Elrisha
As we got back to the dining hall, all of us took our seats at the formal dining table which has twenty capacities. There was no conversation was being heard in the middle of the dining table, just silence until Mirna breaks the ice.
"Aya, why wear a mask?" now that she mentioned it, she doesn't look like wearing any mask.
"I have to for the safety of everyone." Ayame only managed to tell her which left some details about it.
"Does it eat you alive?" I wondered which made Ayame glance at me for a second before looking back at Mirna then sigh.
"No, since it's a contract and my price to pay." She only answered then went back on being quiet. She really doesn't show any emotions unless she's facing Mirna.
"Would I go through that as well? And please be honest with me." Mirna curiously asked before taking a sip over the mint tea that my mother prepared.
"You could if you choose to. In my case, I don't have any other choice and everything I made one, disaster always fall into my life and those people around me." She honestly answered Mirna then took a sip from her cup of tea. I don't know what tea was since I am no fan of teas yet I could appreciate once being offered.
"That's the reason why you left with a word to me even a letter." Mirna stated finally knowing the reason why Ayame left her out of the blue.
"So, what happens to you aside from being the Great Grey Tamer that they've been talking about?" I directly asked which made her looked intensely at Mirna.
"It's not about me why I am here. It's about you." She answered but she was telling it more to Mirna as if I am not the one who's asking her.
"Fine. Why me then?" Mirna rolled her eyes with a sigh left her mouth.
"When she learned that your mother died, she gave me a call to check on you. Honestly, she didn't even tell me who or why but you know what she told me that I already know when I saw you. I really wanted to strangle her but she was right. I found you so quickly since you're studying for one of my cousin's sponsoring. I gave her an idea to have her first scholar and that's you." Ceres answered for Ayame as she put out a tray of different flavors of sandwiches.
"There's something happened to me and I couldn't go back with you anymore." Ayame added with her sad tone.
"So, it's about that?" Mirna flatly said as if she was upset over something.
"Yes. The tamers' bloodline might have many paths yet there are only two of them, do good or do bad. But due to what I did, another path was made yet it's very delicate and dangerous. Being a Grey Tamer or Neutral Tamer only occurs once in a blue moon and it's the one who choices the bearer of the title. You might think that's easy but no since you're going to be neither. You can't choose sides yet you'll have the capacity to understand everything if you listen to both sides and what's the real story behind each point of view. In my case, dwell in both ways. I could get along with dark and light at the same time that's why they called me Great Grey Tamer." Ayame directly explained.
"But you, you can choose to be a tamer and inherit what bestow upon you since birth or be human." She added that made Mirna left with a sigh.
"There's a catch in choosing either, right?" she guessed.
"Clever child. Unega Unatsi will rest forever. The bond between you and Elrisha would die as well." Ceres chuckled.
"What?" I just couldn't believe what she just informed us and it's getting under my skin.
"Simple as you're the only going to attract to her or not since it will depend on who's your mate between Unega Unatsi or Mirna." Ceres added with her sly smile that really made me lost control. I hate it.
"That's absurd." I growled and almost break the wine glass that I am holding.
"Elrisha." I heard Mirna's warning tone that made me halted from talking which was the first time I can't talk back to her.
"Yeah?" I wondered how she sounded neutrally blank.
"Shift." She firmly told me which I don't understand.
"W-what?!" I was confused but as that word sank into my mind, I shifted into my form earlier at the painting room of my mother.
"That's my answer, Ayame." Mirna was smiling at Ayame but her eyes telling how serious she was. Honestly, I don't have any clue what just happened which made me looked like a lost puppy beside my beloved mate.
"Good to hear. But let me warn you, you can no longer escape from it. There's no turning back." Ayame firmly reminded her of the choice she made.
"Noted." Mirna smirked before she took my hand under that table and caressed them. It was very soothing that made me let out a very low purring sound. Dammit, was this how to be tame by your mate?
"So how does it feel to have your mate as your second tamed beast?" Ceres asked that caught my attention about the word second.
"Second?" I was puzzled then Mirna directly into my dragon eyes while smiling.
"Unatsi was the first one. I remembered when I was kidnaped at ten; I summoned her through the demon dogs of your father." She explained as she recalled clearly what happened to her in that moment.
"How did you do that?" Dad suddenly interjected with his curious tone.
"I don't know. Maybe because I'm almost dying in those times." Mirna shrugged her shoulders. Well, I understand she was a kid back then and have no knowledge of everything about night creature – I think?
"Now I understand on the night I was strolling with your father looking for you, one of my demon dogs went somewhere then the next thing we saw was you lying on the dumpster, bleeding to death." Dad finally remembered what happened that night.
"Good thing I sent you to tagged along with your best friend that night." Mom added which made my father kissed her forehead then smiled.
"Yeah. I was supposed to have dinner with my family but your mother here insisted to assist JJ." Dad nodded before turning to meet Mirna's steady gaze since he was sitting at the edge center of the dining table.
