---Almira---
"Why would I trust you?" I keep quiet. Perhaps, I should tell her when the servants are no longer here. "You people hate us!" she hissed at me. I squeeze her hand and stood.
"I know, but I am different. Drink this, you have to calm yourself." She did took it and she winced and hold her stomach like she's in a little pain. "Are you…" I did not finish it when I know the answer. Headache! Marissa is pregnant and it is not good here. "Alright… I think you know what you shouldn't do for your sake." I am speaking about the baby inside her. "I will assist you and your servants. Just tell them what you wanted."
I took the handkerchief from her hand and wipe the blood on her temple. She got a little scratch there and she winced. But tears started falling from her eyes. I feel sad for her. I don't know what happened back there.
I told the servant to build a fire on the chimney and then I insist on her to go with me to the bathroom. I close the wooden door to make sure that no one will eavesdrop on us. The aromatic smell of roses and vanilla hit my nose.
"Why are you acting kind to me?" she asked me. "Why should I trust you?"
I move closer to her and took her hand that she immediately pulls. I look into her eyes for her to trust me.
"I—I keep watching you… No one knows that I have been going Outside world except Nick. A while ago, I witness that my father is going to take you and to kill them. I went there, outside the house of your lover to warn him that they are coming. I just wished that you had escaped, but, these happen."
"Y-you were always there?" she asked confused. "And why should I trust you?"
"The reason that my brother Nick trusted me to Adhiti."
"A-Adhiti? Where is she?" she took my hand squeezing it.
"She was just in the cabin, but when I got there she's gone. I don't know where she goes. She took one of my brother's horses and the squirrel told me that she left with bags."
Marissa almost fell from the floor but I hold her.
"You okay?" she nods at me. "You need to clean up. You also need to eat to be strong."
"C-can I asked for a favor?" she asked me. I nod at her.
"But I cannot promise anything."
"Can you peek back to the house and seek for my Patrick. He was beaten," her voice broke and sobbed and hold her face. "I—I don't know if he's alive. I cannot live without him…" I took her hand and squeeze it again.
"I will. I will send one of my birds to him. But you have to promise me to be strong." I put my palm on her stomach. "This is a gift from our Almighty God, you have to treasure and take care of it." She nodded at me. I embraced her and I can feel that she's relieved. God, please help her overcome this. Goddess of Earth, please strengthen her and protect her when I am not around.
I got out of her bathroom just in time when the servants serve the food. I walk to the window looking up the moon. Adhiti, wherever you are, I hope you are safe. How could you leave the cabin? What's going on with you? I breathed in the cold night.
"Princess Almira," Marga spoke behind me. "Shall I prepare your bath?"
"Please, and the rest of Marissa's servant's you are now dismissed."
They all leave the room. I breathed again and call for my owl. I feed him with an apple and gently stroke his wings.
I, your friend, requesting for a favor
As an apprentice of Goddess of Earth
To help those in dark from their grief
Leave the inside world to the outside world
Seek for Patrick Patterson
My sister's soul-mate
And confirm his condition
Fly my beloved friend, fly.
I sat on the chair closing my eyes and prayed silently to our Almighty Father. Asking for strength to protect those people who are innocent. Human or not human. Footsteps coming closer and I look up at Marissa who is dressed in a silk sleeping gown with a robe.
"Please have a seat." I gesture on the chair and she did. "I feel exhausted and hungry as you are. Please eat." I pick the green apple and have a bite. I look at Marissa who is staring quizzically on the window that has an apple. "Oh, I feed it on my friend. I ask him to seek your love." I smiled at her warmly. Her face lightens and her eyes twinkles. I gently put my palm on her face and heal her wounds and a bruise on her face that my father gives. There's a knock on the door and it opens.
Marga my handmaiden enters and bow gracefully at us. "Your highness, your bath is waiting for you."
"Thank you, Marga, you are now dismissed." She bows again and left. I finished eating my apple and I see that she has no appetite. Who wouldn't have an appetite to eat after what happened? "I will tell the servants to always leave a drink and fruits in here. Right now, I have to take a bath and find out where my brother's mate goes."
"Does she always leave?"
"N-no." I shook my head. "It is the first that she left the cabin without me or my brother. My brother told me that she's acting bizarre after I brought her to the town."
"H-how bizarre?"
"Like she has more than one personality inside her body."
Marissa took her hand on her mouth with gasped. She leans back on the chair and sipped a glass of water on the goblet.
"I don't understand. I know that she can act like somebody else… but…"
"We have to wait two days for my brother's arrival. I am sure that it will be a headache…" I hold my temple. "And it will be a big fight between father and Nick."
"N-Nick can fight your father?"
"Yes. He can. That's why he left this castle and have his cabin away."
"C-Can you bring me there instead?"
"I'm sorry, Marissa. But when it's you, it is different. Please, for you not to get hurt by my father, don't talk back to him."
"He's not my father."
"He is your father, but I can't blame you for hating him."
"How about your brothers and sisters? Are they like you?"
"No. That is impossible." I chuckled on the idea and it disgusted me.
"I should avoid them too."
"Yes, you can."
"And your mother?" I drink the wine on the goblet before answering her. About, mother? I don't know to say it.
"She can be kind in your eyes."
"But she's not." She blurted. Yes, she's right. I nod at her. "I miss my mom…"
"How does your mother like?"
"She's caring, kind, lovable… she's everything a mother you wanted to be. Also, Patrick's mom. She's lovable… she loved me like her daughter. I wish to see Adhiti…"
"But even I, don't know where she is. I will visit again the cabin tomorrow morning."
I stood and patted her shoulder.
"You have to rest now. You have to."
"I don't know why he even took me here."
"We will know for sure. Good night Marissa." I left her room and went to mine to have a long bath.
As soon as I enter my room, I removed my dress and let it on the floor with my under garnets as I walk directly to the bathroom. The bathtub is waiting for me and it was warm. I sit there and leans my head on the wall as I take a sip on my red wine.
I don't know how to deal with these things tomorrow. I am exhausted. The festival will be in three weeks. I don't know what my father's bidding is. I cannot let him abuse Marissa. Nick cannot let it happen too. I don't know where Adhiti is. I closed my eyes and let the pain on my head torture me.
---Goddess of Aer---
When she woke up in the body of her sister, all she thought is vengeance. She shouldn't feel vengeance, but the pain on her chest and the painful memories that she took makes her soul almost shatter. Her father took her back to their Kingdom in the above world. She felt free and happy and loved… but still one missing. The love of her soul mate. She promised to come back to him.
She removed the dress that she's wearing and pick a different dress. A dress that has a color of the sky and a protective cover on her legs. She faced the mirror. She's not used on this face, but still, it is an exceptional beauty. The beauty of her face that makes every man fall in love. But how her soul mate would know that it is her, Aryanna who is willing to come back to her lover's embrace.
But now, the land where she was born was is all that she's thinking now.
"Thy beauty of thou is our beauty." She told herself on the reflection and a white-blue mark burns on her temple. It is like a twister. The mark of the wind. "We choose to love, yet we are hurting. Adhiti, Goddess of Universe, are you going to choose him over peace?" the person that she's talking is absent.
She immediately packs a few foods for her travel. She found a pouch of silver coins. She thought that it would be enough for her travel. She took the cloak and the boots that fit on her. She walked outside the cabin and went to the stable where the horses are. Her eyes darted on the white and black spotted mare. She gently strokes the mare's muzzle and close her eyes.
"Please take me to Aēr. The Queen is worth of the Goddesses' visit."