THE VIEW FROM THE LEDGE

Aelia’s eyes opened wide and bright, as she looked back towards Fennel. The absence of that single word before her name, felt like years of suffocating under deference and ranks had been swept away. The sunlight and the warm breeze brushed across the walkway they stood on, surrounding the royal tower like a whispered secret, as they both looked at each other with different types of fascination.

"Could you say that again?" Asked Aelia politely, as Fennel tried to process both her request and her stare filled with enchantment.

"…Aelia…?" Replied Fennel awkwardly.

Aelia’s face enlightened even further, as her smile widened up to her eyes, and started to wave her head in excitement. Fennel was starting to feel uncomfortable, not knowing how to react to her superior acting this way.

"Please! Say something else!" requested Aelia with energy.

"Is there anything you would prefer me to say?" Asked Fennel as he avoided Aelia’s gaze.

Aelia moved to the place where Fennel was trying to rest his sight.

"Is there anything you want me to say?" Corrected Aelia. "Say it."

Fennel was starting to get flustered, wondering if anyone in the palace could be eavesdropping on their awkward conversation. However, no one seemed to be anywhere close.

"Is there… anything you want me to say, Aelia?" rephrased Fennel, now surrendered to the weird interaction.

"HAAA!! This is great!" said Aelia as if ignoring the actual question.

Fennel paused for a second to think, as he tried to logically understand Lady Aelia’s fixation on her being referred to without her honorific.

"Come! Follow me!!" playfully commanded Aelia as she skipped up the stairs she had just recently walked down through, in a state close to depression.

Fennel followed Aelia up to the garden on top of the tower, trying to catch up to her. He was impressed by the heavenly sight, of the flat white roads and grass, with colorful flowered plants scattered across the garden, and the sky widening right above them without a single building to be seen in the horizon.

Aelia reached the ledge of the circular garden, and stopped to look at the city expanding below them. Fennel quickly followed behind, forgetting for a moment the dangerous fall that followed.

"It’s the first time I can see the sky this clearly." Said Fennel looking up, as he approached Aelia.

"It’s nice, isn’t it?" replied Aelia with subtle indifference, as her sight was fixed downwards to the city.

Fennel took a few steps closer towards where Aelia stood, and noticed the abyss right in front of them. Adrenaline rushed through his body as he instinctively walked backwards.

"Th-that’s dangerous Lady Aelia!" muttered Fennel reflexively, caught off guard by the precipice.

"Drop the 'Lady', please"

"Sorry."

"You live out there, right?"

Aelia stood there looking down, playing with the jade green wristband she was always wearing, and that wasn’t part of any of her guardian uniforms. Fennel carefully got closer to get a better view.

"Do you mean, here in the city?" Politely asked Fennel, slightly confused by her choice of words.

"I guess. You people live in these towers, right?" asked Aelia curiously.

"I do. However, my home is towards the other side." Said Fennel, pointing across the garden.

"Oh, I see."

The other side of the garden didn’t reveal as much of the city, since the palace roads laid right below, as well as other pillars of the same height, that blocked the view right below the horizon.

"What about that tower over there?" asked Aelia as she looked down to the large tower that neighbored the palace, and almost managed to reach the same height as where they stood.

Fennel got slightly closer, but still maintained a few footsteps of distance from the ledge, as well as from Aelia, whom stood confidently at the towers border, as if she was accustomed to walking there.

"Do people also live there?" Asked Aelia

"I don’t think they do."

"Then why are there so many people in there?"

"Hmm… It could be said it’s a good place to hang out with others."

"What do you mean with 'hang out'?" Asked Aelia with genuine curiosity.

Fennel began to process the level of isolation of the guardian, as her ignorance of basic terms such as this came to light.

"I mean… when friends, or even family want to take a break." Said Fennel, wondering if he needed to change his language even further. "Relax and enjoy time together, or just meet with each other in a casual manner."

"That’s fascinating." Said Aelia with her eyes fixed, but settling into a more comfortable position, sitting on the floor, close to the edge. "And what makes people want to “hang out” in that tower?"

"Do you know what a market is?"

"Yes, I’ve read about them."

"Well, The Keep is a market, but a huge one, where people buy and sell clothes, tools, food…" Described Fennel, trying to be as basic as possible, as if teaching a toddler. "Most people just like to walk around and see what’s being sold. In my case, before coming to the palace during the morning, I’ve been stopping at a new coffeehouse where one of my friends recently started working in. It opened just a few weeks ago inside The Keep. It’s actually quite an achievement."

"So, it’s called 'The Keep'." Said Aelia to herself, as she now let her lower legs and feet hang from the edge of the tower.

"That’s how most people call it. It surely has a different name, but to be honest, I don’t know what that is." Fennel sat down too with his legs crossed, still a few steps away from the edge.

"Are there any other places like The Keep?" Interrogated Aelia

"It’s probably one of the largest, but there are many other similar places, and many other ways people hang out." Replied Fennel, looking at how Aelia listened to him with her full attention. "There are festivals, sport events, concerts, game centers, specialized bars, nightclubs… Even artisan guilds for those who like to spend their free time working with their own hands while sharing their time with other people. Each district has its own charm, and unique things to see."

As Fennel spoke, he noticed he was overloading Aelia’s mind with concepts she couldn’t understand, and decided to go back to something more familiar.

"However, The Keep is particularly popular due to its clear view of the royal palace." He finished.

"You mean here? People want to look at this place?" Kept asking Aelia in disbelief.

Fennel stopped a second to look at the guardian with surprise, completely forgetting about the danger he had felt a while ago.

"Well… yes. I’m sure you know, but the people who live here, are very important. Not to mention this is the most amazing building in all of Rossmaria."

"It is… huh?" Said Aelia as if processing multiple ideas at the same time. "I think the people who live here are boring. People out there seem to be way more fun."

"It certainly is very different out there." Developed Fennel "But I also wouldn’t dare to describe the people in the palace as boring."

"I’m sure you wouldn’t dare to." Replied Aelia with a smirk, mocking Fennel, as if calling him a coward, or maybe telling him he shouldn't be saying something like that.

"Eh? well… I didn’t mean it that way. I meant…" Tried to correct Fennel, as he thought he was being rightfully misunderstood, due to his choice of words.

"I know, don’t worry." Interrupted Aelia with a slight giggle. "You speak just like Anise."

Fennel stopped talking for a second, relaxed and looked at the city.

"I do?" Replied Fennel, thinking about her mother.

"You certainly do. She used to exaggerate some ideas as she spoke, just like you just did." Said Aelia with a longing hopeful smile. "I really missed that way of talking."

"I see."

"Thanks for sharing all of this with me Fennel." Said Aelia peacefully "I’ll get into trouble if I don’t report to Lex now. But I’d like to hear more about those festivals and coffeehouses you mentioned… Could you please, someday, talk like this with me again?"

Fennel felt the warm breeze like ice, as he noticed the lonely words coming out of Aelia’s mouth. He couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her, as she craved for the world outside the palace, and plain simple, informal human interactions.

"I’ll be happy to, Aelia."