Who are you?" he asked again.
Elora who was surprised by the question asked turned towards the stranger and sighed.
"I believe I should be asking you that since I was here before you," she said to him.
He smiled at her confidence for it was the first time he had met someone like her.
"You were here before me, hmmm that is quite a surprise because no mortal is supposed to be here" he pointed out to her.
"Mortal you mean humans?" She asked
"Exactly" he answered.
"Hahahaha" she laughed out loud.
"You are quite an interesting man" she teased.
He blinked and smiled at her response.
"A man" he scoffed.
"I will pardon you for your rudeness because you are unrealistically handsome and what a strange hair color you have.
Sliver haired never seen that before" she said to him wearing a curious look on her face.
The strange man couldn't stop himself from smiling at her naiveness and confidence.
He was intrigued by her attitude and wondered how she got here.
He wasn't lying about the place being forbidden for mortals to enter.
It was filled with magical things that were invincible to the naked eyes of mortals and only gods and guardians could see them.
He was baffled at how carefree she was and asked "How did you find this place?"
"How did I discover this place? Hmm," she glanced at him while fidgeting.
For some reason, she felt she was being interrogated and she wasn't comfortable with that.
She had been waiting for Levine for a while now and even though she wasn't repulsed by the stranger, she was getting worried about her lover.
And she feared if she spoke too much they would be in danger. She brush her fingers through her hair and sighed startling the stranger who blushed.
Fortunately, Elora was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice him blush.
After thinking about an answer to give she looked up to level up with the stranger since he was taller than her and said;
"A strange man told me about this place but I am not going to reveal any more than that" she forced a smile.
His expression changed listening to her response, he didn't get the chance to share his opinion as Elora turned to pack her things.
"What are you doing?"
She was reluctant to answer but gave in due to the stranger's handsomeness.
She stepped a little closer to him and said
"I will take my leave now"
She passed by him, he was speechless, no woman had gotten closer to him except for his wife.
Before he could say a word she was gone. He smiled, thinking about how carefree she was and if she only knew who he was she would have been terrified.
"A strange man, huh" he ponder on what she said to him and wondered who the strange man could be.
After Elora left, she kept thinking about her lover who stood her up. For a moment she was angry at Levine for not appearing but as the sky got darker she started to fret.
"Levine would never stand her up" she murmured to herself. Fear started to creep in and her heart tighten as she reached the castle.
She saw some guards outside and avoided them using a secret passage that she only knew.
Everywhere was dark, it was difficult for her to find her way but, it would be more difficult for her to meet her father or brother.
She tiptoed through the main hall but unfortunately, someone was waiting for her.
Suddenly the was light shining behind her.
"And where are you coming from little sister? , her brother asked sitting next to the lantern on the table.
She halted her movement and slowly turned to face her brother.
"I won't ask again so answer" her brother demanded.
"I-i-i w-was around" she stuttered.
"Where?" he sternly asked.
She felt her sweat dripping all over her face and her body tensed.
"An unmarried woman wandering around the kingdom at this hour little sister," he said and stood up to get closer to his sister.
She took a step back but that didn't stop her brother from getting closer to her.
He paused a few steps away and examined his sister's appearance with the lantern in his hand.
"Come closer" he commanded.
She hesitated for a moment but when she looked up and saw the look on her brother's face.
She tremble and hastened her steps and stood in front of her brother with just an inch of space between them.
"Did you go to see him or were you planning of running away with him? Answer me!!" he raised his voice.
She trembled and shiver at the sound of his voice, she wouldn't speak or move because fear had taken her captive, and her body shaking uncontrollably.
"I-I-I a-a-am s-s-" she stuttered and before she could complete her statement she was hit on the face which landed her on the floor bleeding from her nostrils.
He didn't waste time and grabbed her cheeks tightly and raised them up to let her face him.
He didn't care about the tears and blood oozing out from her nose and threatened.
She attempted to push her brother's hand away but he was stronger than she was.
"Listen to me, shameless girl, you are never going see him again because you are getting married to one we have chosen for you.
