as I tried to study what he had said because I did not want to misunderstand him.

"By the way," Prince Valor mouthed, breaking the silence I just brought between us. "I am just a bit curious. Why did you start to have the same viewpoint about the stars and moon after hearing about what your mom had said?"

From my glance at the night sky, I looked down and felt the silence that was embracing me for that moment.

"U-uh... I'm sorry. I think I just said something wrong, did I?"

I turned my gaze to Prince Valor. "I didn't actually embrace that perspective right after she voiced it out. But when she died, I guess she was true."

The prince's face turned red. "I'm really sorry about that. I didn't mean to-"

"It's just fine, you don't have to explain," I said, cutting him off.

"I'm sorry, but is it okay to ask?"

I nodded my head, poker-faced.

"Since when your mom die?" Prince Valor asked. "But if you don't want to answer, it's alright. I'm not forcing you to respond to that question. I-it's just making me curious," he said, not breathing almost.

"Four years now."

"Oh."

"And I am missing her every day."

Prince Valor did not speak anymore, perhaps he was controlling himself not to say anything that could hurt me. However, in his expression, his response and emotion towards what I had said, could be seen.

I was holding back my tears, but still, I continued telling the prince about my mom's death. I just felt someone that could hear me about my rants and regrets in life.

They said you could trust a stranger because he or she would never judge you.

And so, I did. I told a stranger everything that was hurting me inside. As I was expecting, Prince Valor did not judge me; instead, he was just there listening to me and never saying anything that could turn me off. Gladly, my mouth wasn't that too slippery to speak about the death of Zayden as well. If I did, the room might be flooded now.

"Here is it. Drink this first," Prince Valor handed me a glass of water when he came back after telling me to get a drink for he couldn't bear to see me weeping like there was no more tomorrow.

I thanked him as I received the drink, still crying but trying to calm myself.

"I'm sorry, I just made you cry," the prince said. "I promised myself I won't let any girl cry because of me. But the way I asked you questions about your mom's death..."

I forced a smile. "It's alright."

Prince Valor heaved a sigh. "You should sleep now. It's midnight, already. You still have to regain strength for tomorrow."

I did not argue anymore because I could feel the lethargy visiting me already. So, after giving back the glass to the prince, I stood up and walked towards the bed. But before I could lay back, the prince called for my name, which made me turn my head to him. As I was raising my brow to him as a way of asking him why, he looked straight to me and said,

"As you close your eyes, may you find the rest and healing you've been longing to have."