Chapter 4

Avena

I woke up with a stung in my middle..

I grasped the bed and I found nothing but sheets covering my naked body..

I cried to the pang of pain I felt down there..

To be honest I was disappointed that he wasn't around when I woke up. I look around and found a piece of paper left on the drawer near the bed.

" I was out for duty. Wear the dress I gave you. " I heard his cold voice echoed as I read the short letter he left. Both pain from my body and chest danced happily together as a lone tear escaped my eyes.

Last night wasn't important to him. I knew it. I shouldn't have given him me. But I don't regret it anyway. I agreed to do it with him.

But no matter what, I smiled and dried my eyes.. C'mon it's just my V who cares if he gets to have it first.

I tried to stand up but I just couldn't... Damn him for being so big. I didn't mind the pain crushing me as I walk slowly to get the dress that was laid to the table. It was beautiful but I was still disappointed with him

I slipped it on and uncomfortably and walked out of the room.

Slowly I walk the long corridors. God this is the most uncomfortable thing I have ever done in my life, luckily the guards were nowhere to be found, they probably think that I finally got rammed by their king. So they ran off to go partying.

I saw Venita, Ila and Yvonne standing outside my chamber. And when they finally saw me they quickly ran towards my direction to help me walk.

" Your ladyship! " Ila was worried while looking at me.

" Just take me to my bed. " I tiredly said.

I was placed to my bed and now they're all circling me.

" I'm glad your still alive... your Ladyship.. " they all breath in sigh.

" Of course I am. Why would I be dead anyway.? Even if I wish to I can't.. " I whispered as my vision started to be filled with black dots.

I woke with the sound of beautiful music in my ears. I realized that I was on the field filled with beautiful flowers, the land has all types of it.

The birds are chirping everywhere and the soft warm breeze hugs me.

The music still lingers in the air, so I stand up to follow where is it coming from. I look around only to find everything perfect and so beautiful.

I didn't remember where I came from all I know is that I'm here, safe in these haven.

My foot stopped at the side of a riverbank, it was clear as crystal and you can see a plenty of fish racing towards it's direction. They're all have the enthusiasm to swim and carry on..

I starred at the river much longer, when a footstep was heard from my side.

" Young lady what brings you here.?" it was a beautiful woman and she looks more like..... Me...

"This is odd.. " the words jumped out of my mouth.

" Nothing's odd here my dear. Why would you think like that? " she smiled at me with a very soothing voice, just like the music I was hearing awhile ago, she looks so beautiful so youthful, like me when I was in my early 20's ... And I was thinking of asking for her name. But the thing is she really looks like me. Do we have the same name?

" Uhm .. because we really looked kinda.. How do I put these, I mean we look exactly the same. You know.. I don't remember having a twin sister.." I unknowingly say that brings here to a sudden laughter..

Ok what's so funny about it?

" Yes, we look alike.. But I'm from the past. My name's Raven. And you're name's Avena. " My jaw dropped when I heard her saying those things.

" From the .... from the past? I don't understand.." I said.. I'm confused, first thing, is this Andromeda world existed and now I have lived in the past that is under the name Raven, holy crap.. This is not happening!

" Well I guess I should explain, follow me.. " she walk first then I follow her.

We didn't walk for too long, but the view here is really good. If I were to choose, I would live here away from all the things I am afraid of.

3rd Person's POV

While away with the haven Avena has found, the maids panic when their ladyship won't wake up. It has been last night. Till it happened.

Venita quickly rushed to the King's headquarters . Even if maids were not aloud to barge in. She has to. She somehow blamed His Majesty for his inconsiderate treatment to the ladyship.

She thought Her ladyship's words last night was fine, but when morning came she won't open her eyes and lays still in her bed. Her eyes water because of the fear of losing her. She is innocent, how could she suffer from the King?.

" Please I need to see the king.. Please!! " she cried out but the guards block her way and wouldn't open the door.

" I beg you! Please I need to see the king.." Not long the door banged open and an angry King stepped out looking at the maid furiously.

" How dare you ruin my peaceful morning ?" His deep voice roared into the hallways and corridors.

" Forgive me your highness, but please before you punish me for my intruding acts, hear me out.." the maid gulped in fear.

" Tell me what is it. " the king impatiently ask.

" Her ladyship, won't wake up.. " the maid cried with tears pooling in her face.

While Maximus froze, his mind wandered back to Avena, without a second thought he ran towards her chamber. His heart was pounding so fast that only the sound of it were to be heard while running in the long hallways and corridors .

He lost his composure when he recklessly open the door, because he was greeted by a two more crying maids.

" Avena! " he whispered under his breath.

The maids took a bow. But he didn't took his eyes of the woman who was lying on the bed, the dress he chose for her was still covering her body.

" What happened.." his words were not a question but rather an order that needs to be answered.

