章節 7: New Beginnings Part 2
There was still time before dawn. Rafaela flew past the city gates into the dark jungle beyond. The bags she carried bumped against her hips and its strap dug into her bare shoulder. There was some faint tinkling inside - what did the girls put in there? She could worry about that later, her priority right now was finding Zilong.
He couldn't be that far she thought. It would be much simpler if she could fly and find the man from above, but even at daylight nothing would be visible below the oppressive treetops. She hid her halo as it might attract unwanted attention from orcs or demons. As a result, the only lights visible was the faint glow of her staff and the thousands of fireflies perched on the trees.
Darkness had always been associated with evil and despair, but what was laid in front of her eyes was nothing but beauty. To be lost in complete darkness was terrifying to humans, but blinding light would be its equal. It was lighthouses that brought ships to shore, the northern star that led travelers home; and this time, Rafaela would find a friend the same way. She had no power to find gods, but her thoughts centered on a face of a man, his features, his expression. Her magic surged and a stream of light fell from the sky and split into two - one landed on her, and the other sought Zilong.
Between the layers of trees, golden light emanated from a single source not too far from where she was. Rafaela rushed to meet him, hoping that he wouldn't see the light as a threat. He stood by a fallen, hollow tree that was home to the fireflies. His face didn't show any surprise when she approached him. "Made up your mind?" Zilong said.
She blinked."Why did everyone knew this would happen?"He didn't answer and just kept his face neutral. The angel moved closer and took a deep breath,. "Zilong, I want to go with you!" Her heart rate elevated as she waited for his response. She never thought of how she would handle rejection, but even if he did say no, who could stop her?
Zilong leaned on a tree and crossed his arms, his eyes on hers, scrutinizing. "I just wanted to hear from you; why? Why do you want to go with me?"
He had told her his plans before; King Tigreal's kingdom, the enchanted forests, visit the City of Scholars, Nost Gal, and the Eastern Nations. No - it was more than that. She had flown all over the world for the past ages, seen every land imaginable, saw peoples and their cultures, knew histories. "You know I have roamed the world, right?" Zilong nodded. "All this time I healed. I remember all people's faces when I relieve them from pain and it was such as joy to me." A single firefly flew near her face and Rafaela extended her hand. The tiny insect perched on her finger. "However; I was always unseen. I was something they believed in, prayed to, but never I was real person."
"You have always been a person, let no one tell you otherwise," Zilong said with sincerity, the light of the fireflies casting a soft glow on his face.
Rafaela shook her head. "Thank you.. It means a lot to hear that. But even if I am, I never felt I accomplished anything more than my purpose. I existed to heal and nothing else. But when we fought together to save the elves, I realized something..." She kept her gaze on him. "That time, I was not just someone who brought comfort to those who were hurt or protected people from harm, I was part of the solution."
Zilong stood straight and put his hands on his hips, looking away. He looked above, closed his eyes and breathed deeply before he returned his eyes on her. "But why go with me?"
"Why not? Why anyone else? You were sent in the mortal realm because of this crisis, and I believe that we met for a reason. It wasn't just random chance." She insisted.
"So you think it was fate?"
She stepped closer. "I believe so, but there is more than that; you have a character of a true hero. God or not, I'd follow you to battle."
Zilong head bowed slightly. Everything she said wasn't flattery to him, but a reminded of his responsibilities. "So much faith… I wish I can keep that kind of conviction all the time," he replied with a sad smile on his face.
"I don't have much faith in myself if I am alone, but I believe that we can accomplish things together." Rafaela assured him.
"True, and for that I have to thank you," he said and Rafaela blinked. "I woke up in this world unsure where to begin and where to go. I didn't trust anyone." He looked at her significantly, "that changed when I…" He chuckled. "I never thought picking you up from that river was worth so much trouble."
"An unexpected meeting indeed, then one thing led to another?" She beamed.
He looked away and coughed. "Uh yes... Rafaela, please don't use that phrase."
"Eh?" She tried to say something but she couldn't find the right words. Human phrases still confused her. No matter, Zilong seemed to be positive about her request. "So… can I go with you?"
"Yes but- Rafaela, I want to be honest." Zilong said and she nodded, he remained stern. "I have a mission and I will fulfill it no matter what; to aid kings, fight for their sake. This my burden and I cannot carry anyone else, even people I consider my friends."
"I understand, your mission is the most important." She understood; it wasn't an insult to her. It was a challenge and she would not back down. "I promise I will not be a burden to you."
