"Careful with that, it's hot," Sylvie cautioned Alyxia as the latter gingerly picked a pot of gelatin mixture off of the stove and brought it over to the counter. "Make sure you swirl it around a bit; the heat will go a little faster."
Alyxia nodded, focusing all of her attention on the pink Strawberry 'n Peach liquid that threatened to scald her. Finally setting it down onto the counter, she allowed herself to breathe again. Who knew making clear chewies was so anxiety inducing.
As a rare treat, Sylvie would make a whole bunch of clear chewies occasionally for Nash to nibble on when he felt peckish. Because of the whole emotional fallout of Sylvie's revelation, Alyxia thought it would be a good time to make clear chewies rather than actually addressing the issue.
Besides, Reiley was so into her brooding/thinking mode that Alyxia was afraid she would never open her mouth again. Reiley's one guilty pleasure in life would surely give her something to talk about.
Right?
While some steam escaped the gelatin mixture, Alyxia fished out the silicone clear chewie moulds; there were three to choose from, namely snakes, hearts and some odd concave disc shaped mould. Going with her personal favourite, she chose the hearts, and carefully poured the warm liquid into the moulds. A couple spilled over, but Sylvie assured her that it would be fine. And then it was finally time to put it in Sylvie's mini refrigerator and pray to whoever would listen that it turned out okay.
Now that that's over with, Alyxia thought to herself, back to awkward, awkward reality.
Emerging out of the kitchen which was no longer as imposing as it used to be, she looked out at the scene in front of her: Nash sitting at the dining table and puzzling over a textbook, Farron next to him clearly trying to explain some abstract concept, and Reiley nowhere to be found.
Instinct told her that Reiley would be skimming over some map in their room. She moved forward with the aim of bringing her best friend out of her slump, but her brain chided her. You know that she needs time to think. She'll come around; she always does.
But I don't understand why she's acting like this. She couldn't have possibly known that Farron's parents died because of her mother. It was out of her control. She's not being rational. She's stealing my thing.
How the tables have turned, her conscience mused, and was then silent. She realised that both Farron and Nash were looking at her, and pretended to act cool. "Hey there."
"Hey yourself," Farron smiled. "Wanna join the 'Cram Information Into Nash's Head In Time For His Test Tomorrow' fest?"
"Of course," Alyxia accepted, sliding into the chair on the opposite side of Nash. "Can't have him getting anything less than first in class, can we?"
"Guys," Nash whined loudly. "I'm only eight. This is child labour!"
Farron jokingly messed the kid's hair. "Do you even know the meaning of child labour?"
Nash scrunched the nose. " Well, trying to figure out what we're actually supposed to study now can be labour. Even our teachers are confused."
"What do you mean, sweetie?" Alyxia queried, her curiosity piqued.
"Well, I guess they've changed the stuff we're supposed to study. We were in the middle of studying the royal family when they told us we don't have to study it anymore."
It was as if time stopped in that moment. "They changed your syllabus?" They were altering the education system already? Trying to alter history? She barely even noticed Farron slinking off to who knew where.
"What's a 'silly bus'?" Nash piped up as he scrunched his nose again. Poor child, caught in the middle of all of this, Alyxia thought disapprovingly.
Alyxia shook her head dismissively. "Big person word. They changed the things you're supposed to learn?"
"Yeah," Nash nodded energetically. "They even gave us these new texts, but I don't like them much. Well at least we don't have to study the royal family; they're boring."
Alyxia felt a streak of indignation run through her. "That's not true! The royal family is very interesting."
Nash frowned, raising an eyebrow. "How? It's always the same thing." He closed his eyes and held his hand up, as if he was going to recite something. "'The royal family trace their family members from their mothers. Queen Adelaide came from the Peyton family who helped rule the nation even before the war and the end of demakisy.'"
"Democracy," Alyxia corrected.
"What's that?"
"Well, it's this thing where people chose their own leaders back in the day," Alyxia explained. "Instead of kings ruling, there would be people who would rule for some time, and then another person would come in their place."
"Rulers changing all the time?" Nash cocked his head to the side in confusion. "That's weird. Why didn't they put one person in charge of everything?"
"Don't fret about it now," she assured him, patting him on the shoulder. You'll learn all about it when you're older." She couldn't bring herself to tell the young boy the stories of corruption, criminal inefficiency and decadence that rotted the democratic system and brought about its own downfall in the war.
Nash shook his head in annoyance. "People always tell me that," he grumbled.
"Dinner's ready!" Sylvie called out from the kitchen. "And for dessert, clear chewies, courtesy of Alyx!"
Alyxia had to resist the urge to guffaw as she watched Nash jump in glee. "Clear chewies?" He nearly shrieked in joy. "Thanks a bunch, Alyx!" Instantly, she was tackled by what seemed like a battering ram but was actually Nash hugging her. "Thank you!"
She barely had enough time to wheeze out a 'no problem' before he ran to the kitchen and out of sight. Alyxia couldn't stop a small smile from playing on her lips. Apart from Reiley, Nash was probably the closest thing she had to a sibling.
But Farron's like a sibling to Nash too. So if you married Farron, that would technically be incest.
Eh, royal family members marry their second or third cousins all the time. What's the problem?
Stop thinking about marriage! Alyxia chastised herself. Focus on the throne. Boy troubles can wait.
You're spending too much time with Reiley.
You are me. I am you. Both of us are the same person!
