Chapter 19 Nineteen.
I smiled, walking over to him before waving a goodbye to Kael.
"You called, Negus?" I said politely, to which he smiled willfully before walking along the cobblestone of the village center that we had just arrived at. Again, we were at Penta province to help with the festival preparation.
He skimmed a hand against a taut cheekbone in thought.
"I trust the journey was adequate?" he questioned, and I grimaced slightly.
Ayla and the others had already left for the village by the time Kael and I had finished training and, so, that meant a different mode of transportation.
"Not as efficient as Ayla's transport, I'm presuming?" he probed further, a knowing smile on his face, and I huffed loudly, remembering how much nausea I had felt.
,
"It's just..camels? I don't plan to do that ever again." I sighed out, still remembering the rocking motion.
Kael had laughed at my plight, and I had merely let out a curse word that he did not know the meaning of.
He nodded thoughtfully as we made our way through the crowds. The villagers would stop to greet him and he would smile in return before turning to me.
"And, everything else? How are you finding that?" he asked, and I nodded politely, letting a smile flit on my face at the memories of helping yesterday.
"It's going fine, thank you, Negus. I've been enjoying helping the villagers," I said honestly, and Negus smiled at my words before leading me to the side. I followed after him, listening as he spoke.
"Then, might I suggest what you should lend a helping hand to today?" he asked, his tone calm and steady. I smiled at this, feeling glad as I was unsure on what I wanted to lend my hand to help with.
He halted suddenly and I looked forward to see the person I was trying to avoid.
Maya, upon hearing movement, looked up from her job and scold at me. I turned to Negus who gave me another smile.
"Maya could use some help. See to it that she gets some," he said simply and, before she could argue, he was walking away, giving me a look that showed he knew too much. I watched as he walked away, too scared to turn around, but at long last I relented.
Turning on my heels, I sucked in a breath when Maya's cold green eyes landed on me, a look of hatred on her face.
We stayed like this for a few moments, her scrutinizing me until I finally decided to say something.
"What can I do to help?" I said sweetly, feeling grateful that my voice didn't waver as I spoke.
Maya let out a sharp laugh at this before standing up. Her tall frame stood towering over me, and I stepped back unconsciously.
"And why would I need the help of a weak and good-for-nothing little girl?" she spat out, eyeing my small frame.
I bit my lip to stop from saying anything I would regret and looked at her head-on. Instead of retorting, I chose to change the subject, looking at the small cups filled with some sort of liquid.
"And, what are these?" I questioned, crouching down to take a hold of them.
Maya snorted, unfolding her arms before snatching it out of my hand.
"Careful, princess, it's an oil lamp and we definitely don't need that spilling everywhere, do we?" she remarked before placing it back onto the floor. I looked around at the different shaped oil lamps that lay strewn across the floor and the white paste that lay in a huge pot next to it.
I felt Maya's burning gaze while I observed before looking up.
"You're using that paste to stick down the oil lamps in a pattern, as light, for the festival?" I asked, and Maya scoffed before reaching down and picking up a pot of white paste.
"Lo and behold! The privileged balid does have a brain," she said scornfully, and I raised an eyebrow at her choice of words.
"Privileged?" I let out before I could stop myself.
Maya nodded, an angry smirk on her face.
"Don't think I don't know about Earth. How you and your people relax in your man-made luxuries while we slave under the sun," she said in disgust before spitting on the ground next to her foot.
I scowled at her words, feeling anger at her assumptions, about me and about Earth.
"You don't know anything," I said simply, but it was enough to fuel the look of hate on Maya's face. She moved closer threateningly, looking down at me in disdain. Her red hair was braided back, with the exception of a few tendrils that framed her face like the licks of a flame.
"Then you know nothing of Aurelion; of my people. You think you can come and take the lives of my people into your own hands. This isn't a game. Their lives shouldn't depend on which place you feel like staying for the time being. Their happiness shouldn't be based on your idiotic fantasy of escapism. This is my home, prophecy be damned, and I will die to protect it," she spat out in a heated voice, and I recoiled at the half-truth in her words.
She took my silence as an opportunity to continue.
"You can start by adhering them to the sills of each house window over there and that's all I will ask you to do.
Because that is all I believe you capable of," she said bluntly, shoving the pot of paste into my hands, and I staggered back a few steps.
She looked at me long and hard then before walking away, her hair whipping in motion as she strode away. I stood numb, watching her figure as she stepped out of sight.
I wanted to be angry; I wanted to call her back and have my say, but I couldn't. Because, she was right. Not completely, but even being half-right made me feel the weight of her words and the consequences of my decision. I did care for the lives of these people. Being in the village made me see what Anouke had oppressed and destroyed, but my decision to stay wasn't based on that. I had stayed due to my own plight on Earth; due to feeling conflicted.
I didn't even want to be the prophecy, and I was giving the group hope that they could win, with me leading the battle. I had told Kael during training that I didn't want to be the prophecy, yet only now could I sense the disappointment in his voice as he replied back to me.
I shook my head to clear the dark thoughts, suddenly feeling quite down. I began using the paste against the oil lamps and sticking them into place, making sure to be careful. All the while, I thought of Maya's words, Kael's disappointment, Rhydian's taunts, and Ayla's hopeful smile. I thought back to both Arun and Abrax doing their best in including me in the cause. I thought back to Negus who believed me greater than I could possibly be. I was a big lie and I would inevitably disappoint them.
