Tyron

“Oh, I was just thinking about something,” I say to Sequoia as we eat, just hoping that she won't ask what it is. She can get most stuff out of me. She is just like her mother and even looks like her, they both have long black hair, pale skin, and green eyes.

“ What are you thinking about? A girl?” she asks, is it about a girl.

“ Maybe,” I said, biting my tongue.

“ So you do have someone in your life! I knew it! The way you sit there staring into space gives it away.” Sequoia says excitedly.

Of course she notices that , she notices everything.

“ I don't want to talk about it.”

“Come on, please?”

“ fine.” I say grumpily.

“ I like this girl, I met her because she is the daughter of a seamstress in the palace.”

“ and?” sequoia says waiting for more information.

“And we have been hanging out in the last week I say

‘How am I just hearing about this and what is her name?’

“‘Her name is galena califia. What's going on in your life?” I mumble as I take a bite of an apple turnover and changing the conversation.,

“What was that you said? i couldn't hear that”

“I said what is happening in your life? Do you have a crush?” i say

“Maybe. There is this boy I met at a market named Cedric and he is pretty handsome. And he is nice. But father would NEVER approve of him.” Sequoia says

“So you were hiding stuff too” I said in a mocking voice.

“Well yeah. I didn't really WANT to tell anyone but knowing you, you would obviously find out. it is sort of annoying that way he consumes every thought. I don't really like it much.”

“ That's a crush for you.” she says

“ I had that dream again. You know the one where mother dies. I have had it for weeks now. And I have begun to wonder why father killed her. I mean, I know that she had another man in her life and she hated living at the palace with father. But why kill her?” Sequoia says to me.

“ Well, maybe he was jealous of the other man. He was in love with her and she broke his heart. Since she loved that guy and hated the palace, maybe she was going to run away. And he didn't want her to ruin his reputation by being seen with another man outside the palace.” i say

“ Well that makes more sense why that night when she died she was dressed in full clothing even though it was the middle of the night. I just have a feeling that we should go look around in her old room.” Sequoia says with sorrow in her voice.

i agree and We head up the stairs and walk down the hall turning left, then right then two lefts then another right. We stop at the door, big and oak, with a brass door knocker. I watch Sequoia take a breath and I push the door open. The room is dark and the drapes are closed. I walk to one side and open one window and Sequoia opens the other, fresh air floods into the room. Making the dust moats swirl in that air. I breathe in the scent. Jasmine with a hint of orange and tuberose. It is a bit musty. it probably hasn't been used in years,

“ It looks just as it did when mother was here.” Sequoia says

She walks over to a chest in the middle of the room. It looks odd, that chest does, sitting in the middle of the room. It looks like someone put it there. I am looking out at the view from the windows when I hear Sequoias gasp.