Her Highness arise from her chair, the princess follows shortly after. "Come, let us take a walk in the garden". she said. then started to walk to the direction of the garden, the princess walking closely behind her. The servants walking five steps behind their highnesses, never leaving their sights unless told to do so.
The door to the garden slowly opened, and a gentle wind blew, carrying with it the scent of a variety of flowers, Once fully open, a sight that met the eyes, could only be described as 'magical'. A pathway made with marble embedded with diamonds, on the left and right sides white roses flourish in full bloom, as they walk down the path the colour would change from white, to pink, then to red.
In the palace, the garden servants take great care of the flowers in all seasons. The princess order the servants to plucked a few pink roses, they handed it to the princess, she took in its wonderful scent, then took her braided hair from her back, placed it at the front and placed them in it, all while smiling. Her ladyship glance at her with a smile knowing that her daughter loved roses.
Their highnesses proceeded further in the garden passing other flowers such as peonies, jasmine, Lilies, tulips and many others arrange beautiful forming a rainbow of flowers. Upon nearing the center of the garden, two large oak tree, one on the left and the other on the right formed a canopy, and under that canopy, was a large round Pavillion made with the same marble and diamonds but this designs had a Cresent Moon with a star in the center both embedded with diamonds, that shines when hit by the sunlight.
Right of the Pavillion, position below the oak tree was a large pond that recieved water from the nearby spring, the main water source for the palace. In the pond, lotus bloom in all it's glory, they were the favorite flowers of her Mother. As they enter the Pavillion, the servants were left on stand by at the entrance.
Their highnesses went to the marble and diamond table position to the left, that had the same design that matches the outer exterior, they sat on the soft cushion chairs. Their highnesses takes a breath of fresh air simultaneously, which cause them to both laugh as the mimicked each other.
Her ladyship then gave the princess, the little wooden box that had an unfamiliar design. Once in her hand she studied the design of the box, tracing the design with her fingers, captured by the uniqueness. "Open it" said her mother, granting her permission. Safiya then open the box to find a bracelet that was made with a white material unbeknownst to her.
"This is called a jade" Amara said, as she examined her daughter's bewildered face with amusement. "A Jade" Safiya said. "It's beautiful..."she continued. "Yes...it belonged to your grandmother" Safiya looked at her mother, surprised. "Really?" said safiya. "Your birthday is coming soon, you are coming of marriageble age... My mother had given me this when I was the same age as you... and now it is my turn". she said with a hint of sadness in her tone.
Her mind lost in thought as she recalled the events of her younger self twenty five years ago...
"Yue'er!". Yell a flustered woman, as she hurriedly romage through the streets of Nanjing China, looking for her naughty teenage daughter with the help of her female servants, it was well into the night and she had not come back home yet.
They split up and went in different directions hoping to cover more ground accidentally bumping into strangers as they ran and check places they knew she liked to visit. Out of breath, the woman stop to catch her breath at an inn that happen to be the tallest building in the city. Once she got enough air she call out again "Yue'er!" and continued her search through the streets.
A young girl lays on top of the highest building, jolts upwards at the sound of her name being called. "Oh no!." She said. She had accidentally fallen asleep while watching the stars. She quickly pick up her bag and was about to climb down when she notice someone coming up. "Mingyue, you were still up hear, I thought you left hours ago... good thing I checked, you got us very worried" said her friend Tinglin, who was the daughter of merchant the same as her.
This roof was their favorite place to hangout and to stargaze but it is also the place where they could see the full view of the city. "Your mother as been looking for you for hours" She continued. "I heard her just now, let's get down from here before anyone see us" replied Mingyue. They both began to climb down carefully, They had wanted to visit this place for a long time but the building was a restaurant that the rich loved to visit, so merchants like them were not welcomed, so they snuck in on days when security was light and they were not many visitors.
