CHAPTER II: WILLIAM

 

It was a taste she'd never tried before.

It was sweet and warm and it enveloped her chest like a thick blanket. She cradles the cup in between her hands and takes a sip. Every drop of this wonderful drink made her so warm and happy to the point where she questioned if she deserved to feel this way. 

Celestine felt like she could cry at any time but the gaze of the man sitting in front of her stopped her from doing so.

She finished washing up two minutes ago and was surprised to see such beautiful dresses prepared just for her. Although the dresses were quite large and didn't fit her completely, she felt happy to receive such a privilege. 

She only used to see the young ladies her age walk around the palace donning these same clothes, but she never imagined herself to be wearing the same thing. Never in her life could she have imagined a time like this would come. 

"Um...Thank you," she says shyly, gingerly placing the cup on the table.

It was only because of this man that she was able to indulge in the things she couldn't have. 

Celestine's meals usually consisted of stale bread and leftover soup from the pantry. A meal that nobody would question when it just suddenly disappears. 

It was because of this she did not die of hunger. But this time, she was eating sweet cakes and cookies only served to those little girls who come into the palace with their fathers and mothers.

Something Celestine wanted but could never have. 

The man nods his head in response as he continues to observe her. 

"You seem to have a lot of questions to ask," he says. "I'll answer them. But you won't pry about anything." 

Celestine's eyes light up in excitement. She was dying to ask him so many questions. The question was stuck in her head for a long time while she was cleaning herself up in the bathroom.

"Mister, what is your name?" She tries not to be wary, but it was her first time meeting someone who she can talk to. 

She had to know the name of the man who saved her. It wouldn't be polite if she continued to refer to her saviour as 'mister' or 'you'. 

"William." 

"You have a pretty name, Mister William." 

The man chuckles. "You are the very first person in a long time to tell me my name is pretty." 

"You said this is the Imperial Palace, right?" she says. "But how come I've never seen you among the people living here?" 

William's hands halt just as soon as he was about to take a sip of his tea. What a very good question. He thought to himself and smiles. 

Celestine, who was sitting right in front of him, wondered what he would say. So she waited.

"This place," William starts and Celestine tilts her head in curiosity. "Is a place not just anybody can come into."  

"Unless..." A smile graces William's lips as he looks at somewhere far away. "I command so."  

"Perhaps..." she trails off. "Are you a wizard?" 

This time, William throws his head back in laughter. "You can call it that, I suppose." 

He picks up the teacup and takes a little sip. Celestine mimics him.

It was quite refreshing to speak to someone who can actually respond to you. 

For the past six years, Celestine had only spoken to the animals she'd made friends with. Although she knows that they don't answer her in her language, she was quite sure they could understand what she was saying. 

"How long have you stayed in the palace?" She asks as she forks a piece of strawberry cake sitting peacefully on her plate. 

"I've been here for a long time," he responds. "I forget." 

Celestine frowns. "I don't believe you," she says. "But I will let it go since you've been so nice to me." She flashes him a wide smile before putting a piece of cake in her mouth. 

The silence in the room was deafening. But the two of them bask in the quiet, enjoying each other's company. 

Celestine did not have any questions more to ask him. But as she looked at his face, a question popped up. 

"Have you always had golden eyes, Mister William?" she asks with innocent curiosity and William smiles. 

"Yes. Although they aren't as golden as yours, little child." He responds with a nod. 

The princess was aware of her golden eyes, but it was definitely the first time she saw eyes like hers after her mother's death. 

Celestine hums. "The people in the palace that come and go don't have golden eyes. Does that mean we are special?" 

William throws his head back in laughter. "Indeed, we are." 

Celestine wonders why he laughed, but maybe William is just a weird one? 

"Only a few people in this empire can have golden eyes. Not even the royal family have them. So I guess you can call them special." 

He pours himself a cup of tea and drops a lump of sugar in. Celestine watches him stir and asks, "A few people?" 

