I nodded. “Yeah, that would be great.”
“I'll see to the arrangements then,” Riley said.
She gave me a smile and stood up to leave. “Riley?”
She turned to me. “Yes?”
“I – I just wanted to say thank you,” I stammered. “For everything. You've been so kind to us and I truly appreciate it.”
“I admire you, Hatare,” she said. “You have nothing to thank me for. I consider it a privilege to have you here.”
I cocked my head and looked at her. “Admire – me?” I asked. “Why would you admire me? I'm a nobody. You're a Queen.”
She laughed. “Being a Queen does not make me better than you, dear,” she said. “I'm a regular person with a fancy sounding title. That's all.”
“I don't know about – ”
“I do know about that,” she said as she sat back down and turned to me, taking my hand in hers. I was compelled to look into her eyes. “And as for why I admire you, it's simple. You are a courageous young woman. You saw injustice and you did something about it. You refused to bow to a system of oppression and took control of your own life. To me, that is courageous. That is something to be admired. Not everybody would have that kind of courage or strength.”
I sighed. “Even with what I told you,” I said. “About taking my own life. Still think that's courageous?”
Riley nodded. “The fact of the matter is that you didn't take your own life,” she said. “You found it within you to carry on and head out on your own. That takes strength, Hatare. Courage.”
I sat back in my seat and looked back out at the ocean, not sure what to say. I wasn't used to compliments – compliments from a Queen, no less – and it sent my mind spinning.
“T – thank you,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Riley stood again and ran her hand through my hair. “You're a special girl, Hatare,” she said. “Don't ever forget that or let anybody make you think otherwise.”
I smiled at her and was overcome by a wave of emotion that I couldn't explain. My eyes stung as my tears welled up in them – and I didn't know why. I had no reason to be crying. And yet – I was. It was baffling to me – I wasn't ordinarily an emotional person. I tended to be more on the logical and rational side of things. Some people took me for being cold and aloof. And perhaps, I was.
But for some reason, ever since I'd left home, something within me was changing. I could feel it.
“I'll have some food and wine sent in,” Riley said. “And I'll see about having Byr moved to this chamber.”
“Thank you, Riley,” I said, genuine gratitude flooding my body. “Thank you so much.”
She gave me a warm smile. “You're welcome.”
I watched her turn and start to walk away. She had only gotten a few steps before she turned back around again.
“Oh, and I'll see what I can do about springing you out of here for a little while,” she said. “Maybe I can arrange to let you have a walk around the gardens – which I think you'll love. They're gorgeous.”
Tears raced down my cheeks and I smiled at her. She was so incredibly kind and it honestly made me feel a lot better about being locked up in this chamber.
“Thank you, Riley.”
She smiled once more before turning and leaving the room, leaving me alone to sort through all of my thoughts and my emotions.
Chapter Two
Byr
I'd lost track of how many days I'd been flat on my back in this bed. Machines surrounded the bed, issuing soft beeping and booping sounds. The pain in my stomach was finally becoming manageable – meaning, I didn't want to scream out and cry every time I moved.
Initially, I thought I was going to die. I'd never experienced pain of that magnitude before – and coupled with the amount of blood I was seeing pour out of me, I really thought I was on my way out. What struck me the most about it though, was that I was okay with it. As I lay there, staring up at the Optorion sky, I was at peace with dying.
I was at peace because I felt that I'd done something good. I'd helped Hatare escape from a life of oppression and what was essentially slavery. That, to me, gave my life some sense of meaning. As ridiculous as it might have sounded, I felt good about what I'd done. And if it was the last thing I did, then so be it.
“How are you feeling today, Byr?”
I turned to look and found Queen Riley standing in the doorway of my room. I sat up straight and tried to make myself look a little more presentable. She merely laughed and favored me with a smile. She was a beautiful woman – maybe one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. Though we were very similar, her human features gave her an exotic look that was unique. And incredibly attractive.
I cleared my throat. “I'm feeling better, Your Majesty,” I said. “Thank you for asking.”
She stepped into the room and waved me off. “Stop with the Majesty stuff,” she laughed. “I'm just Riley. Please.”
“I – I'm sorry,” I said. “I was raised to be respectful of my betters.”
She moved to the side of the bed and took my hand in hers. I felt the heat rushing into my face and knew my eye markings were glowing, making my embarrassment highly visible.
“Betters?” Riley asked. “Is that what you think? That I'm your better?”
I nodded. “You and King Jendrish, of course,” I replied. “You're royalty. I'm a scrap – and I'm okay with that. No shame in it.”
“Byr,” she said, her voice firm. “That is a way of thinking you must stop. Immediately.”
I cocked my head and looked at her, not sure what she meant.
“You're not a scrap,” she said. “Nobody is better than you simply because they've had some good fortune.”
I shrugged. “It's just the way things are, Maj – Riley,” I said. “There always have to be those on top and those on the bottom.”
“Perhaps on Unduthia,” she said. “But not here on Optorio. This is a meritocracy. Nobody is inherently better than anybody else. And I won't have you thinking otherwise.”
