• The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson •
Lari woke to a sweet voice, reciting a poem. She laid there for a few moments, listening to the words uttered among sobs.
"I looked in my heart while the wild swans went over.
And what did I see I had not seen before?
Only a question less or a question more;
Nothing to match the flight of wild birds flying.
Tiresome heart, forever living and dying,
House without air, I leave you and lock your door.
Wild swans, come over the town, come over
The town again, trailing your legs and crying!"
When she realized it was over, she sat up and met eyes with the orator. The blue of the ocean met the green of the forest, and in between was a still child, far too close to death.
"Am I late?" Lari asked, her voice low and shaking. Jade only shook her head.
"Good, good," she continued, pulling herself up to her knees and proceeding towards them. "I got it. I brought a vial. Luna said 1-2 drops should be enough. I think we have to take the arrow out first. Avento, love! Open your eyes. You'll be fine. I promised, right? Princess will always keep her promise."
Tears streamed down her face with every word and her hand shook, barely holding on to the vial. Jade's face mirrored hers as they both shook the boy to wake him up.
"Alive," the calico reassured, and the tabby meowed, as if in agreement. And on cue, Avento meekly opened his eyes. His cornea was watery, and he probably couldn't even see properly anymore.
His breath was unnoticeable now. But he used the little strength he had left to whisper to the women, "I.. don't.. want.. to die."
Jade nodded to Lari as the latter let Avento hold on to her hand as tightly as he could. The redhead took this opportunity to whisper encouragement to his ear and, in one swift motion, she wretched the arrow out of the gash it had made in his abdomen. He winced - too weak to even scream - and clutched Lari's hand so tightly, it made his nails leave marks on her skin. The Princess endured it without a wince.
"Okay, now 2 drops of this should do," Lari said, handing over the vial to her companion. "We have to trust Luna on this."
Jade nodded and unscrewed the cork from the mouth of the container. The liquid inside glowed from the narrow opening, just like it did on The Moon's realm. She tilted the mouth at the ghastly opening of Avento's wound, and poured a drop in it. And then another cautious drop, so as to not overdose him.
Within the next few moments, they watched the wound heal, and close up, leaving only a scar - not so ghastly anymore, just a memorabilia. "Thank goodness," Jade whispered, and slouched to peck the boy's forehead. But the boy's eyes kept shut. His breath had become steady, but he didn't open his eyes. Suspecting him to have just fallen asleep, the two women decided to bring him back inside the house to let him rest.
"But we'll have to leave as soon as he wakes up," Jade proposed to Lari, as she set Avento down on her still unmade bed. "They could bring back more people. We have to escape before that happens."
"This is why, I told you not to give away the pouch of resins, Jade," her roommate complained. She sat down on the floor a foot away from her with the silvery vial still clutched in her hand.
The redhead looked back at her, initially with a frown on her forehead, before quickly realizing. Her face melted into an apologetic expression, and she replied after the epiphany, "they followed me. Shit! I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Her face sank, taking Lari's heart with it.
"Wow, I told you I could defend myself and them, but I guess I was overestimating myself," she declared. "I'm really sorry... Princess, I... I should have listened to you."
Larimar looked away, apologetic for having spoken to her friend so harshly. "It's actually my fault for losing mine in the first place." She consoled. "You were just looking out for me."
They sat in silence for a while, both looking at the boy, who was slowly regaining a stable breath. "What should we do about Hema?" Jade asked, after having not shifted a single inch for a long moment.
The young trooper had tried to escape, but the excruciating pain in their ankle, the loss of blood and the realization that nobody was coming back for them, had driven them to surrender. When Lari and Jade found them, they were lying on their back, ready to be assassinated. To their surprise, the women carried them back to the house and tended to their wound.
"Thank you," they said, touching their forehead to the floor before Larimar and Jade, eyes welled with tears, and heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much, I'd forever be indebted to you. I'm sorry, my Queen, I'm so sorry for siding with Silia. I'd never, never betray you again. I'm indebted to both of you. I'll always be."
When night fell, and Avento was still asleep, they decided to lay him in the cart and leave for Jahima anyway. Like the previous night, Lari quickly packed some food and filled two large pouches with water.
Jade went back to their house to pack their stuff up. She scoured inside their boxes and in Lari's; she found an attaché case, where she quickly put only their absolutely essential belongings - Lari's tarot deck, her box of crystals, her own books and of course, the kalimba. She looked through the half-melted candles Lari had previously used for divination purposes, but finally decided against them, making a note to buy her new candles from the festival stalls.