"Tell me!!.." he shouted at the two frightened maids standing at the side of the bed.

" She came here from your chamber your Majesty yesterday. She ordered us to put her to bed, and we let her, we asked her if she's ok, and she answered us that she is fine, after that she ordered us once again to leave her chamber so she could sleep, but only this morning when we came to open the door, no one answered us, so the three of us her maids asked for the key to open her door, and this is what came to us Your Majesty. Please punish our acts for being irresponsible." Ila cried out, so as Yvonne and Venita.

He was frustrated, but he knew that Avena's not dead, he was just confused why would this happened to her, why would this scene happen to him. He blamed himself for leaving her in his bed that morning.

"Leave... " he sounded so sad, so the people in that room instantly left without uttering a single word.

When the both of them were all alone, he held her hands, he was surprised that it wasn't cold, thank good heavens. He kissed her hands.

" I'm so sorry love..." he whispered with closed eyes, his raw emotion lifted up when a lone tear escaped his eye. For some reasons he couldn't hold it up anymore. He let it fall like the leaves of the oak tree falling in the autumn.

He leaned closer to kiss her lips, but no response came back. He shouldn't have left, all the regret was raining on him.

Outside and inside the castle walls, everyone new that he is the heartless, brutal, and cruel king that everyone feared. But no one really new that he was only made out of it, he was only a coward to show even the tiniest bit of his self to the woman he loves. And he only shows it when she's hanging on a cliffhanger.

He couldn't show it, because it was hard. He bored into the peaceful face of Avena, he missed her brown eyes that looked like chocolate, as he silently prayed that for a moment her eyes would open, and stare back at his silver one.

As the hour passed he stayed there, and canceled all the plans he had for the day. He called for the doctors and magicians he knew and let them examine her.

" Your majesty.. " the doctor started.

" Don't stare and tell me what's wrong with her body.. " he spat. Resulting the doctor to tremble before continuing his words.

" Her ladyship has been awake in her dream. And only she can decide if she wakes up or not. "

" And what if she doesn't wake up. " the fear of losing someone so important to him came back, the one that he has almost jailed in his inner self, once again resurfaced, with a two horns in its head and sharp fangs and claws. The one he feared the most.

" Your majesty, if her ladyship doesn't wake up, she dies. " The doctor speaks...

AVENA

" So what exactly is your job here?" I asked Raven who was sitting at the other seat facing mine while sipping a hot chocolate drink.

" Well my job here is to keep everything in order and balanced.. But since you haven't developed your powers yet, this place and me is weak, if anyone dares to invade here, can invade. Without your power everything and everyone in this world is weak and has no balance, you are the keeper of everything that exist in this place. The mid-balance to be exact." Raven speaks..

My mouth hang open because of the words she is letting out from her mouth.

" I'm sorry me? Why would I be like something so big in this world. Why would the heavens of this dimension chose me as the mid-balancer or whatever you call it, when I can't even balance myself? That's so .. So confusing Raven." I said with disbelief in my tone.

" When I was still stepping my feet on the grounds of Andromeda, I too has the same reaction you have when I found out, that I was something so big in a place that would only take me for a small weak woman. But no, you can go beyond your expectations, do better than what you're doing. It may not be today, but someday I know you will, Avena you have the chance and the power to make everything go back to it's place and be normal again, to finish what I haven't completed because for the past centuries, only war and crisis, filled Andromeda. I would always hear the agony the pain and mourning that the elements would bring. " I saw a tear fell from her cheeks....

I felt what she said, like I saw what happened to the people here while I was away.

" That even the man I loved lost me....." my ears heard the last words she said.

I was wondering who is it, but I guess it's too personal. " who is it? " my eyes popped at the question that slipped quickly from my mouth. I didn't even notice that I asked her.

She chuckled at my question, and carefully held my hand, " You and I are one soul, the man I have loved is the same man you will learn to love the moment you wake up from this dream. " she sweetly smiled at me, but I don't remember what man is she talking about.

" Just remember this moment and use it to be strong when times are tough, I would always be with you and and him, he won't let you down, you may be disappointed at him sometimes but I know he didn't mean it, he is a locked shell that needed keys to open, and once you do, you will see the beauty he is keeping. " she gripped my hands, as I felt it warm, giving me the comfort." I sighed the words I am hearing.

Whoever the man she's talking about, I hope to understand him soon.

She explained to me everything that I need to know like the greed of every element, she didn't finish to explain it, because I need to read it once I wake up.

I already knew that i am the mid-balance of this world, while i still believe i am not. But i guess that's what I am made for.

" So everything you need to know is now out, learn it and own it. Avena, now listen to me once you wake up, always remember I'll be your sub consciousness, it's funny to hear but trust me I'm always working at my pace, we need to be useful at this times.