I wasn't sure how to reply to that. All my life, I'd been raised to understand that there were those who had power and those who didn't. Those who had the wealth, and those who didn't. Those who were at the top of the food chain, and those who weren't.
And unfortunately for me, I came out on the short end of the stick in every way that mattered.
Life had been hard living on the fringes of Kinray. Working in the factories was brutal. Exhausting. Oftentimes, not having enough to eat – let alone feed my family – had been rough. But we'd managed. It wasn't even close to a luxurious existence, but I had my family and that counted for something.
If I were being honest, I might have said I preferred life out on the fringes where I was free and I was part of a close-knit community, over the rigid and oppressive life Hatare had been subjected to. We looked out for one another. Took care of each other.
Riley put her hand on my arm and squeezed it gently. “Assuming everything goes well and Jendrish grants your request for asylum, you have a chance to make a fresh start here, Byr,” she said, her voice soft, yet firm. “You have the chance to build a life for yourself – a better life. You have the chance to be who and whatever you want to be. Nobody is better than you here, Byr. You get what you earn – and I know you're not a man afraid of a little hard work. You have the chance to lift yourself up to heights that maybe you never even thought possible before.”
I listened to her words and felt something warming my insides, filling my heart – it was hope. Hope that what she was saying was real and true. The idea that I could build a life that wasn't a constant struggle, that wasn't a fight for survival – it was appealing. More than appealing, it was something I yearned for.
But I didn't want to let myself grow too hopeful. I wasn't sure whether or not we'd be allowed to remain on Optorio, given everything that had happened – and was still happening. From what I'd heard, there was tension between King Jendrish and the
Unduthian government over everything that had happened. And knowing that, it made me wonder whether or not we would be granted asylum after all.
“D – do you think our petition for asylum will be granted?” I asked, my voice hesitant.
She gave me a small smile. “I am doing everything in my power to make sure it happens,” Riley said. “Ultimately, though, it's Jendrish's decision. But just know that I'm fighting for both you and Hatare. You're both remarkable people and deserve a chance to build the lives you want to live.”
My smile was weak as the hope within me seemed to fade slightly. “I understand,” I said. “And I truly appreciate you trying to help us.”
She sighed. “I wish I could do more. I wish I could grant you asylum myself,” she said. “But unfortunately, I can't. So, I'm doing what I can to influence the decision.”
“Thank you,” I said softly.
She gave my arm another squeeze and then favored me with a warm smile. “I've just spoken with the doctors,” she said. “And they say you're ready to be moved out of here and into a more comfortable chamber.”
“That's the best news I've had in days,” I said.
She smiled. “Well, I have some better news for you,” she said. “I'm going to have you moved into the chamber Hatare is in. I thought it might do you some good to see a friendly face.”
“M – moved into her chamber?”
Riley laughed. “It's a very large chamber,” she said. “More than enough room for the both of you.”
My eye markings were glowing again as the heat rushed back into my face once more. The thought of sharing a room with Hatare was – intimidating. It made me a little nervous. I'd shared a small room with my mom and siblings, of course. But I'd never shared one with somebody as attractive as Hatare. Not to mention somebody so far above my own station.
It just seemed – wrong. Strange.
“Hatare is looking forward to seeing you, by the way,” Riley said. “She's been really concerned about you.”
I looked up at her. “Sh – she is?” I asked, a touch of awe in my voice. “Really?”
Riley nodded. “She is. I was just with her a little while ago and she told me herself.”
I felt my eyes wide and the burning in my face hadn't abated – if anything, it had gotten worse. I couldn't believe that Hatare was looking forward to seeing me – let alone, consent to sharing a chamber with me. It seemed so – surreal. I couldn't believe it was true.
“She's a pretty girl, isn't she?” Riley asked, a twinkle in her eye.
I gave her a shy smile. “I – I suppose so,” I said. “Yes.”
“She is very pretty,” Riley said. “Smart too.”
I couldn't disagree with that assessment. Hatare was absolutely beautiful – not that I could tell Riley that. Not that I would tell anybody that. Hatare was of the upper class, and I the lower. No matter what Riley said, that's just how things were. And I knew my place in the order of things. I could admire Hatare from afar – and I'd have to be content with that.
Upper and lower classes didn't mix. And although she seemed different than the typical woman in Unduthian society, I was quite sure there were some social norms she wouldn't let herself violate.
“I happen to think that you two make a cute couple,” Riley said.
I shrugged. “I don't think she sees us that way.”
“Maybe not,” Riley said. “But maybe instead of assuming, you should ask her what she thinks.”
I gave her a small, dry laugh. “I doubt that – ”
“You doubt, but you don't know,” she said. “Not with any certainty anyway.”
I shrugged and looked down at the sheet covering my body. While it was true and she had a point, Riley didn't understand Unduthian cultural norms – or how deeply ingrained they were.
“Well, I'll leave that for you to think about,” Riley said. “But just so you know, I think she kind of likes you.”
I looked back up at her and gave her a weak, goofy smile. “Think so?”
