She has heard the stories, she doesn't live under a rock after all. She knew what will happen to her when dawn comes. She said her goodbye to her father and little brother, her only living family.
"I'll keep mom company," she told her father, both corners of her lips upturned but was it a smile? Who knows.
Her father wrapped his strong, labor-ridden arms around her. She didn't see his tears but she felt them on her left shoulder. It was hard, but she held back her own. She was not going to show her father that she was scared, that she didn't want to die, and that she wanted to run. That will only influence him to take drastic actions to get her away and that will only result in his own death.
Aliyah returned his tight hug then squatted down to face Karin, her six-year old brother, "When I see mom, I'll tell her all about our adventures and how brave and strong you have become."
Karin, who was already covered in his own snot and tears, ran to his dear sister and encircled his scrawny arms around her neck, "Don't go, please."
"I'm sorry," Aliyah wanted to cry. She wanted to falter and bawl her eyes out, but she couldn't... not in front of her family. She didn't want their last memory of her to be her unpleasant, weeping face. Aliyah tried to pry her brother's arms away from her but he was persistent in keeping her where she was... in his arms. Their father finally intervened and carried Karin in his arms.
Aliyah gave them one last smile before turning her back to them and taking a step outside their home where the castle guards were waiting for her. An uncontainable tear made its way down her right cheek.
Aliyah did not imagine her wedding to be like this. She thought she would be overwhelmed with emotions. Well, she is... overwhelmed with fear that is. She dreamt about it a couple of times throughout her childhood and the young man standing right in front of her is the same one in her dreams, but at the same time, he looked different. Changed? His features didn't change much. His cheekbones and jawline have become more pronounced since the last time she saw him, he was much taller as well but his eyes were the ones that bothered her. They did not have the same twinkle filled with excitement and anticipation as her memories. They were dull and empty as if time has taken its toll on them. But she knew, from the first glance, that those eyes told stories that would terrify her.
For a moment, Aliyah felt remorse for the king. Where was the boy that she knew? The one who she ran around with while her mother served the palace? The one who had watched her play the nay with such fascination?
The one who she loved.
The man in front of her looked like him, but he is not her Khalid. There was not even an ounce of recognition in his blank stare.
"Khalid?" she called out hoping that she can somehow convince him to spare her, but she was met with an incredulous smile.
"Bold of you to address me in that manner," he said and she could not bring herself to reply.
The ceremony ended quickly, just as the thirty-nine ceremonies before it did. Khalid walked back to his room exhausted from the day. All he had in mind was to get in the bath then the bed. No, that was a lie. He always had a lot in his mind: the curse being the fore front. How many more young women will die under his command? The thought always angered him and this time was not any different. Remembering the pleading look in that female's eyes when she said his name made him crumble in guilt. How he kept his composure during the ceremony was beyond him.
Khalid sat in his desk after his bath then pulled out a leather-bound journal. He flipped to an unmarked page and started writing. There was a reason why he had this library converted to his room. It seemed to be the only place where he can gather his thoughts.
Aliyah was directed to an extravagant room beaming with vibrant hues and a tremendous amount of gold . But what does all these matter when she only had one night to spend in it? A bath was freshly drawn for her, so she did not waste time and got in while the water was hot.
It only took an hour after her bath for her to get over the fascination of her marvelous room. Now what? Am I supposed to just sit and wait for my death? Khalid is not even in the room with me. But I guess it wouldn't make sense to spend the night with the female you sentenced to death once the sun rises, she thought.
Another hour passed before she finally decided it was enough waiting. She had eight hours before her death. Why would she stay cooped up in a room? Anything she does now would not matter after dawn after all.
Aliyah managed to slip away from the one responsible for guarding her door, but she is now on the run because they are hunting for her. She knew it was impossible to escape from the castle but that was not her plan. She was going to look for the library because it had the best views in the castle especially at night.
Although it had been years since she had been in the palace, she remembered each and every corner and corridors. She knew the library was the only one with tall double doors, so it was easy for her to find. Aliyah heard the guards running closer and closer, so she quickly limped inside then slowly closed the door keeping in mind that she had to do it without making a sound.
Aliyah heard a deep voice clear their throat behind her so she turned around only to be alarmed to find Khalid staring at her with furrowed brows. "What are you doing here?" It was obvious that he was not fond of the intrusion. It seemed like he was not fond of her period.
"I uh-" Aliyah scans her surrounding. She was not in the library. Well, the structure was similar to the library from her memories. The room had the high ceiling and the stairs that lead to the balcony, her destination, but instead of rows of bookshelves filled with books, they were replaced by a large bed, a desk, and a cabinet. The spacious room looked empty with just those three simple furniture. She assumed that the King would have an even more lavish sleeping area than the room she was in. She didn't expect his bed chambers to be so simple.
Khalid sighed, "Go back to your room." She could tell he was annoyed by her but she was not going to give in. It was her last night on Earth and she was going to get what she came here for.
Aliyah took a deep breath in then replied, "No." Khalid squeezed her left upper arm and was about to push her out of the room but Aliyah stood her ground. "I have less than eight hours to live. I want to be able to do everything I want before then." The wrinkle in between his eyebrows grew deeper. "You owe me at least that much."
