131 Chapter 131: Festival Madness-1

Those familiar black curls...

The one person she wanted to meet for ages. Has it been weeks, months? She didn't know but it felt like months ago when she last saw her. Her smile widened as tears welled up in her eyes but soon she frowned when she saw the person move away. 

Thoughtlessly, she shrugged off her brother's hand and mingled in the crowd as she ran towards the direction she saw her.

"Wait"

'Don't go'

Hazel gathered her dress in her hands as she made her way towards the location ignoring her brother's anxious call. 

"Audrey"

She called out but she received no response. She reached the spot and saw no one there before looking around anxiously. 

She screamed, "Audrey"

All she was people walking about. Hazel stood in the crowd looking around blankly. She bit her lip when she realized that it was just her imagination. She searched for her brother but couldn't find anyone among the crowd.

Hazel backed away towards the wall and mumbled softly, "Audrey, where are you?"

Suddenly she felt a hand wrap around her arm. Stunned, Hazel hit the hand hard, catching a chuckle, "Ouch! That hurts, Freya"

Hazel widened her eyes and turned around swiftly to meet her chocolate brown eyes. Instantly a smile spread on her face as she jumped on Audrey and hugged her tightly.

Audrey chuckled, "Someone missed me"

Hazel laughed and withdrew back. "No, I thought you missed me"

Audrey laughed.

"I thought it wasn't you"

Audrey shook her head, "Well, I was confused when I saw you at the center dancing to the tunes. But then, you disappeared. I thought it wasn't you because you had so many people surrounding you."

Hazel flinched slightly which was unnoticed by Audrey.

"But then I heard you call out my name." Audrey looked at her and shrugged, "So here I am."

Hazel grinned but her grin faded when she heard shouts coming from the crowd. She turned to look at the crowd with a pout. She knew her brother must be panicking now but looking at Audrey, she couldn't just leave yet.

Audrey pursed her lips and held out her hand, "Do you want to come with me?"

Hazel looked at her hand and then back to the crowd hesitating on something. But when she saw her patient face, Hazel nodded and held her hand.

Audrey smiled before pulling her along as she ran towards a small path. Hazel looked back to the crowd and saw her brother's panicked face for a moment.

'I'm sorry...'

...

Audrey led her to a walking path where one side was the pavement and the other was a deep chasm that overlooked the houses in the city. At the farther end, she saw the castle glowing from the rays.

Hazel shrieked when her leg slipped but luckily Audrey caught her, "Easy there."

Audrey let her go and smiled before sitting down with her legs swinging. Hazel gulped before she followed suit. Once she sat down, she felt the cold breeze on her face, lifting her hair in the process.

Audrey gazed at the setting sun and said, "I thought you wouldn't come again."

"I waited for you almost every day until I lost hope"

Hazel bit her lip and looked at her apologetically. Audrey glanced at her before turning towards the view and asked softly, "But you are going back, right?"

Hazel looked at her and nodded slowly.

"I am here only for the festival and I'm not sure when I would be allowed to come next."

Audrey repeated her words, "Allowed to come?" and looked at her strangely.

'Oops!' Hazel widened her eyes as she thought about how to resolve her doubt when she saw Audrey clasp her hands and ask frantically, "Freya, are you in danger? Do you need help? I can save you"

Hazel gaped at her before her lips twitched and she fell into heaps of laughter.

"It's nothing like that" Hazel stopped laughing and had a thoughtful expression as she said, "My parents are a little protective over me. They are very scared of me getting hurt."

Audrey tilted her head and asked curiously, "Why?"

Hazel pressed her lips into a thin line as she turned her head away from Audrey and gazed at the yellow sky. She swung her legs as she wondered how to explain it to her. 

She was grateful for the silence Audrey was giving her. This was one of the reasons why she loved to spend time with her. 

After a few seconds, Hazel asked slowly, "Say, Audrey, what do you think of royalty?"

Audrey widened her eyes as she didn't expect that question. Instantly her face had an ugly shade as she spat out disgustedly, "I hate them. My hands itch to teach them a lesson or two."

Hazel stopped swinging her legs and clenched her hand which was lying on top of the wall into a fist. 

Her brother was right! 

She pressed her lips as she brought her hand closer to her chest and listened.

"Do you know why we have to live in that small space? It's because of them."

Hazel frowned not understanding her words.

Audrey scoffed, "They use the public fund for their matters and make us live in suffering. The people who planned on complaining all disappeared the next day."

Hazel widened her eyes as she shouted, "What?"

Audrey grimaced, "They don't even spare us the food and increase the taxes on us."

Then her face changed as her eyes burned in fury, "That's why I hate the king more. They don't even notice how their people survive when it's their duty."

"All they care about is money"