Love and Turmoil

The markets were open and people filled the streets. It was hot, but no one cared as they were happy to spend their coins on the drinks and sweet fruit that the vendors sold. 

“There she is,” Kai said, pointing out the window to the woman perusing the stalls, not noticing the carriage pass by, or the man inside who had fallen for her during the nights he snuck away from the palace to explore the world he had never gotten to see. 

The king, Kai’s father, was very protective of his only son. He spent most days training to take over the throne and rule armies. Kai was eager to become the king when that day came but always felt like there was more than life than the palace walls. He used to ask the servants what went on outside the cold stone, where there were no guards or advisors, but the only answer he ever got was how much better life as a prince was. Kai met Zadie, the woman he now watched, at the market just over a year ago. She led him away from the hub of people, down a secret trail she had found. They climbed slowly upward until they were above the city. 

Zadie told him that no one knew of this place. They didn't think there was anything up here because of the incline, the rocks, and the water. Kai questioned what she meant by water, he could only see dirt and sand for miles around him. That's when Sadie gave him a mischievous grin and kept walking down the small thin path. Kai realized that the path they were following had been carved by Zadie’s feet traveling on it over and over. 

They turned a corner, climbed over some rocks, went almost straight up, and then straight down. Suddenly, there were plants along the path. Flowers, cacti, weeds, and grass were poking up by Kai's feet, sparsely popping up here and there. Kai wondered if Zadie planted all these, she laughed and said that they were here because of the water.

“The water never goes further than the edge of the plants,” Zadie said. Once again Kai asks what she meant by water, she put her finger to her lips and told him to listen. Kai stopped what he was doing and tried to listen to what Zadie was talking about. He didn't notice anything at first, but he realized there was a noise in the distance. He didn’t know when it had started, but he had automatically tuned it out, listening to Zadie instead. Kai couldn't put his finger on what the noise was, at first he thought it was far away applause, as implausible as that was. He wondered if there was a tiny bug buzzing in his ear, he swatted around his face but the noise remained. Eventually, Kai realized that the sound was water, obviously like Zadie had been saying, but that didn't answer his question. Then Kai realized that Zadie was no longer there, so he ran along the trail to catch up with her, trying not to smash any flowers with his clumsy feet. The trail veered slightly right, and when he made it around the rocks that blocked his vision he saw Zadie sitting with her back against the rock wall, her eyes closed as she sat in the spray of the waterfall yards away. 

"Join me," Zadie said, without opening her eyes. Kai sat beside her and felt the water send water droplets his way. 

"How did you find this place?" Kai asked. 

"I was looking for something. Peace. I was about to give up when I saw the flowers. I kept going and found the waterfall. I come here often." Zadie said. 

"It's a wonderful place," Kai said, tranquility beginning to creep into his soul. 

"You can come here anytime you want. It can be our place.” Zadie said. "It falls all year, it's half-frozen in the winter, but in the spring and early summer there's so much water it sprays so large and waters the plants," Zadie said with delight as she threw her arms out in both directions to express her point.

They sat side by side with the sun-soaked rock keeping them warm, and the waterfall mist refreshing them; keeping them grounded. They stayed until they began to be chilled by the rock, which had lost all its heat, the sun was starting to go down and the pair made their way down in the twilight.

Kai had always enjoyed going to the markets, but during the past year since he met Zadie, he made sure to never miss a week, no matter what it interfered with. But they saw each other more often than at the weekly market.

Kai had told Zadie how he longed for something more in his life. That night, and almost every night since Kai found Zadie at his window. She would, with great ease, convince him to sneak out, he didn’t mind the lack of sleep. It was on these late-night excursions that Zadie showed Kai her life. He learned about the things she loved, what she did during the day, and they learned everything they could want to know about each other. Almost. Whenever the topic of Zadie's past or where she lived before coming to Kai's kingdom she got quiet and wouldn't answer. Kai learned not to press or the night would be over. 

"Isn't she beautiful?" Kai asked Silas, his squire, and best friend. 

"Yes, she is," Silas said, agreeing with Kai. Zadie had a tan veil wrapped around her head, hiding most of her black hair, with her bangs, sticking out in a large swoop. 

"It's time," Kai said. 

"Time for what?" Silas asked. They had barely arrived at the market with plenty of time to spare before Kai had to meet with his tutor. 

"Time to get married," Kai said. 

"What?" Silas asked, shocked. Kai had only told him about Zadie a couple of weeks ago.

