Chapter 3.…. The gardens

As we walked out to the gardens I would have gotten lost on my own. We stopped a few times to look at the paintings that hung on the wall. All of then were beautiful and breath taking. We didn't really talk much just kind of walked. I fallowed him.

I wonder what he is thinking right now…. I don't even know what to say. Ever since that day by the book store when I was younger.. Was it my first year of middle school? I'm not sure… I don't really remember. Oh well. I'll just wait for him to say something.

Once we were at the front of the garden it was beautiful. There was every kind of flower that you could think of. "Oh my god…. Its so breath taking. Its so big! Where do we start?" I about jumped out of my skin when I saw the gardens.

"Why don't we start over here. In the Japanese garden. This one is my favorite. I work in this one a little here and there. I also love to read out here too. If you like we could take a brake and have some tea?" as he started to lead the way to the Japanese garden.

"Yes, some tea would be nice, so dose sitting for a little bit. All this walking is a lot after being in a bed for so long. By the way how long was I asleep for?" I asked as we went to sitting area.

"You were asleep for about three days. I guess that Jamar wanted to make sure that you would sleep though the plane ride and the car ride. Again I'm sorry for what he did. Once it's in his mind he tends to get what he wants. Take the gardens. He had asked mother when we were younger. She had said no, but after a few times he had asked she caved in and let us design the gardens. After a few years he had gotten bored with it and gave it up. I keep it up though. I love working out here and watching the plants grow." he sat down on of the cushioned chairs and leaned back a little. His legs stretched out in front of him crossed at his ankles.

He didn't seem that tall when he was sitting in the library, even when were walking. Hmm… maybe I need to pay more action while I'm here.

I sat on the other side of him. "Why dose he always get his way? What about you? Are you that selfish? Can I ask you one thing?" I looked at him and smiled a little.

"Yes, but weather or not I answer depends on your question." he kind of laughed, but he smiled at me with that kissable mouth.

"Why dose he want me so much? What dose he see in me that others really cant see?" I looked down at my hands. Then back at him and smiled.

"Jamar has his own ways to get what he wants. I'm not like that. If I want something then I will fight for it, but other then that I can be vary understanding and I can wait a long time for it to happen. As for what he wants from you.. I'm not too sure. But if you must know I find you vary intriguing and beautiful." he said as a matter of a fact kind of way.

At that point I could not look at him, I was blushing for the first time ever. I was looking at the flowers in the pond and saw some one walk up with a tray. The kind young woman set the table in front of me and I saw her take a look out of the corner of her eye. I put my hand out to her to shake.

"My name is Sojia. What's yours?" I asked the girl. She looked at Lamar first and then he nodded.

"My name is Kira Skyler. Its nice to meet you." she said as she shook my hand. She had a nice strong grip. Once she let go she finished putting the drinks and food on the table. "Is there anything else Master Lamar? Mistress Sojia?" she looked from me too Lamar. I shook my head no and he did too. "Let me know if there is anything more I can do for you. Have a nice brunch." she did a little bow and left us.

"Mistress?! What was that all about?" I was shocked… I looked at him and he just shrugged as it was normal.

"Do you not like that? We can tell all the staff to call you by Sojia. If you want? Its just that all the servants are used to calling ever one master and mistress…. But we can change that if you want." he waited for my reaction. But I was not giving him any.

"No that is fine. I was just not expecting it. So let see what she brought us shall we?" I looked at the food there was another place setting. "Is some one meeting us? Should we wait for them? Maybe I'll just have a cup of tea for right now."

I looked at the different types of teas. I chose a lemon one. "Yes, Jamar should be here shortly. So you like lemon? That is one of my favorites too.. What other teas do you like? Do you like to put hunny in your lemon tea as well?" he looked a little too happy that we had something in common.

"I like to put hunny in my tea as well. Some time its just hot water and hunny. My most favorite is any kind of mint tea. Peppermint hot chocolate is one of my favorites as well. Pumpkin spice is another…" when I was setting my tea up I didn't notice that Jamar had came to the table.

"I'm sorry for being late. Mother was talking my ears off again… Well hello again. Its nice to see you awake. Sorry about that whole thing. But I wanted you. Since you said that you would not be missed I figured that you would be some where people would miss you if something had happened to you." he smiled at me.

I looked from him to Lamar. They really would be hard to tell apart if not for the eyes. At least they could not trick me. But if they deiced to do that then I need to spend a lot of time alone with each of them. So I can find there little things.

