BLAMELESS SORROWS

5. My little gift.

Axel's Point Of View.

I still remember how after Tilbe come to get me, she take me to Iklu the next morning. Me following her blankly not expecting anything neither fearing anything.

She take me to Iklu, a small town about seven hour away from where I stay.

We reach there in no time and I expect her to take me to her Grandpa but that was definitely not the case.

Cause after we reach Iklu, we went to a forest rather than her house like I expect. And in there she take me to the middle of nowhere where a big tree with leafs as red as her hair grown, while the tree trunk as black as her eye.

I look at the tree in awe, while I continue to ask her what we are doing there and where the place is; like I have been doing the last few hours.

I still vividly remember the smile she gave me as I said that and the words she said still ring in my ear.

"Just believe me Axel, I swear we are going to a place much more beautiful and peaceful then it is here".

And with that, with a snap of her finger, something glow up so beautifully and the red leaf of the tree fly down in its glory covering us completely.

It became dark for a split second then and when I open my eyes, we were standing in another forest.

When I imagine the scenery Iam suddenly pull back to that old happy times.

Axel, 13 years old.

As the dark passed and I open my eyes, Iam standing in a place where there is flower everywhere.

What just happen, what is happening?

Orange, purple, pink and white cosmos blooming everywhere with its green leaf blooming so lively in its sheer greeness.

The huge place is filled with the flower, the place covered by its heavenly scent.

And as I look at the place, Iam standing in the middle of the flower bed, all around me Iam covered by the beutiful flower. While standing besides me is Tilbe smiling brightly at me while Uncle Jo stand a little bit behind her.

And then and there I could not understand anything that is happening and does not even have the time to ask what is going on, as I'm filled with awe looking at Tilbe.

She is dressed beautifully in her baby pink dress, the breeze swaying her hair in every direction. While she smile a beautiful and warm smile holding my hand.

I stand there looking at her in shock while my hair sway with hers, holding her hands tighter and tighter.

And I don't know whether it was her smile or was it her holding my hand tightly as if showing me she cares.

Or was it the wind that blow cheekily that day; or was it the beauty of the flower blooming so beautifully; Or was the peace and the comfort I find in that moment? Or was it the truthfulness I saw that is covering her like the blanket?

I know not, but I feel tears bubbling up and the familiar sting in my eye and then the uncontrollable falling of my bittersweet tears.

I don't know why but at that moment when I look at the the concerned face that cross Tilbe and Uncle Jo's face, I feel like I have someone I can depend on again, I feel like Iam not alone anymore and that I also have someone. I feel like I want to live again.

So I cried in hapiness and in the overwhelming emotions that swirl inside me.

While Tilbe run up to me and quickly hug me saying sweet words to comfort me.

While I hug her back greedily.

Tilbe: Axel, what happened? Is it the place, do you not like it? Is it the flower? If it's that I can change it, do you have something else you like? Although it's a shame, I love cosmos!

I shake my head saying that I don't hate Cosmos while sobbing my heart out in her warm arms, hating her resigned tone as she think I hate something she love.

Tilbe: Then what is it, do you not like Iklu? Shall we go somewhere else. But I don't have the power to travel, what should we do?

I know what she is saying is weird, more than weird. She can grow flower, and she dont the power to travel? And yet we just travel magically just now.

But it seems that not important , as all Iam doing is just crying my eye out freaking out Tilbe more and more.

Tilbe: Uncle Jo, help something is wrong with Axel, and he is not saying anything.

And with that she start crying as well sniffling here and there.

Tilbe: Axel, don't cry, what happened? Please don't cry.

And with that she wipe my tears bringing me out of her embrace while I wipe hers.

It was funny how we just meet yesterday and yet she can get attached that quickly that she can cry because of a stranger like me, just because I cried.

Seeing us, Uncle Jo came and kneeled in front of us and hug us both.

Uncle Jo: Okay babies, stop crying and little Rafa, tell me what is wrong so I can help. Or if you keep on crying I will cry too, do you guys want to see that?

And his voice become emotional, making me look at him in complete shock while he act like wiping an invisible tears seeing me stop crying. Looking at that Tilbe starts to giggle away while both me and Uncle Jo smile looking at her, me still in tears myself.

It really is quite comical to watch Uncle Jo act like crying though, he is quite build and big. Muscle everywhere while his face as sharp as a knife and he has a very cold aura around him. But looking at him acting like he is crying, is quite out of the character I imagine him to have.

Tilbe: Uncle soft and fluffy is here.

He look at her acting shock as she say that.

Uncle: Iam so not!

Tilbe: Yes you are, yes you are.

Axel(quietly): I think you are.

He again look at both of us shock, but then shortly chuckle to himself.

