I hear a thud behind me and I turn a little. - Cal, is everything okay? -
- Yup. - He gets up holding a hand over his face. - I only hit my head. -
- Oh, okay. Nothing vital then, - I whisper while I analyze the situation. We managed to get inside the last circle of walls of the castle. From what I know, the princess' apartment should be on the top floor of the side tower. I stop to think on how to climb all the way up there. - My grapnel, - I say.
Not even a second passes by and Cal hands it to me. I aim at my goal, I throw and hit home immediately. - Okay, you wait here, - I say and then I start climbing up.
I put out the torch which illuminates the apartment window, I curl up on the windowsill and peek inside. Dim lights. No one around, the room is empty and it seems that I reached the bedroom window. I get out my pouch in which I keep my small lock picks and I start working on the frame.
Not even a minute later the window opens up. I push it while holding it slightly raised on its hinges to prevent eventual squeaks. I enter like a shadow, and I leave the window half-open behind me.
I hear the rhythmic breathing of someone who is sleeping.
I smile a little as I approach the four-poster bed. I took a curious peek and I hope she's not like the princess of Tarhasa or my world is going to fall apart.
I think I remain there like a moron for at least fifteen minutes. Cal must be thinking I'm dead. She really is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and I really don't feel like cutting her hair, not even a single lock. It would be like ruining a masterpiece. But I have to live up to my name, so I get closer and I see her fine lips parted in sleep.
I'm dying to kiss her, but I get myself together and I grab a lock of her white hair. Smooth white threads that frame a pale face with slightly rosy cheeks. What would I give to learn the color of her eyes.
I cut the lock. On the nightstand I leave a note with my symbol on it, my scissors and some of her hair, then I put the lock in my pocket and turn around.
But I can't make myself leave. Holy gods, when would I get another chance like this one?
Fuck it. I turn again and I bend over her.
I freeze again. I can't, I can't. Damn it! Damn it!
I run to the window and jump down. I see clearly the white of Cal's eyes go wide. I grab the grapnel rope, I point my feet on the tower wall to ease the fall, I land next to him. – LET'S GO! - I say, and I run. He unhooks the grapnel and follows me.
****
- You don't understand, you haven't seen her. -
He rests his forehead on the table top.
I stare at him, holding my mug of beer. I arch one of my eyebrows. - I haven't seen her, and we all agree on that, but give yourself a break, it's been a month and every night you spy on her from her window. You've become a stalker, do you realize that? -
- I know, – he answers me, practically melted over the table. He only drank a pint of beer and he's already in this state. He's definitely a lightweight.
I shouldn't complain about him. I might be able to drink ten times more than what he can handle, but I always end up drinking my share and we often end up singing in side streets at three in the morning. And we should be working at that time...
Last week, for example, I hit a building facade by underestimating my jump. And Bas continued to run without noticing that he was missing his colleague.
We need to stop drinking when on duty.
Tonight, however, we're not working, it's our night off and he has just returned from the royal palace, like he has done every single night for the past month. He stands perched on the windowsill and spies the princess from the windows. He's like a gecko. The way he can easily move on surfaces completely unsuitable for any human being is disarming.
- It's just that... I can't get her out of my head, - he sighs, and I suspect he's drooling on the table.
- Talk to her, - I tell him.
- Sure... -
- Give me a break, I'm tipsy and you've been pestering me with this girl for over a month. -
He sighs.
****
It's a nice late November evening. It's been over a month since I stole princess Clizia of Samirien's lock and, since that evening, every night after work I come here on this ledge, I put out the torchlight and I watch her from the window.
Cal is right: either I get her off of my head, and being here is not the way to do it, or, at least, I talk to her.
This evening she doesn't seem to want to go to sleep. It's already past one o'clock and she is sitting at a table, drinking tea. I look down below when I hear the changing of the guard, then I look back through the window and I don't see her anymore.
I slightly lean on the window which, unexpectedly, opens up.
I clumsily roll inside.
As soon as I look up I see her in front of me, wielding an extinguished torch as if it were a baseball bat.
- What do you want from me? - She yells at me. There's someone behind her and I guess he's her bodyguard. It's a guy my age, with a blond bob, caramel-colored skin, gray eyes and pointed ears; all packaged in a perfect small size royal uniform.