"I am sure you won't- wait." he raised his hand and furrowed his brow. "I have another condition, and… you probably won't like it."
"Oh?" Rafaela crossed her arms on her chest. " I'm up for anything," she replied with her chin high.
He raised his eyebrow and tilted his head. "Anything you say? Are you sure?" She nodded enthusiastically and Zilong's lips curved into a smile. Somehow it felt sinister.
Miya stared at the crescent moon as she laid on the couch. Estes' balcony was higher than anywhere in the village, only fitting for a king. Somehow it can be poetic - one can be so high and see everyone but also isolated. Still, the view was nice. Miya could think in this place, the silence and beauty cleared her mind - at least until she remembered all the kissing and fun things that happened in this little nest of theirs.
Footsteps interrupted her thoughts. "Miya?"
"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Miya grasped the tunic she was wearing. "Want this back?"
"Keep it on you," Estes said as he joined her.
"Eh? I thought you'd like to see it off." Miya teased and Estes just chuckled. She sat up and snuggled next to her lover for warmth. His bed hair made him look undignified but adorable and Miya reached out to fix some of the stray strands.
"I know what bothers you," he said. "Let's talk. You can tell me anything."
She hugged herself, and tunic shielded her from the cool evening air. "Yes, we don't have a lot of time." To catch up with the two travelers, Miya had to leave at dawn. Perhaps he already knew. "I really can't hide anything from you," she whispered. Miya leaned on his shoulder and entwined her hand with his. Ah, this was so much better - surrounded by his warmth and scent- she eased against him. "I feel that I should go... but I don't want to leave you."
Estes tightened his embrace around her. "You know that I want nothing more than go with you." Miya shuddered and her eyes felt heavy. Her lips quivered and her cheeks felt hot, but she kept her emotions bottled inside. Before everything fell, before they lost their families, before Estes took the crown, they talked about seeing the world together. They were children, wide-eyed, innocent and unaware of the future ahead, like arrows flying freely until they were stopped by an unbreakable wall.
"We can still do that. All we have to do is fix this mess. After that we will live happily ever after I guess?" She said with bitterness.
"Where do we even begin? I'm hardly a true king. I was left with a dwindling, ill-equipped army. My father was left with a crumbled citadel and ruined fortresses. My grandmother was left with a war with the Night Elves. One mess after the other."
"Well, you're one of a big mess yourself," Miya said. Her lover's chest shook in laughter against her body. The thought of being separated from him again - all those cold and silent nights on her own - would she be able to endure that? She moved her head near his heart. She listened to the beat and his soft breathing - it was the proof this wasn't a dream or an illusion. However, a future where they can be happy and in peace seemed to fade every day. As she closed her eyes every night, she could see their homes and trees in glowing embers, thousand of graves littering their gardens. She wanted to keep her dreams alive.
"If I'm a mess, why are we still together?"
"Because we're the same."
"Perhaps. That's why we the only way to go is up." Estes said and Miya nodded. "I think about it a lot; I will not leave a heavier burden on my future children. It's time for the elves to unite again, I will see to that." Estes lifted her chin and locked his eyes on hers. "But you Miya, you can represent our people everywhere you go. Tell the world we stand by them. No one is as worthy as you to do this task."
"I can do that. I will." To go and see the world, for her sake and Estes' as well. He understood the fear and excitement in her - her thirst to see the outside world. The storybooks, paintings and her imagination would never be enough. She never belonged in the diplomatic table, or in the palace halls to endure courtly chatters, nor was she meant to be the to be the demure, childbearing wife. "I'll tell you all about it; all the places we wanted to see."
He nodded and smiled as he gently stroked her cheek. "I do have one favor to ask; when you get to see the ocean please write to me. I want you to describe what it looks like."
Miya closed her eyes and let an image fill her mind. The dream was more than a desire, but it was a vision of the future; the two of them walking hand-in-hand by the shore, their bare feet on the hot sand. It seemed to real - the warm breeze on their skin, the sun setting in the horizon, and the blue seas reflecting the skies. "I promise, I'll tell you everything. I'm also sure we can go see them together one day."
"Lolita, you're a hardworking girl but please never, ever do the dishes again. I will not return to see my porcelain collection destroyed." Miya said as she packed some dried fruit inside her bag.
"Okay, I promise I won't touch them." Lolita said, her eyes glistening.
