We're Serious This Time

I felt much better after Missy's little remedy had cured my little episode back in the cave. We'd all seen what effect Mr Fluff had had on me and it hadn't been pretty. Missy was unaware that it had been her dear beloved uncle that had brought on the delirium, and I was going to keep it that way. All that mattered now was that I had seen her true potential to jump into action when needed. I would've died if not for her and Nan's vast knowledge of natural remedies, so I felt the universe had done me good for once. Missy had done me good. As we set off again after the bad weather, I was reinvigorated to proceed in our pursuit of Space.

..... .....

We came upon another village some days later. However, I wasn't ready yet to encounter another lot of people with a curse to break or a burden to overcome. We simply didn't have time for that, we were serious this time.

"We're going straight through and we're not stopping for anyone!" I said to Missy as we drew nearer.

I suddenly heard a muffled rumble and turned around. Then I looked at her. She put her hand over her abdomen and I knew immediately where the awful sound had come from.

"But I'm terribly hungry," she cried.

"We can eat later. You humans and eating... it seems to serve against you than for you," I said.

She turned to me, astonished.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, like now, you're going to set us back because you can't go a day without food. It's such a pedestrian quality."

She was unmoved by my remark. Still, she was persistent. She continued to beg me until I gave in. We walked a little further down and entered the first inn we saw.

"So far so good," I said looking around for anything amiss. I expected no surprises this time. Whatever we encountered now, I was absolutely ready for.

A waiter came over to the table where we sat. A middle aged man, averagely tall and nothing suspicious about him whatsoever. At least, from where I sat, he seemed okay. Okay, I thought... so he wasn't a midget; it was a good sign to start.

"So what are you guys having?" he asked in a deep hoarse voice.

"I'll get a bowl of noodle soup please!" Missy grinned.

"And you sir?" he said, pointing to me.

I shook my head.

"Right!" he said and marched away swiftly.

The soup came only minutes later and was devoured wholly without a single pause. She wasn't joking... she was extremely hungry. Like I'd been starving her. I was getting glances from all corners of the room.

"If you're done, we need to leave," I said, "I don't like how people are looking at us. They could be organising a lynch mob for all we know," I whispered to her.

She got up, with a very stuffed stomach and believe it or not, she collapsed right back in her seat.

"I can't walk," she said, with a loud belch.

"You can't walk?"

"Yes, that's what I said... you'll have to carry me."

I stared down at her with such wrath that almost shot out my eyes like sharp needles heading for her swollen belly.

"Alright!" I said, trying to contain my emotion. As I bent down to pick her up, I saw the waiter reappear out of the corner of my eye. He cleared his throat and started to address me.

"Excuse me sir, but that women in the corner has requested your audience," he announced. I turned to see who he was referring to.

Just as he'd said, in what I found to be the darkest corner of the room, sat a woman who'd concealed her face with a large fan.

Huh, I thought. Could it be that Space had found me? Had she gotten word... had Mr Fluff warned her of my coming? Nevertheless, I began to arrange myself and my seemingly tattered clothing that hadn't been changed for days. All things considered, I still looked better than Missy. I left her wailing at our table and steadily walked over to the mystery woman.

"Please," she gestured, "Sit."

"Do I know you?" I asked, pulling out a chair. My eyes went around the room one more time. I needed to be ready for anything. Who knew if this woman had good intentions, or if it was really just a ruse to steal me away... perhaps back to the village of little people. It could've all been part of a bigger plot, I couldn't tell for sure. My watchful eye ceased however, when she lowered her fan revealing her face.

"I would think so, yes," she said.

My eyes dilated with shock. They bulged to almost the furthest degree they'd ever bulged. As she smiled at me with a fondness I had only dreamed of, I struggled to believe she was in front of me. It was dark in that corner, but her presence was as bright and clear as ever. The woman I had sought for so long. What had seemed so long anyway. My chance at love...

"I heard you're on a path to find me," she said. I opened my mouth but I was afraid I had no words left to say.

"It's okay," she said, gently stroking my hand. A calmness befell me immediately.

"It's... you. How-how did you find me?"

"It wasn't too hard. Word goes around fast in the realm, even when you're not looking to hear these things..."

"Aha," I smiled nervously.

"Have you had any luck then, in getting what you want?" she asked as if she didn't already know.

"I haven't, not yet. Seeing as I'm still here, in this place... I don't even know your name."

"Leia."

"Well then, Leia... in all honesty, and because I haven't formally asked, would I stand a chance with you?"

She looked down for a bit and paused, as if in thought. I feared for what she'd say next.

"Time, we barely know each other. We only met for a moment and that will never be enough..."

"Then I can make my way to you, to eternity. We can start there," I pleaded.

She sighed. "Well, I don't know that many people who've gone through what you've been through to find me so, I might consider it."

"Us?" I asked for clarity.

She nodded. "Of course why I really came here is to ask of you one thing Time... and I pray that you heed me." She paused, like she was preparing to say the worst. I was prepared to hear the worst. But what could possibly have been so bad now that she'd accepted my proposal? She reached out and cupped my hand in hers. It seemed quite serious... I leaned forward to hear every word.

"I'd rather it was me than you, so I beg you... that if you ever find yourself in a predicament, and you will, you should fight to save yourself before you think of saving me." Then she released my hand.

I felt as if I'd just missed part of a lecture. What did she mean by that, and where was the rest of it? It had been a very obscure statement that I felt had no connection to what we current conversed about. But as I was about to ask, she suddenly became very uneasy and panicked, a way I had never imagined her to be. She looked around before putting up her fan again.

"I must go," she whispered.

I wished she didn't.

"When can I see you again?"

She lowered the fan briefly and smiled.

"You know where to find me," she said, and then quickly sprung out of the inn leaving a huge gust of wind behind her. She was gone in seconds. It was almost as if she was never there.