Chapitre 29: Chapter Twenty-Nine: Decisions
ו Three weeks later •×
Ayra stepped out of the library and slowly shut the door close behind her.
The meeting had been arduous. A few members from the Council had arrived in the dawn and demanded the report on what occurred. Ayra fortified herself before the meeting however the second she sat before the authorities, she lost it.
Unpolished, cautious sentences resulted in a garbled report.
Neslyn and Valda looked worried. Ayra didn't tell them she had seen…him but she knew it wouldn't take long before they would ask her about it. She wouldn't be able to avoid them for a long time.
Cressa and Rydan fixed their shrewd eyes at her lowered head and sweat-soaked palms. Ayra understood that they suspected her for hiding something but Mother Danelle, fortunately, dismissed her before they could squeeze out the answer from her.
Now, in the quiet hallway, Ayra stood, deep in her sea of thoughts.
She didn't notice the figure standing before her.
"You seem tired."
Ayra silently jolted.
Aslan had his gaze set at her and his back against the wall across from her. His golden hair glimmered under the afternoon rays of the burning ball above.
"I didn't see you at the meeting."
Aslan shrugged and held a secret smile. These past three weeks of healing had surprisingly bought them closer together. Ayra genuinely thought of the Guardian as a dear friend now. It was weird, to be friends with someone of a higher position such as himself but Aslan never made her feel anything lesser when they spent time together.
Ayra had learned a great deal of things about him in this sweet process to a definite friendship. How he would lay his heart down for cherry cinnamon rolls and his absolute disgust for lizards. She would point out the irony of it all and they would snicker comically together.
It was so easy, their bond.
Ayra tilted her head at him.
"What? Is it your turn to babysit me all day?
Aslan stepped away from the wall and took a few steps towards her.
"You must be quite the troublemaker if Mother Danelle ordered me to do so."
She just smiled in response. "She worries a lot."
"I wonder who is the reason for that." A teasing grin was shot at her.
Ayra opened her mouth to retort but footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway.
She turned her head towards the source.
With her shoulders stiff and head high, Cyrille walked towards them, flanked by a few guards. She was dressed as regal as ever and those pale, violet eyes gazed straight ahead, veiled by secrets that this world knows none of.
Ayra was not surprised to see Cyrille here. The rest of the Guardians were immediately summoned after the unfortunate incident had taken place and one out of the other three Guardians was before her, as intimidating as ever.
She braced herself when the Guardian slowed down her steps and directly stood in front of Ayra.
Blind eyes looked straight ahead but when those pale eyes lowered and remained fixed on Ayra's icy blue ones, her body grew cold.
Something about the Guardian's eyes haunted Ayra's senses. She couldn't pinpoint what exactly was this eerie feeling but somehow, she knew that Cyrille looked at her with a different gaze.
Then and now.
The gnawing tension must have zapped Aslan. He shared a look between them and greeted her to break the heavy silence.
"Cyrille, you're here--"
Cyrille raised a hand to stop him and Aslan quickly did.
She remained looking at Ayra. And Ayra forced herself to look at those unseeing eyes.
"So, you were the one who saw the demons."
Her voice was mellow and honey-like but her tone was sharp, piercing.
Ayra stayed silent.
"Mother Danelle spoke great words about you."
A heavy pause.
"I must have been wrong for believing her."
Blind eyes showed absolutely nothing but her voice did. It was small and straining but it made itself known.
Disapproval.
"Cyrille--" Aslan started and glanced worriedly at Ayra's quiet form.
Cyrille cut him off.
"The meeting is still going on, I believe?"
Aslan faltered but nodded.
"I shall take my leave then."
Without a backward glance, she left.
Aslan looked at Ayra.
"Ayra--I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over her. Cyrille is never like that."
Ayra slightly smiled, albeit a bit sadly.
"You don't have to apologize, Aslan."
Aslan looked towards the direction Cyrille left.
"I wonder what that was about. I've never seen Cyrille act like that."
Ayra feebly shrugged.
"Guess she realized that a storm is never coming."
Aslan blinked in confusion.
Ayra looked out of the window, still plastering that small, pitying smile on her face.
ווו×
Another night fell. When everyone had their eyes closed, Ayra slowly opened hers.
She slowly sat up and gazed at the swallowing darkness. Pleasant silence coaxed to sleep but Ayra couldn't. She was restless. Restless ever since she had seen Ruhnn.
"I thought you were asleep," Ayra said lowly.
A voice, a voice that she had been anticipating, talked.
"You know I wasn't. You know I can't, Ayra."
She held back a smile. "You don't trust me at all, do you?"
Mother Danelle answered immediately, "I trust my child,"
"But not the madness whirling behind her head."
Ayra softly scoffed at that. "Madness, you say."
Madness. Was it really? Ayra didn't know. All she wanted was answers. Answers to… everything. That's all.
Mother Danelle continued, "I know you wake up every night, Ayra, sleepless and ready to leave everything behind for a… "
Emerald green eyes bore into hers.
"A demon."
Demon.
