THE LADY IN HIS DREAMS
Saliah paced around her designated maid's room in circles. One hand massaged her temple, and the other rested on her hip.
She anxiously ran her fingers through her hair, her mind slightly hazy from all the thoughts that invaded her brain.
She kept pacing around the room, her body slightly shaking.
Suddenly, the door to her room opened, and Elaiza walked in with a tray. On the tray sat a cup of water and a bowl of porridge.
"Sister Liah—" Elaiza called out as she walked in but stopped in her steps when she noticed Saliah's state.
"Sister Liah?" Elaiza called out. But Saliah seemed to not have noticed her presence as she continued to pace around anxiously, muttering words that were unclear to hear.
"Sister Leah, are you okay?" Elaiza called out softly. Her worry was plastered across her small face. She placed her palm on Saliah's shoulder and instantly felt her stiffen.
"Are you okay?" Elaiza asked again, her gaze on her eyes. Saliah, upon seeing Elaiza, shed a tear, and her shoulders sagged.
She bit her lips, the fear in her increasing.
"This isn't right, this isn't right," Saliah muttered as she squatted on the floor, her hands clenching her smooth, black hair.
Elaiza sat the tray on the brick bed and squatted with Saliah, her eyes showing her concern.
"It can't be real, it's not real, I-I must be hallucinating!" Saliah kept mumbling as she squatted. Hot tears stained her beautiful face, and her lips quivered as the uneasiness in her heart intensified.
"Sister Leah, I'm here; you don't have to worry. Tell me what is wrong," Elaiza asked with a sniff.
Saliah paused, turned to Elaiza, and stared at her blankly.
"Are you real?..." Saliah asked softly as she stared deep into Elaiza's eyes.
Elaiza was taken aback but brushed it off. She took Saliah's hand in hers and gently squeezed it.
"Sister Leah—"
"He was flying," Saliah suddenly said with a cracked voice. "He...he was actually flying! Tell me, Elaiza, am I not losing my mind?"
Elaiza looked at Saliah pitifully. She bit her lip and shook her head, squeezing Saliah's hand a little to give her comfort.
"Sister Leah, I already told you. You're in the Tayama Kingdom. To us, flying is a normal thing. Perhaps this is not a normal occurrence in your kingdom?" Elaiza said softly.
Saliah blinked and looked back up at Elaiza. Her heart stirred when she thought about the mysterious man in her dreams and the man she had met earlier that day. They looked alike, awfully alike.
"You don't understand, Elaiza," Saliah sniffed, "this is not normal. I didn't come here willingly; I just woke up here!" Saliah took Elaiza's hand in hers and gripped it tightly, as if afraid of what might happen if she let go.
"Be honest with me, where am I, Elaiza? I-I don't want to be here at all. I...I want to go home," Saliah begged, her tears a running waterfall.
Elaiza's heart ached.
She forced a smile and trapped Saliah in a tight embrace.
"I'll help you find your home, Sister Leah," she spoke gently into her ear as she patted her back.
"Here, you ran out of the palace without telling me and did not eat." Elaiza said as she picked up the tray from the brick bed and handed it to Saliah.
"You have to be careful, Sister Leah. There are a lot of wicked people in the kingdom. Not everyone knows you're a palace maid." Elaiza added as she wiped Saliah's tears with her thumb.
Saliah's heartbeat slowed down. She still looked lost yet nodded to Elaiza's words. She took a wooden spoon and began eating, her thoughts elsewhere.
Elaiza smiled faintly and gently brushed Saliah's hair with her fingers as she watched her eat.
-------
The forest was extremely dark. The moonlight was faint, but the winds were calm. The soil was dry and the red tree leaves damp.
Saliah stood in the spot she always found herself in. Her feet were too heavy to move. She looked around nervously, a lump stuck in her throat.
Her eyes darted around the tall trees that hid everything beyond them. The crows and owls sang haunting tunes that sent shivers down her spine.
But the air was like an ally. Caressing her skin ever so gently, as if assuring her that everything would be fine.