“I know it's time,” Kai said. “I'm of age. Older than my parents were, and I love her. She's more than just a friend.” Kai said with a deep feeling in his voice.

“You know you have to marry someone from a royal family,” Silas said.

 “But I don't love anyone of a royal family,” Kai said. “I love Zadie.” 

“Your parents will never approve,” Silas said, warning his friend. 

“I will make them approve, somehow,” Kai said. “I can tell them she is the grand duchess-in-waiting of some faraway land, and when they see how much we care for each other they will have to approve,” Kai said, hopefully. Silas didn't believe in his friend's optimism but he knew there was no use debating. The Coachman found a place to park the carriage out of the way, and Kai quickly jumped out to meet Zadie. Silas's enthusiasm for the day was now gone, replaced with worry and pessimism. He watched from afar as Kai and Zadie went from stall to stall, laughing and talking and having what appeared to be the time of their life during something so simple and mundane. Eventually, Zadie took Kai’s hand and led him away from the crowd. Silas didn't follow where they went, but he had suspicions of what they were doing. He just hoped that Kai wasn't speaking to her of marriage, and promising her life that he could never give her.

That night Kai’s dinner with his mother and father was nearly silent. They tried to engage him in conversation about his day and the market, but Kai was too nervous to speak coherently. He excused himself as soon as he was finished and went to his room to pace back and forth, steeling himself to speak to his parents about Zadie. He realized it was getting close to the time of night when she would come to his window and steal him away, he needed to be finished with his conversation before she arrived so he could propose. 

Kai walked down the corridors trying to find his parents. He opened the door to the great hall and found his parents standing there as if they were waiting for him. 

“Kairan,” Queen Aaliyah said. 

“Mother, father,” Kai said, addressing his parents. “I have come to talk to you about something very important and delicate. I have decided that I want to be wed.”

“It is forbidden.” King Benar said. Kai was shocked, he hadn’t told his parents anything about Zadie and her royal pedigree, or lack thereof. 

“Father,” Kai started. “She is the grand duchess-in-waiting of Sikkim, and we’re in love.” Kai realized that Zadie had never said that to him, but she must. Why else would she have done the things for him that he had if she didn’t love him?   

“And how did you meet her?” Benar asked. Kai hadn’t expected to be questioned this much and realized that he had never had an opportunity to meet a grand duchess-in-waiting, especially without his parents' knowledge. 

“We are in love. We have known each other for over a year.” Kai said, trying to persuade his parents.

“That is not what matters.” His father said. “I thought you understood that someone as important as you has to consider everyone when making decisions. You have more to think about than your own desires.”

“Kairan, do you think your father and I married for love? We married for duty and for our countries. The love grew, and so will yours.” Aaliyah said. 

“My love has grown!” Kai said. 

“We will not allow our son to marry some raven-haired commoner you met at the market,” Benar said. Kai wondered how they knew this, then he saw Silas hanging his head in the corner of the room. The anger Kai was feeling toward his parents vanished as his soul was crushed by the weight of learning he had been betrayed by his best friend. 

“Darling, I’m sorry, but she’s after the crown,” Aaliyah said. 

“You don’t know her. She doesn’t care about that.” Kai said, defending Zadie.“Even if she was, she would make a wonderful queen.” 

“Her love is not real,” Benar said. “She is after your title, and she is not worthy to be your wife.” The king said bluntly. 

Kai decided that if his parents were going to be so honest, so would he. “Our love is true. I will be with her no matter what you say.” 

“Then you will not be the prince,” Benar said. Kai’s mouth fell open, Aaliyah closed her eyes, so they wouldn’t betray her feelings. She did not challenge her husband. When she opened her eyes Kai could see stony resolve in them. She would not help her son.

 ‘Why would she? She was forced into an arranged marriage with a man she’d never met. She could not understand what real, unforced love was like.’ Kai thought.

“I will be with Zadie,” Kai said again. 

“Then you will leave this castle,” Benar said. Aaliyah put her hand on her husband’s forearm, trying to tell him to have compassion, but there were rules. Benar obeyed them, Benar’s father obeyed them, and his father’s father obeyed them. Now Kairan wanted to throw away his birthright for some woman. 

“Fine,” Kai said. He turned to leave the great hall and gather his things. 

“You will give up everything,” Benar said. Kai stopped to listen to him. “You can never be a prince again. You will give up your birthright, your leadership, your subjects, your army, your privileges.” Kai didn’t care, and pulled on the door handle, ready to walk away.

