Aragorn and the Phoenix of Caspian (ENGLISH)

Chapter 37

CHAPTER 37

Sphyra didn’t have anything do to today. She used to gather fruits and foods for herself and Burn for the whole week but Aragorn gave her a lot, it was more than for a week. She stared at the swaying of the trees while Burn was licking herself on the ground.

Aragorn must be busy in training today. She thought about how he improved in physical training. She wanted to watch him in a fight but that would be dangerous for him.

The sky was on her side this time. It was shining bright. She didn’t know if the weather is hot since she’s a human kindled with fire herself. At least it wasn’t raining or snowing that will make her totally weak.

She never felt being this safe her whole life. There were four gentlemen and a dog protecting her. She can sleep at night and think that there’s someone who’s thinking of her. There’s someone who wanted her safe. She thought Aragorn’s companions were going to kill her when they saw her. But like the prince, they have a good heart.

Sphyra sang. The song she hummed when Aragorn needed to rest. She filled lyrics with it. She felt like an entertainer. Her voice filled the whole forest. The birds danced along with her voice. She has a magical and crystal clear singing voice. Who would dare that a creature like her can sing really great?

She used to be a performer in front of her mother. She danced when she was a child and sing in front of her. She even made a very short song for her. Until now, she can’t forget the lyrics of it.

You are my mother

You are my power

You protected me

You were always there for me

I love you until tomorrow comes

I will hug you until I became dumb

Her mother used to laugh at that song. A nine-year-old child wouldn’t dare to compose a song, but she had. A very short song with literal lyrics. She wouldn’t dare to show it to anyone. The song was only for her mother, who left her alone after she died.

How about her father? Sphyra herself was asking who he was? But she knew that man was a coward for leaving them alone. He didn’t know if she even had a father or the phoenix lays eggs automatically. She never dared to ask and her mother never explained about it.

She stopped singing as she heard steps from the shallow part of the forest. No, not rebels. No, not someone who’s going to threaten her again. She waited until four figures appeared. Three men and one woman. Yosef, Azrael, and Hideo. The woman? She doesn’t know her name. Did someone tell her? They were bringing food, a blanket, and water. Where are they going?

“Sphyra!” Yosef called. She can’t help but smile every time this child calls her. HE’s so pure and innocent. He’s young but she knew that he’s a great warrior.

Burn didn’t dare to bark. She stared at these people who were constantly visiting Sphyra. She’s cute, Sphyra thought.

“What brings you here?” she asked. She wanted to ask how another person was informed about her. She didn’t want to be rude and there must be a better explanation for it. She’ll ask Aragorn later but where’s Aragorn?

“Prince Aragorn said that there’s a magical waterfall in here protected by a fire goddess.” Sphyra can’t help but chuckle at Hideo. “He’s not wrong and the falls behind you was the greatest that I’ve ever seen.”

“Sphyra, this is Zonia. She’s our servant in the hut. We have to tell her about you because she’ll be left alone in the hut and she might get curious why the three of us are constantly leaving the hut. Leo wasn’t at the hut so we take this opportunity to do a picnic with you,” Azrael explained.

“I wouldn’t dare to tell about you, Sphyra,” said Zonia.

“If that’s the case, where’s Aragorn?”

As Sphyra asked, the four of them glanced at each other. Their faces were asking for answers but no one dared to give.

Yosef shrugged. “Aragorn didn’t say anything about she he’s going. He said we’ll start early so we can enjoy the day. But he said he’ll join us later. The day’s long. He’ll be here soon.”

Sphyra guided them to the waterfalls. Zonia’s jaw dropped as she witnessed the beauty of nature. William had brought her along with his other wives in waterfalls far from the palace of Caspian. But she never thought of seeing one here in the forest. It seemed that God purposely did the waterfalls inside the forbidden part of the forest to be protected by the phoenix.

“How can a paradise like this is hiding in here?” Zonia said, still smiling at the waterfalls.

The guys helped each other in draping the blanket to the ground. They relayed three blankets. One for the foods and the others were for them. They didn’t bother to bring any clothes for them to swim in. They’ll change clothes in the hut if they swim.

Zonia sat on the first blanket with Sphyra. The three guys stayed on the other blanket. They switched glances to the foods and to the falls. Will they eat or swim first? They don’t know.

“Let’s eat first,” said Hideo.

They took out the cover of the food and its smell aroused around them. Zonia was the one who prepared the dishes with the help of Hideo, Yosef, and Azrael. Sphyra felt a pinch inside her stomach. She hadn’t tried these foods yet. She mostly eats fruits and bread she can find in the market. The one who thought of having a picnic is clever. It satisfied Sphyra’s tummy.

It’s Aragorn, she thought, there’s no one that can think like this. Aragorn thought of her. No, she must not assume. That’s what she felt. She felt Aragorn even though he wasn’t physically there. Where he was by the way?

