I had just been brought in to the palace to help my uncle tend to the gardens, since a few of the boys who usually helped him tend the plants had fallen very ill. Since I usually helped my mother tend to the gardens outside the inn my father owned, he had offered my assistance to his older brother until the boys had all recovered their full strength.

Looking around at the nicely kept roses that currently surrounded me, I almost failed to notice my uncles smiling face as he came out from a nearly hidden path between some of the brilliantly red and green flowering plants.

"Ah! You're here! Perfect timing, I was just about to start tending to the West Gardens, but since you are here I'll give you a quick tour and show you what needs to be done before I get started! I really can't thank you enough for coming to help! There is far too much to do to be understaffed when everything is flowering!" As always, Uncle Toma's voice was filled with as much energy and happiness as a child at a festival.

"Uncle Toma, you know I am always willing to help out. You have done so much to help us out over the years. I am just happy that I am able to finally do something to help you in return. And such a beautiful garden to be working in! I almost feel like you are doing me yet another favor!" I laughed in joy as I waved my hands at the wondrous flowers in bloom around us as we walked down the paths together. "It's amazing you get to see these in all their stages. From a tiny seed to a sprout, a sprout to a flower and from flower to carrying its own seeds again."

"Yes, it is rather amazing to see how everything keeps going, season after season and year after year. Although sometimes we get a new flower in that can take a little while to figure out how best to care for it." He pointed to a long green stem with a small cascade of tiny, blue flowers spilling from its top like a waterfall of blossoms.

"How amazing, Uncle Toma!" And from there we moved on, discussing the work I would do to help for likely the next few weeks.

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It was exhausting, but rewarding, pulling weeds from the flower beds and getting to enjoy each new species of flower, bush and vine up close. The colors, textures and smells were all so varied, yet grouped up in the most amazing ways to bring beauty to the eyes and still make sure the smells went well together. Uncle Toma had always had a keen eye and nose for the gardens and it showed with every minute spent tending to the results of his hard work.

When lunch finally came about, I had to admit I was more than ready to sit down and take a break. After heading to the kitchens and preparing a couple of sandwiches and fresh fruit, I made my way to a courtyard I knew I would be tending to afterwards, figuring I would save myself the time of having to head over later. This way I could simply eat and get back to work right away.

Finding some shade under one of the trees, I sighed happily and sat down, ready to begin my meal. Just as I was about to take a bite from one of the sandwiches, I saw something move in the tree above me. If I was not used to being observant of my surroundings due to having to watch for pests or signs of wilt in the gardens, I likely never would have noticed the slight shifting of one of the branches.

Slowly, I looked up and began peering through the leaves, until I could just barely make out an almost hidden pair of eyes staring back at me. If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a child playing hide and seek, but knowing this was a part of the palace, I highly doubted a child would be allowed to wander about this courtyard unattended. Giving the person the warmest smile I could manage, I held up the sandwich in my hand and tilted my head.

"If you are hungry, I would be more than happy to share my meal with you. If you were wondering about me, I'm simply here to help Uncle Toma in the gardens until his usual helpers get over being ill." If it was a guard, I wanted them to know I was not a threat to anyone and also give them a way of confirming my words, since they should know who Uncle Toma was as he had been working here since before I was born.

I was almost ready to lower the sandwich again, my smile just starting to fade, when a hand suddenly reached down and snatched it back into the branches. I couldn't help the laughter that began spilling from my lips at the sight. Covering my mouth with one hand, I reached into the small basket I had brought my food in and grabbed one of the sweet fruit that I had found in the kitchens. Slowly raising my shaking hand back up, I lifted the fruit up to the unknown person.

"Here, these are really sweet and juicy. It should taste really good with the sandwich." I smiled again as the fruit soon vanished from my hand and into the leaves above.

Reaching into the basket, I grabbed myself a sandwich and began eating, the smile never leaving my face. Occasionally, I would start commenting about some of the flowers that grew in the courtyard, pointing out one flower that matched the color of my eyes that I had a fondness for. I knew the person most likely didn't care, but it made me feel like I was spending time with a friend. After all, there were not that many who would listen to someone ramble on about such things these days.

After I was finished, I offered up the basket with the remaining food and then went to my work, tending the flower beds in the courtyard and checking for any signs of sick plants or pests. Once the courtyard was finished, I turned to the tree with a smile and waved.

"I hope I get to enjoy a meal with you again next time, my friend! Farewell!" Even though nobody answered, I finished the rest day and was still smiling when I went to bed.

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Every day, I would sit under the tree and share my lunch with the young man who always seemed to be hiding in the branches. I never saw his face or heard his voice, but his hands gave him away when I had brought a soup with me for lunch one time and he had to be more gentle lifting it up into the branches.

I knew if I wanted to, I could easily make my way up and see him, but I figured if he was taking the time to hide himself then he did not want to be seen by me. Prehaps not by anyone. It was not my place to pry into his space more than I already had anyhow.

At least he did not complain about my endless conversations about the flowers I had tended since I had last sat a meal with him. He was also kind enough to always be there, ready to share the food I had made for us without complaint. After all, it was not like he had to eat with me, yet he always took what I offered him.

By the end of the second week, I had taken to making slightly more exotic dishes than simple sandwiches or soups. I had begun making meals that I had learned from merchants and travellers that would stay at father's inn. After all, it never hurt to know them since it meant I could cover for my father in the kitchens when he was sick or otherwise unable to cook.

The dishes we ate in the courtyard would often be ones I had to make at home, getting up earlier than usual to prepare them and then storing them carefully until it was time to meet up with my new friend at our tree. I'd begun to look forward to seeing if I could get him to say something about the food, anything at all. So far he hadn't said a single word to me, but I remained hopeful.

