Chapter twenty
...in the forest...
While Aseta comfortably laid on her soft bedded green, near the warm fire. Her sister, Merenese sat close by, carefully watched over her as she slept—sighed softly, softly smiled upon Aseta then, a bright light caught her attention from the corner of her eye.
Shielding her eyes with her hand while she propped herself with the other, supporting until she finally stood up. Walking towards the light, then it begun to dim—revealing a figure, holding both arms open.
Merenese glanced, uncertain until she walked closer then her eyes widely and filled with warm joyous tears. Calling one name in a soft whisper. "Ani?"
Ani didn't response, just a soft warm smile. Merenese returned the smile with ever-growing joy and rushed into Ani's arms, embracing her lover. Her heart fluttered inside, pulling away but kept the embrace intact as she teary gaze. No words exchange, just warm—happy glance.
Placing her own hand upon Ani's as she lovingly cusped her cheek.
"Oh Ani—I have missed you so." Merenese whispered, tearfully. "And I, you—Merenese."
Leaning close, making their foreheads touch—closed their eyes then as Merenese, opened her eyes once more. There was nothing, no one had been in visible view. Looking about from where she stood, sighed with abrupt exhale then returned to the fire and laid by her sister and closed her eyes, until finally fell asleep.
Unaware that she was lovingly caressed by the soft skin of Ani's knuckles, gently trailing across her cheek as she whispered. "I will always be with you, my love."
Tenderly kissed her forehead before disappearing like stardust.
...Meanwhile, back in Massachusetts...
The siblings had finally drove up the long driveway, up toward the house and parked outside the front porch, rachelle marvelled at the property as she gazed out the window; looking about from where she sat within the car before opening the passager door.
"Well, are we going to go inside or just continue to stare at the house?" Tony curiously insisted, unbuckling his seatbelt and took the key out from the ignition after turning the engine off. Before Rachelle replied she immediately unbuckled herself and hurriedly stepped out of the passager side and rushed to the door, inserted the key in the door and opened it. Not realising that she had forgotten about the security alarm.
"Rachelle! The alarm!" tony called out, shouting.
Glanced back, confused then immediately face-palmed herself and giggled. Quickly entering the security code and grinned toward her brother. "As you were saying?"
Tony gazed back, softly smiled and shrugged lightly. "Always the silly goat" he chuckled. Rachelle replied in protest, immediately placed both hands upon her hips as she strictly stood in dis-satisfying pose. "I am not, a silly goat."
Tony glared up to her, smirked and shrugged again as he walked past her while carrying the luggage inside. Rachelle followed, closing the door behind her as she entered. Placing the luggage down, nearby the staircase and the taller islander man marvelled the house and saw the one room that appealed to him the most. "Oh Wow! The owner of this house, really knows her kitchen."
Rachelle walked in the kitchen and also marvelled the room. "Yeah she sure does." Tony looked back to his sister, curiously glanced. "How do you know the owner of this incredible mansion is a 'she'?"
"Well, to be honest. I only met her once as she saved me from a group of thugs once." Rachelle explained quickly. "Back up, sis. When this happened?" tony immediately replied.
"It happened..." she stopped and sighed as lightly scratched her head before continuing with her story of how she knew the owner. "I was chased down in a dark alley after work and there she was. As heaven were watching over me on the fateful night, she beated them onconscious and tied them up before taking my hand then took me home, before I knew it. She was gone after telling me that one day, she would need of me in return of saving me."
Tony listened in silence as he softly sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, warily then finally stated. "Are you sure that this is not some liberate scam to butcher us or something?"
"If it were, dont you think we would had been whack and locked up in the cellar by now?" Rachelle replied, confirming their safety. "Good point, lets get the bags in the room and settle in shall we?" tony took the bags to the guest's room where they both occupied for the time being until further instructions were given, if there were any.
...Meanwhile in the forest of South America...(later that evening)...
The warrior/priestess sister's, returned to the river and waited for Neesa to join them as promised. Aseta, sat by the fire as she poked the stick in the flames to ensure it remained lit. Looking up to see her sister's back, as Merenese stood silent. Her hair flew on the gentle breeze of the rainforest wind, not realising that Aseta walked to her side as she had questions of what was or may be bothering her so...
"Sister, what is the matter?" Aseta softly spoke. Merenese continued to gaze into the river, which had calmly flowed endlessly, remained silent. Aseta sighed as she asked once more with more stern tone. "Merenese, please talk to me. What is bothering you?"
No response were heard as Aseta huffed in annoyance, turning around and begun to walk away when Merenese finally answered, softly. "I saw her, Aseta."
Immediately stopped in her tracks as she gazed back and replied. "Saw her? Saw whom?"
"Ani." Merenese softly stated the name of her deceased lover, as a pair of warm tears fell over her cheeks then dropped to the ground beneath her feet. "Ani? When? She was here? What did she say?" Aseta immediately stated in quick astonishment. "Last night—but Ani, said nothing except that she is always with me." Merenese softly replied, as she tried not to cry.
Aseta pulled her sister into her embrace and assuringly hugged her, shushing her. "It's ok, dear sister. You will see her again. But right now, you are needed here. Ani will understand and will patiently wait for you in the afterlife."
"I know she will, I know." Merenese answered, kindly. "Do you think that, this young woman we have discovered is the prophecized goddess that we have to come to seek and in hope of returning to Egypt with us?" Aseta curiously inquired, under wary tone.
"Not sure, but we will know when the high priestess assigns her task to prove that is she, the one." Merenese replied. "We should get some sleep, sister. She will soon come to us." Aseta insisted, as she pulled away and laid down to rest before the rising dawn arose.
Softly smiled agreeably, followed her sister after taking one last gazed to the river and laid down, slowly drifted to sleep. As the sister's slept, a shadow lurked in the tree's canopy-awaiting for the target to submissively merge within view. Taking refuge on the tree's branch whilst sharpening both his sword and dagger, then took a bite out from his fresh piece of meat from the recent hunt when had followed the Edfu sisters through the portal.
...back at the cottage, Leo's and Neesa's room...(the following evening)...
The blue clad terrapin slept soundly and contented as their daughters slept on the cushion bed close by, and lightly draped his arm around his wife's waist unaware that she were still awake. Propped herself over her folded arm underneath the pillow, looked back to her terrapin husband and to her children. Carefully planned of how she would leave the cottage as she is expected to be elsewhere. Gently removed Leonardo's arm from her waist and quietly dressed in her stealth gear, grabbed her weapons on the way out and left a note.
Disappearing into the shadows of the forest, unaware that she was watched by the imposing shape-shifter; that deviously stood in the doorway of the cottage and smugly smirked as she lowly whispered, chuckling darkly. "Time to play."
...
...To be continued in chapter twenty-one...
What to expect in the next chapter? What does the shape-shifter have in mind to begin with the sinister plan? Or is there someone else close by in the forest that undetected to the clan? Wait and see, as a twist is yet to be discovered. Hehehe
Stay tuned everyone, ;-)