Shane, Helios, and Ethos with Rana on his back walked on the lake water and reached the bank. They touched the dry ground.
The sudden rustling of the leaves sounded as birds flew out of the trees. Birds chirping above the trees were heard. The frogs croaked from the lake and on the ground.
Midnight at Lunara already felt like dawn as the sun was already out in the sky. Midnight was actually dawn in the City of the Moon as it was very different from the normal human world.
They walked down the cliff and found Ethiara at the foot of the mountain. She was waiting for them along with a servant.
Ethiara is a robust young woman with wavy dark brown hair and cool silver eyes. She was wearing a light brown woven dress and a long wooden necklace hung around her neck. A dark red soft cottony shawl wrapped her shoulders.
The servant beside was a slenderer woman and slightly older to her by three years. Her name was Anisa. She had been in Ethiara's family since Enara was born. She was also wearing a green woven dress and brown shawl around her.
"Master Ethos, Master Enos, Master Helios, welcome back," the woman said in a respectful greeting with a bowed head. She lifted her head and saw Enara behind Ethos' back. "Lady Enara."
She said with surprise and worry.
"What happened to her, Ethos?" asked Ethiara as soon as she noticed her little sister being carried in the back.
"She sprained her ankle," Shane explained looking at Ethiara.
Ethiara turned her eyes towards him.
"Enos!" said Ethiara in a happy voice. "I'm so glad you've returned."
She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
"You've grown up." She said making a quick study of his appearance. She saw his shirt was dirty and had a long diagonal cut slashed on his chest. She turned and threw an accusatory look at Ethos but before she could open her mouth, Ethos spoke first.
"Look, I know you're happy that this skipper has returned but let's keep going, Ethiara," said Ethos in an annoyed voice. "You can continue the greeting later. I'm carrying Enara on my back and she has fallen asleep. She's quite heavy."
Shane spoke to him.
"I can carry her instead down from here, Ethos."
Ethos merely glanced at him and said, "No. I'll carry her until we've gone down, Enos. You can look after her then."
He said dismissively and went ahead of them.
Shane, Ethiara and her servant, and Helios followed behind Ethos.
It took them thirty minutes to finally reach down the mountain and another fifteen minutes to reach Enara and Ethiara's house.
It was a large house with wooden walls and a wooden gate. As they walked closer to the place, they saw Ethiara's mother and father waiting by the gates. They were dressed in woven house dresses.
"Ethos!" Amara said walking towards Ethos who was approaching them. She was a petite woman with wavy dark brown hair. Her facial features looked a lot like Ethiara. "I'm glad you're all back and safe."
She stopped before him and hugged him.
Then, she released him and looked at his back.
"What happened to Enara, dear?" asked Amara with a voice full of worry.
"She's sprained her ankle."
He said as they continued walking.
Ethos briefly stopped when they approached Ethiara's father, Framir. He was a tall man with caramel hair and blue eyes.
The man threw him a quick hug, too, and let him pass the gate.
"I'm glad you're back, Ethos," he said and looked behind his back. "I see that Enos has also been found. You've done a good job, son."
They walked through the gate.
"Bring her to her room, at once, Ethos."
Framir said leading the way to the house.
They walked straight ahead and entered the house and went up the stairs until they reached Enara's room. Her room was big. The bed was placed against a closed curtained window. It was well-lighted as the two large windows were built inside her room. Orange curtains hung and they were thick to block the sunlight. Shane drew the curtains together to shield the light from outside.
Ethos put her on the bed. Enara was deeply asleep.
Once they settled her in the room, they all left and went to the living area where the servants provided tea and breakfast to the newly arrived.
"Enos, I'm so glad you're also back, sweetheart," said Amara in a delighted voice as she handed him his tea. "My, you've grown and have become very handsome."
Shane smiled at Amara.
"How was life on the other side, alright?" she asked.
"It was fine, auntie."
Shane replied as he took a sip of tea.
"Well, you three lot should all take a rest first, as you've just arrived," she said with her voice full of concern. "Then, later, you can come back to check on Enara."
They drank their tea and had breakfast while keeping their conversation light. They talked of the weather and how Shane's life back on Earth was was. When they were done with breakfast, Shane, Ethos, and Helios left.
Rana woke up with a headache.
She opened her eyes and saw she was back in her old room. She moved her head to the side and saw a bell, a glass of water, and medications on her bedside cabinet. She moved her body to a sitting position and winced when she felt her foot. She moved slightly and against the headboard with her pillows behind her and reached for the wrapped tablets.
Rana opened the medicine and popped it straight into her mouth and drank water. She waited for a while until the pain subsided and tried to get out of her bed and looked for her pair of slippers.
Once she found them, she put them on her feet and walked to the door. She opened it and went down to the kitchen.
Rana found no one in the kitchen and checked the pots and the fridge and pulled out food from there and brought them to the dining room. Once she settled on a seat, she started to eat.
When she looked at the clock on the wall, it was past two o clock in the afternoon. She looked past the glass door of the dining area and saw the bright golden sun outside.
