Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Selena

Three days passed...

Creak!!

Zilpher: Oh, you're awake, Sel. *went to Selena*

Selena: I just woke up.

Zilpher: Are you hungry? *sat down close to Selena's bed* Just let me know and I'll have some food brought here.

Selena: I'm not hungry yet, but I want to thank you.

Zilpher: For what?

Selena: Yesterday, Heraldo visited me and told me how well you took care of me during the days I was unconscious.

Heraldo: He brought you lilac flowers every day because he knew they were your favorite, covered you with blankets at night, gave you medicine, and always made sure you ate. He constantly checked on your condition...

Zilpher: Hayysss!!! (Heraldo really talks too much!) *sighed* It's nothing, it's such a small thing. Of course, as your husband, it's only right that I take good care of you whenever you're sick. *smiled*

Selena: *held Zilpher's hands* But I still want to say thank you for everything you've done for me. I also heard from Heraldo yesterday that you helped the Orwenians with their Griffin problem while I was unconscious. They sent me a letter asking for my help, but I was unaware at that time, so you received and read the letter. After that, you immediately sent some of our soldiers here to assist them.

Zilpher *crumpled and hid the letter in his pocket* You, you, and... *pointed at some soldiers* Go to Orwena and help them defeat the Griffins immediately! Also, bring them sacks of rice as a gift from us. Remember, the Queen's problem is our problem. Her allies are our allies, and her enemies are our enemies. Move out!

Selena: But why didn't you tell me about this when I woke up?

Zilpher: Because it's a small matter, and besides... *held Selena's hands* You're my wife, so it's only right that I help you resolve all your problems. *smiled*

Selena hugged Zilpher tightly...

Selena: Thank you so much for helping me with everything, even though it wasn't part of our agreement.

Zilpher *patted Selena's back gently* It's nothing, hehe! *smiled*

Afterward...

Zilpher: I have a question for you.

Selena: Sure, what is it?

Zilpher: Do you still have feelings for Almorante?

Selena: ?? (Maybe because of his spying, he knows Almorante and that I liked him) Why are you asking me this?

Zilpher: Ah, because... *hesitated*

Selena: Um..., hhmmmm..., Not anymore, it's been a long time...

Zilpher: ?!

Selena: Since he talked to me about Aerielle.

Almorante: We need to talk seriously, Selena.

Zilpher: And then?

Selena: I decided to buy and give Aerielle a necklace for her seventeenth birthday.

Zilpher: What?!!!

Selena: There were also things I did against Aerielle *looked at the bracelet on her wrist* before I had this bracelet...

Aerielle: Ouch!, Sister??!!, why are you hitting me when I haven't done anything wrong to you?!, WHY?! *crying* Is it still because of what happened to you before?!

Selena: Something happened to me before, so I have to wear this bracelet every day and I can't take it off even for a moment. I remember...

[Flashback]

In Rain's office...

Selena and Rain were sitting and having a serious conversation...

Rain: What's happening to you, Selena?! *worried* (Why is there a dark aura surrounding you??)

Selena: Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble *smiled frighteningly*

Rain: !!! (Those lines are meant to cast a curse, taken from a poem by William Shakespeare known as "The Witches' Spell in Macbeth" which means...) *held both of Selena's arms on the chair* What is the double trouble and chaos coming to the world??!! (What happened to you when you were kidnapped?? Why are you like this and who told you to say those words??)

>William Shakespeare was a famous writer and actor during his time.<

Selena: Hahahaha!!! *laughed frighteningly*

Rain: Tsskkk!!!

And suddenly, she began speaking in Latin. Then, the skies darkened, there was a storm, and the sound of thunder could be heard.

Rumble! Boom!!

Rain: Tsskkk!!!

So Rain tried to put Selena to sleep to stop her from speaking Latin. After that, he took something from his small cabinet.

Rain (This bracelet will save your life and protect you from evil and any danger).

>That magical bracelet was made by Princess Callista using her power when an evil spirit possessed her friend the Priest. Decades passed and it was handed down through different generations of Priests in the temple. It was given to Rain by Father Pilato on her eighteenth birthday.<

Rain *put the bracelet on Selena's wrist* (You are now responsible for protecting and cleansing the soul of one of my beloved students).

-----------------------------------------------------------

Selena: But I still can't remember what happened to me when I was kidnapped.

Zilpher: Why are you telling me all this?

Selena: Because we are married, as you said, even if just on paper... it's only right that you know these things about me. I trust you, Zilpher.

Zilpher: Sel... *sad*

Selena: And don't worry, I'm fine as long as I wear this bracelet.

Zilpher: It's not that..., I don't know how you manage to handle everything that happened to you before and then..., Almorante even talked to you about his feelings for Aerielle. (That Almorante is really a trickster! I should have told you how he was deceiving both you and Aerielle. If only I had done that earlier, your feelings for Almorante might have faded sooner.) By the way, did you and Almorante have feelings for each other back then?

Selena: No, it was only Aerielle that he truly liked. Besides, he knew Aerielle before he met me. He only saw me as a friend. I started to like him when he approached me while I was crying because someone was bullying me.

Zilpher *stood up* Who bullied you back then?! Do you want us to go and beat them up now?! *angrily*

Selena: Ah, no need! That happened a long time ago and besides, it was just a small thing. I just took offense and got upset that day. He broke my favorite doll while we were playing outside.

Young Selena: WHY DID YOU BREAK MY DOLL?!! *crying*

Zilpher: Even so, if he broke your favorite doll, you should have been upset with him.

Selena (Zip...) And that day, I began to like Almorante and became friends with him. He was very kind, good, understanding, and helpful, and he always listened to my problems. Most importantly, he always came to see me whenever I was alone.

Zilpher (Hayyysss..., I wish I had seen you that day. If only...) ...

Selena: But eventually, I realized that he wouldn't be good for my heart, so I buried my feelings for him *looked into Zilpher's eyes* I promise, I no longer have even a penny's worth of love for Almorante *smiled*

Zilpher: I believe you, Sel *smiled too*

Two days later...

Zilpher: There's a problem with the gold mines, Sel.

So they immediately went to the gold mines...

Upon arriving...

Zilpher: What's the problem here?!

Zilpher discussed the issue with the workers in detail.

While Zilpher was talking to the workers, Selena suddenly noticed a woman hiding behind some rocks...

Selena (The Mysterious Woman!!)

The woman and Selena locked eyes...

???: Tsskkk!!! *ran quickly into the mine*

Selena: Wait!!! *chased after the woman*