The Petals of A Dream - II

Fears ((Chapter 12))

***Alaire's POV***

"You're moping." I accused her as soon as I saw her sitting. I yawned and stretched. I didn't notice that I fell asleep.

"I'm not," she retorted. She hid her face and threw the smelly cloak over her. I laughed at her.

"Don't you just love its stink?" I joked as I pulled it away from her. My lips formed a thin line as I saw how swollen and red her eyes were. How long had she been crying?

"Go back to sleep, Ali."

"Oh, no I won't until you sober up yourself."

"I'm not drunk," she murmured.

"You know what I mean," I rolled my eyes at her. I held her head and let it rest on my chest. My heart thumped unevenly at the contact but I ignored it. I hummed a familiar lullaby to lighten up the mood.

"You know what, I haven't heard that in a while." I could hear a smile in her voice.

"Of course, I'm you're only singer. Yhuelle is a sucker in this field. Bet he doesn't sing to you."

"He tried once, 'cause I asked him to. God, how gravely I regretted it," she chuckled under her breath.

It was silent for a while.

"Why don't you sleep?" I asked when I noticed she's still up.

"I can't."

I gently pushed her away, and held her cold fingers. I rubbed them with my hand, warming them in no time.

"Let me guess. You're worried about Yhuelle."

She hesitated but nodded once.

"And there's something more. Ab, you can trust me. You can tell me anything." I tried to use my most soothing voice. But I knew Abrielle better. None of this really affects her.

"You don't want to hear it."

"I do."

She was silent. I understood that she would say no more. I was surprised when she responded sincerely.

"I... I don't want to be the Core."

That was it. I felt the pits of my stomach revolt. I felt the emotions I constantly kept in check brewing inside me, thrashing my thoughts and blinding me for a moment.

"No one wants to be one, Ab. That's why we're doing these for you," I said with my voice breaking.

"It's selfish Ali!" She stared at me straight on, that I was lost in thought for a half-second.  

Oh God, how greatly I loved those eyes! Her eyes that could penetrate one's soul, who can judge without bias and see all sides. Heaven forbid that those eyes may never open again!

I quickly returned to the present when tears filled those eyes.

"I wanted to be with Yhuelle more than anything! I want to stay with him and die like a normal person. Ali, I want an ordinary life! I wanted to be happy. But I can't! I can't Ali because my happiness will cost so much. The life of this world depends on me! If I don't die, this world will perish!" She was having hysterics. I calmed her down a little as Karr turned to us and gave a shrill cry.

"Hush, stop it Abrielle. Don't cry."

Stop it. Please. It's breaking my heart. I'm already grieving at the thought that I might lose you. Should I grieve too over the fact that you chose Yhuelle over me? You didn't need to shout it at my face. I knew it, I've accepted it. So why am I crying now?

"I told you. You won't like to hear it."

Oh crap. Was I that obvious?

"You seemed to forget," she stated in a mild tone. She sniffed. "I have the instinct to sense strong feelings around me."

"Well," I laughed bitterly. "Nothing much I can do about it. I'm just glad you said it."

I wiped my face dry.

*****

"The town's in sight," she commented as we saw the lights of Orrin.

"All right." I tapped the magic resting within me and pulled it over around us. I chanted the transparency spell without breaking a sweat. It only took me three seconds. "We're invisible now."

"I missed this place," she remarked as we drew nearer.

"It's been a year, Abrielle. Of course you do."

"Just call me Nancy."

"Why?" I raised my brow.

"Well." She bit her lip. "If we don't want to be discovered, you wouldn't roam around the place shouting 'Abrielle'. And if you didn't notice, I kept my 'normality' charade."

Although her powers returned, she didn't change her appearance back. She was still the small black-haired girl I met at the other Realm. Without the glasses, she's looking much better.

"Oh. Sure. Nancy, huh. Who gave you that?"

"Who else?" She raised a brow.

"The bastard." I whistled with a frown. Why Nancy? What the heck did that name mean?

After a few more minutes, we landed on the outermost part of Orrin. We stepped down from Karr, who crooned but remained silent as we walked away.

"We'll be back soon," I promised. We changed our clothing before entering the city proper. We wore ordinary working robes and black sandals.

"Yosh, now off to Mr. Shadow we go." I said with much enthusiasm it made her laugh.