- Huh... I don't want anything... that is... -
- And why is it a month that you keep on spying on me from my window? And how can you stay perched on a tower window some 170 feet from the ground like a lizard? -
The guy glares at me, keeping his right hand on the hilt of his sword, but apparently he must have had previous orders from the princess because he's keeping himself on the sidelines.
- Er, I think we could call it a gift of nature. However, I didn't mean to pry. It's just that... - I try to get up but she approaches me holding that torch in a menacing way.
- What? - She says fiercely.
I move back on all fours. – That you are beautiful, - I say while staring at my feet.
Silence.
She hesitates.
- Right. Thank you. But cut it out, you're getting on my nerves, alright? - She lowers the torch a bit.
- Okay. My apologies. - I finally get up and climb on the window to leave.
- Are you leaving through there? - She fidgets.
- Well, yes? -
- Ever heard about doors? - She points to the chamber door.
- I can't leave through the door. Try to understand. What would I say? -
- You're right. - She puts the torch down - Okay, close the window and come here. -
I gawk at her. - What? -
- Close that window! It's cold! -
I do as told. I get back inside and close the window. She sits at the table and pours some tea in another cup. While all this happens, the guard keeps the whole situation under control but does not utter a single word and stays out of the way. - Do you like tea? -
I blink a few times, caught by surprise. – Y... yes? -
- Well, then sit down and have some. I want to know who you are, I don't even know your name. -
I look around. Then I decide to sit down. At the moment I have the same agility of a salt pillar.
- Milk or lemon? - She asks me.
- Lemon, thanks. - I try to sit as composed as possible, and I can't even look at her. She scares me a little.
- I hate milk in tea too, I do not know how people can drink it. - She passes me a slice of lemon and some sugar, then sips her tea and stares at me. - So, first and last name. -
- I'm... Well, my name is Bastian, but people call me Bas. -
- Bas, do you have a last name? -
- Well, yes. -
- Which is? -
- I'm not used to using it in a public place. -
- I don't see the church choir in here. Your last name? -
I swallow. - Eirdar. -
I see her only in the corner of my eye, because I'm insistently staring at my cup. She stiffens and makes a gesture to stop the guard who had, again, put his hand on the hilt of his sword. She puts her cup down on its saucer. - Eirdar. Well, now I have a face to associate with that symbol and I know who was it that cut a lock of my hair out. What was it for? A fetish? -
- Huh? No, no! It was just an assignment. They had asked for one of your locks. I think it was just one of your admirers, and how could I disagree with him, when I saw Your Majesty? -
- Don't talk formal to me or I'll break something. -
I can almost see a throbbing vein on her temple. - Okay, okay. Right, so when I saw you I understood why he was an admirer of yours. -
- At least you didn't keep the lock for yourself, but you did get in from my window. -
Rolled in would be a more adequate description. - Well... -
- Well what, what do you want from me? Lay with me? -
My eyes go wide. - Well... -
- No, - she stops me. – That was a rhetorical question. - And her face is eloquent.
We stare at each other for a moment, then I start laughing.
- Hey! What's so funny? - She asks a little annoyed.
I gesticulate a little while still laughing. I can't make myself stop.
- Well, it's this whole situation. I've been dying to just say hello to you for months and here I am drinking tea with you. - I laugh. – I was afraid that after speaking to you, you would turn out to be a snooty rich woman. Instead, here you are: a strong-willed woman who doesn't beat around the bush. You say exactly what you mean. -
She picks up her cup. - Well, living all your life surrounded by snotty people, you don't want to pass on any chance of talking however you like when you're not in public. - She looks crossed for a little while, then she smiles. - Instead of just staying out there every night, you could come in and pay me a visit, Bastian Eirdar. -
I look at her. - I would ask you if you're not afraid of letting a thief into your apartment, but you answered that earlier when you attacked me with that torch. -
- Besides, I know that the Eirdar thief never hurts anyone, right? - She asks me.
I smile. – That is correct. - Then I point to the guard. - Wouldn't he disagree on that? If the word spreads out... -
Clizia shrugs. - Nakiri can keep a secret, if I am the one asking him to keep it.
Comments (0)
See all