Cold tears streamed down my hot cheeks as I fled the dining area. I passed many different rooms and corridors with haste. I ran breathless until my legs were worn. I stopped as my chest went up and down. I felt my lungs were about to explode and the pain in my heart was unbearable. I heaved, held on to the wall and fell on my knees.

"Anabella Torres?" I looked over my shoulder.

"Rox," I gasped. Rox stretched his hand to me. I grabbed it and he pulled me up.

"That is my name. You are Anabella Torres," Rox replied. I half smiled.

"Yes, I know. I was just surprised to see you here," I said.

"So am I. I thought that you would be having lunch with the prince," Rox said. I shook my head.

"That monster? How can you call him a prince?" I asked.

"Because he is a prince," Rox said. I paced slowly and realized that there was a door at the end of the corridor.

"Where does that door lead me?" I asked.

"To the back gardens. Would you like a tour?" Rox asked.

"I would like anything that would take my mind off of that... prince," I spat out loud.

"Then follow me," Rox said. I grabbed his metallic hand and let him lead the way. He opened the door and outside we were greeted with a purple sky where I could see a planet with rings, and a nearby constellation.

"How could such a horrible creature live in such a beautiful place?" I asked. It was meant to be a rhetorical question, but Rox answered regardless.

"Horrible creatures are entitled to enjoy beautiful places too." I shrugged my shoulders and smiled drily.

"I guess so," I replied. Rox pressed his metallic, cold finger below my eyelashes and touched my tear drop.

"Why are you crying?" Rox asked me. I shoved his hand away.

"Because... do I really have to explain?" I replied. Rox looked at me with his two blue, lights. Sometimes I forgot that he was a robot, he seemed so alive.

"Rox... can I ask you a question about the prince?"

"It depends on the nature of your question. Ask and I shall respond to the best of my abilities," Rox said.

"I wanted to know more about that Satmani condition..."

"You mean the Pstanktimi condition. I am forbidden to discuss it with you," Rox said.

"But I don't understand the condition itself," I replied quickly.

"The condition is an emotional illness where lack of empathy exists n the patient. Twenty five percent of the Sha population suffer it, but can be easily cured by love. However, the Pstanktimi condition has four stages. By the third stage it is nearly impossible to be cured and by the fourth stage it is completely impossible to recover and the patient must either submit his consciousness into a robotic anatomy with controled programming or die. Most are able to find a cure by as far as the second stage, but those who cannot must endure tranfusion of conciousness or death to terminate the illness," Rox said. The wind brushed my hair and I combed it back with my fingers.

"So in what stage is Brok? Is he like already in the third stage?" I asked.

"I cannot discuss his condition with you," Rox said. I panted frustrated.

"I just want to understand what's going on with him. He's so... evil," I mumbled out that last word afraid of voicing it out loud. My hands shook a little, but I decided to ignore my shivers and simply rubbed my hands on the sides of my thighs.

"Anabella you don't even know the master. Evil is a strong word," Rox replied.

"That's what he is."

"I know him and I can assure you that he is not evil. He is in pain and you might be the only one to help him," Rox said.

"Help him? How can I possibly help him when every time I try to ask him about it, he shuts me out? Besides, if anybody should be mad, it should be me. He kidnapped me. He took me away from my planet, my home, my family and my entire life and for what?"

"I cannot answer those questions Anabella. Only the master can answer those questions. I am here to provide you with any services or requests that you may ask. You wanted a tour of the gardens and I can provide that service for you."

"Can I request to go back to Earth?" I asked.

"No. I have been programmed to ignore that request without hesitation."

"Can I request transport to leave this place or to go stay somewhere else?" I asked.

"Those requests are denied," Rox replied.

"Don't you feel anything?" I asked. Rox moved his head sideways like a little puppy and stared at me with his blue lights. His white robe ruffled as the wind blew gently and he looked at me for a while.

"My feelings are irrelevant. I am programmed to obey my master at all times," Rox replied.

"Yeah, I imagined. Just take me back into my room please," I said.

"Yes, Miss Torres, come right this way," he said leading the way back into the castle. We walked the hallways, the stairs and then the corridors where I returned to my room.

"If you need any accommodations, please let me know," Rox said. I nodded and closed the door as Rox left. I didn't feel like doing anything. I felt numb. I laid my body in bed and rested my head on the hard mattress. The only thing I loved about the room was the red rose next to my bed. I looked at it until my eyelids grew heavy. Then the rose blurred and I fell into a deep sleep.

**************************************************************

I woke up without knowing what time it was or where I was for a moment. Everything surrounding me was dark until I sat down on the bed, my two bare feet high, but trying to touch the floor. Purple holograms all over the walls lit up and I knew where I was again. It really wasn't a bad dream, it was actually real. I was really in the planet Sha, held captive by an evil prince called Brok. I slouched a bit and slid from the bed. My feet touched the floor. It felt smooshy so I checked my feet to see if I had stood on something, but there was no stain on me, so the floors were simply like that. What a strange world this was. I approached the door, opened it just a bit to have a lined view, but I couldn't see anyone passing by the hallways. I opened it a little bit more and halfway through I realized that the castle was empty, or at least over here at my zone it was ghostlike. I crept out of my door looking left and right, just in case, but there was nothing. It was quiet. Slowly, I paced through the hallways and as I did the purple lights of the holograms would come to life, but would just as fast go off when I passed by them. They only seemed to turn on by motion. I held on to the stair rails and slowly walked down. As I was halfway through the stairs I heard whispers and for a moment I froze. Shit. My heart pounded a bit, but the whispering continued so I hadn't been detected by the moment. Who were they and what were they talking about I wondered. I walked as quietly as I possibly could down the rest of the stairs and tipped my way towards the voices. I heard the voice of a woman. It was Krimla.

"We can't allow him Pundok... if we do it's all over," Krimla said.

"Most of the Senate is already convinced, even his parents are halfway convinced. However, we still need three more votes." another one said, but I didn't recognize his voice.

"Shuttu and Balon will not give you those votes. Tamil has openly expressed his loyalty. Maybe Shakaal," Krimla said. I wondered what in God's name were they talking about so I leaned closer to hear what they were saying, but as I did the purple light of the holograms betrayed me.

"Leave quick, someone is there," Krimla whispered.

"Rox, maybe?" the voice said, but Krimla didn't answer. I just heard a rush of footsteps and I raced out of that hallway. The purple lights lit everytime I passed and I grew anxious at every turn.

"Who is there? Is that you Rox?" Krimla asked. I ran as quickly as I could and stopped at the sight of a door. I had no idea of how to open it, but I began to press and press all sorts of buttons that appeared on the hologram until finally I was able to open it. I fell on the floor heaving as I heard Krimla's voice.

"I just want to know what you heard!" She said. The door automatically shut and Krimla was out of sight. I closed and opened my eyes relieved that I hadn't been caught eavesdropping on a conversation that seemed to be private. I didn't know what they were talking about anyway. All I knew was that I had gotten up from bed to explore the castle. I didn't know how, but I was already planning something in the back of my mind. I was planning an escape.