Survive As The Brute’s Wife - Chapter 85

Alexandra, standing at the other side of the wall of water, took a look at her hands that were glowing. It was like the power that was held in the sword till now got injected into her. She started to feel much stronger and she could see that her power is replenishing and is almost at her full potential. She could destroy anything there is with just a wave of her hand. That is the power she holds.

But she never used her powers for destruction. At least, until her past life that is.

Alexandra sighed and her eyes ended up at the men behind the wall of water she built. One left with the darkness that she is familiar with and the other kept staying. Her lips curved to a smile as the glow around the sword started to dim and became similar to her glow.

“So he ran away…” She uttered and sat beside Cathlyn.

Cathlyn said nothing but let out a snort after a while. “Didn’t you guess he will?”

Alexandra nodded. “This is not the first time he is running away…” she waved her hand.

Ripples formed on the wall of water and a particular spot cleared to for a glass window. Through the clear partition, she saw Maximus by the other side.

“He never did…” Alexandra fixed the sword beside her on the ground.

Although Arioch shared the appearance of Tubby, she never completely believed that he was Tubby. She largely believed he was Tubby, to be honest, but now she knows without a doubt that he is not Tubby. Maximus is.

That day when she first saw the one looking like Tubby – Arioch, as he wants to be called, she slipped and almost fell to the ground. Her eyes were fixed on Arioch but Arioch had no change in his demeanor. She had a flash of doubt then.

Tubby would never stay still when she is in danger.

It was Maximus who caught her that day. And back at her home when the monsters attacked, she doubted Maximus. But now she gets an idea of why he might have done what he did. And that day too, Arioch left her and ran away to protect himself.

And in the Brume Thicket, she felt that meeting Arioch there must not have been a coincidence as she felt a strong spell around.

She always thought it odd that although Maximus looked absolutely similar to Luke, the way he looked at her always made her feel like he was Tubby. But looking at Arioch, and the way he is treating himself as the one above all, expecting others to treat him differently, she felt like he had the characteristics of Luke.

Now all her doubts are cleared up. And she doesn’t have to feel guilty for liking Maximus and siding with him.

“So you have decided that he’s Tubby, huh?” Cathlyn asked in an inquiring tone as if she is not sure.

“Of course!” Alexandra nodded. She didn’t have any doubts in this matter.

Like how the flowers cannot help but announce the arrival of spring by dancing to the tune of the breeze in their colorful petals, the smile on her face announced the happiness in her heart.

She is very sure because, although the Aion stone was made with Tubby’s flesh and her blood, she enchanted it to connect the soul and not the appearance. Turns out, that was the one proper thing she did in her previous life.

And the magic she used is a very reliable one that never goes wrong. Hence, the stone will connect only Tubby with her and no one else.

“Did he ever tell you that he is Tubby?” Cathlyn asked.

Alexandra turned and looked at her sister who seemed to be having doubts. But she shouldn’t be having doubts and should be sure of it. She is the one who had access to the path of souls and still, even Cathlyn’s attempt to cast doubt didn’t work on her.

“He never did…” Alexandra did find it odd.

Maximus tried his best to make her remember who she is, now that she thinks back. Him bringing her to her home, him reading books related to magic, asking her weird things at times that triggered her memory, him covering up the murder she did, and the commingling process that started to heal her and made her remember the past…

His smile… His kisses… His touches…

Alexandra’s chest started to tighten and her breathing got a little shallow rehashing the intimate moments she shared with Maximus.

“That’s interesting. Why don’t you tell me everything that you are thinking, Arimelda?” Cathlyn nudged Alexandra with her shoulder with a playful grin. “I am very bored after sitting here for ages, waiting for you…”

“Aww… How sweet…” Alexandra pinched her cheek. “Why don’t you grow up first?”

“I am grown up!” Cathlyn shook her head. “I am close to your age…”

“Ah… my age…” Alexandra looked up. “How old am I truly..?” she took in a deep breath.  “I’ve forgotten how long it has been…”

The first time she came to the world, there was nothing much. There were uneven grounds, water at odd places, many creatures living; some good, some bad, and darkness ruled the world as they didn’t even have the fire.

She made sure the world is safe for living by redesigning it. She gave names to the mountains and she made sure the rivers flow in the right path for agriculture to flourish. She gave the fire to the humans and taught various things to the elves.

They loved her and called her ‘Anyara’ which means “Old man”. Yeah, she always dressed as a male as she traveled and her hair used to be silvery gold and they thought that she was an old man. She trapped the darkness and put it in a box and asked…

[Back then I wasn’t alone either… There was someone I trusted so very much… Who was it..?]

“Always dressing up as a man… I thought you didn’t like to be a woman!” Cathlyn hit Alexandra’s back, snapping Alexandra out of her reverie.

“But I like to be a woman… Back in those days, men used to be treated so badly and the society was matriarchal as they believed women give life… I took the form of the man to teach them to respect everyone the same… Oh, how times have changed…” Alexandra sighed.

And now men are too respected rendering women to become second-class citizens.

[Ah… I changed a lot of things it seems… And how much of it has led to good? And how much were my good intentions abused? Not in my previous life, but even before that too..?

And…. what happened to the box that needed to be safeguarded- The Choshech Orb?]