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SHE COULD HEAR LAUGHTER AS SHE WALKED. Ana Kuya had requested she go find two escapees, who were about to miss dinner if they weren't careful. Of course, she'd agreed, although a little begrudgingly considering that she was already doing about a million other things at once.
But the idea of Ana Kuya berating the two children she'd grown fond of, made her move faster than she think she'd ever done in her life.
And so she was here. In their favourite spot, the meadow.
They'd always told her about how beautiful it was from dawn to dusk. But they never knew what it was like at night. She'd never sat with them, or even on her own there. It was their place, and she knew the importance of it was just like the importance of her special place back when she was a child herself. It was sacred.
However, that didn't mean she couldn't visit when Ana Kuya called. Or they'd all be in trouble.
She couldn't see them, probably because they were currently laying on the ground, gazing at the sky above them. So she decided to make herself known, before she too was whisked away by nature's beauty. "You know Ana Kuya doesn't like tardiness, especially at dinner." She stated, her hands on her hips, looking down at the two giggly and smiley children below her. Eventually, she stood by their heads, her shadow shading them from the light of the now setting sun.
"Five more minutes?" Alina begged, smiling innocently to try and persuade the woman in their favour. Mal nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
But she couldn't agree, she needed to get them to dinner before Ana Kuya decided to give it to the wildlife instead. So she shook her head to stop any begs and pleas. "I'm afraid not. Either you go in now, or you wait until morning for breakfast." She added, avoiding their purposeful doe eyes. Walking away to make sure her supper wasn't going cold. "And you can't sneak out at night, she's gotten a lot smarter thanks to you." She remarked loudly after her. Leaving the two looking at each other back in the meadow, silently questioning each other on what to do.
On the one hand, they could stay out until nightfall, hidden from everyone but Elowen. Or on the other they could go and eat dinner and try to sneak out later, ignoring Elowen's last words.
They soon came to an agreement on option B when their stomachs' began to rumble at the thought of food.
A smile spread lightly on Elowen's lips as she watched them rush into the dining room, taking their usual seats. She placed her now empty plate beside the sink, pushing her sleeves up to ensure they didn't get wet when she was working. Laundry was not on her to-do list that day.
