~Adria~
I was awakened by the sound of the ocean; waves crashing against the shore from afar. Water running back and forth in an endless loop of comfort. I opened my eyes with difficulty as the sun peeked through the curtains, shining brightly over my skin. I looked to my left, wondering if it was all a dream. Namor wasn't there and for a moment I felt anguished. Was it real?
There was a sound coming from the bathroom. I rose from the comfort of my bed and followed the sound of running water. The bathroom door was open and inside I saw Namor, washing his hair with my shampoo. He's here. He's real. It was real.
I leaned on the doorframe and found myself staring, enjoying every part of him. From the tip of his soft ears to the faint hair on those thick thighs. I was remembering the things he did to me. The way he felt, the way he moaned my name, and how every bit of me had succumbed to his touch.
"Princess?"
I blinked twice and hid my body away from him. I felt heat run to my face over to my cheeks and forehead. I can't believe we did it.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to."
"I don't mind. Will you please join me?"
His smile was captivating, enticing, and his voice so gentle as if speaking louder would break me. I was reluctant, too ashamed to walk in there, naked, and let him see me during daylight.
"Is something wrong?"
Namor looked worried, and there was a hint of panic on the back of his throat. I shook my head, looking at the floor, trying to find something to focus on.
"I'm just... the thing is... I—"
I felt the corners of my lips tilt upward. I was so shy I wanted the ground to swallow me.
"Adria, don't be shy. I have seen everything there is to see."
I widened my eyes, almost choking on my saliva. Finally, after a second or two, I walked over to the little shower and let the warm water run over my chest.
"Look at me."
He demanded, his voice low and soft. I obeyed and found myself feeling light-headed. His eyes had always been this beautiful? I didn't know, but the longer I stared, the more I got lost in him. Namor ran his hands over my shoulders, down my arms, and then finally laced his fingers with mine. I felt my heart hammering against my chest and then I heard his, both rhythms playing a beautiful song.
"You're beautiful."
Namor said, leaning closer as water dribbled over his head and down his face. His earspools and nosepiece were gone, making his face appear sweeter. I lifted my left hand and grazed over his face, caressing his cheekbone with my thumb. The light barely made it through the bathroom door, painting a side of him in gold and bronze.
"You're beautiful too."
I said and he smiled. I could have sworn he was blushing from the way he looked away, biting his lower lip. We were both so taken aback by each other that we could barely talk.
"How are you feeling?"
He asked, his thumbs rubbing on the back of my wrists.
"Better than most days. What about you?"
"Better than most days,"
He replied, mimicking the way I spoke.
"I slept for the first time in months. It was the best sleep I ever had. Your bed... it's comfortable. I would like to have one of those back home. Exactly like the one you have."
"Are you sure my bed is what made you sleep so well?"
I asked, teasing, and he smiled brightly, chuckling almost.
"I'm sure of it, princess. That bed of yours could make anyone fall asleep in seconds. It must have a magic spell of some sort."
He said, playing along as he squirted some shampoo on the palm of his hand, then proceeded to massage my scalp.
"Turn around, please."
I did so almost instantly, and felt his warm hands over my head, massaging from the crown of my head to the nape of my neck. I tilted my head back and then forwards, feeling relaxed, and so comfortable. His touch was doing things to me I couldn't understand. He was a flower and I was a bee.
Then I felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back against the shower. He rinsed my hair thoroughly, treating my hair with utmost care as if it was made of glass. Then he grabbed my washcloth and began scrubbing my back, my shoulders and neck, then my arms, and then went down. I turned around and he knelt, took one of my feet in his hands, and washed it, carefully caring for the little wings on my ankles as well. Namor looked up, his eyes soft and full of admiration. Once he had rinsed my foot, he went on to kiss the tip of my toes, then around my ankle, and his lips brushed upwards till he got to my knees. I was mesmerized by the way the god-king of Talokan was worshiping my body as if I was the most beautiful woman in existence. In such a state of submission, I could have sworn he was treating me as his Queen.
Heat puddled in between my thighs, and butterflies turned to fireworks in my belly. Namor stood, his eyes resting on mine, without words, without anything else. Our bodies spoke louder than words.
