Chapter Eleven: Guilt

Susan Mabini is not the old fortune telling lady that they were expecting.

It's almost unbelievable looking at a 14 year old looking girl which happens to be the person they need. She looks much younger yet her age is triple than most people.

After the scene involving her daughter Vanessa and Joseph, she promised not to let her daughter's shameful action pass without a punishment. For her, women must always have respect for themselves which Vanessa seem to neglect to fulfill her earthly desire.

Susan sent Vanessa to be an old beggar instantly.

Joseph on the other hand seems to recover from the posion that Vanessa gave him.

"I can see your desire for her, child." Susan said to him, "..but be careful with that fire. The longer you keep it, the more it spread. You should let it out before you burn yourself and her to ashes."

Right now, Meria and Joseph is facing Susan inside a room.

Joseph seems to be uncomfortable, knowing what just happened and what Susan said. Susan already welcomed Meria while Joseph is busy with Vanessa's company.

"Can you help us?" Meria asked hopefully

"I don't think I can save Oceana, but I can answer some questions I guess." Susan answered

"Where can we find the cure for the poison that's ruining the Oceana?"

Susan smiled and pulled a book inside her drawer. She flip it's pages and stop where it's about what Meria is looking.

"Let's me see..." she trailed reading the book for answers. "Here!" she pointed at the book and pass it to them

"The witch that is good is here.

For everyone with good intentions she'll appear.

Take the steel of courage, the pearl of the sea, and the love of a far away.

Between the river and the wall

She will meet you there once and for all."

"What does this mean?" Meria asked in confusion.

"It means you have to find what she needs."

"And what is that?"

"..the steel of courage, the pearl of the sea, and the love of a far away..." Susan quoted the riddle. "You already have the pearl of the sea. Cora gave you her pearl, didn't she?"

Meria nodded. "That means we only need the other two." she look at Joseph

"The steel of courage and the love of a far away..." he said looking back at her

She nodded and face Susan once again. "But how?"

"I have heard about the great steel is hidden in the Chinese temple." Susan shared, "I can take you there."

"Thank you, Susan." Meria said. She hugged her.

While Susan's hands wrapped around Meria's slender form, she send Joseph a look. He still seems to be ashamed of what happened between Vanessa and Him. His head hung low.

Susan knows.

***

"You are bothered" the 14 year old looking Susan Mabini said as she stood beside Joseph's leaning form on the rooftop railings.

"I don't know what happened." he sighed and closed his eyes.

Susan knows that he's guilty for his actions. It shows. His hair is ruffled as if he has messed it a thousand times over. Susan looked at him and smiled.

"Sometimes people drown in thier own personal and earthly desires." Susan said looking up the starry night sky, "It made them human. We always want something, don't we? Yet sometimes, the path is too dark and the temptations are too many to have a clear vision and a straight path."

"What have I done?" it's a rhetorical question but Susan knows what he mean. He knows he's done something wrong and the guilt is eating him. He knows something isn't right and he had betrayed his feelings for Meria.

He can't justify his action because he clearly saw her face. He can't deny that he wants her. He can't stand to face Meria without being ashamed of what he did.

It's because of the posion. He saw Vanessa as Meria, yet he can't still feel okay about defending the act he did.

Something happened. He had sex with Vanessa. That's it.

"You did it because of lust. You want her." she answer, "There's nothing wrong for wanting someone or something."

She faced Joseph, "What is wrong is doing it because of a reason without love and respect."

His face drop. "I'm so fucked up." he muttered. "She will hate me."

Susan smirked. "You know what, I haven't seen a man so distressed as you look right now for the longest time."

"I don't want to end something which haven't really started yet." he said in frustration as he ruffled his hair again and rubbing his hands on his face.

"Relationships doesn't start with friendship and molded with lust. It doesn't work that way."

He's still guilty. It's not the same being with other girls and having a casual sex with them. Now it's different. Joseph is considering Meria.

"I know and I know that I messed up." he said. "I need to fix this. What happened between me and Vanessa is..." he trailed off

"What? Accident? You're drunk?" Susan fill in with an eyebrow raised. "Such a cliché and sounds like you're bullshiting but that'll do."

"I don't mean to--"

"Trust me you do." Susan said cutting him off. "Vanessa is to blame, but she gave you the person you wanted and you gave in to the trap. You let your desire win over than your morals."

Joseph was lost for words. He can't defend himself because she's right. Vanessa gave him the thing he wanted the easy way around and he easily gave in.

"You don't want to lose her." she stated, "You want her. You like her. You want to be with her and you feel bad for betraying her when she doesn't have any idea about it." Susan let out a small chuckle. "Isn't that something else, Joseph?"

He look at her. "What do you mean?"

"I know you're clever enough to figure it out yourself." she said with a smile handing him a glass of alcohol.

Joseph look at it as if it will kill him. He was about to decline when Susan placed it on his palm.

"Don't worry. Nothing this time. It will help you calm down. There's nothing the alcohol can speak but the truth anyway."