Chapter 34

Raylon

Connie and I made our way to the landing bay with Laylar not far behind. I still held her hand, and I had a sense that she was reluctant to let go of me as well.

As my brother disembarked his ship, he came to me with a wide smile. “Hello brother,” he said with raised brows.

“Hello Zas, thank you for coming.”

“It is my pleasure. To see this sight before me I would have traveled to the other side of the universe.”

I smiled, and looked back at Connie. “And what sight is that?”

“Seeing you this happy truly brings me an immeasurable amount of joy. Not only that, but you are without your mask.

“I don’t think I have ever seen you without it in front of the guards.”

I nodded and looked down. “Yes. I was told not to hide anymore.”

“So, Connie tells you once and you believe her, but I tell you this all our lives and what? My words are unheard?” Zasrus said with a grin.

I shook my head at his smile before he went over to Connie. I felt her squeeze my hand and she stiffened.

“Connie,” my brother said, “I know I have said this before, but I am very sorry for how we met. I hope you know it was never my intention to hurt you.”

“I know,” she said with a brave smile. “And I know what you did that night. So thank you.”

My brother stepped forward to give her a hug and she let go of my hand.

Zasrus held on to her for a moment and I heard a faint whisper from him before he let her go and went to Laylar.

Asytar and Tomlee came running to me and grabbed me by the waist, saying, “Hello, Uncle.”

“Hello girls. Nice to see you again.”

I watched them run into the house and the nurse came over with Azmurtas.

I dropped to a knee to be at eye level with him and gave him a wink.

He beamed at me when he saw my mask was off and threw his arms around my neck. I lifted the boy in my arms and went back to Connie.

“This is the heir, Azmurtas,” I said as the boy held onto my neck, suddenly shy.

“Good evening, Your Highness,” Connie said with a small bow.

Azmurtas smiled. “Good evening,” he responded, in his soft voice.

I reached out for her hand, and we went back into the house. The sun was already setting, and as the evening grew darker, the lights in the house turned on.

I set Azmurtas down on the floor and pulled Connie to the kitchen. Everything was laid out on the counters, the drinks ready to be served and the hot food prepared and ready to eat.

“What is all this?” she asked.

“Dinner,” I said with a frown. “Is this not what you wanted?”

“But it’s all cooked and ready.”

“Yes. The bot did it all. We are ready to eat.”

She shook her head for a moment then reached for one of the glasses filled with Pali wine.

“Is this not how your people do it?”

“Not quite. We usually spend hours cooking it over a fire.”

“Why? That seems like a huge waste of time.”

“It’s not about the cooking, it’s about the conversations, the socializing. Being together.”

“I see,” I said as I looked at the food all laid out in front of me. “We could always start from the beginning again.”

She laughed and said, “Don’t be silly. We’re not going to waste all this food. It’s fine.”

A loud shout came from the other room. I spun around to see what caused the commotion.

Rein had one of the other guards pressed up against the wall, shouting at him.

“You dare to speak of the prince like that!”

“Rein!” I shouted and placed my drink on the table. I ran out to the lounge and pulled the boy off the other guard.

“What is the meaning of this!” I asked as I looked between the two men.

“He attacked me, My Lord,” the other guard said.

“Rein, explain yourself.”

“Lord Raylon, forgive me. I did not mean to ruin your evening.”

“What happened?” I asked him.

“He just pushed—” I silenced the other guard with a raised finger and waited.

“My Lord, he spoke poorly of you,” Rein said, and met my eyes. “I couldn’t allow that.”

“What did he say?” I asked as my anger began to rise.

Rein hesitated for a moment before he looked up at me and said, “That only a blind fool could love…My Lord, I would rather not.”

“That’s all right, Rein. You do not have to say any more. Thank you for defending me.”

I turned to the guard and as I met his eyes, he lowered them to the floor and waited.

“From this moment on, you are dismissed from the royal army, stripped of your rank, and of your honor as a royal guard.

