The Beauty And The Wolf - Chapter 106

The following day.

When Amber woke up, the window was still open but the bird was no longer there. It’s already gone!

Two hours later.

Cornelia arrived at the room, bringing breakfast.

Amber got the tray from her Aunt and placed it on the table. “Thank you, Aunt!” she said.

“How’s your sleep last night?” Cornelia asked.

“Fine…” Amber answered. She was about to tell her aunt about the white bird but changed her mind at the last minute. Besides, the bird might no longer return to her room.

“Okay, eat your breakfast now,” Cornelia said.

Amber ate her meals in silence.

After she finished eating, she put the plates on the tray.

“I’ll bring you to the market with me, tomorrow afternoon after lunch,” Cornelia said.

Amber’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really-? Are you joking, Aunt?” she asked in disbelief.

Cornelia smiled. “I’m not joking. You have to behave on the market tomorrow!” she said.

“Yes, Aunt!” Amber smiled brightly and hugged her aunt happily.

Cornelia rubbed Amber’s back gently. “Alright, I’m going downstairs now…” she said and picked up the tray.

Amber watched her aunt exiting the door.

Her day has just begun.

She went to the bookshelf and checked the titles of the books. She’s tired of reading. She might as well do some cleaning around the room and do her laundry in the bathroom.

She will read a book after lunch.

She picked up the dustpan and the broom in the corner and began sweeping the floor.

Done sweeping, she put the cleaning tools in the corner and was about to go inside the bathroom to wash her clothes when she saw the white bird flying towards her room and landed on the window sill.

She smiled brightly and rushed to the window. “My friend! You’re back!” she gushes happily.

The bird nods her head and makes a cute little sound of chirping.

Amber smiled and raved, “Aw, you’re really are the most intelligent bird I ever known!”

The bird nodded her head again.

“Alright, you can stay in the window all you want. I’m going to wash my clothes in the bathroom first, okay?” she said.

The bird nodded again, chirping merrily.

Amber left the window, she picked up her clothes and brought them to the bathroom.

Inside the toilet, she began washing her clothes with detergent soap and hang them dry in the rack mounted on the wall.

A few minutes later, she finished her laundry and exited the bathroom, she expected that the bird already left, but she was surprised to see it still staying on the window sill.

She went to the window, picked up the bird, and put it in her lap while sitting on the bed. “What is your name, little bird?” she asked.

“Ivy!” a voice answered.

Amber froze.

Where the hell did that voice come from? She looked around the room, no other person only her and the bird. Was her imagination playing a joke on her? Or she was just imagining that the bird was the one answering her question?

It couldn’t be!

She smiled, shaking her head. Maybe, it’s just her imagination!

“How’s your sleep last night? What time did you leave my room?” she asked the bird.

“My sleep is good. I left your room before the sun rises in the horizon,” the bird replied.

Amber’s eyes widened in shock.

What the heck!

Startled, Amber dropped the bird on the bed. “OMG! Y—-you can talk!?” she asked. A surprised expression flashes on her face.

“Of course, I can!” the bird replied.

Amber was shaking her head, thinking she was dreaming, she shut her eyes, pinched her arms so hard to feel the pain to wake up her consciousnesses, but when she opened her eyes, the bird was still there in the bed, looking at her with expectant eyes.

“Can you talk?” she asked.

The bird nods her head and replies, “Yes, dear!”

Amber smiled. “Wow! I’ve never seen a talking bird before! You’re the first of your kind!”

The bird shook her head and answered, “Actually, I’m not the first…”

“You mean… your entire family is composed of talking birds?” Amber inquired.

“Not like that. I’m the only one, there are others, but it’s a long story,” the bird said with a hint of sadness in her voice and flew towards the window sill.

“Where are you going?” Amber asked.

“Going somewhere! See you later!” the bird said and fly away.

“Oh, my!” Amber placed her hands on her chest due to extreme shock and bewilderment. She was still reeling from the jaw-dropper phenomenon that she had just witnessed today!

How can a bird talk?

But she heard it directly from the bird’s mouth! Ivy the bird can talk!

The parrots can talk if they’re properly trained well. But Ivy is of another level. She talks like a human being trapped in the body of a bird!

To get her mind off the mysterious bird, she went to the bookshelf and scanned a good title to read to pass her idle time.

