Talking to the Moon ✔

-Chapter: Thirty-Nine-

I never could understand why time flew so fast when you dreaded what was to come next. It usually seemed to move slow when you wanted something in the future. I remember thinking the same thing when I was young, no older than four or five when my father had promised me that he would get me a certain type of candy when he came back from the market.

I had waited -- what seemed like -- an entire day outside my house sitting on the step for my father to return. When he did return, I had complained that he had gone for nearly a day and he easily replied stating that he had only gone for an hour or two. It did not make sense to me then and it did not make sense to me now. I just knew that time had a tendency to play cruel jokes on people when it felt like.

I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling and feeling all funny inside. This is what I usually tended to feel when I thought of the Prince and I had been thinking about him from the past two weeks since he announced that he wished to go. It was unfair to the Monarch too, who should be my priority, even he had noticed that I had been distant. I could not help but smile slightly at that--it was progress if he noticed these things about me, wasn't it?

I rolled from one side to another unable to sleep. In two days, Omar would be leaving for the Rayt along with Master Wali and few good warriors that Aqib had trained himself. The preparation was full-blown and so were the arguments that followed the preparation. Master Wali, Aqib and Laia were determined to make Omar see reason until the very end. But the Prince was stubborn and determined himself. It did not help that Asad backed the Prince. 

A knock on the door made me raise my head, the door opened slightly and I could make out the silhouette of a man.

"Ayah?" Omar peeped inside, his head bowed without looking up out of respect.

I sat up on my bed, thankfully wearing decent clothes so that he could enter. But he did not as he looked at me, smiled and said --

"Dress up. I feel like going for a walk."

I nodded as I jumped from bed quite hastily and went to my wardrobe. He closed the door and stood outside waiting for me as I tried to find a dress that was easy to wear. Once I was dressed, I looked at my reflection in the mirror and cringed. I was looking dreadful with my hair all over the place. But I didn't want to make him wait, so I wrapped my hair in an odd looking bun and opened the door. He smiled as he saw me and offered me his hand the way he had in the party that he had thrown for me.

I took it awkwardly and we both started walking.

"I hope I didn't wake you up."

I shook my head. 

"I was feeling restless and needed to be around someone." He continued after a while of silence and walking, "You were the first person that came to my mind."

I smiled slightly but felt happiness flood me as if he had just declared something incredible. I mentally frowned at this feeling but made sure to keep my facial expression even. I knew he was staring at me, that was the only way he would know what I was thinking or what I wanted to say. I had grown used to it, in a way, but also found his gaze unnerving. 

He nodded to himself as if figuring out something and then looked away. We walked in silence again as he exited the residential palace and he headed towards his private garden. As we walked, I did not know why, but I was suddenly aware of my arm around his or as he gently pulled me towards the direction he wanted to go. My thumb had a mind on his own as it gently traced the pattern of the blouse he was wearing. If he noticed, he didn't show, as the guards opened the door. I stopped doing what I was doing and mentally chided myself. What was wrong with me?

"Are you okay?" He asked suddenly may be noticing the frown on my face. I quickly converted it into a smile and nodded reassuringly--or so I hoped. He didn't look so convinced.