Our mission is to bring back everything in to it's place." she hugged me, and I sensed it as a reminder for a goodbye.

" I will try to be what you said. " I shortly replied, and shifted my gaze to the sun that's setting south. It's gives the best atmosphere, signing for the night to arrive soon. The cloud slowly turning purple which gave the place a beautiful view. Everything that is placed in here calms me and strengthens me, and I just hope to come back here sometime.

" Now I will let you wake up, for someone is dying to see your eyes open. " she said with a smile on her face, as everything turns white and sooner everything disappeared.

3rd Person's POV

She heard a rustle of the birds chirping, pecking the glass window, her breathing came back, and she's now ready to open her eyes, his blurry vision became clear when her both eyes were fully opened.

Avena saw the morning sunshine approached, and the bluebirds chirping from outside the window, pecking it making a cute sound that made her smile. She sat at her bed and saw a man sleeping at the side holding her hands so tight. He was beautiful. Probably the most beautiful man she saw, his eyes were close, a sign that he is asleep.

Her hands fell at his head and brushed it in his soft jet black hair.

Maximus groaned when someone was gently ruffling his hair, and when realization hits him, his eyes widened and looked up to see a very beautiful woman seated at her bed smiling like the morning sunshine, that was slowly rising.

" Avena... " he whispered looking up..

"Hey.. " she smiles while looking into his eyes, her brown chocolate eyes was hit by the sun, making it looked like an Amber one.

Without a words uttering, maximus climbed to her bed and pulled her into a warm hug. He felt her warm body press into him. He felt calm and content at that very moment.

" I'm sorry.. " he said while burying his face into her neck, Avena felt the strong bond from him, while they were hugging. Raven loved this man, and I and raven are one.

" It's fine I'm already awake. How long have I been asleep? " she purred gently.

" Almost 10 days. " he spoke silently, still burying his face into her neck.

Her eyes widened that she's only been in Elementa for 1 day while here she's been gone for ten days? Holy crows..

" OMG that's too long. Sorry for making you wait. But you kinda deserve it.." she gasped. Bringing a chuckle to Maximus's face..

" I'm sorry love, I'm glad that you are awake, but you do know how terrified I was when I saw you lying here in your bed asleep for days, I blamed myself for being so irresponsible, and treating you in a way you would always cry, I'm deeply sorry for being a harsh person. " her jaw dropped, because of the words she's hearing. Maximus isn't a talkative one but he uttered more that 20 words saying sorry to her.

" Do you want to know we're I have been when I was asleep. " he looked up at her signing for her to continue her sentence.

She rested her back at the head board of the bed while maximus changed position, this time he let her rest on his chest and both of them lie down on the soft sheets in a beautiful morning.

" Go on I want to hear where have you been. " his voice was soft like the fabric of his clothes.

" I was in Elementa, And there I met a woman who looks exactly like me. She told me about my role in this world, that everything is in the palm of my hands to fix, every problem in this place is on my back to carry. At first I was so confused, but she told me that I can do it, it was pointless for me to say that I am strong when I am actually not, when I became something so big in the past, not because of my physical appearance. But my courage helped me through." Avena spoke. She felt his gaze upon her face while quietly listening to the story.

" Tell me more. " he says so Avena continues...

" I need to learn, I need to own it too, thankfully that place was so beautiful, and surprisingly all the mid-balancer goes there for duty. And they call it home. " she looked up at him and couldn't help but smile.

It sent shivers on Maximus's body, he felt a million thunder bolts jolted in his body when he saw the most genuine smile he has seen. And he realized that her eyes really turned amber, or amber chocolate. .It was more brighter and beautiful than the sunrise nor sunset. It was the best sun the heavens has given him. Even if he doesn't even deserve any of it. His eyes fell on her thinned lips.

"God I missed you.." he grabbed her cheeks and leans closer, so their lips would met, and when it did, sparks filled their systems like fireworks filling the night sky.

Avena kissed back, and than it happened.

Maximus hungrily kissed her lips, Avena's thought wondered at how she missed him so much, she missed the kiss that they both shared.

The kiss turned too deep and it was becoming rough, but rough or not she both likes it. She starts to pull off the thin fabric that was covering maximus's body.

In the same favor as he undress her.

She hummed softly when maximus starts to bit her neck, adding the spice to there activity.

His hands travelled freely to every inch of her body, slowly the clothes that she was wearing awhile ago, was now tossed and unbothered on the marble floor.

Maximus stopped for a minute to look at her, she was lying on the bed with only her naked body.

" you are so beautiful.." he deeply said with lust visible in his eyes. She stared back at his delightful body, and wonder why was she so blessed with a man, that has this kind of body.

" You too. " her words brought a smile to the king's face, and dives again to kiss her insanely. He explored her mouth, so as her body.

Maximus can really make her insane.