Hema didn't insist, but Jade gave them the responsibility of driving the van to Jahima, while she sat sentinel in the cart with the Princess, the sleeping Avento and the cats. She sat opposite to Lari, and the latter didn't complain, but when the Ironwood Warrior noticed her friend shivering, she shifted to her side and sat close to her.
"The sweater's not doing you any good, is it? Is the scarf warm, Princess?"
"Yeah, it's fine." Lari huffed, unconsciously inching closer to her.
A few moments passed in silence while they listened to the sound of the cart's wheels rolling over the forest floor and the lilting of the cicadas they passed by. Jade had been looking at Lari in the brightness of the Moon, a mesmerizing play of light and shadow - she really was the mistress of illusion.
What was not an illusion to her was Lari's beauty as she sat there. Her generosity, when she instantaneously wanted to help save Hema, the same person who held a dagger to her throat. Her tenacity over the last two weeks, when she stayed away from her protective home and sacrificed sleep each night to travel to a different realm to learn new things. Her innocence when she looked at her with eyes unknowing to her adoration.
How could she be mad at her?
As if reading her mind, Lari looked up at her and asked, "are you not mad at me anymore?"
She sighed. "Umm... I'm not, not mad. I'm just... I mean... it was your decision to do that. So, I don't think I should be mad at you. I'm just... sorry, I'm blabbering."
"Go on."
"Oh, umm... no, that was it. I'm not mad, but also a little disappointed. But not... not in a serious way. You don't have to take it seriously."
"I'm sorry," Lari replied. "I realize now that I should have told you when it started. Instead of waiting until you found out yourself. So... if that's okay with you, I'd like to come out clean now. Shall I go ahead?"
Jade nodded, prompting Lari to describe to her the tether between her and Jun, and the daily communication that happened between them. "You said, he's the Magician's apprentice?" Jade asked, and she agreed.
"So, do you think that, maybe - and I'm not trying to doubt your friend's intentions - maybe he used that tether to locate you? Do you think that's possible?"
Lari's eyes widened. "Why... is there any reason that that's the first thing that occurred to you?"
"No, I'm just saying," her companion lied. "Princess," she started again in a couple of moments, only this time in a whisper. "Do you think we believed Hema too soon?"
Lari chuckled. "Maybe. Don't worry, I sent a little prayer to Luna to watch out for us tonight. I think we'll be fine." Her fingers had gotten too cold, and she tried to sneak them under Jade's arm. The redhead - unconsciously or otherwise - eased her grip and let her slip in and the warmth immediately settled on her skin.
"What are we gonna do about you?"
Jade asked, with the intention of discussing the coming days in Jahima. Mistaking it for a sly flirtation, Lari blushed. "Well... what do you want to do?" She asked, with a smirk, tightening her grasp on her arm.
"No, I mean," Jade stammered, realizing how her question may have been misinterpreted. "I meant to say... that... you'd be recognised there. We'd have to do something to disguise you in Jahima. Do you... have anything in mind?"
"Oh, right," Lari said, her heart calming down a little. "Umm.. what about you? Wouldn't you be recognised?"
"Yesterday, a veil was helpful," she replied with a chuckle. "Almost helpful, I guess. These people found me."
"Well that was because someone thought they didn't need my advice." Lari taunted, but with a smile.
"My apologies, Princess," she replied, clutching her hand even tighter. In reply, she only got a coy smile, and the Princess laid her head down on her shoulder.
Closing her eyes, she let her exhaustion wash over her. She could have fallen asleep, but she realized that might be discouraging for her traveling partner.
"Princess!" That's when she heard her name being called, and mentally thanked her friend. Stifling a yawn, she looked up to meet her eyes. "Yeah?" Jade looked like she wanted to say something, but as they looked on at each other, her words melted to nothing behind her pursed lips.
Truly, Jade wanted to say something. In fact, she had a lot to say. She wanted to give her a heads up about the slew of news she'll be made face to face when they'd land at Jahima. She didn't think she had the heart to tell her. But she would have to tell her soon.
"Nothing." She decided. "Why don't you get some sleep?"
