MOVING ON

Mira was more than happy about this one-in-a-million opportunity, and she's going to use it wisely.

Next thing she knew, everything turned black, and when she woke up, she found herself back in the hotel room in the mystical realm.

Her pupil dilated with this misery in disguise. Why did she have to come back here after the revelation she just received?

" How come? Why?". Thought Mira while scanning her surroundings. She tried getting out of bed, but amidst doing so, she stopped. And the lost memory came flooding back.

She suddenly remembered the reason why she fell asleep, her anger piked up, but she quickly kept it at bay, looking on the bright side.

" Calm down, Mira, this is a good thing, right? Getting attached to an imaginary character isn't something you want, and also every bad incident helps me in moving toward another clue". She thought to herself, smiling mischievously like a lunatic.

She quickly stood up to execute her plan, which was to "GET THE PRINCE ON HER SIDE".

**********

Meanwhile downstairs....

Zamiel was still pondering what to do when his attention was drawn back to reality by a thick voice. "So, Zamiel, what do we do?".

He returned his attention to the group of men he was speaking to before he was diverted to his la-la land.

He blinked, staring at the group of men with his ocean moon-like eyes, scrutinizing them one by one.

" We are to travel towards the north." He paused, gouging their expectations, expecting a disagreement. But came none, so he continued with the huge brown map laid on a round table that wasn't huge but still manageable.

"We travel towards the north, he continued, moving a tiny wooden statue across the map.

" Pass through the claw mountain, then through the whispering woods... he could feel most of the men's throats itching for questions, but refrained until the end of the speech.

" Passing through the whispering woods won't be easy, but we have to...he paused, saying the rest silently through their eyes.

" Through the whispering woods, we'll find our way to 'Metrion, ' the city of thieves. There we can get away with whatever we want".

"Any question?". He asked unpurposefully, fully aware they were filled with questions. But surprisingly, he got none, but no sooner had a person raised his hand for permission caught his attention.

" Azrael?".

"Hmm Hmm'", the man stood up, clearing his throat.

" I'm thinking, with what you just said, there might be a lot of danger, not just any..I mean a very big danger to us all, which might cost us lives...he paused, earning whispers from the remaining men, but his victorious whispers soon died down when Zamiel raised his hand in the air, signaling them to be silent.

" It might cost us our lives. Even if we were to survive, only/ maybe two to three people may survive ( including Mira). And it might take us three weeks or more to get there. Not to even talk about supplies.

The huge man said

And it might take us three weeks or more before we get there". The huge man said, shortening his questions for later, in case someone brought another topic, all he had to do was just jump in.

He took his after the opinion he gave.

" So what are you implying, Azrael?". Zamiel asked rather in a persuasive tone, but underneath this simple question lay an indirect challenge.

"All I'm trying to say is, aren't there other paths we can take? We are just seven men, including you. Only a few will survive at the end of the journey".

Zamiel became silent, nodding his head as though he understood clearly, then he spoke.

" So what you are trying to say is, the plan I gave is too dangerous for you men". He asked, once again with a cool and persuasive tone.

"If you think this quest is too dangerous for you, please feel free to speak.

(No answer).

It's not that they're contemplating whether or not to talk, but the way Zamiel sounded was just too pressuring for them all.

Zamiel stopped for an answer, but since none came, he continued...

"Danger is the real definition of a soldier. No? It is not to be heard of that a soldier backs out all in the name of danger". He paused, pivoting his head to look at the faces of every one of the men.

"When a mission is called, every man knows at the back of their mind that not everybody will come back. So they get ready for the worst. So what are you saying, Azrael?.

Everyone in the room was silent. The heroic speech Zamiel just gave shook everyone of them, unlocking their patriotic spirit deep within them. Most of them nodded their head not because they got it as an affirmative, but because it touched them deep within, awakening their survival spirit. While some looked at him with admiration.

" I'm with you". A voice said, making everyone's head rotate in its direction. He stood up with courage and admiration glowing in his eyes, making a silent oath through his glistening eyes, the look that says' I'm with you, if I die, I die'.

" So am I". Someone else said to stand up.

This made the kin stand up also. It made the spirit in them bloom the more.

At first, they were enlightened by the speech, but weren't quite sure, but now they were 100 percent. Two extra men also stood up from their seats.

" So am I". They both chorused.

Now remaining Azrael. He felt odd sitting down, so without a choice, he stood up also. " We'll always be with you. He said this out of respect as if he never intended to back out.

" Good". They heard Zamiel's voice echo in their ears.

"Tomorrow morning we commence on the journey". He added, exiting the room.

Unbeknownst to them, someone has been eavesdropping on their conversation. It was Mira.

