I was left alone in the gallery. I paused for a moment unsure of how to react. The last painting that we had seen was that of a Sha male looking straight at us, with his two mini horns, dressed in a dark cloak. Suddenly I opened the door and scanned the hallway. The only thing I saw was Brok's straight black hair waving away. I followed in pursuit.

"Brok! Prince Brok, wait!" I rushed. My legs went as fast as they could. I turned left. Bang! I tripped and crashed right in front of Brok. He didn't fall back though. He was so strong that he remained there, standing in place. I almost fell back, but Brok caught me in his arms.

"Anabella, why are you following me?" Brok asked.

"I don't know," I replied. Brok shook his head disapprovingly and then examined my face.

"Are you alright? Let me look at you," he said verifying my forehead.

"I'm fine. I just... I wanted to apologize," I said.

"Anabella, I do not want your apologies, I just want you to be honest with me."

"Then good, because I was being honest," I said. Brok raised an eyebrow with suspicion.

"You are saying that I am beautiful then?" He asked me. I swallowed.

"What? I didn't say that."

"So, you were lying when you said that I was not ugly?"

"No. What? No, I wasn't lying. I didn't say you were beautiful, I just said you weren't ugly."

"You are not making much sense Anabella," Brok told me.

"You're not ugly, you're just different."

"I have had enough of your gibberish for one day. I don't need you or anyone to tell me who or what I am. I am weary and I need some rest."

"You may not be beautiful based on the Sha standards, but you are a strange kind of a beautiful," I said. Brok frowned.

"What does that mean, particularly?"

"I still don't know yet."

"Neither do I, so until you clarify what you are exactly referring to I will remain ugly in the eyes of the Sha and of the human species."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you Brok, but you are beautiful to me," I said. Brok's eyes suddenly popped right open. Holy shit. Did I just say that? I didn't know what I said. I had to be losing my mind or something, certainly I was going nuts. I turned around immediately and marched on out of there.

"Anabella, wait. What did you just say?" Brok asked coming towards me. Holy shit. I didn't answer and panicked. My legs were now trembling, my muscles lost their strength and I felt a wobbly sensation all over my arms. Had I just said that I found Brok attractive? What the hell did I say?

"I thought that the Sha were superior to humans? I didn't know you were deaf," I said. What the hell was wrong with me? Brok grabbed my arm.

"You find me beautiful?" He asked again, this time he had a smile on his lips.

"I don't know."

"But you said-"

"I just changed my mind," I said quickly.

"Are you sure?" Brok asked me again. He grabbed my arm and I felt a lump in my throat.

"Master Brok, master Brok!" Rox said. Brok turned around to look at the robot.

"Rox, can't you see I'm busy now."

"Your father has been trying to communicate with you," Rox explained.

"Oh, I forgot I had turned off my Chambo."

"Here," Rox said handing him his communicator. I had no idea what Brok was saying, he was speaking in the Sha language, but after a few seconds he let go of my arm.

"Anabella, I must leave. We will finish our conversation later on. Have a nice day," he said and walked away. Rox had saved the day.

"Would you like anything in particular?" Rox asked me. I shook my head. I was still trembling all inside and I couldn't really respond. Rox nodded and left. My heart was still beating like the unstopping energizer bunny. Had I really said that he was beautiful to his face and what did that mean? Did I really find him attractive or was I just being nice to him? I needed to get out of here. I headed for the garden and remained out there for the rest of the day.

***

"Anabella! Anabella! It is dinner time. Where are you?" Krimla said. I opened my eyes. I hadn't realized that I had fallen asleep on the grass. I got up and immediately ran to her screams.

"Anabella!" She shouted again.

"I'm coming," I shouted back as I ran. I saw Krimla, wearing her boring, black gown standing on the middle of the doorway.

"Anabella, dinner is ready. Come. The prince will arrive soon. He wants to have his supper with you, we cannot disappoint him," she said.

"He's coming to dinner?"

"Of course. Come."

"Maybe I shouldn't come," I said unsure as I followed her into the house.

"Don't be silly. Of course, you should come. He is expecting you. It is your duty to eat with him every day, do you not remember the rules he has set for you?"

"Oh... right," I said. I had totally forgotten about that.

