Chapter 9. After the Storm always will the Sun shine
Somebody was holding my hand. I opened my eyes, and saw white, long silky hair. Silvanus.
"You are awake." He stated, smiling at me.
I smiled back. "And you seem to be better."
"I am healed- thanks to you, my friend."
I shook my head. "No...it was all you. I helped you back to safety, but you survived the poison all on your own."
"Still, I would've perished, if not for you."
I chuckled. "Me too, if you weren't there to unbind me."
Then Aysa appeared, and walked to my side. Silvanus squeezed my hand before leaving us alone.
My face turned serious. "What happened ?"
"Nerewin is in prison. I went to search for more clues in that underground cave and-"
"-realized that she had been feeding everyone demon blood ?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
She smiled, amused. "Yes. The elves are being healed as we speak."
I sighed in relief.
"You gave me quite a scare when you fainted, Tuarwen. I thought you were going to die when I realized you had been poisoned too."
"But I didn't. You came right on time, Aysa."
"Thanks to you. I never would have suspected that the potion was actually poison."
"What about Teru...? She was innocent all along, but Nerewin made me purposefully suspicious of her, it was all part of the her vile plan. I just don't understand why she would do that."
"She holds a grudge against her people, and the humans."
Aysa explained to me the story of Teru and Nerewin's past.
"Oh my goodness." I said, my eyes wide in shock.
"Teru shows only anger, but I know deep down she is devastated. She has lost her sister, the only family she had left. Now she is all alone."
"And the worst part is, it was her SISTER, who betrayed her. Like her parents..."
Had Nerewin inherited her parents hate and rage, after they died ? Had she become insane, like they had ?
Aysa and I exchanged a long glance.
...
"We cannot thank you enough." Said Teru.
"Seeing your people recover, is enough for both of us." Said Aysa, exchanging a glance with me.
Yes, I couldn't be more happier.
"Here, this is from our leaders, to show their gratitude." A letter and two little bags of gold. "They apologized for not being able to see you before you left, but the two heroes of the elven population, will always be welcome here." She said, bowing, Silvanus who was behind her, followed the gesture.
I looked at Aysa, her eyes locking with mine. Did she feel as I did ? What was that feeling welling in my chest, that emotion, threatening to explode ? Pride ? Happiness ? Excitement ?
Silvanus came towards and pulled me away from the others.
"Thank you for everything you have done for our people, for me, Tuarwen." He said, his expression reflecting all his gratitude.
"Please, stop thanking me, we are even." I said, embarrassed, everyone here had thanked me a thousand times already.
"Not in a million years, Tuarwen." He repeated my words, from that time.
My heart started to pound, making me more flustered by the second, the silence killing me.
"Will I ever see you again ?" He then asked.
"Yes, I must see this land with my own eyes- not in a life or death situation, this time." I said, chuckling by the end. "Will you show me when I do ?" I asked, smiling.
"Absolutely." He answered, gently smiling.
Silvanus was one of a kind. His smile was the gentlest and kindest one, but his eyes...his eyes were always so intense, always boring his eyes into mine, and it made me nervous, for I felt as though he could see beyond them and into the depths of my soul.
"My boat is here..." I said, without moving my eyes away from his. "So long, my friend."
"Farewell, until next time."
I nodded.
...
We stood on the boat, bowing at our friends for the last time, as the boat floated away, the sun setting. I felt good. I felt more than good. This was the end of a misery, and the start of a new beginning for both them and us.
To be continued...