REDEMPTION

28. MINE.

“... My... " Achlysa's last words could not be made out after that, she fell asleep in Bendra's arms. In her mind, she thought she had found her pillow. Her warm fluffy pillow. And she did not want to let go. Since she was unable to finish her statement earlier it left the two men in their own worlds. Expounding on what their minds could come up with.

Bendra did not want to let go but the doctor's words came to mind. “It's love." These words kept repeating themselves inside his mind like an ancient mantra. He pondered time and again but could not find a solution to this puzzle.

“Love? That can't be right. It can't, can it?" he thought to himself.

This feeling was amazing but he did not want it. In fact, these feelings scared him to death. He was yet to get over what happened in the past. Now, this. Bendra was unable to keep up . He did not want what happened to his mother to happen ever again. He blamed his father for not acting fast enough. And the ‘love’ his step mother claimed to give him only made the vacuum in his heart grow greater until now, he could not feel a thing.

Yet, this maiden made feelings he had felt so long ago surface and those he had never felt swell out of proportion. He swore never to love or fall in love with anyone but then this happened. He could not accept or allow it go any further. One way or the other, he had to put an end to it.

His mind had decided but his heart and body rejected this decision. He wanted to move but his body remained seated and wrapped his hands around her tighter. Her scent sneaked into his nostrils and he fell further into this pit called love. She smelled like fresh dew mixed with a tint of rosewood. This scent made him excited for some reason. Bendra enjoyed watching her sleep. She fit in just right. He found himself smiling but this did not last long.

He wiped it off his face and laid her gently on her bed before walking out. Bendra couldn’t face her. At least, not now. He had to arrange his thoughts and figure out what he was going to do with her. Her identity was also a pending issue. Her emergence a mystery. Her circumstances, bewildering. And he was yet to find out where Lady Audrey had ran off to.

It was hard enough knowing what something was but it was also harder not knowing. He had learnt this the hard way not too long ago. And it had cost him a lot. More than he had bargained for.

Holmen watched him as he did this. He made no effort to stop him because he believed time would unravel the barricade that Bendra had built himself. And only time could tell whether it would crumble or be enforced. He was sure that no matter how hard he tried, however, this was not Bendra’s choice to make. He had a good hunch though. It made his heart swell with pride that he found himself smiling.

“And so it begins…”he thought.

As Bendra left the room, he bowed, hiding his white eyes that had shifted momentarily. His hunch was confirmed. Holmen soon followed him. Right after he had looked at the maiden that would be his beginning and his end. Whichever it would be, he was willing follow and guide his master, if he would let him, till the end.

They walked into the room they were before. Bendra paced up and down trying to figure out something, anything. His mind was blank. Nothing called up. But his body was on edge. His instinct screamed inside his head. Not able to take it any longer, he walked straight to the door and opened it.

“Young master, please reconsider.” Holmen said in monotone. He had knelt, his left hand was over his chest and his head was lowered, slightly.

Bendra looked at him anger building up and closing his judgment. He needed to vent it before he lade a mistake he could never collect back from. His hands which was still clutching at the door knob squeezed it. The moment he did, it broke. None of them were fazed. Holmen remained in his position while Bendra moved slowly in attempt to shut the door.

“Speak.”

“Your attire, young master. I believe…”he could not find the right words.

Bendra then remembered, since he had arrived, he had not changed his attire. This meant that he was still covered in blood. Her blood.

“Thank you, Holmen. Please rise. I'll be out in a minute.”

He proceeded to the hallway. And echo of a shutting door was heard , followed by silence. He came out after a while, dressed in clean clothes. His black hair had been combed back. His face was stone cold but his eyes told a different story. They looked painted and confused. And he knew this was something only he could solve.

Bendra opened the door and stopped. The settings sun had bathed the sky with purple and orange rays. Bidding the world goodbye while ushering its lone partner, the moon. Clouds had their lining given a dark shade. Birds could be seen in a distance hurting back to their nests. They flew in pairs. The weather was calm. No wind blew.

Around, sellers called out passersby, giving them the evening offer of their products. Children were either running hole or being scolded by their mother's for being late. The women bought foodstuffs to feed their families while young idle bachelors could be seen singing drunk on that streets. Young men, those from work, hosted a glass of two before heading home to their wives. Others stood there, enjoying the liveliness the evening brought.

