World Of Beauty (Arula: Four)

Chapter 15

Omar stared at the ceiling for a long moment, a little bit disorientated. He could barely remember what had happened. At first, he was fine. He, Mika, and a few other elves were working on how to cure the disease that had unexpectedly spread through the clan. Then he, himself, felt dizzy, hot, and sick. That was last thing he remembered. Now he was staring at the ceiling to the infirmary. He groaned and slowly started to sit up. As he did so, he felt a pair of familiar hands helping him sit up. Mika. His beautiful wife.

She was right there beside him helping him up. She gave her husband a relived looked. Omar looked at her and gave her a weak charming smiled. "Pensavo di averti perso.*1" She said softly, taking her hand and running it through his long white hair. Omar sighed. He was just as relieved as she was. He couldn't imagine falling asleep and never waking up. Never to see his wife, his daughter, and his friends. It was frightening thought.

"You would have never lost me," he said hoarsely back. "I'm hard to get rid of." Mika laughed. She reached over to the small table next to them, picking up a glass of water and handing it Omar. He took it and drank it gingerly. "Thank you." Then a thought came to him. "Hope..."

"She's fine. With my mother in her cottage out of reach of the disease." Mika said taking the half-emptied glass of water that Omar handed back.

"What happened?" He asked and Mika told him that after he fell ill, she contacted Karma and the others. She then proceeded to tell him about Eon the gnome, and of the nymph and how her water was cure to this horrible disease. Mika was just wrapping up the story when Shari came bounding over to them, jumping up on Omar's chest. Right behind the ferret came Karma with Jason and Dagner in tow. Omar was relieved to see his friends. He stroked the ferret's back as they approached. "Long time no see, mon très cher ami.*2" He said giving Karma a small smile.

Karma returned his smile. "You as well, friend." She answered back. "I'm glad to have you back."

"We all are." Mika said scratching Shari behind the ear.

"I hear you the mysterious nymph to get the cure." Omar said and Karma confirmed it.

"Yeah, we did. And it took a heck of a journey just to get you well again." Karma said grabbing an empty chair to sit in. A healer came by as they talked more about the events that had occurred during the time Omar was sick. She checked Omar's temperature and other vitals. She nodded her head once she was satisfied with everything.

"Everything seems to be in perfect order." She said. "The antidote we gave you seems to be doing its work just fine. I shall come back later to check on you again."

"Thank you." Omar and the others said. That was one less thing to worry about.

----

Later on that day Mika left to go send a letter to her mother, letting her know that it was safe for Hope's return. Dagner went off to go find some ale and Jason wanted nothing more to do than go rest on an actual bed, leaving Karma alone with Omar. They both sat silently for a long time, both out of words to say. But they didn't mind the silence, it was sometimes better to feel the presence of your friend than it was to talk to them. When Omar looked over at Karma, he could tell that something was bothering her.

"I know that look," he said. "What's the matter? You looked troubled." Karma was silence for little while, trying to figure out how to tell Omar about her recent discovery. When she had her thoughts together, she told Omar about how when they first met Shari, she didn't even remember creating him, and she remembered making everything. But she pushed it off. She continued to tell Omar that her suspicions came true when some time ago when she was flipping through her pages of her book, Shari was nowhere in there. No saber-teeth ferrets existed in Arula.

"Mmm." Omar said staring at Shari, petting the ferret on top of his head. "That is interesting...." How did Shari get here then? Of course, Omar knew, he knew most things that happened in this world. How come the little ferret did not feel the changing of the world? What if this wasn't the only saber-tooth ferret running around Arula when they weren't supposed to be?

Omar considered telling Karma the truth but paused. No, he thought. It's too soon. Too much going on. Then he thought about the cloaked man, and how Karma told him that it was him that caused the disease.

So many thoughts and dilemmas were plaquing Omar's mind that he couldn't keep them straight. "I- I don't know, Karma." Omar finally said. "I wish had the answers." Omar internally cringed as he said these words, but he had to. He made a promise to the mysterious woman years ago when Karma was first creating Arula. He couldn't break it. Not unless it was necessary. Karma slouch in her chair and sighed.

"I know." She said. "I wish I did too. If only I knew what to do."

"I'm sure it will come to you." Omar said feeling guilty about lying to his friend. He hated doing this. Karma sighed again.

"Yeah, I guess." She then stood up. "It's getting late, I better head back to my room." Omar smiled and nodded. He reached out and squeezed her forearm.

"Sleep well, my friend. Try not to let these thoughts plague your dreams." Karma snorted but smiled at her friend, nonetheless.

"Rest easy, Omar." She said and disappeared out of the infirmary, leaving Omar alone with other resting elves. Omar rested his head against the headboard, absently stroking Shari on the back. The ferret was curled up, fast asleep. What to do, Omar thought, what to do indeed.

*1 "pensavo di averti perso" ~ "I thought I lost you"

*2 "mon tres cher ami" ~ "my dearest friend"