***********

She felt puzzled when she heard them talking about danger, especially when Zamiel said something about the city of thieves and them getting away with whatever they want. These words kept to her head like a leech, repeating over and over like a broken DVD.

( "What are they getting away with?" ). She kept pondering on that particular word, but quickly put an end to it and went on with escaping.

As soon as Zamiel left, the first thing that came to his mind was Mira. He quickly went to their room, walking in large strides as if there was an upcoming danger he had to prevent. When he got there, he jammed open the door as if he might be late for stopping the "upcoming danger"..

But those instincts quickly left him as soon as he opened the door. He felt a bit stupid running all the way here and leaving his men. He even had to shorten his conversation.

But all his stupidity left him when she flashed him her charming smile, which he wasn't sure if he had ever seen. She was sitting on the bed seductively, her short hair brushed to one side of her neck. He felt like touching that hair, feeling the softness and silkiness, but he knew better than to do so.

He walked in with slow, steady steps, shutting the door behind him.

" You are back". She said, flashing him her signature smile. " Welcome". She added, trying to steer up some conversation.

After what she heard downstairs and with all the pondering that took her half of her brain cells.

She decided to leave their problems to them and handle hers instead. So she went ahead with her plan, which has to required her being selfish. She quickly walked up to their room and got into position, since she knew he was on his way.

******

" Welcome". She said, flashing her perfect white teeth, she just woke up, so her eyes look a bit baggy.

" Hmm", he hummed, he answered, turning his gaze to her, staring down at her like a predator with those captivating moon blue eyes.

This gesture alone made her lose her cover. The cover she thought was strong enough, but she turned out to be wrong.

Guess she needs some time before the cover gets tough and immune against his god like beauty.

(" What is wrong with you, Mira? Get yourself together". She scolded herself internally, almost face-palming herself. She still looked composed on the outside, staring into his ocean blue eyes.

Then, at the last minute, when she thought she was recovering from the aftermath of her shocking beauty, another one came at her without restriction. When he spoke.

" How was your sleep, Mira?". It felt as if lightning struck her from within, and this made her almost collapse right where she sat.

His voice was her core weakness, It will always melt down the barrier she built. That voice, it felt like a thousand volts streaming through her veins, activating goosebumps on her smooth, soft skin.

She felt her heart skip, it was as if time took a full stop, and those blue eyes did it all, it was as though his eyes were hypnotizing her's, holding her attention in place.

" Goo _goid". She spoke, almost choking due to her holding her breath, without her even realizing it.

"Hmm," He answered, crouching down to her levelright in front of her, almost shutting the distance between them.

She felt her face heat up with these. ("What is he doing?"). She asked herself, patiently waiting for his next move.

. But, guess she wouldn't when he suddenly put his hand at the side of her face in a loving manner. She felt her entire body go into a shutdown.

" Mira..he breathed, still touching the side of her face, caressing it lovingly, while still maintaining eye contact between them. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. He breathed in one go as if releasing a century-old, cooped-up air Deep within him. " I'm sorry, He repeated once more, staring into her brown eyes for an answer.

Mira, on the other hand, felt like shrinking down to the Earth's level with what just happened, it was like a bomb shell which she doesn't even know how to react to its explosion.

( " Maybe she should get angry, but getting angry would be stupid. It will look as if I was jealous in the first place. She kept debating in her mind whether or not to accept his apology.

While poor Zamiel, on the other hand, is dying out of suspense, which Mira just dumped him in.

" Say something, Mira". He said in a voice a third would be unable to hear. He couldn't bear the suspense anymore, which hadn't even been up to three minutes.

" Uuhhmm.... I'm not angry or anything, so you don't need to apologise. You don't need all this, okay?. She replied this time, the one caressing his cheeks.

But this was enough to increase his uneasy mind. It sounded as though she was being sarcastic. As if she were trying to say he was nothing, not worth getting angry at.

" No!, He exclaimed. No Mira. He chanted, holding on to Mira's hand. ( The one by his cheeks). " I know you are still mad at me, even if you are acting like you're not, I just want you to scold me, if not scold me, then at least say you were angry and now you've forgiven me, Mira?". He ranted on like a rattle.

************She was tongue-tied when she first saw him going on his knees to caress her cheeks, but this,.. this is on another level. She never imagined him to be so cute and such a dedicated husband. Now she was feeling emotional, which she was avoiding in the first place. But she just couldn't hold herself, he looked so cute, and those looks he was giving her were too pressuring. And now she just couldn't refuse such beauty.

She could feel her eyes sting, due to the tears that were threatening to fall. Not because she was emotional, but because she had been staring straight at him without blinking.

" I.. I don't know what to say". She finally spoke out of force and courage.