51

Noah
I walked back into the kitchen and as I took each step, I noticed a couple of eyes following me as I advanced towards the door leading out of the kitchen.
I wasn’t surprised that Nadia wasn’t there, she was obviously irritated by my actions. Those pair of eyes kept following me until I halted and turned on my heels.
“Why are you staring at me, Alfred?” I asked him, amused by how fast his eyes drifted back to what he was doing.
“It’s nothing. I was just sorry for you.” Alfred shook his head while Damien let out a low chuckle.
“Why are you feeling sorry for me?” I crossed my arms across my chest.
“You are not Nadia’s type.” Alfred clicked his tongue.
I curled my left hand over my mouth, rubbing the skin with a smile laced underneath. Did he and Damien actually think I was confessing feelings to Nadia?
They probably heard the blow I took across my face and made up a theory in their heads.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” A smirk landed on the corner of my lips as I placed my hands into my pants pocket.
“I do. It’s okay to admit rejection.” Alfred looked up.
“You really don’t know what you’re talking about, Alfred, ” I advanced towards the center table and picked up a cookie, “And thank you for the cookie.”
I slowly placed it in my mouth, relishing the taste on my tongue.
“You are thanking me for a cookie you stole. Funny boy. ” I heard Alfred yell right before I closed the door.
I thrust my hands into my apron pockets as I walked. I heard the restroom door open and Nadia stepped out, her hands wet with water.
When she lifted her head to look at me, her eyes were of fury and I felt a strange sensation as she walked past me.
I clicked my tongue but I could feel her burning gaze piercing through my back. I was certain she was the woman I bumped against at the palace and I was afraid that I would have to strike up a conversation with my mother to clear up my suspicions.
My eyes landed on an old woman struggling to pick up her fork and I walked slowly and sat across her, wrapping my arms around the fork and bringing it towards her fingers.
“Thank you. You’re so kind,” she stated, even as her wrinkled cheeks lifted to give a radiant smile and made my heart throb with happiness.
“You are welcome. ” I responded, watching her carefully as her trembling hands managed to put the piece of the pie in her mouth.
“It’s delicious even though I know I am too old to be eating this but it reminds me of my grandson,” she said.
“Your grandson? Where is he?” I placed both elbows on the table, completely immersed in what she was saying.
“He’s a soldier, in the military. ” Her lips spread to produce a smile that depicted her pride in her grandson.
“You seem happy to talk about him ” I chuckled softly.
“I always love talking about Adam. I wish he was given a break sometimes so he could stay with me and so I could persuade him into getting married,” she answered, putting a small piece of pie into her mouth.
“I hope you can get your wish, ma’am, ” I caught Emily watching me while Ashely was serving other customers, “I’m sorry but I have to run along now. ”
“Oh, it was a pleasure, meeting you,” she responded with a smile, “What is your name by the way?”
“It’s Leo.” I lifted my spectacles shyly.
“What an odd name for a handsome young man like you,” she remarked with a laugh while I nodded and walked away with a small smile on my face. I wished I had asked about her name. With that little conversation, I was able to understand why she was here and how much love she had for her grandson. It reminded me of when Gordon would use the shoes that James bought him when he returned from the military.
A pang of guilt settled in my belly as I remembered that I hadn’t sent him a letter in the last couple of weeks.
I had barely reached the counter when Emily spoke;
“Everyone is so interested in you. What’s your secret? Do you have a magic scent that attracts people to you?”
“My secret?” I lifted a shoulder, “It’s kindness and a handsome face like mine. ”
I heard a scoff from Ashely who was scribbling numbers with a pen.
“Kindness? How odd. ” Emily remarked with a low laugh.
I laughed and then my gaze fell on Ashley who didn’t look up or bother to glare at me. After everything that had happened in the storage room and my promise to stay away from her would have made her extremely annoyed.
I heard my cellphone vibrate from my pocket and I reached up to look at it.
It was a text from Daniel telling me that I had to leave the bakery and that the Queen requested my presence.
I let out a frustrated sigh, thinking of what excuse I was going to give.
“My older sister is sick and I would like to leave now and get to her before it gets worse. ” I announced in a rush, staring at my watch.
“Oh no,” Emily exclaimed, “Don’t worry, we’ll all cover for you. ”
“Thank you, Emily,” I emphasized, a small smile etching on my face as I removed my apron. I watched as the old woman walked past me, patting me on the shoulder before walking outside.