She hoped the bird will return so that she can have someone to talk to, it’s better to talk to a bird than nothing at all.

She doesn’t mind having a talking bird as a friend. It’s kind of weird but kind of exciting as well.

She went to the chair, sat down, and began reading a new book.

…

~Laswich Mountain~

The morning went well for Azere and Olga.

After they finished taking a bath in the lake, they resumed their chores in the garden by erecting a wooden fence around it.

Finished with their gardening activity, they sat on the ground under the shade of a mahogany tree, relaxing while pondering about their bleak future.

Olga released a deep sigh.

Azere looked at her friend, sporting a troubled look on her face. “Why are you sighing?” she asked.

“I wish Mother is still alive and she will return here to help us,” Olga answered.

“That’s also my wish,” Azere said.

“I don’t want to die yet!” Olga blurted.

Azere sighed deeply. “Me too! I still need to find Sabrina. I can’t do it because we’re still facing a big problem regarding the impending attack of the witches from the White Coven Castle.”

“If we set the women free, do you think the witches will leave us alone?” Olga asked.

“I’m not sure of that…” Azere was shaking her head in a state of uncertainty. “Besides, they believe that we have the medallion because we told Maera a big lie while we’re still in the prison facility. Therefore, they will come here and tear this place apart just to find the missing medallion.”

Olga took a deep breath. “We only have two choices, run for our lives or face them bravely. Which one we will choose?” she asked.

“Let’s stay here…” Azere finally said.

“Do you have a plan? A sound one! We just can’t wait here and be killed by the enemies. We need to do something to protect ourselves!” Olga said urgently.

“Calm down. I already set our plan in motion last night,” Azere said.

“What plan? And how? Can you tell me about it?” Olga asked, confused.

“I activated the TL…” Azere said calmly.

Olga’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh, no! How can you!?” she exclaimed, looking at her friend in disbelief and surprise.

Azere released a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you in advance. I thought that it’s the safest way to preserve your life…” she explained.

“You should have at least informed me first before you decide on your own!” Olga lamented, feeling annoyed and upset.

Azere took a deep breath. She already expected Olga’s reaction towards her plan once she learned about it. “Don’t worry, if you don’t want to get involved… you can return to your old place in the forest and hide there safely. Let me face the enemies alone – just return here to bury my dead body one year later,” she said calmly.

“Are you kidding me!?” Olga glared at Azere and walked out from the garden, shaking her head in dismay.

Azere looked at her furious friend’s back, misty-eyed.

Olga’s negative reaction to her plan is something that she welcome, she’s not bothered much by it. It’s better for her that Olga will leave Laswich Mountain and go back to her old place in the forest so that she will be the only one who will face the enemy.

She wants to spare Olga the pain.

Azere stayed where she is and waited for what her friend will do next.

One hour later.

As expected… she saw Olga exit the door, carrying her bag filled with personal stuff.

Olga walked to her side, sporting an angry expression on her face. “I don’t want to be caught in the madness. You didn’t give me much choice when you decide on your own, that’s why I have to go. Good luck in protecting this place, if you still have enough love left for your life, let’s go hide together! Let’s bring the medallions with us and run to a far away place!” she said desperately, wanting to convince her friend to change her mind while she still has time left to spare.

Azere heaved a sigh. “Go now. I’ll stay here. It’s good that we will go our separate ways. In case what happened to me, you are there to remember me. I need someone who can explain to Mother what happen just in case she will return one day and I’m already dead,” she said in a calm voice.

Olga sighed. “You’re stupid and you know that right?”

Azere smiled and nodded her head. “I know what I’m doing. Anything else, before you go?”

Olga hugged her friend. “You did this on purpose, right?”

Azere nods her head. “Yeah, it’s the only way to protect you and this mountain! This place is Mother’s legacy! I want to preserve this place for her safe return one day,” she elaborated further.

“At the expense of your own life? How stupid you are!?” Olga said, sighing.

“Stop insulting me. Go now and keep yourself safe, do it for me and Mother’s sake!” Azere said.

“Okay, take care and goodbye my friend,” Olga said sadly.

Azere waved her hand as she bid farewell to her dear friend.

Olga looked at Azere one last time and vanished from the place in split seconds.

Azere looked heavenward. “Your will – thy will be done!” she said softly.

She left the garden and went back to the house to make another preparation.