Miya turned to her other friend, "And you Nana-"
"Miya, I promise to clean my room and change my bed sheet," Nana sniffed and shuddered." I also promise to sweep the floor whenever I shed my fur!" The girl continued to sob and tears leaked from her eyes.
Miya hugged her. They had said too many goodbyes over the last days - the girls knew that she planned to leave. For Miya, it eased the pain of leaving but Nana was young. The girl delayed her reaction until the very last minute. Miya rubbed Nana's back, "shh it's alright." Nana calmed down after a while. "That's right, take care of the house while I'm away. More than that, protect this village. Protect our people." Nana nodded and buried her head against her chest. It was hard to let go; but she was sure Nana will grow up a little after this.
It was also hard to believe that she was not just leaving her house and her village. She wondered when people would notice that she was gone? Especially after that big rescue and after a memorial was erected to honor her as well. She was sure that a lot of gossip mongers would miss their favorite topic Miya crossed the city gates unseen, and then past the jungles, and across the river where Rafaela was found. Tracking Rafaela and Zilong wasn't too hard. Estes blessed them with protective magic that wouldn't fade for a while, and she knew it too well. The two traveled in a relaxed pace in predictable routes typical from outsiders, stopping to camp during the night. "Amateurs," Miya muttered to herself. She could have stayed two more days and she could still catch up to them.
Her run wasn't too different from her hunts until she stepped under a huge stone arc. It was believed to be ancient, filled with obsolete elven writing difficult for her to read. She had only known about this marker from the maps - the edge of their kingdom. Miya paused and stared at the work of art before running past it. She screamed at the top of her lungs and laughed. Finally, she had arrived in a foreign country.
From the east, as the sun slowly rose from the horizon, the shadows of two figures were visible against the light. In a meadow filled with short grass and flowers, Rafaela and Zilong stood distinguishable and Miya ran towards them. "Hey!"
The two stopped and looked at her and Rafaela waved. Miya sped up and Rafaela greeted her with a tight hug. Oddly, Rafaela had no wings or halo and looked like she skipped three nights of sleep. The angel weight rested on her staff, seemingly used as a walking stick. "I'm glad you're going with us Miya," Rafaela said weakly. Zilong just muttered something and scratched his head. He probably figured out he cannot drive Miya away.
"Rafaela, what happened with you?" She eyed Zilong, "what did you do to her?" The man just shrugged.
"Zilong is evil," Rafaela said, pouting. Obviously Rafaela was not being literal wasn't she? "He's making me walk for the past days." The angel added, her eyes devoid of life. "Walking is suffering."
"Walk?" Miya tilted her hair. Oh. There was two sets of footprints after all.
"Walking is life Rafaela." Zilong was unsympathetic. "Alone? Just a traveling easterner. But add an angel with a glowing halo and flying around?" He made circles with his finger above his head. "How would people react if they see us?"
Rafaela frowned."I know it's part of our deal. We both have to look human so the enemy wouldn't know." She added with bitterness. "Don't worry, I've already accepted my fate."
Miya covered her mouth with her hands and shook. No… must laugh out loud but some noises escaped her throat. All the laughter just spilled out afterwards. Rafaela only looked at her with an expression of defeat. Zilong ran his hand over his hair and moved towards them.
"You know…" Zilong put his hand on Rafaela's shoulder. "If it's too difficult to walk, do you want me to carry you?"
Rafaela's eyes widened and she tightened her drip on her staff. Her eyes went blank for a moment, lost in thoughts, before her facial expression slowly shifted from sullen to determined. Her brows furrowed and shook her head. "No, I can do this. You don't need to carry me." Rafaela planted her staff on the ground, straightened her posture, and her eyes were nothing but fierce.
Zilong just smiled, turned around and began walking towards the east. "Keep that spirit. You are definitely doing better," he said over his shoulder.
Rafaela looked really, really tired but the whole display of stubborness from the angel's part made Miya proud. Now what can she do to ease the angel's suffering? She took out her map and beckoned her friend closer. "Rafa, look at this. Do you see that big lake over there?"
"The Swan Lake? Our next destination?"
"Yep. I know you're tired but it wouldn't take too long before we arrive there. Just a little more okay?" Miya laced her arms with Rafaela's.
"That's a relief…" The angel smiled weakly.
"Yes, only three more days, four if you don't hurry up." Zilong echoed ahead of them. Rafaela sighed, her hopes of a shorter travel crushed.
This will be interesting, Miya thought.
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