Riaz’s Point Of View
“Up! Up!”
“Come on, Devan.” I groaned in annoyance. I heard him chuckle and I covered my head with my blanket. I grinned when I couldn’t hear his voice again. Is he gone? I was about drifting back to sleep when my blanket was pulled off my body.
“Stand up!”
“Devan…” I whined and he laughed. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. He widened my eyes with his fingers and I swatted his hands away.
“I’m tired.”
“What exactly did you do?”
I rubbed my eyes to clear my vision. My eyes met with his smiling face and I huffed. He’s annoying but stupidly handsome.
“My head hurts.” I said. My heart skipped a beat as he leaned in and placed his palm on my forehead.
“You have a fever.” He said and I bit my lip to stop myself from blushing. “I’ll make you hangover soup.” He said and I smiled. He ruffled my hair and walked to the door.
“Clean up.”
I nodded and he left. I fell to my bed and hugged my pillow to myself, smiling sheepishly like a little kid. What will do I about my wavering heart? I try not to feel anything when he’s near me but whenever he’s near, I feel like my heart is about to explode. He said I should clean up. I got off the bed and went to take my bathe in the bathroom. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My hair has gotten so long over the past few months. My birthday is in two days. I can’t wait. I’m so excited.
I left the bathroom and changed into a new pair of pants and a oversized cardigan. I packed my hair up in a bun and leta few strands fall to my face. I wore my slippers and left the room. Devan was by the fire, cooking the soup. He turned when he noticed my presence.
“Hey.”
“Hi. Still not done?”
He shook his head. He got some into a spoon and blew air on it. “Try it.” He said and I nodded. He directed the spoon to my mouth and fed me the soup.
“Wow.” I gasped. “It’s so good.” I said and his lips twitched in an attempt to smile.
“Really?”
I nodded and he shrugged smugly. “Where is Clover?” I asked and he shook his head.
“I have no idea. She’s probably out causing trouble as usual.”
I sighed and sat on a log.
“It’ll be done soon.”
I nodded and looked ahead at an approaching deer. He came forward and stopped in front of me.
“Hi.” I said and he came closer. I placed my hand on his head and patted him. I looked into his eyes and a blue light sparkled in them. The more I looked into his eyes, the more I felt like he wanted to tell me something. Just then, I felt my soul leave my body. I was transported into a trance.
I saw an unfamiliar place. It was on fire.
“Kill whoever lays hand on my family and people!”
“Atlas!”
“Looks like you’re the only one left.”
“Don’t touch her!”
“I’m going to kill you!”
“My love… I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you.”
“Mummy!”
“Riaz! Riaz! Riaz!”
Out of nowhere, I was pulled out of the trance. I looked up and saw Devan looking down at me worriedly. I was in his arms, trembling. I touched my face and realized I had been crying.
“Are you okay?” He asked and I looked around for the deer but he was nowhere to be found. Where did he go?
“The… the deer, where is he?”
Devan’s expression held confusion. “Deer?”
“Y.. yes, he was just here. Where is he?”
“There was no deer here. Are you sure you are okay, Riaz. Do you wanna rest? Does your head hurt?”
I shook my head. I was still trying to register what I just saw. Devan rushed to the pot and got me a plate of soup. He came back and sat beside me.
“Here. Let me feed you.”
I opened my mouth and he fed me. He fed me all the soup and cleaned my mouth with a napkin. When I calmed down, he asked,
“What happened to you back then?”
I gulped. “I saw something. That deer, I looked I to it’s eye and… and I saw something. It was like a memory. The place was on fire. I saw…” I turned to him. “I think I saw my mother.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “I still couldn’t see her face but I recognized her. She was fighting. She was… pregnant.”
“Did you see yourself?”
I shook my head. “Maybe I hadn’t been born then? Or maybe she was pregnant with me. I don’t know.”
“But you said it was a memory.” Devan said and I nodded.
“It seemed like the deer’s memory, not mine.”
Devan sighed and took my hand. “Devan, can you tell me how my race got extinct?”
Devan sighed deeply and tightened his grip on my hand. “I’ve only heard stories. They say your people are called white witches. And from the stories, your people betrayed the mythological world. They tried to obtain power that wasn’t theirs. A huge war broke out and they got destroyed in the war.”
I looked down. War. That memory did seem like a war. Did it really happen? Did my people get greedy for power?
“Hey, it’s fine. Don’t think too much. Things will get clearer when the time comes. Don’t think too much.”
I sniffled and embraced him. He held me tightly and patted my hair. My mother. I saw her. She died in that war. I closed my eyes to shut out the image of her death from my head.
“Hey, boys!”
I sighed. Clover is here. I didn’t let Devan go and he didn’t leave me either.
“Where have you been?” Devan questioned.
“Hi, Clove.” I said without glancing at her.
“I brought a guest.” She said and I turned to face her. Beside her was a very beautiful fairy.
“I’m Dandelion. She introduced and I smiled at her. “So this is the he you told me about.” She said and Clover giggled. I turned to Clover and she shrugged.
“Hi, Devan.” She said flirtatiously and Devan rolled his eyes. They must know each other. Dandelion glanced back and said, “Where is he?”
Clover looked back. “Where did he go? Did he get lost?”
“Oh, there he is!” Dandelion beamed. I let Devan go and turned to see who was approaching.
Just as our eyes met, he stopped on his tracks, his face holding shock. I’m sure my eyes are almost bulging out of their sockets. What is he doing here?
“A… Ace…” I called in shock.