9 Don't Do This

Layla and Alvina hugged for a while and were interrupted by the footsteps of Rina.

"Lady Layla, your dessert."

"Thank you dear" she said as she watched her drop the plates of cake and cookies on the stool close to her seat.

"My Lady, can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm fine Rina, thank you."

"It's all right Tina, she'll join me."

"That's for you and the young Master ma'am."

"It's okay Rina."

"You may go attend to other things" Alvina said with a smile plastered on that delicate face of hers.

"Yes My Lady" then she took her leave.

"I am sorry about what happened, Reed told me."

"No need to be sorry. She is my jewel and pride" Alvina corrected her.

"Yes she is. Eriel" she called out to the three year old boy playing on the couch and jumping happily.

"Eriel, get down from the couch and come over here."

The small boy turned, on seeing his mum's angry stare he rushed down and went to stand by her side.

"Mum" he called out.

"Hmm, don't you know it is bad to jump on the couch" she scolded him.

"I... I'm sorry mum" he apologized.

"Not to me, to your aunt Alvina" she turned his head to face Alvina.

"Whom you haven't greeted till now, now go greet your aunt" she gently pushed his waist towards Alvina.

He walked to Alvina and looked at her shyly.

"My ever cute Eriel."

"Eriel, greet".

"Hello"

"Hello dear."

"Greet good afternoon."

"It's all right Layla, leave him be."

"Nope, he's gonna learn. Eriel, greet your aunt Alvina."

"Good afternoon aunt" he greeted her.

"Good afternoon Eriel. How would you like some cookies for behaving well?" Alvina asked the small boy.

"Very much aunt" he answered her with glee.

"Okay, Rina" she called out.

In a matter of seconds Rina was out in the living room.

"Yes My Lady."

"Oh, take Eriel and wash his hands please".

"Yes My Lady. Young Master come along."

"Go with her" Layla said to her son.

He went ahead and held Rina's outstretched hand.

After they left, Layla left her seat a! D went to sit beside Alvina.

"Alvina, what is going on with you?"

"I'm fine Layla. What do you mean by that? Nothing is wrong with me."

"I didn't ask you what was wrong but what is going on with you. Don't lie to me Alvina. Talk to me please."

"It is nothing Layla, you worry too much."

She gets up angrily. "Don't lie to me Alvina, please. Look at you. You're facing away faster than you should. I can sense your magic, it feels so little, like it's about to die out any moment from now" Layla shouted at her friend before calming herself down.

"Well since you know why ask?"

"Don't be like this Alvina. What exactly are you doing. Why are you fading fast. Think of your daughter" she yelled the last part out.

"I am thinking of my daughter" Alvina yelled back as she got up from her seat.

She felt a pain at the back of her chest but chose to ignore it.

"I am thinking about her everyday. She is the reason I wake up every morning... "

"And kill yourself" Layla interrupted her.

"And the reason why you kill yourself daily. You say you thinking about your daughter, but you are clearly not thinking about her at all if you are throwing your life away?"

"I am not... " she paused for a moment, then continued again.

"Yes, I may be throwing away my life but I would gladly do that a thousand times for her Layla."

"Alvina"

"No, if you were in my shoes, you'd have done same, probably worst. For crying out loud you have a child. You should know my pain" she shouted again with tears threatening to fall.

"I... I would do the same but if you are gone now, think about your daughter. Don't do this to yourself. Don't do this to your daughter".

"Everything I do, I do because I love her Layla. I need to heal her. If I can heal her, then she would have a normal life, the world would accept her and Aslan too."

"What? Aslan is not accepting her?"

"He is hurt and feels the gods did him wrong. Its... I don't want to talk about it now".

"It's okay. Where is she?"

"Ari took her to the garden."

"Where is Rina and Eriel?"

As soon as they both turned to the direction of the kitchen, they saw Rina holding Eriel close and shielding him from the yelling.

"Oh my, Eriel. Come here darling."

He slowly walked up to his mum and hugged her.

"There, it's okay. Did mummy scare you just now?"

He simply nodded. "Mum and aunt didn't mean to."

She looked at Alvina and then back at her son. "You want to see some flowers?" He nodded again.

"Let's go then."