I land at the edge of the village and begin walking the busy streets. I keep replaying my conversation with my father in my mind. It's so unbearably typical of my father. He never lets me do what I want. Damn, what's his problem? He acts like I can't take care of myself. But I can. I thought to myself.
"Jason, yoo hoo!" That sweet-melodic, innocent voice belongs to my most favorite being. I spin around on my heels and watch Eleora hovering just above the ground.
"My dear, baby sister, what do owe the pleasure of your visit, young light?" I ask, while she gracefully lands in front of me, folding her wings.
"Why brother, dear, Fez is looking for you." She says barely containing her excitement. She looks down trying to hide her fierce scarlet blush. She has been spending time with Fez, I knew she liked him. I raise my eyebrow and grin at her.
"Thank you for telling me, Eleora." She stares deeply into my eyes and frowns. Questions forming in her eyes.
"What is troubling you, brother? Your eyes are full of sadness. Tell me, please. You won't hide it from Fez; he'll read you like a book." She says with genuine concern. There isn't any use hiding it from Eleora. She would just continue to badger me, until I cave in. I sigh.
"Father is still denying me permission to go to Earth. I don't see what the problem is. It's upsetting me, lightling." I explain to her. Eleora inhales every word I say and thinks carefully about her response. She looks down at her entwined fingers, her lips pressed into a tight line.
"Jay," she whispers, "father just doesn't understand your point of view. He has so much on his mind right now. I'm sure he doesn't want to worry about his son being alone on Earth." She murmurs. I smile half-heartedly, knowing she didn't understand my strange fascination with Earth either.
Nobody here understands why I want to go to Earth. Everyone here in Illimatia thought Earth was dull, lifeless and boring. They think the culture there is horrid and the Humans are destroying themselves. If you even mention Earth, well if I did, people would stare blankly at me and change the subject.
"I see, Eleora. What are you doing this next moment?" I ask her trying to change the subject. A distraction is what I need. I don't want to hear another sympathetic lecture, about my poor father and his hands being full and what have you-
"I'm going to meet with Mother and we're going to the Royal Garden, to pick flowers for the ball tomorrow night." Eleora said, interrupting my thoughts.
"Is that so?"
"Indeed brother, so it seems."
"Would you pick a certain flower for me?"
"Perhaps noble light, what flower did you have in mind." Eleora asks suspiciously.
"Hmm, oh I know, how about some ravishing Toad Lilies?" Eleoras' eyes widened in alarm.
"Brother! Are you delirious? Elettra is allergic to Toad Lilies."
"Is she really?" I sarcastically ask her.
"Oh lightling, you are remarkably bad!" She said, playfully scolding me.
"Elle, I know you don't like her either, your Lightlyness."
"No comment, sir." She giggles.
"That's what I thought."
"Well then, your Lighfulness, I must be on my way to our sweet Mother. I'll see you at supper. Good day, Prince." She bows casually.
"Good day, Princess." I bow back lower in respect. In public, we always have to be on our best behavior, whether or not other Angels are around. Father always told us when we were younger, "There is always someone watching." We have to talk properly, and behave properly, we were royalty after all. Eleora began unfolding her wings and pumped them a couple of times, she was airborne in seconds.
"Brother dear, I'll get you your flowers. I'll make sure of it." She gives me a wicked smile and flies off to the Royal Gardens.
I continue walking around, greeting the locals who live and work around the village. I greet the nobles and speak to a few close friends of my parents. I stop every once in a while to interact with a few younger lights. The children are always so happy and always so full of life. Their wings weren't fully developed yet, to where they can fly. So they would just flutter about, tossing a ball around.
"Your Lighfulness." A girl yells out to me waving her hands. She slowly walks up to me and bows low with intense respect. I bow my head to her. She looks up at me; her eyes are glowing with happiness and nervousness.
"My lady?" I said, keeping my face passive.
"My name is Bonnie." She murmurs, while looking down trying to hide her flushed cheeks.
"A lovely name, Bonnie, for what do I owe the pleasure of meeting you?" I ask her, giving her a warm smile.
"That is just it, your Lighfulness. I just wanted to seize the opportunity to meet our future." She stops and looks down suddenly embarrassed.
"Bonnie, believe it or not, you are our future. The amazingly hard workers of this village are the future. I'm just here to simply guide and protect you all." I say being honest. She glances at me and flushes.
"Oh, how remarkable! You are very charismatic, noble light." She says smiling with enthusiasm. I hear the quiet sound of wings pumping behind me. It was almost inaudible, and would've been if my ears hadn't been trained to pick up on little sounds like that. I slightly stiffen knowing someone just landed behind me. Bonnie's eyes widen as she bows lower than before. I didn't want to know who was behind me, but deep down I already knew.
"Walking around in the village without guards; seems to me, you're looking for trouble." Elettra whispers. I turn sideways to let Elettra join my conversation with Bonnie. Elettra's eyes glisten with venom as soon as she sees Bonnie, who is still bowing.
"Rise," she hisses. Bonnie slowly rises, she was scared. "You are?" Elettra asks. I hear the disgust in her voice. I frown at Elettra, but she just ignores me.
"My n-name is Bonnie, noble light," she stutters.
"Bonnie," Elettra coos. Bonnie peeks up at Elettra.
"Why is a lowly peasant, such as yourself, talking to the future king of Illimatia?" She hisses at Bonnie. Bonnie flinches and fear washes over her face again.
"Elettra, enough!" I growl. She doesn't take her icy glare off of Bonnie. Bonnie stands there staring at the ground, tears rimming the edge of her eyes.
"Bonnie I'm sorry, please don't cry. It was nice meeting you. Remember, the future is in your hands," I murmur. I bow to Bonnie, while she mirrors my action, a shadow of a smile working its way on her lips. I grab Elettras' arm and drag her to a secluded area, for more privacy.
"How dare you interrupt an innocent conversation, and then yell at my future subjects. You have no right-"
"No right?" She cut me off. "No right? I don't know if you've forgotten, your Lighfulness, but I'm engaged to the Prince of Illimatia, which makes me the future queen!" She growls.
"You haven't the right to be cold to them, Elettra." I explain softly.
"They're dirty-"
"They're Angels, just like you and I. They eat, breathe, sleep, talk and bleed. Just. Like. us. They have feelings and opinions and hearts, just like me, and everyone else."
"And me." She whines. I take a step closer to her and bring my face close to hers.
"No Elettra, your actions, reveal you have no heart." I whisper softly. Elettras' eyes widen and her jaw drops. She closes her mouth and in one swift movement wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me, hard. She takes me by surprise; I gently peel her off of me. I stare at her. What is your problem?
"I have to go, I'll see you later." She bows her head and runs in a sprint leaping in the air, flying to who knows where. Her two body guards catch up with her and fly underneath her right and left flanks. I watch until they are out of sight. I shake my head, wondering how a creature that beautiful, could be so ugly. I walk out of the alley and on to the street.