I worked absent-mindedly as I thought about my decision to stay in Aurelion. How had I possibly taken that decision without thinking about the people's lives, but instead only thinking about what would be best for me?
I couldn't be the prophecy; I only thought about myself and that was the way it always was.
Not thinking about single mum Sue, but thinking about how I could move to London to have a better life for myself. I had never asked or offered to help her with her shifts; her home life. I had spoken about my own woes and she had willingly listened.
Or, Marie, for that matter. She had always written up my assessments for me if she knew I couldn't. She'd lend out books from the library and bring them to me, paying the loan if I forgot to give them back. She had even emailed on my behalf to get an extension for the coursework. Instead, I slept through class, using home and work as an excuse.
The problem was Debra, Richard, and Steve. Yes, that was the case. But, if they were the fire then I was the fuel. I had sunk so low in self-pity until all I could do to survive was talk about how miserable I was. And, they listened to my problems as though they didn't have their own. Had I ever asked Marie if she needed help with an assignment or if she felt homesick? Never.
Debra and Richard had tied chains around my ankles and I had, inadvertently slipped it around my neck. I did that part to myself.
I stood on a wooden ladder to put some lamps onto the top sills of the houses. My eyes were vacant as I drowned further into my thoughts, applying paste to the sill.
Maya had been right about what she had called me. The very thought made me brush paste on in more anxious strokes. I was everything she said and more.
A weak!
Good-for-nothing!
Little girl!
So fazed into my thoughts, I brushed too hard, making the ladder shake before toppling over, taking me along with it.
I screamed slightly, but it was cut short when I was engulfed in warmth. I looked up to see the honey-colored warmth of Kael's eyes as he held me with one arm, a basket in his other. My arms had instinctively wrapped around his large shoulders.
His eyebrows furrowed in concern, his arm holding me loosely around the waist but tightly to his side.
"Are you okay?" he murmured, looking at me, and I nodded shakily, offering him a small smile. He gazed up slightly to where I had applied the paste before returning his gaze to me.
"You should have called me for that," he said simply, and I shook my head at his words, feeling all too aware of the firmness of his arms as he held me.
"I'm fine doing it, I just slipped," I explained, and he nodded before setting me down and moving out of arm's reach. He looked at me as he spoke, a look of concern on his face.
"I'm sorry for touching you like that. I just saw you falling and my instincts took over," he explained apologetically, and I suddenly recalled that Aurelion was also different in terms of their views on contact as well.
I shook my head at his words, a smile on my face.
"I should be thanking you for saving me. Do you really think I'm gonna feel offended that you helped?" I asked playfully, to which Kael smiled.
"Aeryn, are you okay?!" I looked to see Faridha rushing over, a basket of fruit rested against her head. She stopped in front of me before placing the basket on the floor and inspecting me for injuries. I laughed at her actions.
"Khala, I'm fine. Did you see me fall too?" I said as she made me do a few turns before turning me back and pulling me into a hug. I hugged back with a smile.
"Of course I saw! Kael was helping me with the fruit offerings and I saw you fall," she explained, pointing to where they were placing fruits in a pile near a shrine. I turned to Kael, my mouth open in shock.
"You were stood all the way over there and saw me fall and you still caught me?" I questioned, and Kael shrugged, scratching the back of his neck.
"Like I said, instincts," he said almost bashfully, and Faridha proceeded to slap his arm.
"Yeah, instincts! He scared the living daylights out of me!" she exclaimed, putting a hand over her rather large bosom.
Kael laughed before placing an arm around Faridha.
"I apologize, Khala, what can I do to compensate?" he questioned, to which she slapped his back playfully. She pointed towards the east direction.
"Come to think of it, I hardly have any water left and need to draw a bath for Babu. If you could get a whole bucket full, I'd really appreciate it," she asked hopefully, and Kael smiled at his request.
"For you, Khala, I'll get three buckets," he promised, and she slapped his back again, letting out a jovial chuckle.
"See, not only strong, but a gentleman! The Gods did truly bless you with everything!" she praised, and he chuckled before heading off.
She turned to me then, folding her arms expectantly.
"Now, ya danaaya, do you want to tell me what is going on," she asked, giving me a pointed look. My eyebrows furrowed at her words.
"What do you mean?" I questioned, to which Faridha put an arm around me, looking at me with concern.
"I saw you while you worked. Your body was there, but your mind was somewhere else. So, I ask you again, what is troubling you?" she pushed, looking at me, and I sighed at her words.
Looking into her eyes, I wanted to share, but I couldn't. She didn't know about the prophecy, but even if she did, I wouldn't choose to drain anyone further with my issues.
Gone was the need to pity myself over every single thing. These people, undoubtedly, had it harder. Their lives and their children's lives were at stake.
She looked at me in a way that filled me with so much warmth. So much so that I wished I could do something for her, but I couldn't. Looking into those doe brown eyes, I realized what she probably saw me as.. a little girl in need of consoling, for that was all I was. I couldn't be the prophecy, but that didn't mean I had to be weak.
I smiled as she looked at me, shrugging her words off.
"It's nothing, Khala, I was just feeling tired as I was up since sunrise," I lied, hoping it was convincing.
Faridha pursed her lips at this, nodding.
"Just know that if you need someone to talk to, I will always be here," she comforted me, and the sheer intensity of her words made me hug her again. She chuckled before looking down to the oil lamps and rolling her sleeves higher.
"Now, let's get this done, shall we?”
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A/N: Hope you guys liked it! Let me know how it was in the comments!
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