He nods. "A few people," he taps the spoon lightly on the rim of the cup and places it gently on the table. 

"Some of them have already died." 

"Is my mother one of those people?" William's gaze lands on her and his smile fades.

"...Yes." 

Silence engulfs them fore a few minutes before Celestine opens her mouth to ask yet another question. 

"Mister William," Celestine purses her lips as she picks up a piece of macaron on the table. 

"Can I ask you something?" 

He hums in response. "I already told you," he looks at Celestine and smiles. "You can ask me anything as long as they're questions I can answer." 

Celestine plays with her hands and raises up her head to meet William's gaze. 

At first glance, the man looked cold. But Celestine could feel his kindness. He was someone who saved her anyway and he was also the one who clothed and fed her. 

For a child such as herself who never had the chance to get cared for by an adult, William was someone she looked up to and respected. 

Other people might think of it as dangerous—to trust a man you met for only a few hours—that certainly isn't good. 

"Why can't other people see me?" 

William stops. 

"Mister William?" 

Celestine couldn't fathom the expression that flashed on William's face. But she was almost certain that he knew something about why this is happening to her. 

She was quite certain he knew the answers to all of her question. However, she wasn't sure if he would answer them. If only he would tell her.

The girl waits in suspense, looking earnestly at William's scrunched up face. But was heavily disappointed when he pretended he did not hear her. 

"After you finish eating, you will read the books I've placed on that table." Celestine looks at where William was pointing and saw a pile of books stacked atop a small desk. 

"Do you understand?" 

Confused, Celestine answers. "Yes, I do." 

The young princess watches as William stands up and walk toward a huge desk. 

"Ah! But Mister William—!" She exclaims as if she'd remembered something important. 

"You did not answer my question!"

William clears his throat and ignores her for the rest of their tea time. 

Celestine wanders in her thoughts as she consumes the last of the macarons on the table. 

She had a vague memory like this when her mother was still alive. She remembered her mother feeding her sweet milk and a fluffy cake during their tea time. 

Celestine would talk and talk about something for hours and her mother would sit down in front of her, sipping her tea so elegantly, listening to the young princess' chatters. 

Her father would come by not long after and carry her in his arms. He'd walk towards her mother and give her a light kiss on the forehead before giving Celestine a kiss on the cheek. 

Her mother would say something, but every time she opens her mouth, no words come. Celestine knows what her words are, but she can't seem to remember. 

She would always fail to remember. 

Celestine snaps out of her memories and stood up. She walks toward the small desk next to William's and looks beside her. 

She notices his desk that was cluttered with crumpled yellow papers and open books. She also notices the small golden lion brooch gingerly placed in its casing, safely tucked away in the very corner of William's desk. She thought it was pretty and that it resembled his eyes. 

"Do you want to say something kid?" She jolts up and meets William's gaze. 

Celestine picks up the first book she touched and looks at it as if it were something foreign. 

"I—" she mumbles the rest of her sentence. 

"You?" William raises an eyebrow. 

"I don't know how to read..." 

She looks up at the man and saw his bewildered expression. "You hang out in the Imperial Library often, so I assumed you know how to read," he said.

But Celestine wasn't lying when she said she did not know how to read. 

It was true that she did spend a lot of time in the Imperial Library. But that was only because she loved watching the picture books. Never in her entire life had Celestine learned how to read. 

She knew where to go because of the little things her mother taught her. It was only because Celestine memorised the familiar characters and letters that she knew where to go in the palace or what things are. 

William sighs and runs a cold hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry..." Celestine lowers her head in shame. 

The man chuckles. "You don't have to be sorry," he says. 

"I am the one who should apologise for thinking you knew how to read." 

He gives her a warm smile and hands her a much simpler book. One that doesn't involve 'Empire's Trade and Commerce' or any other difficult things. 

"We're going to start easy," he says with a low but warm voice. "You don't have to be ashamed. Just learn at your own pace. I'll be here to teach you."