“Your family,” Aaliyah said. Kai stopped in his tracks. Silence filled the room, but Kai remembered what he would be giving up to stay, and it wasn’t worth it. If his parents couldn’t accept him and who he loved he didn’t want to be with them anyway. He walked out of the great hall and to his room. He grabbed two bags that he could carry with ease and began to fill them with the essentials. A few minutes later the door opened and Silas walked in. 

“Get out!” Kai demanded. 

“My prince, I’m sorry,” Silas said. 

“Haven’t you heard; I’m no longer the prince,” Kai said. “You said you were my friend and yet…”

“I am your friend. They asked why you were so nervous and I wanted to protect you.” Silas said. 

“I can protect myself,” Kai said.

“And the kingdom?” Silas said. Kai stopped what he was doing and looked at Silas with a quizzical look. “What if something comes our way?” 

Kai thought about what Silas was saying and what it could mean. Kai was only one man who was barely involved in the army, but as he thought that he heard his father’s voice in his head. ‘One sword might be the one that makes all the difference.’ Maybe he had been too hasty in deciding to leave. 

“Kai hai.” A female’s whisper entered the room. Silas knew what it meant and he and Kai looked at each other in silence. Silas could tell by the look on Kai’s face that he would not stay. 

“I’m sorry,” Silas said. 

“Me too,” Kai said. The two friends hugged each other goodbye before Kai went to the window and threw his bags out before jumping out himself. Silas waited in the empty room by himself, unsure what else to do, hoping that maybe Kai would come back, even though he knew better. Silas left the room and saw the queen walking quickly toward him and her son’s room. 

“Where is he?” Aaliyah asked; Silas didn’t answer her and simply walked away. She threw the door open and looked around. When she saw that the room was empty she fell to her knees, leaning against the door frame for support, and started wailing, down the hall, Silas heard glass shattering. 

That night Kai proposed with a ring he had swiped from the treasury months ago. Zadie squealed with excitement and wrapped her arms around Kai, and kissed him for the first time. Kai didn’t want the kiss to stop, and it felt like it wouldn’t, but he had to tell Zadie what happened. She looked guilty when he told her. 

“I love you,” Zadie said, and any fears that Kai had about her feelings for him were wiped away. They slept side by side that night on the grass and dirt that grew by the waterfall. 

The next morning when the couple made their way into town chaos was all around them. Kai decided they needed to go to the palace. No matter how angry his parents were they had to let him help, but on their way there they ran into a knight that Kai couldn’t place.

“My prince,” the knight said. “It’s over.” 

“What happened?” Kai asked. 

“A time monster. I don’t know where it came from, but it ravaged the castle. We finally defeated it, at a great cost to lives. There’s only two of us left.” The man said. 

“A time monster?” Zadie asked. 

“It sucks the life out of people. It takes away your time until you’re out of time and die.” Kai explained. “It is created by turmoil. When I left I gave up time with my parents and it came to take it all.”

“Your mother and father… I’m sorry.” The knight said he was out of breath and much too old to be doing this kind of fighting; that’s when Kai realized who this was. 

“Finley?” Kai asked, the knight nodded his head. Finley had been younger than Kai the day before, now his face was gaunt and his hair was gray. 

Kai and Zadie made their way to the castle. Skeletons and corpses were all about them. Kai pushed the door to the great hall open, shoving the wilted body of Silas out of the way. Kai stopped in his tracks when he saw his friend, devastated seeing him like this. Kai found his parents laying on the floor, each with a sword in one hand, the other hand stretched out, their fingers almost touching.

Kai fell to his knees with tears in his eyes. 

“You shouldn’t see this,” Zadie said. It took some convincing but Kai left the palace and horrible images behind before collapsing to his knees.

Zadie put her hand on his shoulder and knelt beside him. “I’m sorry.” Her voice comforted Kai. “This didn’t have to happen.”

“What do you mean?” Kai said. 

“I’m a… princess,” Zadie said. Kai looked up at his fiance with astonishment. “I-I was a princess. Until I fell in love with a commoner. I abdicated so that I could be with him and I was banished.” 

“What happened?” Kai said. 

“He didn’t love me,” Zadie said. “But if I had gone home with you, as a prince, I would have been welcome back, become a princess again and we could have been married with no turmoil and no monsters.” 

“And now?” Kai asked. 

“Your kingdom needs you,” Zadie said. “I need you.” 

The lovers embraced, kneeling on the grass outside of the palace. Their former lives were wiped away and their new ones were about to unfold before them.