Chapter 10 - Bring him back

"Do you know how worried my mother was back then, seeing you heavily injured? As if you're her child and not me? She continued to attend to you and stopped when she realized that you should not be there. And we're in danger. Do you know my mother cares about people around her here? Do you----"

"Can you please stop your nagging? I know, okay. So stopped." He butted in and was annoyed by Pheia's ceaseless nagging.

Pheia sneered, You should be!

Seeing him annoyed was a satisfaction to her, and knowing that he couldn't reason with her, the prince tsked and surrender. He climbed down very skillfully from the tree leaving Pheia there staring at his, already at the ground, self.

How about my effort?

"So what now? You're not going to climb down and go, or what?" He asked plainly. He look at the vines in Pheia's waist and shoulder, Pheia saw his lips curled up a little and turn away.

Hey, is he going to leave me here? Wait.. did he just mock me?

Pheia hurriedly climb back down and untied the vines in her waist and run to the Prince's side. They walked silently, as Pheia lead the way home on an unseen road.

"Are you always like that?" He asked suddenly out of the blue.

"Like what?" Pheia asked him back. "Like always reasoned out with your mother's name." He smirked at her, as if, Pheia is hiding at her mother's namesake.

Pheia suddenly become stiff and became quiet at his question. How couldn't she be? Her mother was somehow just gone back to her for how many years she was alone. She was an independent woman. She never relied on anyone's shoulders. So why is she reasoning with her mother's name? She can also ask herself.

Maybe because she was now comfortable with her mother beside her again. Or maybe because she experienced having someone to rely upon now. Someone she used to love back then. Someone who she knows will always be there for her. For these past few days, emotions that she hadn't experienced before were coming out of the water. She became lively, she became jolly, and she loves hanging out with her mother. It seems like she has a carefree life.

She smiled at the prince absentmindedly and said, "No, I wasn't someone like that. It's maybe because I am now on my mother's side. I rely on her as she relied on me." He was taken aback at her answer as he knew she became stiff earlier as he splurts out that question or statement. But nonetheless, he showed it in just a second.

They were back on silent mode again. Feeling the awkwardness, she never knew that there was. She paced her walked faster and reached the back of their house. She knocked on the door with the code she and her mom decided to use. A consecutively 5 slow knocks and one heavy knock. Which stands the 5 letter word of Pheia's name and the one heavy knock signifies the backward number.

They heard movements inside the house and the door was knocked from inside 4 slow knocks inside and 2 heavy knocks. 4 knocks for the four-letter word of mother here which is Jona and the 2 heavy knocks are the backward number. She answered 3 slow knocks and 3 heavy knocks and that is when the door was opened. 3 slow knocks signify 'It is me' and the three heavy knocks for the backward number.

Prince Steel on the side was somewhat amazed at their coding but just keep quiet.

Pheia saw her mother's teary eyes and hugged her directly. "It's so late now, I am so worried about you. Where did you go?" She asked Pheia worriedly and when she sees Pheia's injured but already bandaged shoulders her eyes widen and tears just stream out of her eyes. She stared at her enquiringly.

"I just met some trouble inside the woods." Pheia scratched the back of her head, looking like a daughter caught stealing sweets at the pantry. "Mother, don't worry. I am okay." she reasoned out. "No, you're not. We have to patch it with anti-biotics before it caught some bacterias."

She wanted to say she doesn't need it since it was already wrapped by the old woman with a bandage. But, her mother hurriedly pulled her in to further check her wounds. Sometimes, she wondered, if her mom back then was really a soldier. She is just so worrywart. Pheia is not that injured, unlike the prince.

Oh, wait? I have forgotten the Prince again.

"Mother, wait. The Prince." Pheia stopped her mother and grab her back to the back door.

"Oh my God, right Pheia. The Prince is not in your room when I checked on him this afternoon. Where can he be? Is he caught? Oh my God? What if he was, goodness maybe he's dead now. Maybe..." Her mother just said different kinds of things that can possibly happen to the Prince even when they reached the back door.

She doesn't know if it was just her but she suddenly realized she has the genes of her mother when it comes to worrying. They end up cursing the life of others, she sighed.

"Mother, he's here okay. He's fine. Well, at least that's what I think he is." Pheia pulled the door open and there they see the Prince still standing in the backyard. Somewhat lost in his own thoughts.

Her mom squeaks heavily as she does not expect to see the Prince is not in a coma state. See... he is her favorite character.

Her mom runs to his side and before the Prince was back to his senses, he was grabbed by Pheia's mom inside their house. And there she knew and cried when she saw the injuries of the Prince that seems to be unpatched but cloth with blood.

Joan was panicked-stricken at the ugly sight of the Prince's injuries and hurriedly finds the anti-septic as if forgetting that she has a daughter here.

Pheia looked at her mother unpleasantly but otherwise, amusedly. It's her own creation so why wouldn't she be so excited and panicked to see him again in his conscious state.

Prince Steel just looked at Joan, obediently following her movements as if he is her child. Pheia saw some attachment in his eyes that he couldn't seem to hide.

Maybe this was because of the attraction of the creator and creation thingy. Maybe the Prince feels some connection with Joan.

Pheia smiled and walked out of the living room. She went to her room, tidied up herself, washed up, and wear some clean clothes again. When Pheia wears her clothes, it hang loosely at her body. Pheia was shocked at first because this morning, she knew for sure that she was not less than 80 kilograms but now it seems like she is a bit lighter. Somewhat at 70 kilograms. How fast.

However, she did not dwell so much on the changes as it was normal for this to happen. She is now in a magic world. Maybe it was some side effects of Prince Steel's aura in her. And speaking of which, earlier she didn't feel it until the old man pointed. Earlier the aura was vast but now feeling her body, even a little speck of it was gone.

On the other hand, what is the connection of it to losing such kilograms of weight? Feeling baffled, she just decided to just leave it there.

Pheia opens the door of her room and come face to face with the Prince. Although, he was really injured now, unlike the first one when he is comatose and couldn't even move, now he can actually endure it. As if nothing happens.

"Prince Steel" Pheia called out as she went out of her room. He nods at her and at the exact time went inside her room causing them to bump at each other. They winced in unison until they feel the awkwardness of what had happened. Pheia then stepped to her right so she can walk out but Prince Steel stepped to his left and they met again. Pheia hurriedly stepped out of her left and in return he stepped to his right. It was so awkward that they couldn't face each other. So Pheia decided to guide which direction is which. So that was when she quickly paced to her mother's room open it and locked it.

Awkward.