The environment consisted of two moods that contradicted each other.
So you're finally here....
She heard the voice she always dreaded to hear. It was near her; its presence could be felt behind her, but she could not see it.
He chuckled, a gust of wind blowing to her in the process.
Itold you, Saliah, running from me is a waste of time...
She felt a finger trace her neck, its touch lingering on her birthmark.
I've waited so long for this....
She heard him breathe deeply.
I've been waiting for you, and now you're finally here.
He chuckled again, his voice haunting and his presence suffocating.
That's enough, Trama!
Saliah suddenly heard a powerful voice command. The sky turned darker, and the winds became wilder. The sky cracked with lightning, some bolts escaping and setting ablaze a few tall trees.
You know we're fated; she will be mine soon.
The mysterious, powerful figure that always haunted her dreams, he said with certainty. Then, the heavy pressure behind her disappeared.
The sky became normal again, the tree leaves turned white, and the winds became obediently calm.
There was still an immense pressure that came from the sky, but no figure could be seen.
Saliah…
She heard the previous voice call her. She looked up to the sky but saw no figure. She, however, did not feel scared. She felt...safe. The voice came with undefined pressure and carried a hint of command, but what she felt was a warm, fuzzy blanket covering her petite body in the cold.
You're finally here....
The voice spoke again. She was not sure, but she felt as if his voice was laced with happiness and expectation.
She tried to move her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, she felt her body falling into an endless dark abyss.
--------
The next morning was especially busy for the maids, as the crowned prince of the Tayama Kingdom would visit the maids's quarters to inspect.
Each maid was given a task by Nami, the chief palace maid.
Elaiza and Saliah had been tasked to work at the farm, harvesting cabbages as well as weeding.
The sun's rays were not merciful as they landed on the two girls, mercilessly tanning their skin.
"Why do we need so much cabbage?" Saliah asked with a frown. They had been harvesting cabbages since morning without a break. She leaned on her hoe and stared down at Elaiza, who was squatting down, removing grass with her fingers.
Elaiza smiled a little but did not look up. She continued to skillfully remove the weed that was disrupting the growth of the cabbages.
"We have to sell the cabbages after harvest. Then half of the stones are sent to the palace." Elaiza finally answered after tugging the last weed out of the soil.
"And the other half?" Saliah asked.
"The other half is given to Master Isaac. He's in charge of the development of the Tayama Kingdom. He uses the stones to improve the conditions of the people here," Elaiza said with a warm smile, as if reminiscing.
"Master Isaac is only second to the prince in terms of looks," she gushed. "The king trusts him more than his own sons, and he's one of the most powerful Tayats in the kingdom."
"Tayats? What's that?" Saliah asked curiously.
"You saw a person flying yesterday, right?" Elaiza asked with a raised eyebrow, and Saliah nodded immediately.
"The person you saw flying was a Tayat. People talented enough to practice Tayatine. Flying is a skill used by only the third, second, and first-ranked Tayats. So whoever it is you saw must be very powerful, Sister Leah." Elaiza remarked. She then moved to another row of cabbages and continued to remove the grass with her hands.
"So everyone here is a Tayat?" Saliah asked curiously.
"No. You have to pass a test to qualify for the training. Then, you have to train for ten years. If the crystal stone does not accept you despite training that long, then you can never be a Tayat." Eliza then looked at Saliah, "Sometimes it's not a question of whether you're talented or not; it's worthiness. Although some people pass the test and become Tayats, they can never cross to the next stage if the Crystal does not allow it."
"That's complicated," Saliah commented with a chuckle, making Elaiza involuntarily laugh.
"It's complicated, but the most powerful beings in the Tayama Kingdom are Tayats. You're useless otherwise." Elaiza smiled sadly.
Saliah noticed the change in her expression and squatted down with her to pick out the grass.
"Thanks for keeping me sane, Elaiza," Saliah suddenly said with a smile.
Elaiza paused her actions for a second and then smiled as well.
