Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Other Side

I breath, all the air on my lungs as I possibly can do. Men, I'm hella' nervous! And take note, it's not normal anymore.

I'm hands are slightly shaking. And a moist from it are already visible. It's a sign that I'm really freaking nervous. I can evel feel it.

I touch my palm, with the other one. Rubbing it, silently. Tryin' to ease the trembling feeling inside me. Seems like my heart, really wants to get out and get rid of me already.

It's not really good. Based on, Noire's story about the history and current situation of their tribe, their leaders are surely, cruel.

I don't think, it's the right word to describe those bugs. Bugs are really anywhere. From my past life, and now. They're maybe made to suffer or more.

I'm kinda, scared. I'm a newcomer of their tribe, of Palace maybe. I don't really know anymore. All new things really confused the hell out of me!

Noire said, that their tribe have different types of lives. The noble and fortunate who have all the privilege and the whole good things on their hands.

While the others are the unfortunate and poor ones. Who barely experience the real meaning of life, maybe once or twice, or worst never. 

They are born, to serve and be slave of those scumbags, who really think that they are the 'great ones'. 

Even their way of living is being controlled by the bugs. They can't even express their real emotions towards the person they passionately love. Cruel isn't?

The feeling of being prohibited, to love and show your affection towards the love of your life. Loving someone is already a sin in the Tribe of Picaresque.

They are prisoners, of their own people and leaders. Why can't they just live equally, right? It will be more amazing and fruitful. 

Power and wealth, can really change one's personality. Outside or even inside of it. They eat by their own ambition. Greed ambitions.

I'm really wondering, how could they get sleep? After all the bad things they've done to their own kind, are they still consider as human?

Uh! It really hits me hard! My mind, it's all twisted and vane. I need to help those unfortunate, so that they can finally experience the beauty of being alive.

But how? I don't have any powers or what to defeat those bugs. They're so much powerful than me. I only have myself. I can't defeat them by just only me who's fighting for it.

I really need to think a way, a way on how can I change their way of living, their awful and unrighteous laws. On how they treat those same kind as them.

Dulcenea, do all the things that you can possibly do. No matter it takes, you need to make any change. Even it's really small and even see. Go, and save those people from the demons who's caging them from their own freedom!

Nevertheless, for now I still need to know what is the truth behind those giant walls and gates full of armed guards or soldier perhaps.

In any minute by now, we're really taking ourselves to the lions den. No need to be afraid that much, I'm with mister Noire, remember? I think he's not gonna let those guards harm me. Just maybe.

Even if he's a perfect stranger to me, I still believe that he won't let any bad things happen to me. Just this once, let myself trust others. Let's just pray that Noire will protect me. But don't hope. Atleast, no hope's less pain.

As I roam my eyes around, my heart suddenly skip it's beat. Picaresque is big but my description, didn't even reach the half of it's actual big as it is.

'Tribe of Picaresque'

That's the words, written on the top of  it's giant walls and gates. Even seeing it for the very first time, a millions of emotions and stranger feelings invade in me.

As we getting close and closer, I can't just really stop my heart's beat crazily. Throbbing really hard. My hand reach my chest, hoping that it might stop from making me more nervous.

The gates suddenly open, as if have it's own mind and eyes to see that we're approaching really closely.

The guards bow their heads and give respect to us, scratch that. Giving respect to this mister Noire behind me.

I suddenly wonder if Noire the royale, also hate the system of their senate. Maybe he's not, cause' he's a royale after all. No need to experience the way how unfortunate people have experience.

Or he is, but secretly. It comes from him already, they can't change the toxic way how their system operate it's people that easy.

I don't know him that much. It's not the right time to judge him. I need to know him more, to be able to judge him. But in the first place, I don't have any rights to judge Noire.

We already passing through the gates of Picaresque. We're really here. After a long period of journey, we're finally walking on it's vented floor.

A garden on it's side, like how castle in fairytale have. A fountain with unending water flow in it. 

The structures of the hallways seems so delicate and designed with bare hands also with a precious designs. Although, I can't understand what the means of it's handcraft design, it stills amaze me how they be able to make this without any help of a machine.

"Hey, lady. What's on your mind again?" mister Noire, finally got spoken again.

