Ava & Beatrice ( Warrior Nun )

One Moment

(Ava)

"What if I told you Ava, you could go back in time to one single moment. Nothing would have changed the sequence of events, you'd still end up here. Yet, you'd have the option of going to one moment for the last time. What would you choose Ava?" Reya looked at me, no emotions reflecting on her face. Just a blank expression depicting endless emptiness. She moved from behind the table to stand at the window, admiring the kingdom laying ahead.

"Your place is here by my side. It always was, it always will be. Your mother, a kind creature, but too weak to understand what truly matters. Betraying who she was meant to be, she chose a mortal life with a human. And where did it lead her? Your father left her alone at the mercy of fate."

I could hear Reya talking. The words were leaving her mouth one by one. It felt so distant, so illusory. My body stayed numb and so did my mind. I could not focus nor could I lose my attention. Like a dream that controls all your senses. You know you are there and it nearly feels real, but at the same time, you know you are not you. There is nothing you can do to alter the tale that is unfolding in front of your eyes; you are only a spectator. So, you are holding on , wishing for it to end, hoping to wake up from this dreading dream.

"I ....," I was unable to say more.She saw I won't say more, she cut me off before giving me a chance to continue. "Yes. You were always meant to carry the Halo. It was written in the stars long before you were born. Even your mother could not stop fate." She leaned closer, smirked at me and emphasized each syllable as she said "My. Beloved. Sister."

"No! What? My mother, she was..." I paused but Reya did not give me the space to speak up.

"Your mother was my sister."

Panic flood my body. I could not think, I could not speak, I could not do anything. "No, no, no! What a fucked up game are you playing, queen? Is this the way you are trying to secure my loyalty? If you knew me , you'd know this will cause the opposite. I can't.. No... I... that's impossible. She died in a car accident, I died... No! No! No! You're lying!"

I kept babbling, screaming or whatever I was doing. It was hard to say. Probably all that at once. "And what use would it be for me Ava?" Reya asked eventually.

"I don't know. Maybe you're bored and every now and then you cause someone pain because why not. It happened to be me this time. Well, I fucking don't know."

"I know you're looking for ways to escape. It won't work. You're not a prisoner here, Ava. But I still can't let you just go. We have a lot to solve together." I was barely breathing. I felt like the world is falling apart and there is nothing that I can hold on to, no one to catch me. What to do? Is there really not any hope for us Bea? Is there really no way of leaving this fucked up place ? No, I can't, I won't accept defeat.

Reya grinned and struck me with the words again. "She's doing well. Traveling if you want to know details. She thinks you're dead and it should stay that way if you want to keep her safe."

"Is that a threat?" I snapped angrily.

"Hah, no. Not at all. On the contrary. You and me, we're going to save them all."

"Save them all? Adriel is dead if you did not notice."

"Have you thought he's the real enemy? Ah, my child, there are far worse things than Adriel. He was indeed a pain in the ass that needed to be removed. But there are though times ahead of us, child."

I stayed silent even though I had thousand more questions. I was slowly losing my patience. Patience that I never really had. "Don't beat about the bush! Just tell me the truth! Now!"

At last, Reya smiled at me. "Soon you'll know it all. Welcome back my lost niece. You see, we're going to accomplish great things."

Nothing could describe how I felt. Perhaps lost, angry, hopeful, sad could do the justice. "My gift for your return, is to devote you one more moment in your past. As I said at the beginning, it won't change the sequence of events, no matter how hard you'd try. I'd recommend you not to waste it. So, what will you choose?"

There were plenty of time were my whole life played in front my eyes like a movie. Each time it's different, unique in its own way. But they all have one thing in common, Bea. I closed my eyes and accepted what laid ahead of me. If it means seeing her again, even if it's for the last, I had to take my chances.

***

Wow. How's this even possible? I looked around to make sure it's real. It looked real enough, that's for sure. Everything is indeed as I remembered.

The sounds of our voices reached my ears eventually. I turned around and there... in front of the bar, below the opened sky,  I saw us, talking.

"Hey. It's Miguel. What is he up to? Come on. Let's catch up with him."

"No, no, no. You go ahead. I'll see you at home. "

"It looks like he's up to something. Are you sure ?"

She nodded in agreement, though, I could see the pain in her eyes. Were you really insecure? Oh Bea, if you only knew, your name was the first thing i thought of every morning when I opened my eyes and the last thing that I dreamed of when I was falling asleep. The air I breathe now suffocates me without your presence. It aches my heart I did not let you know enough that it's only you. It was always you.

I could see her there, staring at my silhouette disappearing in the distance. She hesitated if to go home or follow me.

I approached silently avoiding any unnecessary attention. She did not notice me until I spoke up. "You know Bea, this was my happiest moment in my life." I softened my voice, she turned around and lifted her gaze, confused of what's happening.

"You ... what ... Ava ? You just went after Miguel." She turned around, making sure she's not making it up. But my past me was already out of sight. Confused Bea, that's the cutest.

I ignored her question and continued as if she never interrupted my words. "You, me, the bar, dancing," I paused for a brief moment, inhaling the lost familiarity before I caught her gaze, "Us."

"I..." she attempted to talk, but I interrupted her before she could continue. "I came back." I gently smiled and took a step forward standing only a few inches away from her. "Oh Bea, it was always you. It always will be you."

Her chest barely moved and from this distance I could once again smell her fragrance. Oh lord how I missed it. I gently put my hand on her cheek and took another step. Her skin caressed  mine. For a moment all that pain disappeared in the dark night and all that was left, was us. " I won't give up, you know. I can't."

Bea did not resist, frankly she didn't do anything to stop me. She just stood there looking into my eyes questioning my actions, probably unaware of what my words really meant. I yearned for her as much as she yearned for me. I felt it deep down my bones, my heart, my whole being. "What are you doing Ava?" She asked bewildered. Perhaps she thought she's drunk and hallucinating. Don't really know.

I leaned in and before our lips touched I whispered for a last time: "What I was supposed to do back then." 

PS: I finally found some time to write again. I wrote it at 3 am so potentially, it might not make much sense lol. I hope you'll still enjoy it. <3