Chapter 61

Two weeks later, by the sea.

"What's the point of being a king when the queen is nowhere to be found?" Ja shot without looking at her. His face was glued to the hankering horizon and the lapping waves up ahead of him. He could hear the whimpering of the coral reefs and the wandering winds. Probably he was hallucinating.

"I won't be gone forever, Ja. I couldn't possibly forget about you. I just have some scores to settle with Poseidon, and I'll be back into the warmth of your trained arms. I tell you, it'll only be like a night's sleep before I'm back."

Her arms were tucked into each other, folded over her ample bosom. She was also looking towards the sea, probably counting the strokes of the waves.

"What if you fail and that dickhead gains control over you? What if he subjugates you again and then locks you up forever in some prison down in the depth of the ocean where I can't send my warriors to save you? What happens then?"

She looked at him at that. His face was smothered by worries. Even the bellowing breeze affirmed her stance.

She got his concerns, but she wanted him to understand her reasons. She unfolded her arms and ran her left arm around his waist in a delicate but demanding hold.

"I'm not surprised that you still doubt me, Ja. I'm not mad at you. But you've got to understand why I need to do this. If I do not go, he will keep sending his men. He will keep recruiting humans against you till he finds a way to bring the both of us down."

She paused for a moment and sighed. Then she continued, "He could even wait till we have a baby and turn him against us. And neither of us would want to kill our babies."

Ja looked at her at that, "Babies?"

She chuckled and threw her gaze towards the sea again. The sun was beginning to set, and its splattered rays on the horizon danced in pressured gay.

She looked back at him and nodded her head, "Yes. A set of twins."

He couldn't contain his joy. He spun her to himself and bruised her lips with his. Sucking the joy out of her mouth. He let her lips go and held her face in his palms.

"What a history setter they'll be," he complimented. Then, at once, his countenance fell again, and he let go of her face. He turned to face the sea again.

She understood what his concerns were.

"Don't make me feel this way, Ja. I'll be the mother of and to my own children. We'll christen them together. You'd be surprised; the task won't take more than two days."

He still didn't seem convinced. He looked at her and held her immediately on both shoulders.

"I don't want to lose you, Lailah. The citizens are now in love with you. Every day they stalk the palace just to hear fairy tales from you. Isn't it great that our children enjoy your tale too or—"

She seized the words with her lips. She kissed him, dragging a long sensation from his lips. She let go and went again, very crisply, then let go. Her blue eyes were fiery and were passing a current into his.

"I swear by the sacred orders of Philiah that I'll be back."

He sighed and reassumed his former position. He felt like doubting her further would be illogical of him. He asked instead, "What is this score you want to settle with Poseidon? Don't hold back from me; I'm your husband. Well, you can choose to if you don't love—"

She snapped at him before he could complete the sentence, "You can doubt everything but my love for you. If I did not love, why would I be here giving an epistle on my leave? Do you think the Lailah I used to be would be patient enough to do that?"

He loved how she defended their love. But then he hopped on another question, "Where did you put our babies?"

She chuckled and nudged him gently in the rib with her elbow. He squinted.

"Mother's secret. I can't tell you that!"

She was wearing that Lailah-being-mean look. Ja couldn't help but laugh at that. She joined in.

"But seriously, I wish we could just let Poseidon be."

She began to walk away from him towards the sea as she said, "Going back to the same topic, eh?"

He stood his ground confused, "Where are you going?"

She didn't stop. She said over her head, "To my task."

He shouted, "Are you crazy? No goodbye kiss?"

She stopped and started laughing. He knew something was going on with her, but he wasn't sure. Then she turned to him, and he noticed her ridiculousness.

Then, at once, she began to run towards him. As soon as she got to him, she leapt and hugged him, her arms around his neck, her legs wrapped around his waist, her pussy pressed against his cock.

He wasn't expecting it, but he supported her butt with his arms. He was going to speak when she started ploughing his lips. He couldn't even breathe.

That went on for a while as she ravished him, rocking her waist on him. She was ploughing his lips as though she was insane or wanted to cut his mouth out and take it with her for the two days. Very rough and demanding.

Then, all at once, she stopped, breathing heavily. Her eyes closed, her face hovering over his. Then suddenly, she opened her eyes and started laughing.

"Next time, speak up earlier," she said and dropped from him. He didn't want to let go of her. But he just had to ignore it. He'd act like a widower. That was the only way he could survive without her.

She began to walk away as he held onto her left hand. She kept on walking as the hand slipped gently till she was off. His hand was still stretched.

Then she turned to him at last and gave him that Lailah smile. Then the smile was tucked under a very mean gaze. Her now silver eyeballs wielding lasers.

She looked away from him and began to run towards the sea. Ja just watched her go as he kept wondering what kind of woman whose heart he had won. He was lucky, he admitted. But for how long would that luck last?

She kept running and ran through the water, climbing the rolling waves. She didn't sink. She was running on water.

Then, with the same force she had run through the waves, she went so high into the air, and with such velocity, she hit the flowing salty water and sank!

"Lailah!!!" Ja Lai called, hurrying towards the water. Then he saw a ray racing through the water, below the surface to the west of the long lawn of water.

He only watched in surprise and dropped to his knees.

"Lailah," he muttered weakly. He didn't realize how much he had fallen for her until that moment. He wasn't sure if he would leave that spot.

"Why is the king of Havila so worried? Why is my husband so devastated," he heard the familiar voice from behind him. He couldn't believe his ears. He turned, still on his knees, and beheld Lailah, gloriously dressed and shinning. Her silk gown had wine stripes. Her small lips were set perfectly. Her silver eyes set her whole face ablaze.

He scrambled to his feet without thinking and ran towards her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Don't ever try that again."

That was a warning of love. She only chuckled in arms, her warm breath washing over his ear.

He held her for as long as possible, then finally let go. He held her back to see her enchanting face again.

"What were you thinking?" he scolded her, but she smiled.

"Just a Nymph's final trick."

He shook his head and shot, "And Poseidon?"

"Taken care of, during those moments when I was thought dead."

She assured. He hugged her again. He wouldn't mind if they remained there forever.

"You'll smite us with goosebumps," came a voice from the east of where they were standing. The both of them turned.

"Jim?"

Ja found it hard to believe. Jim chuckled.

"I know her," Ja said, looking at the radiantly dressed lady standing beside Jim, the princess of Ikpala.

"How about me? Don't you know me?" another voice came from the west. There was Tzu and the princess of Kula, the prostitute who had directed them to the sorcerer.

Ja didn't know what to say. He looked at Lailah, who only smiled. Could these also be her acts?

"All questions shall be answered at the palace. I'm starving," that was Jim. All agreed except Ja. He didn't have a choice. He was already smothered.

Ja looked back at Lailah and noticed the pregnancy. He shook his head. Why didn't others seem surprised? He was thinking too much.

The six left the shore in the three different carriages they'd brought, respectively, leaving the howling of the waves and a wielding mass of water behind them.

A rival rebirth. A tale to tell.

*The End*