"It's nothing, again," I answered him directly.

There's really nothing on my mind, it's just about my perspective about their tribe and how talented people can be in this late era.

"Do you like, what you see?" maybe pertaining about the hallway we're walking through.

"I'm just amaze, and got mesmerized. On how talented do people are. They build it with their own hands and ideas without any help of machinery," still overwhelmed, and amazed reflect on my voice. And how I really describe it.

"So, you're amazed? It's one of our European people's talent. To craft and make incredible design out of our hands," he also added.

"But, milady. Can I ask one thing?"

"What is it, mister?" he maybe curious about me.

"What is machinery?"crap. I'm in the past right now. They don't maybe know what machinery is! How careless I am!

"Uh, it's just a...nothing. No need to ask about it. Mister Noire, it's nothing to do with you," it's meaningless. I don't really know if he'll believe into it.

"Oh, I thought it's kind of helping hand. I'm sorry, milady," he got an idea! But don't know it exactly.

Phew! I'm so near. He didn't suspect me right? If that's happen, another problem will it be. Hope he don't give any fuss about it.

"It's ok, to be curious, mister. We're strangers after all," Let's just say, I'm comforting him to me. So that I can easily ask him a random things about this secluded place.

"I'm still sorry, milady. Forgive me, for being so mischievous,"

I turn my gaze, and find his eye to look on. He's really a beautiful gorgeous man indeed. Thick and strong eyebrows, proud and mighty nose, perfect jaw as it it also crafted by the own hands of God.

A color light brown eye, blended with those long ang silky eye lashes of his. A plum and very red lips. It's very tempting to know what those feel into mine.

What?! Dulcenea are you high? Tf! Calm and compose yourself. My mind suddenly poke my other side of brain. It probably thinks I'm into this man.

It's so early to tell. Love at first sight doesn't affect on me. Just to be sure. 

He's just so beautiful, and there's me. Appreciating it, the beautiful craft of Him. He's parent's must be Adonis and Philia.

"It's really, fine. No need to feel sorry Noire," I flashed a sincere and assuring smile.

Let's aside that thing, that I'm wondering over his perfect appearance. Shh! It's just over us. No need for him to know.

He seems like stunned for a sec. Maybe also wondering, why I'm smiling. We'll I'm just making him feel relieved, that's all sweetie.

I turned my head on the way again. Focusing on the new surroundings. I need to memorized it all so that I'm not going to lose the way home.

"I'm relieved, then. Are you ready?"

"I am, mister," I know his pertaining about me being ready to meet his home.

"Just call me, Noire, milady," 

"If that's what you want. Then, I'll call Noire from now on," 

"I'm glad to know that, milady," he chuckles, so manly and sexy Noire.

"But, if it's only the two of us. I still need to address you. So expect me, to call you mister when other people around," I also added. To assure him, that I still have dignity and a dace to give some respect towards him. 

"If that's what you want, milady. Do as you please," what a gentleman, right?

I'll be happy if a man like him still exist on the future. It would be great, if it was.

"You're so nice. I mean, as a stranger, I don't really expect you to be this nice towards me," I'm literally smiling while saying those words to him. Poor him, he can't see that I'm smiling from lips to my ears.

"It's my nature, milady. Get used to it," how can you be so sure? Get used to it? Do you think we'll get along that long together? Even me, myself also don't know.

But I hope, we will. 

"Well, since you're nice towards me. I'll pay you back, with the same amount,"

"What do you mean, milady?" He curiously, ask. I mentally laugh. Silly.

"Just call me Dulce, then. No need to really address me as milady. There's no need for that," I explained what's on my mind.

He suddenly chuckles. My forehead creased. I'm serious, it's not a joke! This man! Uh! He's starting again!

"No need to say, milady. I already know that. But it's just the same as you said,"

I'm confused. What does he mean?

"I would still address you as, milady. To show people how should they also address and give respect on you," w-what?O_o

So, kind and gentle. I like it. So that's what he means. I thought it's more serious.

"Also, expect me to call you on your name when we're alone together. Just the two of us," 

"Oh! then, d-do it as you, also pleased," I copy the answer that he give a while ago.