Uncle: Okay then, this will be our little secret okay?

Tilbe nod eagerly and hook her pinky with his. And both of them look at me, expecting me to hook my pinky with his other hand.

I very hesitantly but also willingly raise my hand and hook it like Tilbe did. Quite happy to be a part of this little agreement.

Uncle Jo: Okay then, since you have agreed; for my soft and fluffy side to remain a secret, we have to make sure that both of you will be happy and not cry like you are doing today okay?

Tilbe nod eagerly again making me mimic her.

Uncle Jo: And for you guys to be happy, if anything, anything at all happen. May that be the smallest thing or the greatest, you have to come to me so that I can solve it with you before any crying happen alright?

Tilbe: Alright.

I once again agree, nodding my head fully happy to comply.

Tilbe raise her other pinky towards me so I confusedly linked it with mine.

Tilbe: Now all of us are linked together, and the secret shoud be in the middle right?

She tilt her head towards me expecting me to give her the answer.

Axel: I guess.

She smile at me, happy that I agree.

But for me that was not a mere promise that we will keep some secret, rather it was a confident instilled by Uncle Jo and Tilbe that if something big or small happen with me, they will be there always to share the weight with me.

It was a warm and happy feeling..

After that we went where they call home and there I met Grandpa Micheal, who is as warm and loving as ever.

______________________________________

Present,

And I still remember how grandpa told me about all the magical powers and what really is Iklu and who really are my parents.

He takes me in and talk with me through everything with all the kindness and care I ever need.

And like that I find myself a home in Iklu.

I also come to know that the reason I could tell about what is true and what is wrong since I was a child is because the ability to see so, I have inherited from my mom as she is the the princess of Iklu, the only daughter of grandpa.

Grandpa can see what ability I have because his ability is that he can know the life of someone through and through if he wish and have the ability to help them in anything they are hurting from.

Grandpa says that dad and mom have a dream to travel around everywhere and that is why they decide not to stay in Iklu, as Iklu is not somewhere where someone can come and go at anytime as they wish. And they never come back in the process although they kept in touch.

And now that I think about it, I also did know that I have a grandpa since before, who I never meet. I guess grandpa is the grandpa from all the story mom told me.

And above all, I blend in very well with everyone happily the first two years In Iklu.

But then the curse follow.

15 year old Axel,

I was sitting peacefully in the back side garden of the palace. With my eyes closed, peacefully enjoying the soft spring breeze.

And that is when I heard the pitter patter of a certain someone, also known as Tilbe.

Its funny how I can recognise her even from the sound of her footstep.

Anyway within second she round the tree and is in front of me with a grin on her face.

And then suddenly she jump towards me making me shock but quickly catch her.

Tilbe: Axel!!!

Axel: Tilbe! I have told you many time not to suddenly jump like that, you might get hurt.

It's her habit to suddenly jump and expect us to catch her, even when hugging she always jumps up. It's scared me everytime, what will happen if I didn't see her jump or didn't caught her and let her fall accidentally.

I shiver even at the thought of it, but the little lady is far from listening to me. She comes out of me holding her and sit down by the grass while grinning to herself.

So I look at what she is doing curiously, and then I saw it, she is growing a small Cosmo flower wreath which look like a crown, so I guess it's for her to wear. She quickly finish it and place it on her head.

The wreath look delicate, with its fragile green leave taking the form of a crown while the flower bloom in all its glory, it's a beautiful fragile thing.

But that was not all, she go back to growing another one, while I look at her and clean her up a bit.

Actually she have mess up her long and flowy red hair while placing on the wreath and also the wreath is a tad bit too big for her so it's keeps on falling down on one side.

So I fixed her hair and place the wreath nicely and make some adjustment so it won't fall off.

Tilbe does not seem to notice that Iam fixing her hair, cause all her concentration are in what she is making.

She concentrate with a little pout, her soft cheeks puckering a little, looking as cute as ever.

Now, Tilbe is twelve; but she have not grown much from the last two years. She is still so tiny.

She look quite adorable though, dressed in a yellow dress with many layers, and her shoes which is just flower she grew as a shoe, yes she can do that.

Her beautiful red hair flowing till her waist, the big black eye looking so innocent and the chubby baby cheeks finishing the whole picture. She is a sight to behold.

While I was thinking all this, she seems to have finished what she was making. Cause she finally looked up and grin at me again while forwarding what she has made.

I look at it and it was another flower wreath but this time the wreath is rounded by a branch of a plum tree, and the fresh budding plum leafs covering the branch beautifully at all the right places. But the weird combination is that, in that wreath there bloom cosmos of dark purple colour, definitely not the white plum flowers.

