"On whom he falleth, Excerp I" by R. Al-labade

I brushed away the long leaves of the willow tree. The scene before me revealed a breathtaking clear night sky with the moon full and shimmering, its big round form reflecting on the still black lake, creating a silver trail. My heart skipped a beat as I spotted Isoldith, his hair as bright as the moonlight that shone on it, the strands intertwining with those of Ringaëlle’s  that were as dark as the waters before them. Both were sitting at the shores of the lake, the soft waves frolicking and licking at their bare feet. Together, Isoldith’s glow as well as Ringaëlle’s large feathery wings, they created the illusion of a sole heavenly angel looking out into the clearing.

The Ullun Lim grinned shyly and laughed softly as Isoldith reached his hand out and stroked her left cheek tenderly. That look…the shine in his eyes. Was it love? Adoration? Fascination!? My stomach churned, and I began breathing heavily. It felt like the last couple of seconds before the start of a race.

“I wonder what Tàri would say if she saw us like this?” She laughed in her strange foreign accent.

“She would cry out ‘I told you so! I told you so’!” Isoldith said and they both shared a laugh but tried their best to keep quiet so as to not wake me up. But oh I already was, and wide awake now. An uncomfortable sensation shrouded me. I knew I should be minding my own business but I just couldn’t bring myself to leave. I have never seen Isoldith that way. So…sincere, loving and true. I didn’t think he had it in him, or if he did, didn’t think he would ever have the heart to do it. Or even find the perfect woman to bring it out of him. But there she was. Three dimensional and beautiful. And kind and patient and—dude, even I can disgustingly go on.

“And Aistra,” Ringaëlle went on.

“She saw it in us since we were children, even without her foresight.” Isoldith replied.

“It is too bad she could not be here to see us flourish like this.”

Isoldith backed off sharply, making me duck from the scene in surprise, and added firmly, “My mother is not gone.”

“Isoldith—”

“I will find her. I won’t rest until I find her. By the Gods, I shall keep Myra in this world until the day my mother is back in the palace full-bodied and alive.” He turned back and faced her, that look on his face again.

A sinking sensation loomed over me again. So…that was all I am for him. He just needed me to heal his mother, and then he’s going to get rid of me. So far, I’m just here for the ride. If I cooperate in operation save-mommy-dearest, he’ll take me back home… 

“What if Myra ages, her already withered looks become more pronounced. And she’ll be so old that she cannot continue the quest?”

“Let us hope it would not take that long to get mother back,” Isoldith sighed.

“If it will make you feel better, know that I am always here for you,” Ringaëlle said, lifting his chin up to face her, their faces barely an inch again.

It was her that did it then. Or was it Isoldith? Either way, as my eyes opened from a stupid blink I saw them getting it on. Well, ok, it wasn’t that intense. Ok fine, it was a small shy kiss, and but then they shared another and another one. Their kisses became more vigorous and dynamic, their mouths opening and their tongues entering each other’s mouths like hungry animals. Like Isoldith didn’t get this kind of flattery in a very long time, which come to think of it, during this journey, really didn’t. Well he deserves it; he doesn’t have to get laid every single night!

They stopped to breath, Ringaëlle was panting. Isoldith cupped her small face in his hands and gazed at her, like she was some precious gem. A dear jewel. He was infatuated with her!

“My precious gem,” He whispered. “My dear jewel.”

Well. That settles that.

They wrapped each other in their arms and began making out again. My stomach has plummeted a long time ago and by now, it reached the ground. Why I felt like this, I wasn’t really sure…

Isoldith gets on my very nerves. He’s a jerk—he’s conceited—he’s a pig! Yet, I don’t know because I feel like crying right now. As much as I hate to admit it, this jealousy is eating me up. It’s angering me. It’s—

Something grabbed my left shoulder. I bit back a yelp but managed to leap a foot in the air. It was Jaiken. His silky hair was loosely escaping its knot and was all over his face, his leafy-green eyes flashing.

“Jaiken, I—,” I managed to gasp.

“Shhhh,” He whispered. “Best be leaving them along with their business as their own, my lady.”

I nodded, feeling my face flush in embarrassment. Jaiken was always so grown-up and established, he often made me feel like a little immature girl, even if he didn’t intend to. I followed him back to our camp in silence, my feet trampling the flattened long wild grass I made a passage from before. I was wondering the whole time what Ringaëlle had that I didn’t, and much to my dismay, I completed a whole list and a half in my mind. It made me feel lowly and insignificant.

“Now go to sleep,” Jaiken said firmly and pulled the covers to his neck, then his body became still as he lulled in a deep slumber.

I kicked my shoes off, not caring where they landed (one of them ended up in Ant’s oat stack and he glared at me irritably) and plopped down on my sleeping bag.

This is the girl who wanted to leave her world because she didn’t fit there and no body would care if she disappeared. Thinking I can start all over again in a different world, it now seemed like my unattractiveness followed me wherever I went. No matter where I’ll be, there always will be another better person to push me off the stand I tried so hard and for so long to reach…

I wiped my face dry with my sleeve and buried my face in the pillow, hoping daylight might come soon so we can be just a bit closer in achieving our mission so I can finally go home, but dreading the morning at the same time for having to face Isoldith and  Ringaëlle’s smiling faces…