Then the thoughts came in, gushing like a storm. I remembered the mission ahead of us. The chance of not making it out alive. The chance of meeting my real father and brother. The probability of not doing well and even losing little B'alam. The thought brought me down to my lowest point.
My eyes drowned in tears and I cried in front of him. I couldn't tell him why I was crying; we couldn't say a word about it, but he understood and hugged me tightly. I sobbed quietly, hiding in between his shoulder and neck, feeling safe between his arms.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
"It's okay. You can cry. I'm with you."
He cooed, feeling the warm water running between our bodies like a mountain with multiple cascades. I felt better, and sooner than later we finished washing up.
There was no food and we were starving. We stood in the middle of the kitchen, with our hands on our waists, staring at the empty refrigerator as if it would magically pop out something if we stared at it long enough.
"We have to go to the store."
I suggested and Namor walked out of there, uninterested.
"I can go fishing."
"I don't want fish."
"What do you desire?"
"Eggs, bacon, and fries. The unhealthy stuff."
He pondered on it for a moment, then made up his mind and went on to fish for my purse.
"What are you doing?"
I asked, intrigued.
"Didn't you say you were going to the market? Here's your purse."
He extended his hand, handing me my worn-out bag.
"You need to... to cover up those ankles, and a hoodie to hide the ears."
"Why? I'm not going with you."
"Didn't you want to come with me yesterday?"
"I can accompany you, but I can't be in the village."
"Why not?"
He was silent for a moment, serious even.
"I have bad memories from this place."
He answered, flat and harsh. I didn't need any other explanation and so I agreed that he could simply escort me to the outskirts of the forest.
We flew together, not minding a thing in the world as we were literally in the middle of nowhere with nobody to look at us. Finally, we got to Namor's boundary, then descended onto a nice area surrounded by trees.
"I will wait here."
He said, and so I walked further ahead into the trees, towards a road, and into the little village of Uaymitun. The pathways were made of stone and the houses and shops were painted in oranges, whites, pinks, and blues. Trees that blossomed tiny red and purple flowers decorated the buildings and the cracks on the walls were full of vines. I entered the first market I saw and picked the things we needed. Eggs, bacon, potatoes, and even got more ingredients for dinner. The thought of cooking for Namor warmed my heart.
I was ready to pay when I felt a hand lift the sack of potatoes I had gripped on. I looked to my side, startled, and found Namor standing by my side with slightly furrowed eyebrows.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just in case."
"Just in case what?"
"Something happens to you."
He whispered, taking my bag and placing it on his shoulder. What could possibly happen to me?
"El que sigue!"
The cashier yelled and we didn't even notice till she raised her voice. We set the things on the counter and she scanned them, then told us the amount. Namor looked for my wallet and paid for it without looking at the prince on the screen.
"Wait for me!"
Namor walked out of the market, taking fast steps onto the sidewalk, turning left, and heading towards the forest. He seemed somewhat angry despite his still serene composure.
As Namor was crossing the street, he stopped at the sight of an orange rolling down the road, and then another one, and then a bunch of apples and other fruits. An old lady had dropped her bag of groceries. Namor was quick on his feet, picking up her groceries one by one and placing them inside the pouch of his hoodie.
The woman yelled something in Spanish, and slowly walked downhill, angry.
"Thief!"
She exclaimed. I hurried over there and tried to calm her down; she could hardly see anything. Her braids were adorned with red ribbons, and her skirt looked like a rainbow. Despite her old age, the woman was still kicking and ready to throw hands.
"I didn't steal anything. I was just trying to pick these up for you. Here."
Namor said, handing the fruit over to her. She didn't understand a thing and simply frowned.
"Ma'am, he was just trying to help. "
I explained in Spanis till she finally understood and relaxed her scrunchy eyebrows.
"You aren't from here?"
The woman asked him and Namor shook his head.
"Hm. I thought you were a local. Well, thank you for everything. I will go on my way then."
The bags she had carried her fruit with were broken, so instead, I offered to take her groceries to her house.
"Would you two do that for me?"
"Yes of course."
