“What would you
like to eat?” asked Kiyor as he scanned the scenes of
cafés and restaurants. “Seafood or tea and cake?”
“I don’t mind,” answered Rowan.
“There you are!” a jovial voice cried
out. The couple turned and saw-to their surprise-Manar running up to
them. Her appearance in the Light Kingdom was a shocking contrast to
her look of the Dark Kingdom. She wore boots, with army-style leggings
of an orange shade with a thin, sleeveless, orange, open-jacket and
underneath that, was a yellow top also known as a
‘boob-tube’. There was no make-up around her eyes, no added
colour to her lips and her hair had been blown. Her eyes were vivid and
full of life.
“Did my mother send you to find me?”
asked Rowan. She gave her bodyguard a few moments to regain her breath.
Manar nodded. “That’s right. We all
regrouped at dawn and had only found a few unlikely leads. One of the
groups told us Kiyor’s message. So we broke up and agreed to meet
again tonight. I went home and told Dorania where you were and she was
not happy, so I got ordered to go back out and find you but I slipped
away and went to sleep. I knew about those seekers and figured you
weren’t safe ‘til daytime.”
“You’ve got a little explaining to do,” pointed out Kiyor with his arms crossed.
“You too,” she passed back, “but
let’s do it while we eat. How about going to this
restaurant?”
“What do they call you?” asked Kiyor.
“Manira.”
They were seated in a restaurant that had blue walls and was
illuminated by only the windows. Fish tanks were everywhere and so were
the fish paintings. The threesome sat at a table in a corner, away from
the fish tanks.
“People aren’t judged by status
here,” Manira exasperated. “I thought you could easily pick
that up because you were the one who told me: ‘Everyone deserves
to give their opinion sometime.’ D’you have any idea how
hard it is for me when you and your Mum simply order me around,
expecting me to obey and think that all I do in that house of yours is
watch? Your family has a hidden history and I can’t learn
it!” Her voice was raising. “There are so many times when I
just want to ask a question or make a comment, but what I would most
like to do is give Dorania a big slap! It’s just what she
deserves! I can’t believe she can just go around like she’s
the dominant one! She says who does what! Midiro is the sweetest person
alive and he’s a busy man, but for the last few years, he’s
been breaking down under that iron fist!”
Kiyor was looking a little worried. “Manira.”
“Everyone needs to be given a chance and he must escape!”
“Manira!” Kiyor snapped. “Who is Midiro?”
Manira clamped her mouth firmly shut. She gave Rowan an apologetic look.
Rowan seemed unsure of herself. … “He is my father…and a Light Citizen.”
It was at this moment that the drinks came along.
When the drinks had been served and the waiter went back, Kiyor spoke
once more.
“Earlier you called me an abomination. What in
the Angels’ name are you?” He was seriously annoyed.
“I’m sorry.” Rowan looked only downwards. “I thought I was the only one.”
… Kiyor had to laugh. “I
shouldn’t tell you this but I’m in the Light Kingdom so my
defences are completely down. The faction I’m in, my aunt’s
faction; it’s filled with Light-Dark marriages, including my
parents’.”
Manira’s eyes widened. “No way!”
She then realised something. “Are all your cousins-in the
faction-like you? Comfortable in the light and the dark?”
He was confused why she asked this. “Yes.”
“So why aren’t you like that Rowan?”
Rowan was at a loss. “I don’t
know.” She looked at Kiyor. “Why were your parents
married?”
“My mother’s from one of the Light
Citizen bodyguard families. She and my father were training partners
and seeing how well they got on, their marriage was arranged.”
“No love?” asked a disappointed Manira.
He shrugged. “Some of the couples married out of love.”
The food came along. Manira got the Crab Claws and
the other two had the Sardines. As Rowan and Kiyor neatly carved apart
the Sardines, Manira picked up a claw by hand and took a big bite. Her
companions gave her stares.
“What is the meaning of this lack of courtesy?” asked the astonished Rowan.
“It’s how you’re meant to eat
it,” answered the Redhead with her mouth full. She swallowed and
took a few gulps of her drink.
“You know you’re pretty good at hiding
the fact you’re a tomboy,” commented Kiyor dubiously.
Manira put down her drink and grinned. She burped. “Thanks.”