"Oh, you're awake, Enara," said Ethiara as she entered the room. "You should have just raised the bell and ring it. Anisa could have brought you food in your room."
Rana looked at her.
"Thanks, Ethiara. I've been accustomed to living independently without a maid that I forget to ring it."
She said and put the spoon in her mouth.
"Was it not painful to walk?" Ethiara asked joining her by the table.
"I drank the medicine. Thanks for bringing them on my bedside table."
"No problem, sister," said Ethiara smiling at her.
Rana continued to eat. She saw Ethiara rising from her seat.
"Are you not joining me?" she asked her sister.
"I have to go back to work. I've forgotten something from the room and returned here to pick it up," Ethiara explained. "I have to go back. I'll catch up with you later. Go back to your room and have a rest. I'll check on you later."
Ethiara said and left.
Rana finished her food and brought the dishes to the sink. Then, she returned to her room.
She went back to lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling for a while until sleep once again came to her.
When she woke up again, night has fallen.
Ethiara went to her room and brought her dinner.
"I brought them to you so you don't need to come down," she said with a smile on her face.
"Thanks," she said looking at Ethiara. "Did mom and dad not miss me during dinner?"
"They asked about you while we were eating but I told them you were asleep. I told them I would just bring your food to your room."
Rana just looked at her sister.
"They seemed fine without me being here."
She said while she started on her soup.
"They were very angry when you left, Enara," said Ethiara watching her eat. "So, I'll give you a little warning. They might be a little cold to you for a while. Bear with it. It will change now that you're back with us."
Rana smiled at her big sister.
"Thanks for the warning, big sister. I'll do my best to appease mom and dad now that I'm back. Though I wonder what will thaw them."
When a thought entered her head, Rana asked, "Did they come to my room?"
"Mom and Dad were here when Ethos brought you earlier," Ethiara informed.
"But they didn't visit my room again after?" she asked clarifying.
Ethiara shook her head.
"They were at work the entire day."
"Okay," was all Rana said as she finished her soup and took the plate filled with potatoes and meat, and rice.
"Thanks for bringing me dinner, Ethiara."
Rana said gratefully.
"Sure, no problem, little sister. Just get better."
She said. Ethiara waited for her to finish her meal and took the tray back with her as she left Rana's room.
Two days passed and Rana still wasn't able to see much less talk to her parents. They were gone by early morning for work and returned when it was already nighttime. Anisa or Ethiara were the ones who brought her food to her room.
Shane came for a visit on the second day. They were inside Rana's room as she minimized her walking so she can fully recover.
She had a distant look on her face and released a sad sigh as she sat on her bed. Shane was sitting on a chair in front of her.
"I miss, Julienne. I wish she lives here, too. It feels so empty without her. I've been so used to having her around that I search for her now she's gone."
Rana looked at Shane and asked him matter-of-factly.
"Can we keep her here?"
Shane bit a grin and tried to stop himself from laughing.
Rana really misses Julienne. That was a fact. And the way she was reacting to Julienne's absence was like losing a pet cat she doted all her life and never wanted to let go.
She bent her elbows and cupped her chin. Once again she released a long sad sigh.
"I really miss her. I wish she's around. She's a better company than Ethiara who does nothing best but boss around me," said Rana complaining.
"Maybe one day we'll find a way to bring her here," said Shane thoughtfully.
Rana shot him with a piercing stare.
"That would be impossible. She doesn't belong here."
She said with an opposing tone.
"Didn't you just say that you wanted her here?" Shane asked feeling incredulous at Rana's reply.
"I do. But she doesn't belong here."
Rana said plainly.
She looked around her room.
"I don't think I even belong here anymore," she said scowling. "I haven't even talked to mom and dad since arriving. They must be purposefully missing me so they don't need to talk to me."
"I doubt that…" Shane started but stopped when Rana looked at him.
"See? Even you can tell."
She said in a voice, unsurprised.
"I've been long gone from here, Shane. I've never really missed Lunara," Rana admitted truthfully.
"I'm still here, Ran. Don't you miss me?"
Shane said as he reached for her hand.
"I used to be your best friend."
Rana held Shane's hand.
"You're always around, Enos. You've never been gone a day. Ethos and Ethiara have always been here."
She said thoughtlessly.
Shane creased his forehead.
It couldn't be, right? Could it be that Rana no longer loves him like she used to? He promised to marry her when they were eighteen.
He wanted to ask her the question at that moment. It was persistent at the tip of his tongue but he noticed that Rana had the faraway look again.
He couldn't muster the courage to ask her now. Maybe in the future.
Helios entered the door with a dark frown on his face.
"Enara, bad news," he said looking at her.
"What is it?" Rana asked turning to face him.
"It appears that the council has recognized you as persona non grata of Lunara for running away from this city for ten years violating every code of law of the land," he said as a deeper scowl settled on his handsome face.
He looked at her with a serious face.
"You are to be put to trial."