Khalid dropped his hand from her arm and looked away shamefully. He knew he owed her more than a final request and it ate at him with every second, but he found the courage to look back at her, his emotionless facade still intact. "What do you want?"
"I want to go up to the balcony," Aliyah pointed to the only source of moonlight in the room. What was in the balcony that she wanted to see so bad? It has been years since he last had been there. The stairs curved along the wall that lead to the balcony that was almost parallel to the ceiling and it was a long climb.
Nonetheless, Khalid nodded and started for the stairs. He peaked over his shoulder when he noticed the irregular footsteps behind him. Aliyah was limping. "What's wrong with your foot?"
"I twisted my ankle when I tripped and fell in the garden," Aliyah winced in pain. "I'm fine though. I can make it."
Khalid glanced to the balcony then back to her. He knew she was hurting, "No, you won't."
"I'm going to the balcony," Aliyah persisted and limped past him.
She yelped at the first step and Khalid knew she was going to injure herself some more if she kept it up, so he scooped her up in his arms and carried her. While climbing the stairs, he could feel her staring at his face, probably due to surprise, but he kept his eyes straight ahead.
"Thank you," he heard her mutter under her breath.
Why would you thank your killer? He thought.
Once they reached the top, Aliyah limped towards the balcony railing.
"Look up," Aliyah commanded.
Khalid turned to the clear, cloudless night sky. There were stars... shining, falling. It was a meteor shower. They were so high up from the ground that the stars seemed attainable. Aliyah must have had a similar thought because she stretched out her left hand as if she was trying to grab them. A sudden flashback of a girl with dark hair pointing at the night sky enters his mind:
"I read in a book that in about eight years, there will be a meteor shower that will be visible from here. It only comes every one hundred years," the little girl said her blue eyes that were a striking contrast to her jet black hair sparkled with excitement. "I want to see them with you."
Khalid, now, stared at those same blue eyes reflecting the same night sky with such vibrancy, it was blinding. It reminded him of his childhood: carefree, joyous, and peaceful.
"I have one more request," Aliyah stated diverting her eyes from the sky to look at him.
Khalid stared at her without giving a response, but she gathered the remaining courage she had left and blurted out, "A kiss." He raised an eyebrow at her in question and she felt the need to explain. "I've always been jealous of couples I see walking around in the streets with no care in the world except for the person right next to them. They seemed really happy and content just to be by each other. I've never had anyone to share such intimacy with." His gaze softens and she looks away in embarrassment. "I want to know what it feels like."
Aliyah gazed back at his amber eyes and, once again, they were different. Gone were the harsh, empty glare, but, now, they looked somber. Mournful. She wanted to take it back.
Maybe he has a lover after all, she thought.
But before she could utter a word, Khalid grabbed the back of her neck and brought her lips onto his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. It was everything she dreamed of but at the same it was not, and they both knew why. Khalid did it out of obligation and nothing else but she couldn't ask for anything more from him. Aliyah pulled away first then sat on the makeshift hammock chair. Khalid looked at her with guilt but she only smiled and patted the space to her right. "The meteor shower is going to take a while and I want to watch it 'til the end."
Khalid sat down next to her and on impulse, she laid her head on his shoulder. He stiffened and she realized what she did but instead of straightening up, she took his hand. "Tonight, you are my husband."
She felt Khalid's form slacken next to her as if it was the first time he was able to relax in a long while. She didn't have to ask him to know the burden he carries, the decisions he didn't want to make, and the loneliness in his battered heart forced to harden.
He was not the ruthless King that everybody knew him to be. He was still her Khalid, the boy in her memories, who was forced to lock his emotions, beaten down and pressured to keep the castle running. A slave to his own kingdom.
Aliyah fell asleep a couple of hours before dawn and Khalid carried her back to her bedroom. For a while, he stared at her sleeping form. He was about to take the life of his childhood friend. The only remaining person who reminded him how it was like to be happy and to be at peace. But the kingdom is his responsibility, it is the burden he has to carry to his grave. So, with a tight fist, he forced himself to walk out of the room and return to his bedroom.
"I'm sorry," Jalal greeted Aliyah in her bedroom. "It's almost dawn."
Aliyah held up a folded piece of paper, "Please deliver this to Khalid."
Jalal's eyes widen in surprise at the familiar way she addressed the King, but took the note nonetheless.
Guards flanked her but Aliyah walked up to them willingly... to the silk ropes. To her death.
I accept death... for your peace of mind. Even if it's only for a little while.
Khalid could not muster up the courage to go see her. Instead, he locked himself up in his room.
"It's for the best," he kept convincing himself but guilt was eating him up. He sat back and let her walk to her death because he couldn't stop her. He could not stop the curse. He was a powerless coward.
It was noon and yet the King was still cooped up in his room. Jalal finally decided to walk into the huge double-doors only to witness the ruin that is the King's bedroom. Books, papers, and spilled ink were scattered on the floor, but the King was nowhere to be found. Jalal stepped into the bathroom and the first thing he noticed was the cracked and bloodied mirror, then the King slumped in the corner with his head between his legs and his bloodied hand propped on his knees.
"She wanted me to give you this," Jalal held out the folded piece of paper.
The King looked up at the paper and stared at it for a long while before finally clutching it in his hand.
Thank you for making my dreams come true.
A lone tear splatters onto the paper...