She would smile in delight while listening to my stories about how our ancestors built the Arameth, how my parents met, and how I met Clavia.
All my life, aside from Theron, I had no one else to share my innermost thoughts and feelings with. There were some things that I could not say even to my best friend Everett because they were too complicated to share.
But with the kid, I did not mind sharing what I felt, including all my frustrations as a king, as a son, and as a man about to get married. Maybe because I was confident that no matter how matured she was for her age, she still would not be able to completely understand me.
I did not know that it would actually be nice to talk to someone who wouldn’t be able to understand me at all. The kid could only listen to whatever I tell her. She was like an old friend that I reunited with. Because she talked and acted so comfortable around me, too, as if she had known me all her life.
One thing I noticed was that no matter how talkative Ali was, she would just quietly listen to me whenever I’m saying something about myself. To my surprise, she doesn’t give side comments. It was as if… she was silently indulging me to bare my heart. After I talk, she would still silently reach for my hand as if it was her way of rooting for me. And it… comforted me. It was like there was an unexplainable connection between the two of us, connection that I had never felt to anyone before, not even to Clavia.
Right now, I still have no exact place in mind that I want to go to. But for the first time, I had found what I was looking for. That was when I realized that peace was not in the quietest place. I had been to the woods, slept in some far-away lodge, went to the sea, but peace were not in those places either.
“Can’t you show mercy to this cute little child, Mister Sormont? My neck is starting to hurt looking at you from up there.”
I had stopped reminiscing when I heard Ali complained. I laughed as I jumped down the tree. I gently messed her hair when she rushed to me. She was wearing all pink, this time. It seemed like Ali was really well-informed about the place she was heading. Because she was already wearing winter clothes the first time I saw her. We only have one season in Arameth throughout the year. And it’s winter.
But unlike the humans, the snow had a different effect on us. It was our unlimited source of energy. Every snow that falls concealed magic inside that strengthens our body. Through the snow, we can easily heal our wounds and even common diseases such as colds.
The snow was also the reason why it was not possible for the Armethians to stay in other kingdoms without their energy declining. Our bodies constantly searched for the magic brought by the snow. It was a part of our everyday life. For us, the snow was as vital as the air, water, and food.
Ali, on the other hand, was adjusting well with the weather here. And it was something considering that the people who visit us from the neighboring kingdoms could not stay under the snow for a long time. That’s why nobody could deny the Armethian blood running in the little girl’s veins. Even I wanted to know who her father was. I was curious to meet him and to find out what was he like to have a daughter as special as Ali.
“So, where are we going today, Mister Sormont?” Ali asked as she grabbed my hand.
“It depends. Where do you want to go?”
“To the beach!” she replied in a loud voice filled with excitement while we were walking towards the carriage.
I clicked my tongue. We visited the beach just the other day. “It seems like you are having too much fun travelling lately, kiddo. Aren’t we suppose to find your father? I thought you wanted to see him so badly?”
“That’s true. But who knows? He could be at the beach, too. I love beaches. And my Mommy said that my father does, too. Don’t you like the beach, Mister Sormont?”
I shrugged. “Well… when I went there for the first time yesterday with you, I realize that I like it, too.”
“I knew it.” Once again, there was that beautiful but mysterious gleam in her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing. The beach is a walking distance, Mister Sormont. Let’s just walk and leave the carriage here. After all, there are no thieves in your kingdom, right? People here are nice and polite unlike in the kingdom where I came from. You must never leave your things unattended even for a second there because even if your properties are already inside your own garden, they can still disappear. They can still be taken away from you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. My Uncle only left his motorbike in front of our gate for a while. He went inside our house to get his wallet that he had forgotten. When he came back, his motorbike was no longer there. That’s the magic of some of the people in our kingdom, Mister Sormont. They have really fast hands.” Ali shook her head and clicked her tongue, too. There she was again, acting like an old woman again. It really amused me. “It’s so hard to catch up with them unless you have fast feet.”
I laughed. “Is that so? Then what did your Uncle do? And what’s a motorbike like? I don’t think I’ve heard of that thing before.”
The little girl grinned. “Uncle encouraged us to join the marathon so that we would be trained how to run fast. And Mommy just laughed at his suggestion. He was not able to retrieve his motorbike. It’s a two-wheeled motor vehicle, Mister Sormont. Your love one can ride on the back of the bike. You should see it, one day. I think you will look so cool on it. So, will you be okay with just walking now, Mister Sormont? You wouldn’t be tired anyway as long as there’s snow.”