In The World Of Losinanda (Completed)

CHAPTER TWELVE - Iriel

There was red dust all over the horizon, they had surrounded them, moving in to destroy them. Iriel tried to stay strong in front of her people and the tribe's chiefs. The beasts were coming and their forces weren't prepared. Everyone had insisted on waiting for Eithiel, but she never came and now the enemy was at their door. Drops of sweat started forming at her forehead. Did something happen to Eithiel? Is she alive, maybe it's better she isn't here. But how will she survive by herself with none of her people?

All the chiefs stood at the edge of the cliff ready to face the doom as the red dust became thicker. The creatures had red wings that flew with ferocious power raising the dust from the ground.

"Iriel! Iriel!" something was shaking her. An earthquake announces their arrival.

"Iriel wake up!" She sat up, her eyes wide open.

"You were having a bad dream again, you seem to have taken up after me." Shengena was still holding her shoulders when she got her bearing.

Iriel took a moment to admire the girl sitting besides her. Her hair had turned a smooth glistening white and her eyes a grey lake after she had turned. Shengena's personality had also matured, she had become more confident, seductive and reserved. Iriel had never seen somebody change so much within a short time but Iriel loved her more. This beautiful angel had saved the silver lands, why did they ever call her the devil.

Shengena took Iriel's face between her hands, smoothing plastered locks from her eyes, a frown on her face, "Why do you keep having these bad dreams?"

Iriel smiled, "It's the fear, it takes time to go away." Shengena kissed her forehead then stood up to fetch her a cup of water, she was wearing a beautiful red dress encrusted with tiny red stones that pulsed to the beat of her heart. Right after she stood, Iriel wished Shengena hadn't left the side of her bed; she had grown obsessed to her close presence. Iriel had also grown a tendency of constantly touching Shengena, sometimes holding on to her hand or her hair, even a piece of her dress, it never seemed to bother Shengena but it was a sign Iriel had grown insecure; she felt that she needed the dark princess more than she would ever need her.

The kind chief noticed ever since the evil spirit was set inside Shengena, it was impossible to connect or please her, be it with words or actions. She always seeme preoccupied with her thoughts or her constant meditation. Once in a while she reciprocated her affections but Iriel knew it was only a pretense, an act that was unnecessary, that the devil did to only make the lack of her interest Iriel's delusion.

"Should I turn to a bird or let you see what a beauty I was in my early youth", she had thought to ask her once.

Iriel studied her forbidden fruit, Shengena could be described as loyal to Iriel for she didn't seek anyone's companionship elsewhere but that failed to comfort her doubts since there wasn't exactly anyone else in the Island.

Sometimes when Iriel talked to her, Shengena would raise her head from the floor that she would have been glaring at like a discovered pearl on the ocean shores. She would then look at the chief as if she had encountered her existence for the first time.

Iriel's center of attention tended to wear a face that could only be worn when a teacher noticed, a kid in his guidance was undeniably dump, except a teacher's expression might have a touch of sympathy; the dark princess's had only contempt drawn on her brows accompanied with the rise of her upper lip: such a mental atrocity it said.

None excite me my kind chief, all this talk has had me bored, I am going to visit the trees, it said. I must be going crazy.

Shengena had sat on the bed again, holding on to a cup of water, "Why does your mind run off every time?" Iriel took two sips of the water, she looked up at Shengena and the distress showed in her face. "I fear someone is going to take you way from me." Shengena donned a seductive smile and kissed Iriel's eyelids. "No one can do that, no one except The Maker." Should I look for the maker, so she can guarantee me her love.

"Then why do you love me the way you do?" the question sounded vague but Shengena understood it. She sat still and stared into her eyes, almost drowning Iriel in hers.

"My love is not in its purest form, its shallow, given sparingly."

She walked off again, any conversations about emotions always made her uncomfortable, she stopped at the center of the room having apparently remembered something, "You have to meet with the council and decide the fate of these men with wings, who call themselves 'The undecided'". The dark princess started pacing the floor, far in thought, her sentence unfinished.

Iriel tried to clear her mind, "Is there something bothering you?"

Shengena shrugged, "I just don't understand how annihilating the silver lands would bring about their redemption?"

Iriel remembered how the leader of the fallen had cried as the silver princess held on to him, torturing his soul with the pain of death, loss, hunger and grievance that had befallen them at the Mocking war, in the battle of the millennia.

Iriel shuddered at the memory of the hideous green eyed man with the most glistening grey complexion; who had the largest red wings filled with golden marks, a language that Iriel couldn't read. The man had been reduced to a whimpering child, lying on the ground in a cradle posture, hugging himself. How could anyone with stand that much pain or be able to summon it from within her. How can I love someone so intimidating?

Shengena had stopped walking and was now watching her while Iriel went through her train of thought, her face concerned. "Should you hold the council meeting at another time?" Iriel shook her head, Shengena's concerned voice made her swell with love. Iriel stood and gave the white-haired warrior a kiss on the chicks. "No, best to finish with them today, I know Ovis's impatience is intolerable besides Oreamos won't be able to stand Mizu's chatter" That made Shengena laugh.

"Am sure they love you for that."

"I hope they do." Iriel responded, her eyes lingering on Shengena's face, putting her features to memory or searching for a sign that would tell her something she wanted to hear. The dark princess stood still waiting for Iriel to satisfy her eyes.

"I am not going anywhere, am here to help you", Shengena whispered, her voice was more serious than soothing yet reassuring. Irile shook her head, "Forgive me, I must be a pest, I just have a feeling that you will leave soon but I think it's because Eithiel hasn't come back and am afraid of losing someone else, and I just found you..."

"Eithiel will come back, I will be here and you will be filled with never ending joy; now, go take care of your tribe leaders before they storm my little cave."

Iriel smiled, kissed Shengena on both cheeks again, then walked off. Behind her, she could hear the dark princess let out a long sigh.