Red Ribbons

He never knew how he ended up there. He could never grasp the intent of his own heart. It would always pull him to the place where he shouldn’t be. His heart seemed to crave the place that turned him cold and fearless. He would dip his toes into the lake feeling the freezing water carefully caress his sore feet. He would feel his body relax and take what is needed from the lake’s peaceful silence. At the lake, there was no one who could call upon him and remind him of his crushing future. He was a prince destined to rule a falling kingdom. A kingdom that was no longer his home.

One day as he walked to the lake there was someone on the pier. A girl no older than seven, sitting in his unofficial seat with her legs swinging off the edge. He didn’t recognise the girl, nor did he want to. He watched as she slumped further down, an audible huff could be heard from where he stood, and he couldn’t help a little smile at the childish sounds she kept letting out. He didn’t know what to do but just like his heart took him to the lake, his heart took him to the girl. The silence of the lake made his footsteps sound like the rumbling of a storm notifying the little girl of someone approaching. As the prince got closer, he could see the inky black hair move around her, her head twisting to see who was there. Instead of fear or confusion on the little girl’s face, as he had imagined, there was a slight smile and unrestrained excitement glinting in her eyes. As he stood beside her, he thought of what to say. The normally peaceful silence became continuous and painful for the boy until the younger of the two huffed once more and spoke with a childish lilt to her speech,

“It’s rude to not say anything after coming into someone’s alone time, ya know?” The girl waited for a reply but once the silence became unbearable the girl huffed and spoke once more “say who you are, mister, or go away.”

“Oh...um, my name is Alexander and... erm, your name?” he stumbled over his words, the girl staring at him intensely,

“I don’t like it; you are going to be Ander.” She declares, leaving no room for arguments “and my name is Mai, I think.”

“Nice to meet you Mai, is there a reason you’re here?” Alexander questions, motioning to the view in front of them and deciding to not question the mumbled, I think. The silence was once again peaceful apart from his and Mai’s soft conversation.

“Just cause, Ander. ″ Mai replied, letting the conversation drop. Alexander took this as a cue that his question was too personal for the little girl and not wanting to scare her, he let the silence comfort them both. Alexander took this time to let his mind runoff. He let his mind leave the previous days’ worth of arguments and anxiety to fall apart, his body relaxing even further with his feet submerged in the frozen water. He didn’t know who the girl was or where she came from but for once he felt okay with someone being at the pier. He wanted to talk to her but when he turned his head she was looking into the distance, her eyes far away and her body swaying ever so slightly with the wind. Mai’s hair moved with her body, leaving Alexander to find red ribbons buried in her hair. He didn’t know what they meant, and he didn’t want to disturb the little girl but as he went to turn back to the trees and rippling water the girl spoke, annoyance colouring her words,

“Ander! Staring is very rude and can you stop. If you don’t know how not to, I can tell you.” she crossed her arms waiting for his answer to her unspoken question, but Alexander wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t know if it was better telling her he knew how to not stare at people or if he should say he doesn’t and have to sit through her lecturing him on how not to stare or how he should know better (just like the king’s maidens). Fortunately for him, Mai took his silence for not knowing, “it’s okay you don’t know. It took me until I was four to learn that staring was bad but to not stare you just don’t look at them for long. Do you get me, Ander?”

“110%.”

“Don’t take that sound with me, mister!” she huffed.

“Don’t you mean tone?” He smiled at the girl’s mistake.

“Shhhhhhhhh!” Mai held her finger to her lips, her eyes once again showing the childish excitement that Alexander wished he could have back. Alexander let the silence, once again, create a soft comfort for both him and Mai. Neither of them tried to break it, instead letting it lull them into a sense of safety, a feeling that Alexander never thought he would feel sitting at the pier. They stayed until sunset, Alexander departing first, confusion clouding his mind at the fact the girl is still at the pier way after dark. He spent the rest of the night feeling like he was almost whole, and just maybe he hoped his heart would once again take him to the pier.