Well I'm doing my best to update sooner now that I have more time on my hands. Yes, exams are over!!! well, once again, thanks to those that have taken the time to review. I do want to know if there is anything that I can do to try to make this story better...
Im wondering if I should get someone to edit this for me but iono....well thanks again, O_O WoWz
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I stood still with the knowledge that Aubrey had given me. I could not find words to speak at first but I was determined to stay calm even though I wanted to bombard Aubrey with questions. I would not give Aubrey the pleasure of seeing me lose control and go crazy for that is what I expected that he would want. Instead, I smiled that same amused smile that Aubrey gave me at times. It was hard to understand what Aubrey wanted me to do or say with this new knowledge but then again, Aubrey was now so unpredictable. Just a few moments ago it seemed as if he intended to kill me.
I sighed tiredly, my head was spinning with all those thoughts. "I suppose you had a wonderful conversation then." I met Aubrey's eyes and I did not suffer that spell that rendered mortals powerless at his gaze. His eyes' spell were powerless against my kind. Yet even without that power, he eyes still managed to hold me in a spell of a different sort. I could not look away from him and neither did he. I was going mad with all that confusion. One moment he held me, the other he threatened, and then he was casting a spell upon me.
I tried not to show my despair and instead I tried to follow his lead. I was not going to please him by showing him that his mood swings disturbed me. He looked away, smiled faintly and then walked closer to me. I did not move, I stayed where I was and didn't flinch when he played with the jewels in my hair. His gaze flickered down the length of me and then back at my hair. I wanted him to look at me, at my eyes. He still had so much power over me and it drove me crazy that he treated me the way he did. So be it, I thought. He might prefer Jessica who was far stronger in character where mine had withered with time and far younger and not as ancient as I was.
I was lost in thought, looking at Aubrey, trying to let him meet my seeking emerald gaze. He did not do anything but stroke my hair and look all the jewels. I turned away, disappointed. My already broken heart broke into smaller pieces. If Sahaid knew Aubrey, then he would sooner or later know of my wanderings. I could not endanger Asper and Asryn, not for my sake.
I felt Aubrey shift his hands a bit and I turned to look at him once more. Instead of my eyes meeting his, I met his lips. Such sweet sorrow, I thought. So sweet. This time, it was he who kissed me and not me. Did this mean he had forgiven my abrupt breaking of the kiss last time? I pushed everything away, all the thoughts, all the time. My hands wandered up to his face and then his hair, feeling the silk of it. His kiss, was not as demanding as the one last time. It was sweeter, reminding me of those blissful moments long ago. In my mind, I saw Aubrey when I met him in his mortal years. I saw the sun rising in Suniria through the large balcony that over looked the whole city. I saw him in the ruins, waiting for me ever so patiently. All the memories and feelings that had been lost came flooding back once again. I was filled with this renewed feeling that wanted nothing more than to be set free. Aubrey was freeing my soul that had been lost long ago into a cold dark place.
His lips broke off from mine, and whispered something in my ear. His voice, so much like that of my mortal Aubrey. Had I brought him back? "I will see you soon...I kept my promise of coming back once and I did not break it. I will do so again." With one last kiss, he left, disappeared into the wind and I was left in that dark street alone. Confused. When Aubrey made a promise, I was sure that he went through all odds to keep it.
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As always, my arrival was greeted by Asryn, who asked me questions of the outer world and would accompany me when I needed her. I was glad to have her company, she seemed to be more cheerful than before but I did not know why. I did not dare inquire into her private life so much, I did not want to accost her. I spent a few days from New Mayhem and the mortal cities, away and into the safety of Ardid. I had played sick enough and I was not going to set the people's tongue loose at my disposition. Asper occasionally joined us sometimes, talking about the matters involving Ardid, and I doing my best to get involved for Ardid was my city also. All was great in Ardid with Asper there, no tension was in the house whatsoever. His good and cheerful spirits cheered everyone up.
Then, there came the realization that Sahaid would soon come. I did not want to realize it at first, mainly because I was enjoying Asper's company and good spirits. I wished for him not to leave, he had given new life to Ardid and the people in it. The matters of the house were taken care of by me. Fixing sheets and preparing new oils to burn and readying everything before Sahaid's long awaited yet undesirable return. I had forgotten how somber things were when he was with us, how he seemed to control everything and everyone. Maybe, it was Asper's arrival that had awoken me to the fact that I was indeed living a life that was full of strain. Asryn had pointed that out many times but Sahaid was good inside, somewhere inside him, I had seen what other's had not seen. His vulnerability He was afraid of being alone, as all of us are in the end. I am even afraid of that now. Immortality can have such gloomy drawbacks.
When the thought hit all of us that Asper was most likely to leave, it was not I that was more deeply affected by that notion than Asryn. She had obviously come to love his companionship and I felt a great sense of pity that she would soon be alone again. We were in fact, all three of us, great friends. Or so I had come to believe.