"What was mother saying to you this time that you haven't heard yet?" Lamar said to his brother not looking at him but staring at me. I blushed and looked away from the brothers.

"Sojia, can you give us a sec to our selves?" Jamar asked me.

"Yeah, I'll be just over there looking at the other flowers." I stood and walked away from the table the boys. As I was heading west from the table I could see a woman at another table.

I walked toward the table but didn't go near it. I stood by the flower and looked around more. Then I walked past the table and stopped to look at the lilies. They were vary beautiful. They were all kinds of colors. Blues, reds, greens. They were all pretty. Then I kept walking.

(brothers)

Once they saw that she was out of ear shot they began to talk.

"So dose she know why she is here?" Jamar asked as he had a sip of his own cup of tea.

"No I don't know if she is ready for this. So what did mother really say?" Lamar said as he took a bite of cake.

They both then looked at each other and both nodded. "Mother asked me the same thing. She had asked me if I thought that she might be ready for this. I think that she is. But at the same time she is still so pure. I don't know if I could take that from her. I mean if we could take that from her. Remember you are apart of it as well. Every one in this house is. We must tell all the servants not to speak a word of what is to come." Jamar close it eyes and put his hands to his temples.

"What if she chooses me? Jamar could you stand that? Would you hate me if I took her away from you? Like how it happened the last time. I thought that she would have a twin this time around. I guess that we were wrong about that…. That makes me really sad. I love you brother." he looked at his brother and then took a sip of his own tea.

"I don't know what I would do if she chose you Lamar. I thought that she was suppose to have a twin as well. It was promised. I love you as well brother. But I in the end I don't know if I could live, if it turned out like that again. We need to find her twin. I think that her parents had given her sister up. Maybe they could only have one girl that was so strange. And to have two of them…. We need to look harder for the other one. Do you think that she might know? We could try and ask her." Jamar said as he leaned back. He looked at his twin. Then looked at the girl that held so much.

"Mother had also said that she would like to meet her. Father doesn't really care. He grows tirade of our games and wish that we would grow up and be done with the whole thing. Says that we have been going to long with out it. He also said that he wont be talking to any one for the next few weeks. Till every thing is done. He says that if we go one more year with out then we must obey him and take the ones that he gives us." Jamar added to the first part.

"You seem tirade my brother. Why don't you go and feed on Miss Skyler. She has not been touched in a while. I will tend to Sojia for today then you can walk around with her tomorrow." Lamar said, then added, "Brother I will not try and steal her from you. I will do my best to be far from her. But if she asks for me then I will come to her call. You understand?"

"Of course. The same goes the for me. Sister would like a meeting with her as well…. I'm not sure when but she said she would like to meet her." Jamar said, then stood and said, "Well you are right, I am hungry and vary tirade. Miss Skyler sounds like a good choice. Thank you brother. Will you tell good night for me?"

Lamar nodded and Jamar walked away from the table.

(back to Sojia)

As I was walking along the path I felt that I was being fallowed. So I stopped in the middle of a bridge. I turned and saw that it was the woman from the other table.

"Hello there. How are you this fine day?" the woman had a vary friendly face, but it was an older face. She was still vary beautiful. Her raven colored hair and her eyes… One as blue as the ocean and one as white as snow.

"Hi, I'm fine. I love this garden. Its vary beautiful. By any chance are you Mrs. Tarik? My name is Sojia. But you might have already known that right?" I smiled at her and bowed a little.

"Right you are. But dear you can call me Cora. We should not be so formal. You have a good head on your shoulders dear. Would you like to come and have a small chat with me? These old bones don't really like to hold up to long." she gave me a smile and offered her hand so that I could fallow her to the nearest bench.

"Thank you Cora. Can I ask you something?" as I helped her sit on the bench.

"Yes dear. Anything you want but keep in mind you might not like the answers that you get. I have a few for you as well. If that is okay with you…" she said it almost the same way as Lamar did.

I thought for a moment. As I really looked at her, saw that there she had no wrinkles in her face. Her face was so smooth. She had pale skin too. She gave me a small smile.

"Are you hungry? I could have some food brought to us if you are." she asked me. I nodded and said, "Yes please. I didn't get to eat. They asked me to leave for a minute. So that they could talk. All I had was some tea."

"Here is a question for you Cora, you just said that your old bones cant stand up for long. Yet you don't look like you are past the age of 35. How old are you really?" I asked vary bluntly.