Iris opened her eyes, blinked a few times and pushed herself up.And looked around the dark red tent and the bedspread with the same shade. Her gaze shifted to herself. She was wearing different clothes with the same red hue as everything else. She patted herself. Everything was still there, albeit a little smaller. She had lost a lot of weight. She wondered what had happened to everyone else. Ian? Azra?
The tent's flap opened, inundating it with a bright light so she had to cover her eyes for a moment at the sudden pain that shot through them.
" Mother!" Azra beamed " You're awake!" he flashed a bright smile again. Iris lowered her hands and looked at the blond boy with sky-blue eyes. He was alright! She took the glass of proffered water from Azra.
" Where are we ?" Iris panted after downing the water in one go" Can I have another one?" she asked, searching for answers on his face as she gave the glass back to Azra.
Azra nodded " Ellora!" he briefly answered and gave her another glass of water.
Iris downed the glass in one go " Just give me the damn jug!" Iris panted, pointing at the jug of water on the bedside table. She seemed feeble and weak. The time she had spent deep in her sleep hadn't done her any favours.
Azra nodded and picked up the jug, and handed it to her. Iris raised the jug bringing it to her lips and didn't let go of it until it was empty.
" Where is your father?" she shot the following question as soon as she swallowed the last mouthful of water. Her eyes roamed inside the tent, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Azra closed his eyes, inhaled and opened his mouth to speak but clamped shut and pulled his lips between his teeth.
" Where is he?" Iris pressed, her voice going low and grave. Azra's breath hitched and turned woeful. Tears pooled in her eyes, her vision blurred, and she sunk back into the makeshift bed, buried her face in the pillow and screamed. Words were meaningless, Azra's silence spoke volumes, and it was more than she needed to know. A gut-wrenching feeling at the realisation that the man she loved was gone.Ian! Why did you have to do something so stupid and reckless?
" Mother!" Azra called, but it fell on deaf ears.
" He saved you! He saved all of us!" Azra tried to comfort her in a soothing voice and raised his hand to touch her and held it in mid-air, hovering over her shoulder when his bare hand came into his view.
Iris raised her head, bloodshot eyes, red-faced " Leave!" she roared. The veins on her forehead popped, huffing and panting.
Azra gave her a pitying look, reluctantly he turned around and left.And Iris sunk back into her pillow, crying and mourning Ian. He was no more! She knew what he had done. There was no point asking any more questions. He'd become the Guardian of the Hollow! Iris pushed herself off the bed and screamed. Thunder rumbled so loud that the ground shook, and the skies split. The sound of rain falling brought her some comfort. The skies were with her in her suffering; at least she wasn't alone. She stared at the tent's entrance, hoping that he would enter and she would see his amber eyes glowing with adoration, his sweet words would sooth her retched souls once more. The gash in her heart grew and bled. Her soul crumpled into a small ball, and cried along with her body.
Another loud rumble shook the ground, and more rain poured out of the sky, and she collapsed on the bed. She closed her eyes but opened them again when Ian's face flashed before her eyes, and more tears began pouring down her cheeks.
" No!" she cried, burying her face in her hands.
" My love! Come back to me!" she sobbed, hugging her knees, and curled up on the bed.
Iris didn't blink anymore. She stared at one spot in the corner of the tent. Silent tears fell down her cheeks. She didn't have the strength to sob. The pain cut deep into her heart, and her body trembled and shook. She would never feel his arms wrapped around her, tell her how much he loved her. She had lost the only person that stood by her side, well and evil. Now he'd sacrificed himself for her sake.
" Daughter!" a man's voice rang behind her and touched her shoulder.
Iris didn't reply.
" I need to speak with you!" the man continued to speak with her as if he had known her her entire life. She didn't care for courtesy visits, regardless of who it was.
Iris didn't reply.
He appeared in her view, and she finally blinked and felt her eyes sting. The man with emerald eyes like hers, white hair and a grey beard lowered himself to his heels and smiled.
" I'm glad we can finally speak!" he caressed her head, and she had to swallow a sob.
" Who are you?" her voice broke, and she buried her face in her knees and cried some more.
" I'm your father !" he lovingly said and Iris raised her head to look at him, stunned and distrustful. He wiped her tears with back of his hand and gave a small smile.
" I've been looking for you for a very long time Khiah!" he cupped her face and let out a shaky sigh.
" Your mother !" he paused for a moment "would have been so happy to see you!" he caressed her arm and smiled again. There was so much emotion in his voice when he mentioned her mother. His eyes shined for a moment with devotion, adoration.
Iris let go of her knees and pushed herself off the bed to sit. She wiped her tears away and sniffled, " How are you even here? It has been aeons! No one lives that long?" Iris challenged his claim. Although they shared the same features, she found it hard to believe that he was her father.
He hummed, " No, you're right! But time in Zandar passes a little differently than here or in any other realm, I know! It has allowed us to live longer, much longer than any other kind! While here, aeons have passed in Zandar is merely just a handful of seasons! I should be grateful to Helm. It is his creation, after all!" he chuckled and sat on the bed facing her.
Iris looked up at him suspiciously. She'd been fooled too many times, now. Her trusting nature had brought nothing but trouble.
" Forgive me, but I'm finding it hard to believe your words!" Iris said after a few moments of silence. Although they shred similar features, his words didn't make much sense. Even if he was telling the truth. Why now?
He nodded " I understand! I had predicted that you'd want proof! Gaelin!" he called, and a dark-haired man walked inside the tent holding a reddish wooden box.
" Princess!" Gaelin bowed " We are delighted that you're safe!" he bowed again. His blue eyes raked her face and stopped at her breasts.
" Gaelin!" the man called " Manners!" he scolded and waved him off.
" Forgive me, Your Grace!" Gaelin bowed and took a seat on the bed at her feet, disregarding the man's dissmisive gesture.
**********
Hello!
I'm back with the second part of the book. Thank you for your patience!