Strangers in Nopal (Asra x Fem OC)

2 - The Moon

The moon is a different type of vibrant in this world, warmer and brighter as it floats in the vast expanse of purple sky, stark, and watching over the lovers in the cottage. A colorful oasis, where puddles rested in the sand, although drying up, still held its magic after all. Though the cottage remains unbothered by this, minding their own recluse in the warmth of their home.

In the bed, in his warm arms, though Alecto could no longer tell what he looked like, his feeling is all the same. The scent of jasmine and cardamom lingers in the fabric of his linen shirt, and the weight of something familiar sits by the foot of the bed. Then Alecto remembers that this is one of those dreams in the oasis. She is home.

He is still asleep despite her disrupting his peace by wiggling out of his arms. Tonight, the orange moon called out for her to rise and gaze at the stars. There is something waiting for her in the magical desert.

Her movements were not hers, however. She does not control her limbs as she crawls out of bed and gathers the shawl sitting by the chair, although the flow was familiar. Even the air and the quietness, then she realizes that she is replaying a memory. How odd. With one last glance, she finds herself looking over one last time at the bed, where her lover's face is hidden in the covers with only his fluffy white hair sticking out. Although one more thing is on their bed, awake and sitting up, looking back at Alecto with the same curious eyes. Her name leaves her lips like she knew her.

"Faust." She whispers. The lavender snake only flicked her tongue at her companion.

"I'll just be out." She tells her. "I'll be back."

Although she does not know for what, she leaves the small, windowless cottage to scour the desert in the dead of night.

__________________________________________________________________________

The vessel floats by quietly in the calm shores of Hjalle, anchored down and waiting for sunrise in order to sail again. It is a lot more quiet with Alecto asleep, Muriel stands by the door of the hull, watching over her from time to time as Inanna accompanies him, asleep on his lap.

"How is she?" Mazelinka sits by him, handing him a cup of tea she brewed.

"She's been talking in her sleep." Muriel says, taking a cup although he does not take a sip.

"She said Faust's name." He tells her.

"What could that mean?"

"I don't know." He says truthfully. "Anything. She could be dreaming."

"Would she remember once she wakes up?"

The man only gives a mere shrug as he reluctantly sips on the tea. Chamomile, he thought as the floral taste lingers on his tongue, instantly making him relax even for just a bit. Mazelinka sighs.

"She's getting worse and worse everyday." She tells him, though Muriel only responds with a soft huff.

"She can't be here for too long." Muriel finally says.

The words that left his mouth came as a surprise to Mazelinka, quickly setting her cup of tea down as she looks at the bigger man. There is an unreadable expression in his eyes, gazing over the darkness and into the sea. Yet, he was deep in thought, and that was evident as his mind wanders to the sea, and back to Alecto. It's time that they stop stalling now.

"Then what do we do?"

Deep slumbers, forgotten memories, and migraines for days, there is only one person who's experienced the same thing as Alecto has. And Muriel tells his this to Mazelinka, her eyes widening in surprise.

"But that means..."

"We have to go back to Vesuvia, yes." He finishes for her. "But it comes with risks."

"Are those risks graver than Alecto dying?" Mazelinka looks over to him, voice stern, yet strained. "She will die a lot quicker here with just us tending to her. For god's sakes, we're not doctors nor are we magicians."

"But once we return, we hold the risk of her knowing the truth." Muriel says. "And with the power she holds, who knows what she could do with that knowledge."

"She could get her life back." Mazelinka argues. "All those years that had been wiped off."

"That's exactly the risk." Muriel huffs. "The moment she learns about her magic, and Asra? What she would do just to get her way like when--" Muriel nearly chokes, the memory flooding back all at once.

The truth is he is more than just concerned for Alecto with her already fragile state, but there is fear that sits in the bottom of his heart, growing and growing the more they move up North, or even when he just looks at her dark eyes. It's not her that he fears, but what she could do. And he's seen it all, about a year ago in the palace gardens and in Asra's realm.

"Muriel--"

"We will talk about it tomorrow." He says and stands, slightly startling Inanna by the sudden movements, but he beckons her to follow him to his own hammock, leaving Mazelinka by alone to mull over her thoughts.