Saliah's smile faded as soon as she looked away from Elaiza, her mind filled with thoughts that gave her a headache.
She could remember the two voices from her dream the previous night. How they seemed to know her and how they had welcomed her. It felt real; it felt weirdly real.
Her heart still stirred when she thought about the last voice, the voice that gave her peace. It was her first time hearing that voice, and she wanted to know who it was and what he wanted from her.
Trama.....
She mumbled, and unbeknownst to her, her tattoo glowed ever so faintly at the mention of his name. The moment she had woken up from her dream, her heart had already accepted staying in Tayama. Her mind, however, still fought with her heart.
"Sister Elaiza, Sister Nami requests for you to go to the dining hall," a thin woman said when she saw the two of them. Elaiza nodded and led the dazed Saliah to the dining hall.
------
The dining hall was big and spacious with more than thirty benches to eat from.
All the maids were standing in a straight line, their hands behind their backs as they waited for the prince to arrive.
Saliah looked around and suddenly felt nervous. Her palms were sweaty, and her heart raced, but it only made her feel irritated as she had no idea why her body reacted that way.
Suddenly, the chattering in the hall quieted as soon as Nami walked in. And behind her followed two palace guards, the prince's royal advisor, and the prince himself.
The girls all sighed dreamily when they saw him.
The prince was adorned in an all-white dress shirt with golden moon symbols and white pants. His hair was charcoal black and carried a tint of blue. His hands were behind his back as he walked in elegantly with his advisor by his side.
"His Majesty, the crowned prince, Prince Mallory," Nami announced. All the maids bowed simultaneously except Saliah, who took longer to bow, making Mallory notice her.
He froze, his heart immediately racing. His gaze lingered on her face, taking in her beauty. But she did not look at him; she instead kept her gaze on the floor.
She was real....
He thought.
The girl he always dreamed about was real, alive, and in front of him.
Mallory suddenly smiled, his smile stirring the hearts of both the young and the old maids that stole glances at him.
"Good afternoon," he started. "I will be spending the afternoon with you today. I hope you don't mind."
Saliah's stance faltered.
She remembered that voice.
She knew that voice.
"How could we? His Majesty may stay for as long as he likes," Nami responded immediately.
"Very well, then. You may proceed with your tasks," he spoke with command, and all the maids nodded.
Saliah's heart raced, and she once again felt her mind go hazy. She swallowed and finally looked up at the prince, her heart skipping a beat as soon as they locked eyes.
He had a twinkle in his eyes. As if they had already met before then, and they had. But did he know that she had first seen him in her dream?
Saliah blinked and quickly shifted her gaze, desperately trying to calm her heart. But his gaze did not move; she could still feel his burning gaze on her.
"Come on, we still have a lot to do," Elaiza whispered into Saliah's ear, snapping her out of her thoughts. She then dragged Saliah out of the dining hall along with all the other maids.
Soon, the dining hall was almost empty, with only the two guards, Nami, the advisor, and the prince remaining.
"I'll take my leave then, my prince," Nami said with a bow.
"Wait," Mallory suddenly stopped her. "A new maid has joined you?"
Nami paused, puzzled by his question. Never in her life had the prince ever asked specifically about a maid. She did not dare question him and immediately agreed.
"Did she apply to be one?" Mallory asked, surprising, his advisor.
"Our girls found her stranded at the shore of the Tayat Ocean, so they brought her in. She has no place to stay." Nami reported.
"What's her name?"
"Pardon?" Nami couldn't help but ask. She genuinely felt something amiss but still answered before he could repeat himself.
"Thank you. You may take your leave," Mallory said with a smile.
Nami bowed and left.
"Do you not agree with the girl living here? Your Highness," his advisor asked curiously.
"Timothy, I finally found her," Mallory said with a smile.
"Who?" Timothy asked with a frown.
"The girl I told you about"
"You mean—"
"Yes, the lady in my dreams." Mallory said, shocking Timothy even more. "Saliah...." Mallory smiled. "She really is perfect for me," he mumbled.