I really believe it...
Mardelia Zara Zeanne
***
"You guys are here..."
The voice interrupted Jeffry and Zara looked up at the same time, before the words managed to escape Jeffry's lips.
The nearly five century old woman smiled at them.
"How are you, Miss Zara?"
"I'm getting better, madam." Zara smiled kindly.
"May I join you guys," The woman who treated Zara last night, she smiled mischievously, looking at Jeffry and Zara in turn.
Zara replies nervously. "Of course you can ma'am."
That's Zara's answer. As for Jeffry, he would certainly answer. No.
The middle-aged woman smiled happily after that... then sat on the small grass that became the base of the garden, followed by Zara who was assisted by Jeffry, "Thank you Jeffry!" Jeffry nodded then stepped closer to the edge of the pond and sat on the rocks arranged near the fish pond.
"How long have you been married?" he asked suddenly.
"Marry?!" Zara gasps in shock.
"We're just friends madam, we're not husband and wife you think!" The middle-aged woman nodded.
"In that case, one day come here again with that status..."
Blam.. Zara's face turned red from embarrassment, "How can he think Jeffry and I are husband and wife!" . Jeffry watched Zara then smiled a little.
"What's your name, miss?"
"My name is Mardelia Zara Zeanne, Madam you can call me Zara,"
She seemed to be silent for a moment staring at Zara's face intensely.
"I'm Mayeda. You can call me Mrs. Bae... my students gave me that name, they said that I was their inspiration. So they called me by that name..." Mayeda smiled, pausing her sentence. Zara seems to have a small smile there.
"I've been the teacher of magicians in this place for hundreds of years..."
Zara was surprised to be about to ask in the hundreds she said and glanced at Jeffry. Also said witch. Was he treated by a magician? She was about to ask directly but she gave up after looking at Jeffry. "I'll explain later!" Jeffry didn't speak. The look in his eyes explained the sentence and Zara nodded in understanding.
"Something surprised me and couldn't believe it when I saw you last night Zara... You look so much like one of my students."
"Really? Who is she, Madam…"
Mayeda smiled sadly.
"She's a very stubborn student..." Mayeda shook her head smiling, replaying the memory of a student she told about.
"She's a very beautiful woman... but don't be fooled by her beauty. She's an innocent girl who talks a lot, sometimes I get really annoyed when teaching her spells and she asks a thousand questions asking what I teach." Mayeda's face was clearly visible. The memories he shared with his students seemed so imprinted on his heart.
"Then where is he now?" asked Zara curiously.
Mayeda's happy smile was replaced by a tinge of sadness on her wrinkled face.
"She has gone.."
A moment the atmosphere there, Zara also felt a very deep sadness, the sadness that Mayeda was feeling
"She's a great mage, a brilliant Alchemist. She's very good at medicine and concocting potions..."
"But don't get me wrong, she's very good at fighting. When she was a teenager, she was able to master several martial arts. She was very good at using arrows, swords, and really liked to ride horses."
Tears rolled down Mayeda's cheeksThe series of memories made Mayeda's heart very sad. Beautiful memories with a student who now only remains a memory.
"What's that girl's name, Mrs. Bae?"
"Mee Ren."
deg
Zara is speechless. Suddenly there was a strange feeling in her heart, when she heard Mee Ren's name.
"Behind it all. She is just an innocent girl with various features. I love her very much. She is like my daughter. My little daughter..."
"Until that painful fate comes. Mee Ren leaves the village for good."
"Why did he do that to Mother Bae?"
"She met his Mate."
Zara's heart skipped a beat at that word, Mate. The word he once asked Jeffry. She hadn't forgotten the meaning of the word at all.
"Mate, Mee Ren is a member of the royal family. Suddenly he came to this village and asked Mee Ren to go to the kingdom. It was very hard to let her go at that time, But Mee Ren's happiness is everything to me..."
"Until one day I got a message from the kingdom that Mee Ren's body will be buried soon, I was asked to come to the palace to meet Mee Ren for the last time."
Mayeda looks on sobbing, Zara witnesses that deep sadness, she feels it too. That sad and painful feeling was as if he also felt about what happened to Mee Ren.