Sahaid's arrival was a great spectacle. Greeted by dancers and all the people of Ardid as he made way to the large temple of Iraz that was our home. We were gods among them all. Precious petals of the silver rose were thrown, and he laughed with them. I stood far off, at the edge of the temple's entrance, waiting for him to make his way to me. He looked at me from afar, his blue gaze boring into me, sending shivers down my spine. Those eyes, that I had seen before he saved me from the most painful death. My emerald robes were softly moving from the faint warm breeze that had come all so suddenly. I looked away from Sahaid, feeling the warmth of Asper's and Asryn's body by my side. Each stood by my side, Asryn at my right and Asper at my left, both unmoving as I was. I shifted my gaze onto the darkness of the sky. I had never seen daylight since the day I was turned.
Ardid was a place where sunlight held no reign, only the ever changing moon. That night, the full moon was not its silvery color as it always was. Red. That was all I saw. The moon was bloodstained. I knew what that meant, I had learned enough from Ennira to know that it was not a good sign. A bad omen.
I gasped at that and looked down, breathing heavily at this omen. Asper looked at my way with concern but I only shook my head softly. I would not trouble him with that knowledge. The music pounded heavily on my ears, the breeze was no longer comforting. Despite my robes, I felt cold and I dreaded what ever came next.
I felt my hand being taken and I met Sahaid's gaze as I had always done; with respect. He smiled and kissed my forehead chastely and then turned to look at his crowd of followers. Sahaid led me down the large stone steps and nearer to the crowd. One step. Two steps. Three steps. I looked at all of them, the women holding me in awe like the had always done. I was their goddess. I leaned my head down a bit, in a formal greeting to them. Sahaid spoke.
"For centuries, we have kept the traditions of our elders alive. The drinking of sacred blood has helped us reign for many years...." His voice was proud as he spoke of the ancient traditions but I had heard that many times before. The time was nearing when we would perform the ritual again, like we did every year. I looked around, meeting the large eyes of a child of barely six looking up at me as if I were her own mother. Pretty blonde curls fell over her small shoulders and so innocent she seemed. Would she be sacrificed to me in the years to come? My drifted as Sahaid spoke and soon enough I found myself dreaming of the person I wanted most. Aubrey.
I was lost in thought, the words and sounds were drowned out by the memories, old and new. The love that he and I shared during Nuuruk, the envious stares of bitter lovers from afar in the taverns. The nights that he and I made love, sometimes passionate, sometimes gentle. I remembered our arguments, so full of passion for our beliefs and only to be laughing at ourselves in the end. He was so carefree, so full of love for me. His morals when it came to killing were only to take the evil-doer, never the innocent. He was always sure of what we wanted and he would stop at nothing to get it. Would that mean that he would keep his promise again? More than likely.
"...the ritual will now hold something special. Something that will change for the best and ensure that there be no brawls if ever both my queen and I suffer a misfortune..." What Sahaid was saying soon caught my attention once more. I had never heard him speak of a change in the rituals, not once! I tried to concentrate hard on his words, listening for anything that might give away what he was planning. I dared not to look nervous or unsure, not in front of the thousands that had come to listen to him. I stood calmly, waiting until he told me. Sahaid said nothing more that mattered and then we left our people and retreated back to the temple.
Asryn followed obediently behind me and Asper took his place by his brother with pride. An odd silence came with us all the way in, I sensed something was wrong. I tried to meet Sahaid's gaze but he avoided to look at me as we neared to common room. Had Aubrey said something disturbing about me to him? I dared not think so. I stood in the far off corner, Asryn had retreated back to her room and I stood there waiting for Sahaid to finish his conversation with Asper. A few moments later, Asper was gone too.
I cleared my throat softly as to attract Sahaid's attention to me. His back faced me but his head slightly turned my way. All I saw was black. His hair, his clothes, his somber mood. I never liked uncomfortable silences.
"How was your trip?" I kept my voice low and watched to see how he responded to me. He only laughed a little, as if remembering old times, good times.
"Without you, dearest, it was quite dull." He sighed, something he did not often do, at least in my presence. He turned and I searched his face for any signs. Nothing.
"You flatter me." I said softly, daring not to look at him anymore.
He clasped his hands behind him and walked around the large golden room for a bit. The candles shimmered and reflected against the golden statues of ancient gods. I concentrated on the flame of the nearest candle. I saw the flame move a bit as I stared at it, as if my gaze had an effect on it. He spoke again.
"Do I?" he asked. The question was so abrupt that I wondered what he meant by it. I waited to long to respond and that was not a good sign to Sahaid. "I met a few of your old... acquaintances." He said, eyeing me close for my reaction to that. I did not move at all and I only looked back at him, acting as if I did not know what he was talking about or who. He walked closer to me, and I stood frozen at my spot. His left hand, now free, touched my face lightly. "Be prepared Aisha. We are to have guests in a week." At that he left. He only walked away with nothing more than a glance my side. I stood there, fearful of who it might be. Deep inside, I feared that I knew who it was.