Always Forever (Catradora)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Stella

Silence filled the empty room. Stella's arms were wrapped securely around a bundle of cloths. Her eyes were soft and filled with depths of concern so deep that others may drown when attempting to dive in. The bundle in her grip began to voice her complaints, kicking and thrashing in her mother's grip.

Stella's mouth opened, allowing words to float gently from them, their melodies and rhymes gently wrapping themselves around the baby in a sort of cocoon... a place of safety from the dangers of the outside world.

Music.

Singing.

That's what it was.

Zell stood in silence behind her, his form being engulfed by the shadows that extended themselves from the edges of the runestone the both of them stood by. His eyes were soft and careful as he took in the time Stella was so fortunate as to share with the others... her voice was timid... yet sturdy and demanding. Her eyes glazed over, deepening the meaning of the song as she put every bit of soul into it that she could muster.

Zell's eyes suddenly widened as he clasped a hand around Stella's mouth, causing her to give a muffled complaint until he shushed her.

A woman had made her way into the room, her eyes dark and filled with a bit of concern... along with confusion. They shifted along, before pausing and landing on Stella's hooded figure.

"I apologize for the breach... but I do not have much time... I must go now," Zell's rough voice sounded, filling the echoey depths of the room with the absent after-affects of his voice. His eyes narrowed, a fear rushing over him that he may be visible to the person who had just made her way into the room.

Her masked face made it rather difficult to read her expression... but from what Zell could see... there was enormous amounts of confusion radiating from her. The silence filled the room, suffocating anyone brave enough to stand in its way as it spiraled out of control, nearly causing Zell to flinch in response. No. He couldn't do that.

"Who are you?" The woman questioned, her eyes narrowing as Zell gritted his teeth slightly. He leaned into Stella's ear, his tone serious as he spoke. "Shake your head and we'll just leave... our portal should be appearing soon," he muttered as Stella's tail flicked in a bit of understanding.

She shook her head quietly at the woman, raising her hand to wave goodbye as... on cue... the portal opened. It was almost blinding with how bright it was in comparison to the darkened room. Stella herself cowered away from the blinding lights that it emitted. However, Zell was prepared for that as he snatched onto her and practically dragged her through the portal.

It shut almost instantly.

Stella stared in silence where the rift in space had once been, her light blue eyes swimming with quiet emotions of fear and delusions.

"Do you really think that was the best we could do for her?" She whispered, her eyes glinting as Zell placed a hand tentatively on her shoulder.

"Lymn knows what he's doing. He'll make sure she's safe... from the plague... hopefully from war..." Zell raised a hand to his forehead, massaging it as he pleaded for the headache that had taken refuge there to silence itself.