After all, I still had a bit more time here before Uncle Toma said he wouldn't need my help anymore. The last of the boys had finally begun recovering after receiving some medicine from one of the palace pharmacists.

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Well, today was the last day that I would be here in the courtyard. I still had not heard a single sound from my friend, but at least I had fun trying to get him to talk. I had recently started wondering if perhaps he was mute and thus unable to speak to me. Maybe he would be willing to at least wave goodbye when I tell him that I will no longer be coming to tend the gardens after today.

Sitting beneath the tree in my usual spot, I slowly began opening the large basket I had brought with me today. I pulled out dish after dish, each one containing a small helping of an exotic meal from a far off country. I'd even made things I couldn't pronounce the names of, just to share one last amazing meal with the quiet man I considered my friend.

For nearly an hour, I slowly raised up one dish after another as we ate together. Together, even though I had never seen more than his hand and one arm up to the elbow. Everything else remained hidden away from my view, leaving me wishing more than ever to just see him once before it was too late.

However, I could never make that wish known, knowing that to do so could be crossing a boundary that was invisible to the eye but ever so clear in my mind and heart. After all, if he wanted me to see him, he could have come down at any time these past weeks and sat beside me.

Finally finishing the last dish of food, I sat in silence for a few more minutes, using the excuse of putting the empty dishes back into the basket to listen for just one single word from the man I had just eaten with. The silence was both peaceful and heartbreaking at the same time and it was in that quiet that I tended the courtyard one last time before turning to look up at the tree with a sad smile. I would miss spending time with him, sharing meals with him, talking to him about anything and everything that came to mind.

"Today was our last meal, my friend. The boys are all well again and Uncle doesn't need my help anymore. I hope you enjoyed the time we got to spend together. If ever you wish to visit, I'd enjoy showing you the inn's garden, even if it will never look as nice as the gardens here at the palace. And if not, then I hope you have a wonderful life ahead of you, filled with many more friends. Ones who will be able to stay by your side better than I can." Turning quickly to hide the tears I just couldn't hold back anymore, I ran from the courtyard and down the pathway to the palace gates.

I didn't stop running until I was through the gates and halfway home.

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Weeks had passed since I last stepped onto palace grounds. Weeks of wishing I had an excuse to go back to the palace, to sit in the courtyard and share food with someone I had never seen. Some reason to go back to that tree and stand beneath it talking about everything and nothing, just to know that there was someone within the branches who was willing to let me give voice to the hundreds of thoughts that wandered my mind.

But without that excuse, that reason, I would not be allowed past the gates, let alone be free to wander about freely. Mere civilians like myself were far too low in social class to be given the same privileges that the nobles had. Besides, if he had really wanted to see me again, to share another meal with me, he could have come at any time to the inn. It was not like I had never told him during our lunches about the inn that Father owned and ran.

I guess I had let my hopes rise too high above what I was allowed to actually receive in life. My dreams were too far beyond my reach and this was the inevitable let down of seeing your fingers stretch out but fail to grasp at the stars you wanted to touch. Perhaps it was time for me to let go and move on.

After all, only a fool would continue to love someone they would never get to see. It was bad enough I had fallen for him in the first place.

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I woke up to the smell of flowers filling my nose as I slowly blinked my eyes open. Sitting up, I looked around myself to see I was surrounded by dozens of earth filled pots sitting upon the floor, each one filled with a different variety of flower. The biggest pot was filled to overflowing with vibrant flowers matching my eyes in color, just like there had been in the courtyard at the palace.

But no matter how beautiful the flowers were, no matter how wondrous the fragrance of them, it did nothing to halt the chills that ran up and down my spine at finding myself in a bedroom that was not my own.

Hearing a sound, I turned my head towards an open window to the far right along the wall, it's curtains billowing inward from the warm breeze. I watched in fear as a young man finished climbing into the room, his hazel eyes meeting mine as he began walking towards the pot of flowers.

"As much as they match your eyes, they pale in comparison to the real thing." His voice sounded cheerful, even as he picked one of the flowers, his eyes growing dark as he lifted it in front of his face.

Not saying anything, I just continued to watch him, ready to spring from the bed if I felt the need.

"I thought if I had something to remind me of you, it would be enough. All it did was make me want you back even more. But you didn't show up again." He frowned before bringing the flower up to his lips.

My eyes wide, I realized who this man was. He was the one from the tree, my courtyard friend.

"But then I realized something. It wasn't me who was waiting for you, it was you waiting for me. You were always waiting for me, weren't you? And I had made you wait far too long. But don't worry, I will never make you wait like that again." His eyes darkened even more as he lowered the flower before gently tossing it upon the bed.

I was about to jump from the bed and race to the open window, expecting the door to be locked already, but I was too late. With a quick movement, he grabbed me by the arms and held me in place.

"Don't worry, don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. After all, we're friends right? And that is enough for me. At least for now. I do so hope that we can become closer with time. Much, much closer. And you can start by calling me Obi. You'll be using my name much more often in the future, my dear flower. My most precious love." He slowly brought his forehead against mine, his black hair brushing softly against my skin before he pulled back to look into my eyes again.

"Why?" It was the only word I could choke past the fear that blocked my throat, my eyes starting to burn with the tears that had begun to run down my face.

"Why? Because I love you. You kept coming to spend time with me in the courtyard, bringing me meals that kept getting better and better, things I had never even seen before, let alone tasted. And you did it all for me, just for me. How could I not fall in love with you? But now it is my turn to make you fall in love with me. Then we can be happy together. I'll keep you with me so I can show you all the love I have for you. Just you and me, forever." I could see the madness in his eyes now, burning deep within his mind.

I couldn't stop shaking as he slowly leaned forward, slowly licking the tears from my cheeks before giving me a broken smile.

"And you will learn to love me just as much as I love you."