The noirette tried to dodge the offer, but her pestering finally convinced her to take a nap. She promised to wake her up when and if she felt sleepy, but when Lari's eyes opened next, she woke to the faint glow of the winter dawn, and the distant noise of festivities.
"Good morning, Princess," Jade wished her, her voice hoarse from not having spoken for a long time. Hema had stopped pedaling and was taking a little break, with their back against a tree. Although the cats were still sprawled asleep on the wood of the cart, Avento had awoken.
He was still lying on his back, but the crumpled piece of greasy paper beside him gave Lari the impression of having eaten the packed food. A wave of relief made her smile, and she wished her friend back.
"Put this on for now." Jade tried to hand her a scarf, similar to hers, but she extended her neck and prompted her to put it on herself. Bashfulness bruised the redhead's cheeks, but she complied anyway.
"We'll..." she stammered, securing the front of the scarf over her nose. "We'll think of a better disguise when we're with our friends. Oh, that reminds me! I'll be introducing you to a few of my friends there; I think letting them in on our situation would prove to be more helpful than otherwise. Is that okay, Princess?"
Lari nodded. "Will I meet your brother too?" She asked, and to this, Jade nodded, smiling.
When Hema pulled the cart in front of the back door of Mali's shop, the Sun had started to peek out from behind a clean, white cloud. Citra opened the door to five sharp taps placed on the wooden door by Jade. Lari assumed it was a signal agreed upon by both parties.
The blonde lady had a wide smile for her regal guests, but when her eyes fell upon her son, she knew something was amiss. She wept into her partner's chest when Jade and Lari described to her what had happened back at Kalk.
"We're only fortunate that everyone's safe," Mali concluded, frowning at Hema. "Are you sure, my Queen, about discussing your future plans in front of..." He left the last of his sentence unsaid, but it was clear as daylight to everyone. The trooper excused themself, leaving with more than a bunch of apologies.
After a lengthy discussion, all throughout which Citra cradled her older child in her bosom, Mali and Jade came to the conclusion of employing Hema at Jalo. "I'll notify the others there to keep an eye on them," the queen spoke. "And, as for ourselves-" She looked back at Larimar. "I think Jalo will have rooms for us."
She was right, but so very wrong at the same time. Jalo was teeming with guests that morning. When she entered the establishment, through a back alley entrance this time, with the Princess tailing closely behind her, her father immediately noticed them. Maw shoved them both into one of the more expensive, more secluded booths, not knowing that one of them was the High Princess of the entire earthside.
"I thought you'd come early today, love," he spoke in a soft, phlegmy voice. "There are so many people today. What should we do? Where will.. oh!"
The sweep of a scarf took the old man's breath away. He bent the upper half of his body in a swift show of respect and greeted. "High Princess Larimar, we're pleased to have you in our humble establishment."
As if started by routine, the Princess bowed too and proceeded to extend her hand towards him for him to kiss but quickly pulled it back. She glanced over at Jade, who returned her side eye, and smirked.
"Father," the warrior queen addressed. "We can't be so loud about her being here. Okay? For now, it'd be great if we could get rooms so that we can stay out of everyone's way."
"Oh!" Maw let out a rather rueful sigh. "We have only one room left vacant."
Classic, both Jade and Lari thought.
"Do you want to go over to Peri's place?" The gray haired man asked. He made a note of the glance his daughter shot at their guest, before she returned. "I wouldn't want to stress her about it. How about Princess taking the room for herself, and I can share the servers' quarters?"
"I think..." Lari quickly stopped her. "I mean, I'd prefer it if you stayed with me."
The room was nothing like Larimar had seen before. It was smaller than any room she had been in. A small bed, definitely meant for a single person, was neatly made on one side of the room. Beyond what was meant to be the head post, was a square writing desk with a chair in front of it. Lari could see the yellow knob of its drawer gleaming in the light coming through the window. Nothing in her room back at the palace was that color.
Jade walked in first, and placed the attaché they had brought at the foot of the bed. "High Princess," Maw beckoned Lari. "Is the room to your liking?"
"Father, we can't keep calling her that here." His daughter reminded, taking off her coat and placing it on the back of the chair.
"Please call me Lari," the noisette suggested. "And yes, I like the room very much. Thank you."
"What should I call your father?" She asked her roommate after her father was gone with another bow.
"Everyone calls him Maw," Jade replied. "If you prefer it."
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A/N: If you liked this chapter, please consider leaving a vote. Thank you for reading.