"It's too bad that you don't have time for a quick shower, but I'm sure he won't mind. You do have a lovely aroma on yourself."

"I was in the rose garden," I replied.

"Lucky for you then. Come," She said. We entered the dining room. I sat at the corner of the table. It was still empty, but soon Krimla came and went with different dishes.

"Maybe I can help set up the table," I suggested.

"Nonsense. You stay right there. I am your servant," she said.

"Krimla... I've noticed your glances at me. Have I done something to offend you?" I asked.

"Glances? What are you talking about?"

"You've been looking at me oddly lately," I said.

"You are a foolish girl. I have done no such thing," she said. I frowned angrily and stood up from my chair.

"Krimla, are you calling me a liar!"

"No. You are just imagining things, that's all," Krimla said as she placed the forks, the spoons and the plates in order.

"Krimla look at me. That's an order!" I said. Krimla stopped what she was doing and looked into my face. She was expressionless. I studied her features with care. I looked into her orange skin, her huge pitch black eyes, her almost noseless face, her lips and her purple hair, but I couldn't find those glances of discontent that I had seen before. I didn't know what to say. Maybe I had imagined things.

"Never mind. You can carry on," I said. Krimla left and appeared with trays of food. What the hell was wrong with me today? Was I going crazy or something? I didn't know what exactly was going on with Krimla, but I was determined to find out. I know that she's been hiding something from me and she has been looking at me strangely throughout the day.

"Good evening," Brok said coming to the dining table.

"Good evening master."

"You can leave us now," Brok ordered.

"Yes master," Brok said and Krimla left the dining room. I didn't know what to tell him. I was so nervous that I felt my heartbeats in my throat.

"Hello Anabella. How are you this evening?"

"Fine," I mumbled.

"Good," He answered. In front of me was some chicken soup or I supposed it was something similar. I grabbed the spoon and began to move the steamy liquid softly, from one side to the other. Curves of smoke came out of the dish.

"Won't you ask me how I am this evening?" Brok asked me breaking the silence. I gazed up at him.

"Oh, yes. Of course, sorry. How are you this evening?"

"I'm wonderful," he said. Holy shit.

"Oh... good," I answered. He smiled.

"It's not every day when a young, beautiful woman as yourself finds a Sha creature like me to be beautiful too. I am delighted with such a compliment," he said.

"Oh... okay," I said. Brok looked at his dish and stirred the soup.

"This looks delicious. I must confess Anabella, I thought little of your Earth food, but now after I have tasted it I have realized that I have grown accustomed to some of its new flavors."

"I'm glad you like it," I said.

"I still believe that the Sha's nutritional nourishment is superior to Earth's though."

"You're entitled to your opinion," I said.

"Oh, it is not my opinion my beautiful Anabella, it is a fact, but I will allow you to believe that it is an opinion if that satisfies you. I am too happy to allow futile discussion to come between us. I am still thinking about what you said to me. Do not think that I have forgotten," he said. Shit. I smiled a bit trying to cover up my nervousness which was a lot. A knot had formed in my stomach and I really didn't think that I could eat right now. Brok however began to munch on his meal and he seemed almost to be in frenzy state. He was really getting me to the point where I just couldn't even grab the spoon anymore.

"You know Brok, I had such a giant lunch with you this afternoon, that I'm really not that hungry," I said.

"Oh Anabella, that was hours ago. Certainly, you must be a little hungry."

"No, not really. I think I'm just going to go to my room."

"I have not finished my meal. That would be rude," He said. My throat went dry.

"I don't... I don't want to be rude... I'm just feeling..." Brok froze and stared at me. His spoon was in mid-air. He placed the spoon back on his bowl.

"What is the matter with you now?" He asked. I got up. I just couldn't stay there anymore. I was going to go nuts if I did.

"I have to go," I said.

"Go where?"

"To my room," I replied as I ran out of the dining room. Soon I was up the stairs and I felt his footsteps below.

"I'm going to allow this tonight, but don't you think you'll be getting away with this again! Do you hear me!" He shouted as I headed towards my room. I closed the door, locked it and ran to the bed. I was so scared that I didn't know what to do, so I just wept like a little girl until I couldn't weep any more.