Since they could not go inside of it, they settle for the roof instead, in some ways it gave them joy to look down on the rich noble, who always did the very same to them, that was the case for Tinglin as she loathed them, but for Mingyue it was a means of escape from the reality... to free her mind from all her worries as she gets lost in the night sky. Mingue was the daughter of an foreign man. An Arabian. She was not purely Chinese and so many people thought of her as repulsive; every one except Tinglin, who only saw her as a person, and treated her as such. Once on the ground they quietly made their way to the spot were they usually came in, and without being detected they left successfully running two meters away,
They stop to catch there breaths and gave a loud sigh of relief as they were out of trouble and started to laugh. "You told me you were only going to stay for a few more minutes... tell me how did it became 2 hours?" said Tinglin as she get ready to give a lecture. "I accidentally fell asleep" she said embarrassed. " Why am I not surprised... I should have dragged you with me then your mother wouldn't have to ask my mother to ask me about you...just so you know I was in the middle of my sleep" Tinglin sighed. Mingue started to feel guilty the evidence clearly being seen on her face. "Fine, I won't give a lecture now since we're both tired let's just head home" she said. The two began to walk in the direction to their homes. Tinglin yawns every two minutes as it was very late, for a fourteen year old she was childish at times and other times she can be quite mature... even more than she is, Mingyue thought. As they reach the intersection that separates there homes, Tinglin started to turn left in the direction of Mingyue home but Mingyue stopped her. "I can walk on my own now since I not that far away... you should head back home first. I'm sorry about everything". "I am not upset Mingyue..." she replied. "Honestly I am worried about you. Please care for yourself more." Tinglin said with a face showing genuine concern. Mingue saw her face and felt even more guilty. With a warm smile she replied as she clasped her had "I will". "Are you sure you will be alright on you own" said Tinglin and Mingyue nodded her head in response, giving her a big hug and telling her good night. Tinglin turn to right and headed home.
It was late but the streets were still lively, many shops and restaurants were still open, so there were quite a few people on the street. While quickly walking her way back home, a nobleman bumped into her, to not cause trouble, she hurriedly apologize and attempted to walk away, but the nobleman pulled her back by her wrist. "How dare you bumped into me you wench!" the man yelled clearly drunk.
"I did not...you did besides i already apologized" she said wincing in pain. "Shut up" he spat while pushing her to the ground. 'it's that women daughter again causing trouble' people began to whisper... 'its her...the half breed... she does not belong here... your not welcomed' they whispered.
The young girl did not say anything, she have gotten used to the stares and the names they called her. She rubbed her wrist and got up dusting herself off, and fixed her long brown curly hair then glared at the nobleman with no hint of fear in her light goldish hazel eyes.
"How dare you look at me like that you dirt skin bitch!" the man barked, raising up a hand to slap her, the young lady did not even flinched, when the hand stopped inches away from her face. She glance to the hand that held the man wrist, taking notice that is was a darker complexion to the man, then she looked at the man face, she smiled with joy to see her father.
Her father was much taller and stronger than the man, the nobleman looked at the man with sheer terror because the look that my father is giving the man is of a fierce tiger with the entent to kill. The man vigorously tried to free his hand but the more he attempted the more his grasp got tighter.
The man yelled "Let me go". then her father let go of his hand, she watched as the man fell on his behind and laughed in her sleeves. Her father yelled "get lost" as he and the crowd of people scurried away. the man muttered under his breath saying; "this isn't over."
"Amara" her father called her by her Arabic name. she jolt back to realty, clearing her throat. "Yes father" her father touched her shoulders. looking up in his goldish-amber eyes. "Are you hurt my child, let me see your hand" . as he spoke Arabic " don't worry about it father, I'm fine" she said as she smiles sheepishly.
"Let's go home" he beckons, they both walk until they reach the entrance of there manor. Her mother had returned from searching for her not to long ago and saw what had happen. It was a good thing her father came back from his travels earlier and also start looking for her. "Madam, the young miss and Sir Sahmeed is back." yelled the servants as they walked inside the manor. Amara started pleading to her father to help her calm her mother down because she knew she was in a lot of trouble. But unfortunately for her he could not help her this time. The servants closed the door of the Manor behind them. Then the lady came out. She hurriedly, walk up to her daughter before she could even think of an alibi.
Without a word the woman just took her daughter in a warm tight embrace, Amara was confused at first but held her mother back after she heard her soft sobs. "Mother don't cry... I-I am fine... really..." Amara said flustered in mandarin trying to comfort her.
The woman relaxes her hold "Yue'er, You have suffered my child", said the woman as she held her daughter face with tears in her eyes. Her mother recalled the awful things that the people had called her and remember that she went through the same thing when she married her husband. In that moment she knew that her daughter need to know that she is loved and wanted. "Yue'er my dear, you are my very light that I see in the midst of darkness, the very joy of my life, I love you my little star" her mother said to her. A tear fell from Amara's eyes then another one, before she knew it, her tears were flowing from her face, her mother hugged her again, then all the pain that she tucked away in her heart for years were finally unleashed, she cried her heart out in her mother's arms. Her father on hearing there crys took them into his embrace. From that moment he made up is mind that they could no longer stay in China.