Don't even think about going to see him because he won't be there waiting for you" he harshly let go of her cheeks.
He left her in the dark as she cry her eyes out.
Days passed and Elora hadn't heard anything from Levine, she began to worry so much that she locked herself in her room with no food and water for days.
This got the attention of her father who genuinely cared for her to knock on her door and plead with her to come out and dine with him.
But his attempt was unsuccessful as Elora didn't respond to him. His brother resulted to calling one of her friends Roseline to try and persuade her to come out of her room.
"Elora it's me Roseline can I come in" Roseline called out while knocking on her door.
There was no response so she called out again and this time the lock was opened for her to open the door and she slowly opened it.
She entered and was shocked to see her friend in a dysfunctional state.
She had dark circles around her eyes while looking through the window seated on her bed with her chin resting on her knees.
"Elora what is wrong with you?" she asked wearing a worried look on her face.
No response came from Elora and so she went and knelt in front of her and turned her face towards her.
Examining her friend's face she realized her friend was looking soulless.
"Elora, listen to me, please you have to get your act together, you can't stay locked up here forever" she tried to speak some sense into her.
Before she knew it Elora's tears came dripping on her face. They were tears that had held in for so long that finally, they came out with just a few words from her friend.
Roseline hugged her tightly and comforted her; "It is ok, let it all out dear," she said to her and she did just that.
A few minutes passed and Elora suddenly held Roseline's hands and said to her;
"Please help me out, I just need a few hours of your time to look for Levine, please can you pretend to be me for a few hours" she pleaded.
"What!, I can't do that Elora, what if your brother and father come barging in, my head will be gone for good, no" she refused.
Elora then knelt before her and sobbed, robbing her hands together and pleading with her friend.
Roseline seeing how desperate her friend was looking couldn't deny her friend's request and so gave in.
And just like that they exchanged clothing and Elora pretending to be Roseline went out but she was suddenly stopped by her brother.
She avoided eye constant with him. "Is my sister alright?" he asked trying to look at her face but she avoided him.
"She is not ok Richard, your sister needs more time so she asked not to be disturbed again," she said to her brother.
"What? how dare she.." he voiced out.
"Don't try to push her or else you will lose your sister for good," she said and ran off without looking back.
"Wait, Tsk what is wrong with her too, acting all shy or does she .." Richard talking to himself and feeling excited.
Elora went looking around since the sun was still up. She went about looking for him through everyone who knew him and his family but strangely nobody had heard of him.
The fear in her grew bigger, she felt something was wrong with her lover, and her heart was aching and yearning for him.
She went to their old hideout but still, he was nowhere to be found and her feet betrayed her and she fell on her knee and cried out.
"Levine!!!"
She suddenly heard footsteps and turned around only to see another strange man but this time she recognized him for he was the man who told her of the new hideout she and her lover met secretly.
"You! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I should be asking you that"he answered.
"I remember you, we once met and you helped me out with my lover s-so can you do it again, I can't seem to find him anywhere" she trembled as she said.
He smiled devilishly and held her chin up and said; "of course, I will but you have to help me too is that understood"
"I will do anything you ask of me"…
The next day..,
The new hideout.
Elora smiled as she sniffed in the flower surrounding the place and danced to her humming.
The silver-haired man saw her and couldn't keep his eyes off her and drew closer to where she was dancing.
Elora kept swinging her body around and unfortunately, she lost her balance and was about to fall with her head backward but was pulled hitting her face on a hard but soft surface.
She opened her eyes and looked up only to realize she was resting her head on the chest of the silver-haired man who was smiling back at her and his hand wrapped around her waist.
She blushed and pulled away.
"You are here again"
"Yes, remember I was here before you"
"Hahahah" he laughed out loud leaving her confused and blushing.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Should I?"
He smiled and said
"I am Raul a guardian of the spirit realm"
"And I am Elora, a mortal"
"Hahahaha" he laughed again and this time she laughed with him.
The wind surrounding them felt warm and sweet as the flower petals graciously fell on them again.
*****