But weirdly it look quite beautiful even with the weird combination.

But seeing as I have been looking at it and not taking it, she pout a little but nonetheless stand up herself and put the wreath on me, perfectly fitting me this time.

Tilbe: I the great gift, crown you the king of my forest this time forth. So you can have half the forest that I have now.

Half the forest, it's funny how she still says that till now.

Oh, when she said I can have half of everything she have when she came and meet me for the first time, she meant it.

Cause to this day we still keep that promise. From her food, to her plaything, to her castle to even her wealth and even her people she offer me everything, actually much much more than half of it. But she said it's half of everything.

She let me lack nothing, since the first time I arrive. She will constantly check on me, always hover around me and will make sure Iam okay all the time. When she feels that Iam unhappy about something she will make sure Iam okay again, one way or other.

And of course when she is unable to do anything behind me when Iam unhappy about something, she will get all the help she need from everyone in the palace.

Uncle Jo and grandpa being the two she always go to.

And in the end if even that don't work; then, that is when she will come straight to me crying her little heart out and asking me not to be sad or cry when she will be the only one crying.

And like that, with that circle I have been living happily in Iklu.

While I was deep in thought I suddenly feel a shake.

Tilbe: Axel, you are suppose to answer me not think to yourself.

So I said the first thing that came to my mind, I don't really know how to play with her.

Axel: Great gift?

Tilbe: Emm, thats my name?

Hmmm? Isn't her name Tilbe?

Tilbe: My full name is Tilbe Gia Vasely.

And Gia means a blessed gift or a graceful gift. Something like that, so mom and dad used to call me as little gift. Although there is no one to call me like that anymore now.

And her lips puckered one more time that day, but this time in sadness.

Axel: I can call you that. Of course if you want me too.

She quickly nod her head, quite enthusiastically at that. While I chuckle looking at her.

Axel: My little gift.

And she truly was, she is the one gift I have in my life that bring me all the happiness and willingness to live again.

The irony though is that, she is the gift herself but she was the one who give me the gift as well.

She is my gift of happiness, my blessed and graceful gift. My family, my loved one, and the most precious things in my life, she is Tilbe Gia Vasely, my little sister.

Tilbe: I like it so much.

I chuckle at that.

Axel: And the wreath, what's with it?

She hardly play with me like this, or we hardly do this thing. Normally she is quite busy practicing her growing skill although it is already great at this point.

But grandpa said she can't grow everything yet, but she can grow what she can in great quantity.

And me practising my eye of truth. With the energy of my power, if I become better at garnering the energy, I can see some clips of what really happen and not only if they are saying the truth or not.

But despite saying that, Tilbe insist on practising in the same place so we are always together and whenever we have break, even there; she is always with me doing one thing or other. Though not playing.

Tilbe: Remember I went to Vann's house yesterday?

I nod my head, Vann is her only friend. She is quite close with him.

Tilbe: And remember you refused to come with me?

She glare at me as she said that, while I raise my hand in surrender.

Actually I had a terrible stomach ache yesterday so I refused to go, but didn't tell her the reason cause she will stay to take care of me if I did. And I don't want to ruin their fun.

Tilbe: Anyway, him and his sister play like this. His sister will make flower balls and wreaths for him. And then order him to make for her as well, but he was not good at it so she did it for herself anyway.

Axel: So you want to do that too?

Tilbe: Emm, they look so happy and close playing together. And they are brother and sister remember?

I nod my head, a bit lost on where she is going with this.

Tilbe: Well since they have been brother and sister longer than us, and we are only two years old. They must have more experience on how to be sibling, so lets just follow them.

I laugh at that, a child mind is really a place for all kinds of thoughts.

But while I was thinking that, she pout once again and look at me with wobbling lips which startled me.

Tilbe: Axel, why are you laughing? Do you not want to be my brother?

I shake off my laugh and quickly pick her up, afraid she will cry again. She really is a crybaby.

Axel: No, I just find it funny that we have to follow them. We are quite close ourself and we are also happy doing what we do together and spending time together aren't we?

She nod her head, still in a bad mood though.

Axel: So we don't have to follow them, we can just do all the things you want to do with me. And do things that make us happy. And my little gift, being your brother is the happiest honor I have the pleasure of enjoying.

And now that put a smile on her face, and she jump up and hug me while still jumping in excitement.

Tilbe: Then being Axel's sister is also the greatest honor I got to enjoy as well.

I smile at what she said and hug her back, silently praying for her to be happy all the time.

But as soon as I open my eye from my little prayer, I saw the trees in the forest shaking. The forest is there just besides our palace garden with no fortification.

And then a beast in pure black is rushing towards us in full force, with his eye red as fire showing nothing but anger.