The Rise and The Fall Of Two Sisters

~6~

Age 16, holding my sister as she cries on my shoulder after having a nightmare about our mother.

"Are you sure you're okay Perila?"  She sniffles.

"Yes." Perila lifts her head off my shoulder and went to her room.

Surprisingly, I felt a emptiness where she had touched me-

A shadow moved in the corner of my eye. Was I hallucinating? 

A pair of silver eyes met mine, two hands grasped my face. I struggled for breath, but the figure held me tighter.

"Beware.Betrayals we be coming, don't trust anyone."

"But why?"

The figure looked around nervously. "Someone is coming, we don't have time! Dump the boy. He isn't worth it-"

"That, is enough, Briere," A voice interrupted her. Another figure entered my room, and suddenly my everything was clear.

Briere was the goddess of future, fate, marriage, and married to the King of creation, Chrios. She was wearing a simple beige kilt, with her long black hair tied up in a bun. The man who interrupted her was wearing a royal red dressing robe. Red, the color of the gods.

Chrios.

I scrambled to my knees, placing my forehead to the cold marble floor in a bow.

"Chrios, why are you here?" I asked, once he gave me permission to rise.

"I have come to take my disobedient wife, Briere. She has given you information no one else should know," Chrios looked disapprovingly at Briere's panicked face. "Don't speak of any of this."

He waved his hand over my face, and I opened my eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tears crowded in my eyes, as I tried to make sense of the scene in front of me.

Perila, lying in a puddle of her own blood, an arrow shot in her shoulder, her eyes lifeless with pain.

No, this couldn't be real. I can't-

"You alright there?" A hand touched my shoulder, and I met the eyes of Mendon.

"I'm fine. Where's Perila?" I prompted.

"Fine, she passed out so I placed her in the tent. Why?"

"Nothing, just a dream," I say, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of my face.

Mendon looked at me skeptically as he brought out a basket of fruit.

"Care for one?" He said as he started peeling an orange.

I plucked out a grape, and tossed it in my mouth. A sweet taste covered my tongue, making me sigh in relief. I looked into the basket, taking out some bread and fish.

"I'm making some soup, do you want some?" I asked, fake smiling. Mendon seemed to fall for it.

"Sure."

I headed out to a open spot in front of my tent and got out a pot that I brought.

I added the ingredients, humming the song my Mama would sing when I joined her in the kitchen.

There were two girls lived by the bay,

Sand in their hair and waves tickling their feet.

But what did they do for a happy smile?

Bake cakes, cakes with sugarcane and sesame.

A sweet aroma filled my nose as I added the last ingredient, a pinch of chili.

"That smells good, where did you learn it from?" Mendon piped up. 

"My mother," I had replied. "She taught me." I scooped up some soup in a bowl and gave it to him.

I poured another bowl for Perila and set it aside. As I went to wake her up.

I shook her slightly. "Perila, time to wake. I made dinner."

"A few more minutes.." She mumbled.

"Perila. Time to wake, or we'll leave you here."

"Alright fine." She gave in. Perila put on her socks and walked back to the campfire. I followed her out, glad it only took a few words.

~~~~~

Perila had went back to sleep again, proving her tiredness, now I was left alone with Mendon.

"You know..how did you learn to sew?" He asked.

I shrugged, tying a knot at the ends and snipping the string. "I self taught myself."

We spent a few more minutes in silence,  before he asked another useless question.

"Have you ever been in love?"

I choked on the air. 

"What?!"

"I said have you ever been in love."

"I heard you fine, but why did you ask that so suddenly?" It was now his turn to shrug.

"Maybe.. because I am right now." I flushed as he moved closer.

"With who?"

"Well, you know her very well, and she looks like you." He said, staring at me, I thought he glanced at my lips, but I'm probably imagining it again.

"My sister?"

"No.. you."

You.

I stared at him, a blush warming my cheeks. 

"You are joking correct?"

He brushed a few strands of my hair behind my ear as he lifted my chin.

"No." 

Mendon cupped my face with his hands as he leaned closer, brushing his lips against mine.

"Can I?" He whispered. Me, breathless, nodded.

And then he kissed me.

It was like fireworks shooting inside both of us. It was short but sweet. It wasn't romantic, but it signals our feelings. 

A/N I haven't kissed anyone before, so I don't know how it feels sadly

He pulls away, and walks away.

Anger and hurt rippled inside me. Was it all a joke? I thought, kicking a rock on grassy land.

What a confusing, confusing man.