Was Ruhnn really a demon? She had seen him inside that wicked Ruins, tall and grown and beautiful. And different, not like that small boy who possessed a smile as bright as the morning sun. She had seen him, standing in front of her as a stranger. She had seen him, standing with those demons.
But was he truly a demon too?
Was he her best friend? What if he was not Ruhnn at all? What if this is just a cruel, wicked nightmare that she is trapped in?
What if, what if, what if.....
Too many questions whirled inside her head, unanswered and gnawing.
A demon. She had nothing to say for that. Not a denial, not an acceptance.
Ayra slowly turned her head to the right and looked at Mother Danelle seated on the armchair next to her large bed.
Ayra lowered her voice,
"Are you afraid that I will return to you dead? Like your husband?"
Mother Danelle gripped the sides of her armchair. An expression of vulnerability immediately appeared on her face and Ayra regretted it.
"Yes." She muttered voice strained with grief.
Everything went silent for a while. Ayra decided to break it.
"What would you do in my place, Danelle?"
Mother Danelle didn't hesitate at all.
"A dutiful mind always wins over the defiant heart, Ayra. You are already aware of that."
Ayra peered down at her twined hands, thoughtful.
"A dutiful mind and a defiant heart also cares, Danelle. At that moment, duty becomes defiance and defiance becomes duty."
Mother Danelle stood on her feet, knocking over the armchair behind her.
"Ayra! That's enough!"
Ayra remained staring at her hands.
"I'm not having this conversation again and again with you. My answer is still the same."
She grabbed Ayra's chin and forced her to look at her.
A pair of green eyes brimmed with tears and a pair of icy blue ones wanted to shut itself close at the pain burning in front of them.
"You are not going after that demon, Ayra."
She slowly wrapped her hand around Mother Danelle's and gripped it tight.
"That demon was once my friend, Danelle, however cruel fate turned out to be." She whispered, voice clenching with unspoken emotions.
Mother Danelle didn't bat a pitiful eye at that.
"Fate has always been cruel, Ayra. And that very fate is once again pushing you to an abyss of cruelty."
"I know." She softly muttered.
Heavy silence kicked in again. It breathed for a long time and no one made a move to kill it.
Mother Danelle breathing in harshly, trying to make sense of this ongoing conversation.
Ayra clenched her hands tighter, wondering how to add sense into her words.
When Mother Danelle calmed herself down, she turned her head towards the side and questioned her. A question that rattled through Ayra's empty goal.
"What will you do when you see him again, Ayra? You can't deny that he's with the enemy now."
"What are you going to tell him?"
Ayra swallowed silently. What is she going to do? What is she going to tell him? What is she going to ask him?
"Questions, Danelle."
Mother Danelle remained silent.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this? " She whispered.
"What happened eight years ago?"
The air grew quiet.
"I want to ask him everything, Danelle. I want to know what happened to my best friend."
"What if you don't find the answers you want? What then? What if you are not facing your best friend but a demon instead?"
Ayra grew silent. Another question that rattled through her senses.
What if she had already lost her best friend? Then, what is she leaving for? What is she looking for?
She raised her eyes towards Mother Danelle's expecting ones.
She opened her mouth and closed it, voice never making it to the wind.
"Your best friend tried to kill you, Ayra." Mother Danelle finished quietly.
Ayra eyes grew impassive at that. Memories poured in. Cold, uncaring silver eyes flashed in front of very soul and held it at its mercy but she could only utter two words at that agonizing truth.
"I know."
Mother Danelle breathed out and placed a hand on her forehead.
"Ayra, Ayra, Ayra.. "
She sat next to her and held Ayra's cold hands into her own warm, frantic ones.
"Don't go, Ayra. I don't want to lose you too."
"You won't, Danelle. Just trust me."
That's all the words of comfort she could offer. Ayra didn't have the courage to promise her. Not now, not ever. Promises were meant to be broken, after all.
"I can't! I can't allow you to walk into danger when I know it'll cost you your life! Can't you see that I'm afraid?! I don't want to lose you too, Ayra."
"Please, Ayra. Don't do this…"
Ayra closed her eyes, chest tightening painfully.
"I have to go, Danelle."
Silence. This time, it was suffocating.
Mother Danelle stared at Ayra. Stared at her for a long, long time. Tears stained her cheeks and eyes were red. Ayra would always loathe herself for making this selfless, warm person upset. She would always curse herself for making the only woman who was her only family upset.
But Ayra had no choice.
She slowly stood up and peered down at her.
"Are you really going to leave? Have you made up your mind?"
Ayra didn't reply but that very silence was answer enough.
"Go then."
Ayra blinked and looked up at Mother Danelle, stunned.
Mother Danelle faced her expressionlessly.
"Don't tell me when. Don't tell me where. Don't let me see you go."
"Just go."
With that, she turned her back and left.
Ayra dragged her knees to her chest and laid her head upon them.
Her tears didn't allow her to sleep that night.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
miwaknight
miwaknight I apologise for the very late update. But I guess I'm back on track :3
Next update will kick in after I'm done and dusted with my exams.
Cadeaux
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