I was about to walk when Emily spoke again;
“I hope your sister is alright. I and Ashley would do our very best right here. ”
“Thank you. Good day.” I muttered. I felt an ache in my heart when Ashely did not make a single attempt to speak or utter a single word. I knew it had something to do with what happened in the storage room.
Was she angry because I didn’t kiss her?
I shoved that thought away while walking briskly towards the kitchen, opening the door violently.
“Good day Alfred, Luke, ” I mentioned as I walked, “And Damien.”
“You always clock off work early. Do you have a hidden wife or children? Alfred joked.
“If I had a wife or kid, you would be the first to know. ” I laughed and then I stopped when I sighted Nadia’s frowning face.
She looked at me in a manner that I couldn’t decipher. Was it annoyance or hatred?
Or was it something else?
“Nadia, I am sorry. ” I whispered while she carried a large bucket of water in her arms.
She made not a single attempt to respond as she walked past me, her face bearing a frown on her lips and her forehead.
I sighed as I stepped out, taking each step with caution. I could still feel a burning gaze watching me as I walked around the corner swiftly.
I had a hunch that it was Nadia.
I walked a few streets, glancing in awe number of people who filled the streets.
I walked closer and sighted the small yellow cab in a dark alley, entering into the back seat swiftly.
“Good afternoon, my Prince. ” Daniel greeted.
I reclined against the headrest, my legs tired and worn out.
“How fast can you drive, Daniel?” I asked with a deep sigh.
“Quite fast, sir. More than you imagine “Daniel responded with a chuckle.
As the vehicle set into motion, my thoughts were once filled with doubt and skepticism.
My curiosity about Nadia grew and now I was determined to know the woman whom I collided against in the palace.
***
I stepped into the palace and made for my room when I sighted Rose walking towards me with a book above her head.
A smile landed on my face as I took hasty steps towards her, taking the book away from her grasp. I noticed the frown on her face and then I circled her like a predator waiting to devour its prey.
“You are reading a book about love? How amazing. ” I remarked.
“Give it back, Noah.” Her voice was cold and firm as she crossed her arms across her bust.
“Not until you say please. ” I snapped the book shut and hid it behind my back.
“Why are you so annoying?” Rose grunted.
“It’s because I love you and adore you so much. ” I moved towards her and ran my fingers through her hair, “-And I don’t want you to hurt yourself. That’s why you need to stay away from opium.”
“Give me back my book,” Rose demanded again.
I mashed my lips together and stretched out my hand with the book on it.
“Here you go, ” I said, “Let’s talk after dinner, shall we?”
“Over my dead body. ” Rose yanked the book off my hands and walked past me briskly, flinging the doors and leaving the guards dazed in shock.
I bit my bottom lip and advanced toward the royal garden and as I moved closer, I heard voices talking sporadically.
“What is going on? How can this happen?” I heard my mother say as I took a few steps inside the garden.
“We would fight if you would give us your permission, my Queen. ” I heard the chief guard, Matthew say with his hands behind his back.
“You are dismissed.” I heard my mother answer as Matthew walked away after taking a bow. He did not attempt to greet or salute me because we were always on bad terms.
He was one of the people in the palace who was public about his disdain for me right from my childhood. He hated that I never listened to him and to make it even worse, he had the ultimate respect for Eugene which made me go berserk. He would salute her at almost every chance he had.
I took slow steps towards my mother, noticing a letter in her hands. She was completely immersed in the butterflies that perched on the flowers that she didn’t notice my presence.
“Mother,” I announced.
Her eyes immediately darted towards mine and I sighted her glossy eyes staring back at me. In her state of disorder, the letter fell on the ground and as she reached to bend and pick it up, I was faster than her, taking it in my hands.
I was about to give it back when I sighted the wordings on the letter, my heart racing as I moved the paper closer to my eyes, sinking the wording into my mind.
“What is this?” I asked with trepidation running through my senses, “Why did Narnia soldiers attack ours?”
My mother kept looking at me with an unsettled expression on her face and that was when I realized that something was amiss.
“James-” she tried to speak but her words failed her as she darted her eyes away and looked at the flowers.
“James?” I answered, fear gripping my heart as the paper fell from my hands by reflex, “What happened to him? Tell me. “