It was evening. It was almost nighttime. Time for her to go. Bendra felt that tight again but ignored it. He left the house, Holmen not far behind. He headed to one of the restaurants to grab a bite. On the way there, many greated or bowed to him, showing their respect. When he arrived, the owner had already set a table for him and Holmen. And he insisted that it was on the house.

They ordered their usual meal and ate quietly. They had a lot to say but none of them dared to speak. After all, they were just master and servant. And even if they considered themselves friends, they knew when not to cross the line.

As they were eating, Bendra coughed blood. Everyone stopped. The restaurant that was once vibrant became a graveyard. The faces around them expressed fear. Bendra stopped eating and pushed the plate that had food and blood in it aside. One of the villagers rose up in fury demanding and explanation from the manager. Everyone who had been trapped in a daze soon followed suite. A few maidens who had been there wanted and offered their handkerchiefs.

Bendra raised his hand and they stopped.

“It’s not the food.” He assured them.

They reluctantly went back to their tables. He assured the maidens before him that he was okay and sent them away without taking their handkerchiefs. He felt disgusted at the thought of taking one. This was strange, before today, he could take any handkerchief offered to him occasionally. But today, he did not want to. Something prevented his cell doing so. A few seconds passed before he bought more blood. Holmen rose from his seat, concern written all over his face.

Bendra pushed him away. He looked at the blood on his hands and wondered. He had no injury nor did he eat anything poisonous. If he had them so would Holmen. And he was sure no one knew his identity here. He lade sure of it. Unless…

He rose to his feat and bolted out of the restaurant leaving Holmen calling out his name. Holmen frantically searched his pockets before paying for their barely touched food and rushed after him. Everyone was concerned for this particular young master's health. He had raised this little village of theirs from hellish conditions to bearable ones.

They wanted to rush after Holmen but he assured them that he would inform them if anything calls up. They all sat in silence while eating their meals. Half of them stared at the food before them and did nothing. On the road side, people screamed when they saw a figure rushing down the street.

Bendra had not noticed but his abilities were emerging this changing his physique. Stop his black hair, sat ears, his eyes gave a golden glow and his speed increased exponentially. The world was loving slower than usual in his eyes. But he did not stop to look. He had to get there. In a mere two seconds, his future could no longer been seen in the streets. Only a blur that left a harsh wind behind could be felt. Those there only thought a harsh wind was passing through their little village.

On arrival, he went straight to her room. She was lying there in a pool if her own blood. The call face he had left her with was replaced by one in agony. He was motionless for a while, until she stretched out her hand and tried lifting herself from the bed. Bendra went ahead and lifted her himself. He then sat in front of her and pushed her hair out her face.

Achlysa heaved trying to figure out what was happening to her. “Al I going to die?” she thought as tears ran down her pale cheeks. Benadryl shivered. He had heard her thoughts. Immediately, he wrapped his hands around her, stoked her back gently and assured her he was not going to let they happen. As he did this Holmen arrived panting.

However, when he got to the room he stopped. What he was seeing was not what he expected. A faint light was covering both of them like a shield. As he stoked her back, she calmed down. She seemed to believe in his words and so did he. The blood that had spread all over the bed and walls, pealed itself off and went back into her body. It left behind a black sticky substance. The two of them had not touched what was happening.

“Young master!”

Holmen fell to his knees startling Achlysa. Bendra almost pulverized him. He turned and looked at him. He had stood over Achlysa who was holding onto his hand desperately. Both their eyes gave off an unusual color. They had the same eyes. This was rare. He smiled and looked like a n i***t who had seen the heavens. Anger flushed in his master's eyes making him want to crawl into a corner. He took in a breathe and told him what he had figured out.

“You are perfect mates.”

Perfect mate-a term used to describe the better half of all races, that being :light, dark and at times triggers. There is the existence of late but a bond between perfect mates is a hundred times stronger than that of mates. The occurrence of perfect mates is rare and only a handful of people have been perfect mates since time immemorial. Perfect mates can occur between races but that is even more rare. Out of the handful only two were of mixed races and only one occurred where a trigger was involved. After mates meet and feel that they can no longer condone each other, they can decide to break their bond and go separate ways. However, the bond between perfect mates can never be broken or rejected. This is because it is etched in their souls. Meaning even if they were to die and reincarnate, they would still belong to one another. In life, in death and beyond.