I am not sure but there was something different around Mirna. She's not bubbly or rather to say she's not asking too many questions all of the sudden which was good but not that good. I'm used to how curious she could be. But now, she won't speak unless you talk to her which I don't know how to handle. I might be in my fallen rogue form; I stood up from my seat and excused myself. I just need some time to think of what just happened.
'Don't you just walk away; just take me with you to your room. We have to talk about this one.'
I halted from my tracks since I was surprised when I suddenly heard Mirna's voice through my mind. I even looked back at her in confusion then slowly I was shifting back on my usual form. Mirna was just sitting there on her seat while finishing her cup of tea since she already took two sandwiches though she could eat some more. Maybe because she's in front of my parents or for whatever reason she might have for not eating like she usually do.
'I am not sure on how. I just want to stop you from walking away from me. Like I want to get out from here.'
"Come with me, my beloved." After hearing her reason, I just sigh and invited her to come with me then we left them to enjoy their sandwiches.
On our way to my room, she was totally quiet as if she was thinking about anything that we could talk about. As no words will be heard, I took a couple of breaths and just composed myself like I usually do. When we got back to my room, Mirna immediately jumped to my bed that surprised me but I just let her snuggled herself there. I took my time to removed my coat and went to my desk since there's a lot of things I need to settle first.
"El, got a minute?" I was in the middle of sorting some files in my email when I heard Mirna asked that question.
"Sure. What is it?" I only managed to respond to her while I'm busy over the report emails.
"Are you wondering why I suddenly acting like this?" she wondered if it does bother me – well, to be honest just a bit since it's new but I'll get hang of it sooner or later.
"If you want to tell me then go ahead, I'm all ears." I only said as if I didn't care if she tells me or not but overall it's all up to her.
"Fine, I will tell you…" she just sigh which made me glance at where my bed was and she was sitting alone there while her back rested on the headboard of the bed.
"…remember when I collapsed earlier, right? It took me back to that time when the big wave of pain reminded me of my fears and weaknesses. It made me feel them all over again as if I was brought back there. It was too dark and I can't see or even feel what surrounds me. Even you faded there." I automatically snapped back to looked at her when I heard those lines at the end.
I saw sadness and loneliness as if she was there again. It pained me seeing those eyes but I mustn't since she's telling me something important. So, I decided to save whatever sorting that I am doing and continue them tomorrow at work before I get up from my seat and went to her side. She needed me this time. I didn't put my arm around her or even pulled her closer to me; I just sat there and attentively listen to whatever important thing she's going to tell me.
"I thought I've lost you there but I remember those times whenever you're at the edge of my scent and tried to do it as well. It took me a couple of minutes before I managed to calm the pain they kept repeating but with each repetition, they were getting heavier and more painful to the point of reopening the old scars." She continued telling me as she put her head over my left shoulder.
"Old scars?" I curiously asked since I never saw any scars over her body since I ready saw her naked in the shower and half-naked before.
"Oh, here. On my lower back, there's a small constellation which I don't know what kind of. Then here, my wrists were bruises because of being tied tightly. And over here, I've been whipped twice or trice and those whips weren't just a whip. It has some tiny spikes like rose thorns and the only good thing about it right now, not all of them left some scars since not everything was too deep aside from being slice here." She answered as she took off her clothes which only left her undergarments and I see nothing at first but each time she explained what happened there, she's pointing some pink lines that almost like her fair skin tone.
But what took me off guard to what she's pointing at was the slice that was really visible over her left shoulder blade which I ignored before since it was completely tattooed with a flower. It was the daffodil flower and just like her favorite color yellow was also the color it. But knowing the meaning of that flower meant new beginnings and eternal life which also meant me. Without meeting me, no big new beginnings await for her or even encounter someone that has eternal life.
"But your breathing style calmed me and made me managed those pains from my memories. You gave me hope which I'm very thankful for that's why I managed to come back. And it wasn't just that; I came back with my mother and Ayame's memories about teaching me how to calm some untamed beasts or monsters. They thought me to listen to each side and find the core of their downfall. Of course, at first, it wasn't easy but with their guidance, I managed to do so but my mother died in a car crash and within just a few months, I lost contact with Ayame then I was being kidnaped." She continued on telling me what she recalled about her past.
"You see Elrisha, within just a year, a lot of things already happened to me. I learned something from my mother and my sister-like but they were taken away from me when I was young then, I'm being kidnaped. But even though they all happened to me, I am still thankful that I managed to be alive and meet you. If I didn't have through all of it, would you ever find me in another life?" Mirna caught my attention, even more, when she asked me those words.
"Oh, Mirna, maybe I would meet you in another person or yes, in another lifetime. Like your tattoo means, a new beginning and eternal life, you will have them with me if you choose to." I smiled at her which made me put my arms around her shoulder.
"I love you Elrisha. Don't forget that." She chuckled before she snuggled herself at the crook of my neck and touched my lips as if she's tracing them.
"And I love you too, Mirna." I smiled before I kissed her forehead and let mine rested there for a moment then the next thing I hear was her cute baby-like snoring. I chuckled from hearing them since it's only been two or three times only I heard her snore and this was the fourth one.