Chapter 4 Friends Depart

There was a sudden knock on Carmen's door.

"Come in."

Shiandra entered.

"What is going on a here, why are you crying child?" She asked, seeing that Carmen was wiping off the tears from her rosy red cheeks.

"My father said that I am not his blood,was he telling the truth?" Asked Carmen. Looking at her self in the mirror,while Shiandra brushed her hair softly with a comb.

"When did he say that?" Shiandra asked,with a concerned look on her face.

"Today,I overheard him talking to Jordan"

There was an awkward silence in there room.

"You should not worry yourself about anything. You are a queen and you will rule one day." Carmen found the words comforting,she stopped being sad. Shiandra left the room,but caught Alex walking away from the door, as if he had been listening over to the conversation and indeed he was. Shiandra was upset.

"Hey you! Stop right there!" She commanded. Carmen was lost in sleep by then.

Alex stood still, frightened.

"What did you hear?" Shiandra asked firmly.

"N..nothing."

"It better stay that way,unless you want the king to know that you were up to and if he knows that you were hear what do you think he will do to you? Let you live? Let you live, since your father is the king's advisor? huh! Don't forget yourself boy,the king is heartless he will slay your head off without thinking twice!"

Alex was trembling in fear. "I swear I won't tell..please don't say anything." he pleaded.

Shiandra laughed hilariously like a real witch..which of course she was,then she walked away.

Alex made dinner that very evening with a worried heart.

"Son are you alright?" Asked Jordan,seeing the worry on his son's face. He was concerned. "I would like to see my aunt in Noracia!" Said Alex.

Jordan was surprised.

"And how long do you plan to go away for? Remember that Kineti needs your kind of skills.You are the best fighter here."

Alex was reluctant to listen to his father's speeches.

"Why are you trembling? Are you scared of something?"

Alex kept silent. "Why do you do this? I know that I am not like your mother. She understood you better but please son don't turn your back away from me. I am still your father and you are still my son."

"Father I love you very much. I will never turn my back on you never! But I cannot stay here either. This place is not my safe haven!" Alex cried,then he went outside to cool himself.

In the morning Jordan opened his heart to Shiandra.

"Alex is different now." he said.

"Different in which way?"

"He does not speak freely with me about the things that are troubling him. He's behaviour worsened after the death of his mother. How will I ever get my son back?" Jordan cried.

Shiandra gave Jordan a pat on the shoulders as a way of telling him that he should not worry.

"Teenagers are all like that. They act abnormally sometimes. They are happy today, then angry tomorrow. It will pass." said Shiandra.

Nicholas felt a slight relief.

"I feel much better after sharing what was in my heart. You are good with children. Do you have them, children I mean?" he asked.

"Yes I do. Many of them."

"You should bring them here. I am certain that the King will be very happy to see them. Carmen wont be lonely at least she will have someone to play with when Alex is gone."

Shiandra's eyes widened.

"Alex is leaving?" she asked.

"Yes. He said that Kineti is not a safe haven for him."

"Oh"

"Yes and I don't know why he would do such a thing. Alex is a fighter like me. If someone were to try and oppress him, he would fight back." said Jordan.

"I am certain he would. No doubt about it ."

Shiandra was laughing from inside her heart.

Meanwhile Alex was sitting with Carmen under the cherry tree a few metres away from the palace. Two guards were standing a little farther away keeping a close eye on them. Carmen didn't go anywhere outside of the palace without a guard or two.

"What do you like about me Alex?" Carmen asked. She was eight ten by that time, Alex was thirteen.

"Who said I like anything about you. Look at how round your nose is." Alex teased.

Carmen rolled her eyes.

"I don't have a round nose." She protested.

"Yes you do and its ugly."

Carmen frowned.

"I am kidding. I love your round nose."

Carmen smiled.

"You do?" she asked.

"Of course I do. Its nothing like the one that is so pointy you'd swear it would stab sharp like a sword."

Carmen laughed. Alex joined in. He then began to frown.

"What is it?" Carmen asked.

"I am leaving Kineti."

"What,why?"

"I am not getting along well with my father." he said.

"But why?Jordan says good things about you all the time. He loves you very much."

"I know. My father does love me. But I miss having my mother around. She knew me better than my father. My mother would take her time just yo listen to my poems, my father wants me to put my focus on combat alone. He never listens or ask about my writings."

"Did you tell him how you feel?" Carmen asked.

"I never will. He should have asked me but he hasn't because he does not want to listen to my poems at all."

"But my father is not the reason I am leaving."

" You just said that.."

Alex interrupted.

"I know exactly what I said. But my father didn't do anything wrong. One day were going to grow up and we will never.." Alex paused.

Carmen was even more puzzled.

"What are you talking abpout Alex?" she asked.

Alex chuckled.

"No its nothing." he stood up and dusted himself from the leaves and small tiny branches. "Let me walk you to the palace." Alex said offering Carmen his hand. She pulled herself up using Alex's hand and they returned to the palace.