IMMORTAL LOVE | one

21 - Returned

                                  It took a whole day until Lylas returned to the island.  During those hours of waiting for him, Alana and Mena explored the island. The two women, with both hearts in turmoil, had distracted themselves by playing at the beach and trekking the island's mountain.

Alana was in turmoil because she wondered what was taking Lylas so long. While wondering, she also worried for different reasons. One of her worries was how the ghoul couldn't be contained and was stronger than Lylas had bargained and so was giving Lylas a hard time. However, surely Lylas was powerful enough to defeat that ghoul as he did before.

And so this birthed her second worry; the ghoul had hurt Karla and so it was difficult for Lylas to return because he was tending to her friend.

Although Alana was deeply worried about her friend's safety and state, it was a comfort to know Lylas had a healing place set up just for Karla if she ever got hurt. However, even though she comforted herself this way, she had anxiety about him changing his mind once he saw Karla.

Alana's anxiety consisted of this; they've known each other for three years, and during those three years Karla had forged a special place in his heart. If it was so, then once he saw Karla in danger he would do anything to prevent her from getting hurt. By doing so he would realise his feelings for Karla. Those feelings would then over take his need for Alana.

Do you forget you have an important thing he must use? Her inner voice questioned. Of course, that important thing, she had an had immortal womb.

Alana was suddenly shocked to realise this wasn't enough for her. Last night, she thought and felt he could love her as well. Now that she thought it through, it had been her wishful self overanalysing his actions.

She shouldn't have hoped for something that was impossible in the first place.

This anxiety was most gritting. Even though she told herself time and time that his feelings wouldn't be more than what he could give her. This morning she had thought him smiling meant he was accepting her request of pretending to love her when she eventually conceived.

She now realised what the key word in that promise was. Pretend.

"Alana, Karla will be fine, Master is more than capable and even if she's hurt, most of that ghoul's foul energy was purified after spending years in Master's crystal seal. And so, she wouldn't be affected and even if she was hurt, Master would personally attend to her injuries."

Even though Mena was trying to reassure her, Alana's was focused in her insecurities. The words she focused more in that sentence was, 'personally attend to her injuries.'

Alana hated the fact that she was so easily prone to jealousy. It was demeaning.

Despite knowing better Alana asked Mena, "Am I really such a hindrance to him?"

Mena was taken aback by her words and as she regarded Alana, she smiled whimsically at the mortal's minor insecurities. At that moment, Mena was reminded of her mistress and the same concerns she used to have back in the fairie realms when she was trying to catch Lylas's heart.

"I'm sorry," Mena apologised to her. "I shouldn't have said it like that." Mena playfully stroked Alana's cheek as if she was trying to comfort a child. She used the same actions and tone as she had used in the past with Naala.

"What I meant was, if we had went to Master's realm you'll have distracted him from defeating that ghoul. Not only would he have worried about saving Karla but he would also have been even more at wits end if you got hurt." Mena reassured Alana.

It was odd how Mena's actions and words comforted her so much. This familiarity made her feel at home. Alana hugged Mena to thank her. Afterwards, she sat up straight on the beach chair and looked at Mena meaningfully.