"Mate, what does that word really mean? Happiness or pain. The bond that binds is really nothing more than a bond that has to break other bonds. Why does everyone here want their Mate so much." Tears escape from Zara's beautiful eyes. Making Jeffry who saw it pensive read what Zara was thinking.
"No kid! Don't cry… she's already happy there."
Evening
After Mayeda finished treating Zara she kept on thinking that Zara's face was almost similar to her student Mee Ren. He rushed to his room, opened a small cupboard in the corner of the room, took a roll of paper that looked a little dull and decorated with dust. Opened and began to read each verse of the ink written on the brown paper.
How are you Mrs. Bae? Mee Ren was very happy now. Sorry if Mee Ren is late to inform Ms. Bae.
Ms. Bae, this month is the ninth month of pregnancy. I was really looking forward to this happy moment...
If Mother Bae was here I would ask Mother Bae to carry my little daughter. Your grandson has been born Mrs. Bae.
I gave birth to a baby girl. Happiness enveloped the whole kingdom because of the birth of our little princess.
One day I will take my grandson to the village and he will surely run to hug you. But don't scold him right away because maybe he will inherit my character.
Mrs. Bae... I really miss you. I'll visit you sometime. Thank you for taking care of me, teaching me to always survive in all sadness and adversity. Thank you Ma'am...
Bae's mother, my husband and I argued last night to name our daughter. Finally we agreed to give it a name,
Mardelia Zara Zeanne.
A beautiful name is not Mrs. Bae... she will be the greatest and strongest woman in the world and of course she will be beautiful like me.
Best regards,
Mee Ren.
"She's happy that her daughter has now grown up. You're right, Mee Ren. She's beautiful like you."
Mayeda looked at Zara, who was now silent, feeling the turmoil in her heart that didn't know why it suddenly felt so painful.
Jeffry was also pensive, a name that was also familiar to his ears. His eyes scrutinized Zara who was looking down languidly.
"What is Mardelia Zara Zeanne?" Mayeda smiled and held Zara's chin and looked up at her.
"No Mrs. Bae, I just share the sadness that Mrs. Bae feels..."
"Don't be sad, kid... you still have a long way to go, don't you want to know who you really are?" Zara turned her head, looked at Mayeda in shock. "How did Mother Bae know?"
"My ears are still functioning properly Zara.." Mayeda chuckled, showing the curves at the corners of her cheeks.
Zara shook her head smiling.
"Go to Bijarim valley. You will find all your questions there."
Zara is silent, what place Mrs. Bae is referring to makes Zara curious and makes her rise with a hope.
"If you want, if not, it's up to you..." Mayeda looked at Zara sadly and stood up leaving Zara who was still silent.
Until a loud explosion made Zara fully awake from her daydream. Jeffry suddenly stood up holding a sword that was ready to be drawn to slash all enemies.
Loud explosions were heard along with the screams of the citizens... The village had been attacked by a group of horse creatures wearing black robes wearing hoods which made a mysterious impression there.
Without thinking, Jeffry pulled Zara out of the garden and headed for the second floor. They both walked in haste causing Zara to moan slightly in pain as she stomped her foot up the stairs.
Jeffry took Zara to the room he had stayed in last night, approached the bedroom window and witnessed the horror in front of the Alchemist's healing hut which was attended by horse riders wearing black robes and swords that looked sharp and shiny.
"Let's go now Zara!"
Jeffry led Zara out of the place, past the building from behind and into the forest again. Jeffry put on his cloak and pulled Zara in his arms to catch a glimpse of Zara's face making her fly fast like a shadow. Zara stared at Jeffry who was holding her tightly, feeling the sensation of going this fast for the first time in her life. Zara smiles happily.
"Thanks Jeffrey,"
Jeffry lowered his gaze to find a pair of eyes staring at him sincerely.
"I have found the answer, Zara. Where we are going I already know. Trust me, we will be together until you have all the answers you want."
Jeffry sped fast through the dense forest running without any intention of reducing his speed, he missed running this fast. Zara felt safe in Jeffry's arms, time seemed to move slowly only black shadows she could see, shadows that seemed to envelop her and Jeffry's body.
Now Jeffry stopped at a higher ground until they could see the forest that stretched out in front of them.
"I am with you Zara so smile!"
Zara smiled broadly, tightened her grip on Jeffry's waist and then they shot off again with a thousand hopes looking for all answers.