The Blood Order

VI

The bus starts up a few minutes later and the man makes no moves to speak with me until the bus officially starts to pull out of the bus station.

"How are you feeling Princess?" The man turns to me and looks me up and down almost as if he is trying to memorize my features.

Since he won't leave me alone, I answer shortly, "Fine."

This seems to make him content and he looks over me again before speaking, "My name is Jamal, Princess. It is very nice to meet you and I wish to deliver you a message." The man speaks formally not moving his voice from the monotone level of enthusiasm which almost begins to bore me.
What message could he possibly have for me? It's not like I have ever met him in my life.

As my curiosity bubbles, the man doesn't let me respond continuing his speech, "This is from the King himself My Lady, please take this seriously and all will be alright." Without any more explanation he slips me a piece of paper that seems to have burned edges and an almost yellow hue. Where did he get this? Parchment?

I look up from the note to find the man no longer in the seat, or anywhere on the bus for that matter. From the realization I throw my head back in fear and slam it against the window causing everyone to look at me as if I am demented. A woman in the seat across from me looks at me with the most disgust. Raising my thumb, I point to the empty seat next to me and question, "See man?"

The woman rolls her eyes and looks away not knowing what I am talking about probably thinking I was trying to make an inappropriate joke with the way my gargled sentence ended up coming out. Great so I am going fucking crazy.

The paper that is slightly warm still sits in my hands and begs to be read, but I almost cry in fear of my own mental state. Forcing my eyes away from the crisp blood red emblem across the middle holding the edges together and keeps the message hidden, I shove the note in my bag keeping myself from really going crazy. It can't be real. None of it. The handsome man or the burnt note.

The bus continues through the mountains and comes to a stop about two minutes from my home where I stand quickly running to the red door that gleams through the snow. Barely remembering to unlock my door I burst into the living area and start to dump my stuff on the floor going through it. Thanking the stars, no note is found on my living room floor and I smile to myself as I lean against the front of the couch letting relaxation flow through me.

I am not crazy. I am fine. Everything is fine. Sultana pull yourself together.

Biggest lie in the history of the universe.

Standing up and brushing off the dust that seems to have settled on my light jeans I walk into the kitchen to warm up the left overs that Lady kindly sent me home with last night. That woman is a little angel in disguise.

But I didn't make it to the fridge, I barely made it into the kitchen.

A slightly burnt note lays across the oven, the red emblem facing the ceiling, waiting for me. Waiting to be read. Finally figuring out my footing I run over to the letter and rip through the seal skimming over the contents:

Hello my love,

Sultana I know you must be dying in confusion, but I simply wish to warn you. Do not marry the man your father wishes. If you do, things will get rather complicated for you and I and I wish that not to happen.

The best,

Raphael.

I kept rereading the letter and tried to commit it to memory as the beautiful scribbles stared back at me. Do not marry the man your father wishes? Who is this man and why does he think he can tell me what I should and shouldn't do when it comes to the wrath of my father?

Forcing myself to look away from the note I throw it in the small plastic trash can that sits shoved in the corner by the fridge. I do not have the time to worry about that or the want to. Finally making it to the fridge I open the squeaky door to see the soup placed perfectly where I left it the night before. Thank you so much for that wonderful neighbor.

The night continues as normal as I run around cleaning and doing the small amounts of homework that I have gathered from my classes. Everything finally is as clean as is going to get when I look in the direction of my room practically hearing the uncomfortable bed calling for me. Sleep, that is what I need.

Thanking whoever is watching over us for having Tuesdays off I run to my room and fall flat onto my bed, pulling the blanket up around my chin and kicking my pants off under the sheets. This is living life.

Just as my alarm clock blinks nine and I start to doze off a lovely knock sounds throughout my house from the front door forcing me to pry open my eyes. Who in their right mind is visiting me right now?

Forcing myself out of bed and throwing on the sleep shorts that sit in the top drawer of my dresser I walk to the front door to face the devil that has visited me.

Jamal?

I don't say a word or even move when I see his red eyes practically looking through me.

"Hello Princess Sultana, I came to see you because you didn't respond to the note and the King is worried about your intentions." His words are confusing and force my eyebrows to come together as I look at him trying to figure him out.

"Respond?" Jamal clicks his tongue in response to me and sighs slightly for the first time seeming human.

"Yes, my Princess, the King wishes for you to respond to him. If you choose to answer him write on the same note, under what he wrote, and he will receive it allowing him to respond promptly." Jamal seems frustrated with me as he forces his words through his teeth and looks me over once again checking for something.

"Okay."

We stare at each other for a minute.

Then another minute.

"Okay then. Do what you wish. Goodnight." Jamal turns quickly and leaves walking down the street. I could feel his anger from where he stood in front of me, but I decided that is his personal problem and went back inside leaving the snow covered front.