I answered and Namor gave me a look of disapproval.
"If you want to go home, go on. I won't take long."
I said and took the fruits off the woman's hold and walked by her side, struggling to carry my own groceries and her own. The lady grabbed me by my arm for support and we both walked downhill through the colorful street.
Eventually, Namor caught up to us and quietly carried the things I had in my arms.
"Is he your boyfriend?"
The old lady asked. I wasn't entirely sure if Namor understood Spanish or not, but I guessed after living for so many years, he had come to know the basics.
"Something like that."
I replied, smiling while he looked as gloomy as a rainy day.
We arrived at her house and a little child greeted her, asking if she had bought him a lollipop. Then, the woman said something in a different language and the boy listened and helped with the groceries, taking the fruit off Namor's arms. The boy said something to him and surprisingly, Namor answered back, again in a different language. His expression had softened.
"Thank you to you two."
The old lady said in Spanish and went into her little house, following that kid who must have been his grandson.
"Were they speaking Mayan?"
I asked him. Their words sounded so familiar and yet I couldn't understand a thing.
"Yes. She asked him to help her with the groceries. He thanked me for helping his grandmother, and I told him that fruit is better than candy."
We went uphill, slowly strolling through the street as the faint sound of a guitar played beautifully from afar.
"For a moment I thought you could understand Spanish."
"I hate that I can understand it. It's not hard to decipher a whole language once you got the root and basics down."
We walked silently till we got to the top of the hill. From up there, the little village looked lovely. I glanced at the god-king of Talokan, the man who had witnessed such hatred from an early age and through so many years. Perhaps we were standing on bloodshed, on lands in which the Spanish tortured our ancestors, and Namor could still feel that rage within him.
"Sometimes I'm angry too. What you saw in person is what I saw through history books. It's not the same, but I still feel the discomfort."
I looked to my side as children passed by, running and laughing. Behind them, their mothers peacefully strolled while they chattered about this and that. Namor looked at me, listening attentively.
"Nevertheless, I can't bring myself to hate these people. They aren't at fault."
"I don't hate them. I don't hate your country, princess. It's not their fault their culture and language were stripped of them. I'm simply... uncomfortable as you say. Perhaps even more than that."
He replied. His jaw tense as if he was in pain.
"Let's go home."
I insisted. He had been exposed enough to the place that hurt him the most. There was no need to keep on pushing it.
We got to the forest, walked down a hill, and then flew back to our little house. Namor took a deep breath of air, and relaxed his shoulders as he walked in, setting the groceries on the table. Then, he flinched.
"Princess, someone is here!"
He exclaimed, backing up towards me. From my room, a third person walked out and leaned on the doorframe. It was Adrian.
"What a surprise. I will assume you are my sister's boyfriend. Namor, right?"
I felt anger build up from my chest to my limbs. I was fighting the urge to yell at him and ask him where B'alam is, but I bit my tongue. We had to play it cool. Being friendly is what my sister recommended. I could play friendly, but as soon as I saw Namor, that's when I realized our plan could go wrong. He was on a fighting stance, his muscles tensed, nose flared, and limp hands turning to fists. I grabbed his hand and squished it, then gave Adrian a small smile, as if I didn't care about him in the slightest.
"Yeah. So what?"
"Nothing. Just curious. I mean, I am your brother after all. I should know all these things."
Namor sighed, and I was sure he was also fighting the urge to snap him in half, but he stood still and softened his expression.
"If you are Adria's brother, why did you show up until now?"
"I didn't know where she was until she emerged when I was singing to my beasts."
"Singing."
Namor echoed.
"That vibrating sound. I call it singing. Anyhow, I had no idea where she was. I swear! But I longed to see her and when she appeared I was extremely happy."
Adrian glanced at me and took a step closer, while I took a step back. He noticed and stopped, smiling back at me as if he was just a sweet young man.
"What do you want from us?"
I asked, trying to be a good actress although if I remember correctly, I failed theater back in High school.
"Two things. One: I want you to come home and see my dad. He's dying to meet you and we want to be a family again. And two: please tell me why are you with the killer of your adoptive mother?"
Did I hear right?