Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

The secret of the Oracle

When Eldi arrived at the Beginner's Village, the Oracle was there, waiting, as if they had never moved. He wondered if, somehow, they knew he was coming. On some occasions, he had had to wait until the next day for them to appear.

The high human approached them, as Maldoa's words kept echoing in his head. Also, some of Gjaki's, Goldmi's and even his own feelings.

Gjaki was annoyed by the Oracle, although she didn't hate them. Goldmi liked them, although sometimes they seemed strange to her. He liked them too. No, it wasn't that, it was something else. It was a feeling of familiarity. Maybe, because they had been the first being he had spoken to after arriving at Jorgaldur.

He approached them, while, as always, the Oracle looked at him through its expressionless mask. They were waiting for him to sit in front of them and ask his questions.

"Just don't blame her," Maldoa had told him.

He couldn't stop remembering those words. He didn't quite understand what he didn't have to blame her for.

"She's wanted to be as close to you as possible" the drelf had also mentioned.

He didn't understand that phrase either. How close? Where? Did she mean that she was watching him through the plants? Or that she was physically close?

"The first time. When I asked about you, they stood still for a while, as if they didn't know what to answer," he remembered Gjaki's words.

Why did he be remembering that now? Did it mean something? That situation wasn't even that strange.

"I like them" Goldmi had assured him.

"Me too," the high human thought. "No, I don't just like them. It's like..."

He was going to sit in front of the Oracle, but stopped. He stared at them, without saying anything.

"It can't be," he said out loud. He was surprised by his own thoughts.

The Oracle didn't answer, as he hadn't asked any questions. They just stared at him, as they always did.

"As close as possible..." Eldi murmured.

Instead of sitting down, he stood next to the Oracle and crouched down, so that his eyes were level with theirs.

"Melia?" he asked, hopefully, in disbelief.

Strangely, the Oracle didn't answer. They always did whenever he asked them, no matter how absurd the question. He even got the feeling that they shuddered, though perhaps he had only imagined it.

"If you don't answer me, I'll take your mask off," he threatened, in an extremely soft tone.

He knew that Goldmi had tried this in the past, and the Oracle hadn't allowed it. Some kind of barrier had been there.

Despite this, he reached out. If they stopped him, he wouldn't try again, but at least he had to try.

His fingers reached up to the expressionless mask, with nothing and no one trying to stop him. The Oracle simply looked at him, without saying anything, without resisting.

With each hand on one side of the mask, he gently pulled it out, his heart pounding. The mask came off with unexpected ease. It was as if it had always been loose, ready to fall off.

As soon as he pulled it away, he was met with the beautiful green eyes he had always dreamed of seeing again. They were wet. Tears of nectar were running down the soft cheeks, which seemed to be coated with flower petals.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I wanted to tell you... Every time... But I couldn't... So many times I wanted to tell you... I'm sorry..." Melia was sobbing, begging for forgiveness. Nothing she feared more than him hating her.

Eldi held the mask with one hand. The other had reached the dryad's cheek. He was caressing it very gently, as if he feared she was no real, or she might vanish. He couldn't quite believe that she was really there. That she had always been there.

"I'm the one who has to ask for forgiveness... I left what I thought was the game... I left you alone... I didn't come back to see you... Even though my heart asked me to... I..." he also apologized, with blurry eyes.

"You couldn't know... It's not your fault... I, on the other hand..." she refuted.

Her soft hands had reached her lover's cheeks. It was difficult to know when, but the Oracle's clothes had disappeared. Her silky body was covered only by a kind of leaves that came out of her own body.

On her double-pointed ears, two green earrings could be seen that matched her eyes. They were the ones Eldi had made for her, and that had come to her through Maldoa. She hadn't taken them off since then.

"But I could've come to see you... You, on the other hand, couldn't... You can't blame yourself..." he refused.

They stared into each other's eyes, as if not believing what the other was saying. Their lips curved into smiles. Their bodies came closer to each other.

"I love you. Since I saw you for the first time, I knew it could only be you," she confessed.

"I love you. I always had a void in my heart, until now. I'm sorry I made you wait," he confessed.

There were no more words, as their lips were sealed by each other's. They hugged and kissed, without needing to say more, until they were out of breath.

He looked at her smiling, completely happy to have her in front of him.

She looked at him, smiling too. Though some words he hadn't expected escaped her lips.

"I know it may be a strange request now, but, I've always wanted to see the inside of your castle tent. You know how curious we are," she asked him sweetly, half apologetically. He didn't know exactly what, but it seemed to him that there was something more in that smile.

"Of course," he was unable to refuse.

Reluctantly, he let go of her and summoned the tent. She accepted his hand to lead her inside.

"This way is the bathroom and..." he wanted to show her his house. "Aaaaahh!! What...!?"

Unexpectedly, the dryad had pushed him into a room. He fell backwards onto the bed, and before he could get up, Melia was crawling on top of him.

Eldi felt a bit confused, but the dryad's face was too close to think. He could feel her breathing, her soft scent of plants, or rather of a fragrant flower. Her velvety lips were also too close, suggestive, tempting.

"Out there, my sisters can see us. They're too curious. Well, we are. Heh, heh. I'm sure they're cursing me, but this moment is just for the two of us. You've made me wait too long. Now, you're mine," the dryad declared suggestively as she came closer.

He was unable to resist. He might not admit it, but he had dreamed of this moment many times.

"All yours," he smiled, before embracing her and pulling her towards him.

They kissed again, hungry for each other. Their bodies were pressing together. Their clothes disappeared without a trace.

Despite the curiosity of the other dryads, they would not leave that place for many hours.