“I think so,” she replied. “Anyway, you're going to be moved up to her chamber shortly. Also, I've arranged for the both of you to have a private tour of our gardens. That is, if you're up to walking around a bit.”
I nodded eagerly. Getting out of bed and moving around again would likely do wonders for my mind and my spirit. Being forced to lay in bed day in and day out, with nobody to really talk to, was taking a toll on me – I was going absolutely stir crazy.
“I think that sounds wonderful,” I said. “I think a walk would do me a lot of good.”
Riley nodded. “I think so too.”
“Thank you, Riley,” I said. “For everything.”
She gave me a smile. “You're welcome.”
She turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with all of the thoughts running through my brain.
Sharing a chamber with Hatare was going to be strange. But I had to admit, seeing her again and having the chance to talk to her, sounded wonderful. I'd never admit it to Riley, but I was most definitely attracted to Hatare. She was smart, witty, beautiful – I'd never met anybody like her before.
I didn't think it would ever go anywhere, given our differing stations in society. But knowing that she was at least concerned about me and wondering how I was doing filled my heart with joy. The idea that she was thinking about me sent chills slithering down my spine.
I shook my head and laughed to myself. “Get hold of yourself, Byr,” I said. “You're sounding like a terrible, lovesick poet.”
And perhaps I was. My feelings for Hatare were complicated and nowhere easy to define. But I knew I had feelings for her. Feelings I was going to have to stuff down, hide, and never speak of. It was something that didn't make me feel all that terrific, but it was what it was. We were just too different.
At the very least, though, I could call her a friend. We'd gone through hell to get to the point we were currently at. And that was going to have to be good enough for me.
I lay back in my bed to wait to be transferred to Hatare's chamber. And until that time arrived, I was free to think what I wanted. So, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to Hatare, thinking about how she'd impacted and changed my whole world.
Chapter Three
Hatare
I was doing the same thing I'd done every day since I'd been locked into the most luxurious prison cell ever created – which was sitting on the balcony off the bedchamber, staring at the ocean, lost in my thoughts. About the best thing that could be said was that at least the food was good and the wine was plentiful. Riley had made sure to keep me well fed and had taken care of my every need and want.
Except for letting me out of this chamber.
I sipped from the glass and watched some strange looking birds swooping low over the sea when I heard the chime on the door sound. I set the glass down and stood up, waiting for the guards who'd been stationed outside the door to open it.
The door slid open with a whoosh to reveal Riley standing there with a wide smile on her face.
“Hello, Hatare,” she said.
“Good afternoon, Your Maje – ”
Riley raised an eyebrow to cut me off – silencing me instantly. She'd talked to me about that more than once.
“Good afternoon, Riley,” I corrected myself.
She smiled. “Much better,” she said. “Much, much better.”
I grinned at her. I wasn't used to being so casual with somebody of Riley's station. Though I'd rebelled against the social norms of Unduthian society, some of those lessons were still deeply ingrained in me – such as showing deference and respect to those in positions above me. They were apparently hard habits to break.
“I have a surprise for you,” Riley said.
“Oh?”
She turned to the doorway and Byr walked in, his eyes on the floor and his eye markings giving off a soft glow. He was obviously embarrassed and feeling a little self-conscious. It took a moment, but he finally looked up at me, g
iving me a shy smile.
“Hi,” was all he said.
Seeing Byr standing there, whole and healthy again, sent a wave of relief rushing through me – a wave stronger than I'd expected to feel. While it was true that we barely knew each other, we'd been through so much together. I felt closer to him than I'd ever felt toward anybody in my family. I felt somewhat bonded to him. A kinship.
I smiled and rushed over, throwing my arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. His body was stiff and he hugged me back awkwardly, apparently, not quite sure what to do with himself.
I looked over at Riley who was staring back at us with a satisfied smile on her face. “I've arranged for the two of you to have a private tour of the gardens,” she said. “You'll be accompanied, of course, but I'll make sure to tell them to remain discrete. I apologize for the need.”
I stepped back from Byr – whose face was flushed and eye markings glowing brightly – and turned to Riley.
“Thank you, Riley,” I said. “You've been nothing but gracious and kind to us. And I'm eternally grateful for the care you gave to Byr.”
“Y – yes, thank you,” Byr said in a quiet voice.
“You're both very welcome,” she said. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to. When you're ready for your tour, just signal the guards outside the door.”
I nodded and gave her my thanks again. She favored us both with another smile and departed the room, the door whooshing shut behind her. There was a short beep as the lock engaged, leaving Byr and I alone, standing in the middle of the room staring at each other awkwardly.
I cleared my throat and decided to address the elephant in the room. “So, I guess you're going to be staying here with me.”
Byr nodded and looked down at his feet. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess they do things a little differently here on Optorio.”
I laughed. “Clearly.”
I took Byr by the hand and guided him out to the balcony. I took the seat I'd been sitting in and motioned for him to sit in the seat beside me. He did, but he sat on the edge of it, his back rigid and straight, looking anything but comfortable.
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