“Sphyra, what can you say about the food that I cooked?” Zonia asked.

Sphyra chewed the food first inside her mouth. It seemed that she didn’t get full after she tasted all of the foods prepared. Her companions were all full and their tummies hurt a little. But she, she’s still in the need of more food.

“You cook great! I love it.”

“Oh, thanks.” Zonia smiled.

“I never tasted these kinds of foods before. I only eat fruits and some food that I buy in the market. I don’t know how to cook except for roasting meat under fire. When Aragorn brought meat in here, roasting is the only cook that I do on it.”

“If we have the chance, I will teach you how to cook,” Zonia offered.

“Zonia’s a great teacher. She taught me a few dishes but I did it so badly,” Azrael commented.

“Sure, Zonia. I really wanted to cook but I’m deserted in this forest for years. My mother didn’t have the chance to teach me. Roasting meat is the only thing that I observed from her.”

Zonia’s sweet and nice, she thought. This might be the first or second time she talked to another woman except for her mother. She was impressed by her not having fear in her. It looked like she never thought of her as a monster like what others thought of her.

By the time they felt a release of gas from their stomach, men removed their upper clothing. Their buildings were all eye-catching even Yosef who’s only fifteen years old. Their bodies were a blinding light for Zonia and Sphyra. Seeing those bodies from these guys was rare for them.

Zonia and Sphyra didn’t remove the thin dress that they are wearing. If they do, they’ll breasts would be exposed to these men and they did not want that to happen. Before jumping from land to water, Sphyra shot her eyes in the distance, checking if Aragorn was there. But he wasn’t.

Will he still arrive? The matter he’s fixing at the moment must be important. More important than her happiness. No, she should not think of him like that. He’s taking care of an important matter for the palace and for the citizens. Of course, he’s the prince of Caspian. He has duties for his kingdom.

“Hey, Sphyra why aren’t you jumping to the water? Are you afraid of water?” Azrael asked. For her, he was the most fool of them all. He’s fun to be with and sometimes he makes her laugh.

She shook her head as if she’s rejecting a guy who’s proposing to her. “No, I just thought of something.”

“Or someone? I think you’re thinking of Prince Aragorn,” Azrael teased her.

No, she wasn’t. A lie.

Of course, she was. She could never let a day pass without her thinking of him. Aragorn was stuck in her mind since the first time they met each other. That dangerous night where she almost killed him. But it turned out he was someone who’s going to help and protect her.

“I…” She cut what she’s saying when she noticed that the eyes of her companions weren’t on her, but behind her. She froze. She didn’t sense danger. She sensed delight. She was delighted.

“I don’t think about him that much,” she said and she rotated and faced that man behind her. The man behind her was no other than Aragorn. The man she thought of almost every single day. He arrived and he looked clean and handsome.

His perfectly carved jaw clenched and her fingers quivered. “Whom you don’t think that much? Do you have a boyfriend, Sphyra?” His brows were furrowed, the first time he didn’t look nice. He looked like a jealous husband or fiancée.

“It was you, Your Highness. I asked her and she said she never thought of you that much.”

She sounded she wasn’t grateful after all Aragorn’s help on her. He helped her stood up and he helped her survive the days. He gave her hope. He made her stay alive.

“Azrael’s teasing me earlier and I made his claim a lie. Of course, I think about you, Aragorn. You’re the one who helped me get through the hard times that I have.”

Aragorn nodded. He easily believed Sphyra. “I thought there’s something more about it. It wasn’t that serious.”

But, she was serious about thinking about him…

“What took you so long to get here?” she asked sweetly.

“I bought you something.” He showed the wooden box he was holding. He opened it and it revealed a necklace that has the same color as her eyes. The same sign and orb.

“What is this?” she asked.

Aragorn leaned closer to her. He entangled the necklace around her neck and he connected the lock of its chain. It perfectly fits her.

“I bought you a gift. I thought that this moment might be a great one to give you a gift. I saw an orb back then that has the same color as your eyes but it was fake. This time, I assure you that this is genuine. It’s called the eyes of the phoenix. But don’t think of it as your eyes. Think of it as my eyes because I want you to feel secure that I’ll be here by your side. Always…”

She can’t explain what she’s feeling. Her heart was thumping. She pursed her lips and wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt that the two of them were floating in their own world.

They released each other. “I don’t have something to give back to you. But I’m so much thankful for your gift.”

“You don’t have to buy me a gift. Because you are the gift that I received a long time ago. You are my blessing, Sphyra.”

He smiled wide. A golden light gleamed from his teeth. They hugged again, tighter than earlier. Aragorn’s wrong. They were each other’s gift, she thought, he’s the person she treasured the most. Her light. Her hope. Her protector. Her prince.