"It's an agreement, then," after that, a silence surrounds use once more.

When we're our way to their home, many people roaming around and doing their own business. But when, they knew who's arriving, they will stop immediately and bow as a sign of their respect to Noire.

"They seem to address you that much, mister," I suddenly say out of the blue.

"As I said a while ago, milady. Be used to it," then I heard a chuckles of him once again.

"What a confidence," I can't stop my self to laugh. But in silent only. I'm a lady I still need to show my delicacy.

While we're talking, some people look at me, straight from my eyes. Seems curious who the hell am I? Why am I even sitting here next to mister Noire Hussein. 

Well, darling. Me, myself  don't also know either. A smirk plastered on my face while, staring at those ladies. They might have some sort of feelings for this man behind me. I'll consider myself a lucky, then.

Their brows suddenly raised, and clearly wants to pull my hair of and slap my face until it kiss to the ground.

Sorry ladies, but over my dead and gorgeous body. Poor them. Silly creatures. Tsk.

As I notice from them, it's really visible the gap between the two kinds of people. Some are wearing extravagant dresses and beautiful  suits that's perfectly fits on them.

It's stunning. A Picaresque dress and suits, carefully crafted and made of fancy materials.

While the others are walking around like a rug. Their dress, it's dirty and torn out. Their bodies are full of dirt.

My heart suddenly hurts, just by seeing them in this situation, I just can't really think how they could survive a life like that. How pity.

I really need to do something, and do the best as I can. Make change even if still a little. Atleast there will be a change.

"Dulce..." A warm breath surrounds my ear. I flinched.

"Are you alright, milady?" I don't know why he's always checking me out.

But I appreciate it, atleast he swift my attention to other things. When it's about the poor people aroun here.

An urge to help them suddenly knock in my mind. I really need to think s way how I can save them from this hell that they're standing on.

"I'm alright, mister," Tryin' to make sound like I'm really alright, after all the thing I've seen in Picaresque.

It's still a minutes ago, since I step in in their territory. But that several minutes are enough to tear and shuttered me already.

They are really pitiful, just like me. But in different aspects. The saying must be truth. 'Every people have their own misery and monsters to be defeat on, so everybody doesn't have a right to judge the others people perspective'.

That's why I really need to think a way anytime by now. I just can't bear to see them suffering over the hands of their own kind of people.

"You can ask me anything, milady. I'll answer it right a way!" this man don't really like a peaceful journey. He really wants to strike a conversation between us.

I can't help, but to think that this mister is comfortable with me. Did he really like this? Trusting people to much? Though it's not bad, it still not convenient.

Since I'm bored, then let's ask him right away! Silly me. Haha. Let's gain and collect some basic information from this, mister Noire Hussein of Picaresque.

"So, how old are you?" basic question isn't? 

"I'm 26, milady. Turning 27 this up coming September," he answer me immediately.

Upcoming September? I thought it's already November! Place change and even the date. But let's forget about that, and focus on our present day.

"Hmm... Do you have siblings? An older brother or a sister?"

"Yes, I do have, milady. A younger sister only. We're only two. I'm the oldest,"so this man have a sibling. I'm curious, how does it feel to have a sibling. Cause' I haven't any one.

"How old, she is?"

"She's turning 19, this year. And her name is Paloma Ursula Hussein," 

I thought he would mention the name of her sister. Paloma Ursula, it's beautiful. I wondering what she look like. She must be also a dead gorgeous like me! 

Well I can already tell, based on the appearance of his brother. There's nothing to think about. She's gorgeous indeed.

A smile crept on my mouth. I'll like her for sure, wishing it's vice versa.

Bon, suddenly stop. I automatically, turned my gaze to Noire. My eyes automatically roam around the place, but what I see is very beyond my expectation.

I'm about to ask him, if there's a problem. But he got me first and made me shut.

･۝･'Palacio de Hussein'･۝･

I'm stunned. Unable to utter any word. Palacio? Does it means it's a Palace! Tf!? Are they effin' serious!

I still can't absorb, what's really happening! Not until he spill the beans.

"We're already here, Dulce,"

⊙.☉

I'm done, for sure.

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©Skies Ambrielle