Mia emerged from the water, completely drenched from head to toe.
“Mia, Mia! Mia are you alright? ” Lin leapt in the waters, totally forgetting about the under current situation. He swam like a fanatic and brought her back to the shore in his arms. He was literally checking all over her body for injury marks. But there weren’t any which left him even more worried.
The others stood infront but no one dared ask anything, seeing Lin in such a frenzy. They were all too anxious to know what had happened but wisely chose to give the couple some privacy before asking for answers.
“Mia, I can’t find any injury marks. Where are you hurt? Why can’t I find it? ” He asked.
“It’s because, there aren’t any. ” Mia said with a smile.
Her mind wondered off to the fact that she had to drink from the stream of oblivion, connecting her fate with that of Jin forever. She would have to let go of the things most beloved to her in this life, her little fox and Lin. She was fighting hard to hold back the tears. She couldn’t risk letting Lin know about the truth. He would endanger his life trying to get her out of the mess. She had to hide it from everyone and come up with a plan to make things easy for all of them.
“What do you mean by there aren’t any? Didn’t you find the tree of knowledge? ” Lin asked thinking Mia might have returned mid-voyage.
“You didn’t find it? ” Xie asked.
“Damn. What are we going to do now. So much work for nothing. Who knows what havoc the curse is wrecking back at our homes” Roe was contemplating herself.
“Don’t worry it’s all over. ” Mia said getting up.
“Mia wait where are you going? ” Lin followed her as she pushed everyone aside and walked away.
“What did she even mean? ” Roe asked Boshu.
“No idea” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Isn’t she, ummm, odd? ” Roe told Boshu expecting him to attack back but he didn’t. He stared at Lin following Mia and replied “I don’t know her enough to assume that. ”
Xie came upto them and said “What did she even mean by it being over? Was she referring to the curse ? The very existence of the tree of knowledge is shrouded in mystery. Rumours are plenty surrounding it. Do you think she lost her mind trying to solve it’s riddles? ”
He looked concerned.
“Don’t know . Should we go check on them? ” Boshu asked.
“You guys stay, I will go” He darted off in their direction.
Mia was walking away at full speed, not caring where she went. Lin pulled her by her hand “Mia! ” he yelled, looking straight in her eyes.
She looked away. She couldn’t look him in the eye. He pulled her face , cupped between both of his hands towards him.
“Mia, what the hell happened? Tell me. What are you not talking. Tell me what is wrong. I know there is something very wrong. I can tell that. Just tell me. Don’t push me away. ” Lin looked at her, begging.
Mia looked back. They stared for a few seconds and then Mia suddenly pushed him away with a jolt.
“Mia! ” Lin looked ay her with shock.
“Mia! Mia! Mia! Do you think I am deaf? What are you even trying to do? ” Mia yelled. She had this sudden idea in her head that urged her to push Lin right away. She was fighting hard not to given in to her weakness and go crying in his arms. He had always been her rock, but ahe needed to reverse the role . It was the only way she saw for their future. Her brain was telling her to keep pushing him from the very start. He would not get mad immediately. He would worry, he would get upset. But of she continued acting distant and rough, he would eventually get fed up with her, she thought.
“I think what? ” Lin was in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his own ears ” Mia tell me please what happened. Why are you acting like this? ” He pulled her close again.
Mia pushed him away harder this time , with all her strength.
“You are asking me what happened? Well if only you had not lied to be from the very beginning, nothing of this sort would have ever happened. Don’t you think we are in this mess because of you. If only you had not deceived me, my life would have never turned upside down like this. ” Mia spilled the words out like spitting hot coal from her mouth. Her heart burned knowing that her words would cut Lin like a two edged sword. She was biting her own tongue, trying to control the trembling she felt from all the tears building up from her chest to the eyes. She was expecting Lin to get upset. Or start explaining or get annoyed. But none of it happened. Instead, he pulled her to his chest and squeezed her tight with all his might. It was so tight she was almost choking but she didn’t move nor complained. It was what she needed the most at that moment. She wanted to squeeze him back but didn’t. She feared she might give her secret away. She just stayed as she was enjoying the warmth that was flowing between them. Lin slowly released his grip and patted her hair with one hand.
“Sorry Mia. I am so sorry. I really am. ” He said patting her on and on.
Mia felt herself melting, and fast. But she could not. She had to be strong. The decision she had made, she had to be true to it. She needed to face upshot of her bargain. She had to prepare for that. She knew her future , she knew how grim it was , she just needed to prepare for it now. She knew if she failed to do so , the consequences would be far worse than the situation they just got out of. She needed to be strong for her family. To protect them, she had sacrificed her happiness, she hope, because for her they were happiness and hope personified for her. Her throat felt dry as she gulped and took a deep breath to calm herself down. She gathered her strength and pushed Lin away again and said “Sorry? You are sorry. Are you really? ” She said pushing him at his chest.
Lin did not reply, instead he kept looking at her with his keen eyes. The ones that brought the fox in him out. Eyes that pierced through the soul. He was pinning her with his mere gaze, trying to read that, which was hidden deep in her soul.