Alyxia shook her head, trying to push out the existential crisis she just had. It was then that she noticed Farron and Reiley's conspicuous absence. "I'll fetch them," she muttered to nobody in particular as she moved towards their room. What could they possibly be doing in there?
As she neared the doorway, she heard voices speaking in a hushed yet urgent manner. The markers of a fierce yet restrained argument. Not again, she thought to herself.
Instinct told her to flatten herself against the wall as she crept towards the doorway. She remembered a time which almost seemed like years ago, when she had to flatten herself against the wall to escape an angry mob of violent prisoners wreaking havoc inside her own home-
There's a time and place,Alyxia, she reminded herself, unconsciously shaking her head. A time and place. With the softest footfall she could muster, she inched her way towards the doorway; and once she had achieved her goal, she allowed herself to peek into the room while trying not to be seen.
Sure enough, Reiley and Farron were there, far too close for her own liking. Mere inches separated them as they glared at each other, Farron towering over Reiley but the latter holding her own against him. From the set of Reiley's jaw and the clenching of Farron's fists, they were clearly exasperated with each other but chose to withold it. They were at a stalemate: the main argument had ended, but they didn't want to stop being angry at each other.
"Trying to think of something else to be mad at me for?" Farron gloated, a smirk playing on his lips. "That's probably the case, since you practically live to argue with me."
Reiley scoffed harshly. "I have far better to live for than someone like you. If you so much as step a millimetre out of line, I will end you."
"But what will your dear princess say?" Farron pouted mockingly. "She won't be too happy about that. Admit it, I have a better chance with her than you will ever have."
Against her own volition, blood rushed to her face. What did he mean by 'chance'? What was he implying? She felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and wanted to run away, but she couldn't get her feet to move.
"I don't care how badly the odds are stacked against me," Reiley spat. " If you think for one second that I'll ever let-" She suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence and looked through the corner of her eye at the doorway. Chills ran up Alyxia's spine, fear she had rarely felt in her life.
"Alyxia?" Reiley muttered with frost coating her tone. "I know you're there."
I'm found out, Alyxia fretted. My cover's blown. I'm done for. But rather than stepping out and owning it, all she could manage to do was squeak "Dinner's ready!" and split from the scene of the crime as quickly as possible.
She slid into the chair next to a bewildered Nash, who watched her nervous energy with curiosity but said nothing. If Sylvie knew that something was up, she didn't show it as she laid out the table with steaming hot food. Alyxia's stomach growled with hunger, or was it the stress?
If they are planning on continuing their little argument, I might as well eat their shares too. My last meal on death row.
Alyxia had just grabbed a huge helping of scrambled quail eggs and flatbread when Reiley and Farron shuffled in, looking muted and sheepish. They promptly left a seat in between each other, which Sylvie occupied with a smile and continued being a good hostess in general.
As soon as Nash had noticed that everyone had finished their dinner, he sped off towards the kitchen and returned with a large bowl of Strawberry 'N Peach clear chewies. Reiley's eyebrows shot up as she saw Nash set it down onto the table, but no remark passed her lips.
Farron, on thebother hand, almost had the excitement if a child as he grabbed a clear chewie and bit down on it. "Woah Alyxia, you made these yourself? They're so good!"
Alyxia bit back an embarrased smile. "It wasn't just me, Sylvie helped me out a lot."
Sylvie shrugged. "Nah, you did a lot of that on your own, Alyx. You have good stuff in you; you just need the guidance and the confidence."
"Thank you Alyx," Nash sang, grinning up at her. She felt that pinch in her heart again. Was that normal?
"Don't eat them too quickly," Reiley piped up as she popped a clear chewie into her mouth. "It's her cooking after all, you can never be too sure." Alyxia felt put off for a second, but the ensuing wink from Reiley assured her that it was all in jest.
Reiley never winks.
Did she switch bodies with Farron?
There, you're overthinking again.
Ugh, stop it!
After wishing a good.night to Sylvie and Nash, it was time to save a comfortable spot on the floor for her to sleep. Tonight was Farron's turn to sleep on the cot; Reiley had vehemently argued against Alyxia sleeping on the floor, and it took about half an hour to convince her that her royal status didn't matter in hiding.
Even after Sylvie's story and toiling in the kitchen and finding that Reiley and Farron were hiding something from her, she simply found herself staring at the dark ceiling, unable to fall asleep. With just a small fraction of hope, she whispered Reiley's name in the darkness to see if she was awake. She was greeted with a grunt by way of answering.
"I have a question."
"What is it?"
What are you hiding from me?
Why are you bent on ripping Farron apart?
Do you think Father may be alive out there?
Why did your mom want to take the throne?
Should I trust anyone?
Will I ever get my home back?
Will I make it out alive?
"Did you like the clear chewies?"
"Yeah," Reiley mumbled. "Reminds me of home." Alyxia waited for her to elaborate, but all she could hear was the sound of soft snoring. Classic Reiley.
She recoiled in surprise as a small dot of light shot past her eyes and circled the room. Maybe a firefly got in under the door and can't find its way out.
She watched as it collided against the walls time and again, wincing in secondhand pain as it did so. But after 10 minutes of hitting every possibke space in the cramped room, it managed to buzz its way through the tiny space under the door and away to freedom.
Slamming into walls in the darkness until you reach your goal. It was at this moment that she knew that the path that lay ahead of her was not going to be easy by any means. Getting through that door where you'll find all your answers means slamming into your barriers in the dark.
And that's a risk I'm willing to take.