“If I ever see you again, I will kill you, do you understand?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Leave my house, now!” I shouted and as the man left, the silence in the room caused my voice to echo.

I looked at my brother, at Laylar, Asytar, Tomlee, and then Connie. I shook my head and left through the back door.

~This is why I hide! This is all that people see!~

I heard the door open and turned to see Connie coming out. I turned away from her.

“Raylon,” she said in a soft voice.

“He’s right,” I said as I took in a long breath. “You must be blind if you see me and still love me.”

“Okay, then I’m blind. A blind fool. I don’t care. And if I am, then so is your brother, Laylar, Tomlee.

“All of us are blind fools, because each of us love you more than you will ever know.”

Connie

I was pissed! The term didn’t even describe the anger I felt inside me at what that stupid asshole of a guard said.

I waited for Raylon to turn to me, but he stood with his back to me.

“Raylon,” I said and went to him. I touched his arm gently and he shrugged my hand away, still not turning to look at me.

“I have heard those kinds of words since I was a child. I didn’t think they would still hurt me so much.”

“Let that man think what he wants to think. Let him say what he wants,” I said, and he finally turned to me with a frown.

“How can I allow that?” he asked.

“Do you know him? Is he your friend?”

“No, he only works for the Guard.”

“Is he someone who influences a large group of people?”

“No.”

“Do you love him?”

“No,” he said with an even deeper frown.

“Then why do his words matter at all?”

“Because they hurt me, Connie.”

“I know they do,” I said. “And he won’t be the last one to say something like that. But if you stop letting it get to you, it won’t hurt so much.

“The opinion of the rest of the world doesn’t matter. They have no say in your life. None at all. All they can do is talk. That is their only weapon against you.

“If you let their words hit you like bullets, it will destroy you. But just remember that words are air, nothing more.”

“Just once,” Raylon said, “I would like to know how it feels to be around people and not be looked at or spoken about in such a way.”

I smiled at him. “Then come inside. We are all around you, and we all see you for who you truly are. Even Rein risked his life for you.”

“Foolish boy,” he sighed with a shake of his head. “But remind me to thank him.”

“Come on,” I said and held out my hand. He took it and I led him back inside.

I left him speaking with the king and went to the large window looking out at the night sky.

Laylar came to me. “Connie, may I ask you something?” she said, handing me a fresh glass of the red, fizzy drink.

“Yes, of course.”

“My uncle has fallen for you deeply. I can see it. So I must ask. Are your reasons for being with him true?”

I almost choked on my drink. “What do you mean?”

“He is a strong man, capable of almost anything. But he is vulnerable to love. If your intentions are to use him to gain power, or wealth, I promise you, I will find out.”

I should’ve been angry at her words, but I could see that what she said came from a place of love toward her uncle.

“Laylar, I swear to you, I don’t want anything from him. I have no interest in power or your family’s wealth. All I care about is him. He’s the kind of man I dreamed of meeting.

“One I always thought couldn’t possibly exist. My feelings for him are real, and they scare me. But I would never hurt him or use him. I promise.”

Laylar watched me for a moment then said, “Very well. I don’t think I could bear it if someone hurt him like that.

“He has been through so much, given up so much, that it’s time for him to find true happiness.”

My smile faltered for a moment. “Laylar, you know, I will have to leave soon. To go home to my planet.”

“Why?” she asked.

“I left a life behind. I was ripped from my world and brought here. I have family there and I cannot leave them.

“I am all the family my mother has. I can’t leave it all behind, no matter how much I want to stay here with your uncle.”

“But if you leave you will break his heart. I fear that it will destroy him.”

“I know. And I wish there was a way to change that. But we both know I don’t belong here. Your uncle deserves to be with someone who can give him what he wants.

“A family. I can’t do that. We are from a different race altogether.”

“But he—” she stopped, and her eyes went wide.

“Laylar?” I asked, seeing the panic in her eyes.

The glass slipped out of her hand and as it shattered on the ground, I watched in horror as the girl turned pale and fell to her knees.