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SARAFINA.
"Hey sleepy head, get up get up" Pooja yells into my ear while I roll away from her, placing my hands over my ear.
"Get off my face Mohini and let me get some sleep" I grumbled.
"Not on my watch lady, now get your ass up we have a festival to attend"
I sprang up. "Are you telling me we've spent two days already in this desert with a creepy guardian and only tropical winter fruits to our poor stomach"
"Exactly my point! Besides Marielle has practically disappeared since our first night here so minus the creepy guardian, everything you just listed is absolutely the situation here... And oh you smell like shit, you should take your bath too because you have done nothing but sulk on that same spot for the past two days" Poojs remarked.
"Shut up" I snapped rolling my eyes as she made her way out. Does she really have to remind me of how pathetic I have been when I keep thinking of Jamal. It's not my fault actually, it is the fact that he is getting married that has been bugging me.
Oh, let me fill you in on our not so adventurous stay in a deserted area in the inner depths of winter island. After our first night, Marielle got us some foodstuffs and some clothings, and totally vanished and when I mean vanished I mean -outrightly dissapeared with no traces- that I was starting to think she was only a figment of my imagination, only that Pooja's constant talk about her was enough to make me understand that she was indeed real and not some virtual reality in my brain.
Unfortunately the foodstuffs she had packed was nothing but fruits, -winter fruits- to be precise, so apparently we had to leave on fruits for two days in a row, you think that's boring, well we didn't think so until we found that it takes absolutely twenty miles on feet to get to the inhabited area of the island, so we gave up on searching for any living being and went back into the odd comforts of the cottage. Unfortunately too, my powers happened to be absolutely useless in this place. And right now, I still don't know how to get us back to Zedora.
"OK, but seriously we really have to attend the festival of the rain, something keeps telling me that things would go wrong, I mean off limits today" Pooja said as she entered, her body covered in water, she had just taken her bath at the stream that was behind the cottage.
"Keep telling me that as if I don't know, I am still trying to figure out how to get us out of here" I muttered tapping my feet on the floor. "But first, I need a bath" I got up and crapped a towel from and went outside.
"Sarafina Belaird" I turned back swiftly when I heard her voice. Marielle.
"Holy goddess! Marielle.. Must you always appear in a startling way" I grumbled out loud.
She laughed. "I see you are brighter than you were two days back."
"Where have you been? We couldn't even find traces of you.. It was like you were never here, I was starting to think you were only a picture from my dreams" I said.
"I'm only available when I'm needed"
"You think we didn't need you?" I replied her with a scoff.
"I knew you didn't need me" she stated.
"Really? We were stuck in a desert with no food... No living human in sight."
"You had foodstuffs, essential items.. What else.. Besides that's not what I'm here for.. I only come when I am needed and I know you badly need to get to Zedora"
"Marielle! You can get us to Zedora" Pooja yelped skipping outside.
"Hi Mohini, it is so good to see you again and yes I can get you back to Zedora"
* * *
JAMAL.
"Are you sure you would be fine at the festival" I ask my mother as the maids make finishing touches to her head attire.
She hasn't been herself since Ditya announced her "marriage" with Jafar, Father noticed but he didn't say anything about it and mother too did not make mention about what Ditya told her, and as for me.. I practically sealed my mouth over the fact that Ditya was forced into this, I have a nagging feeling that today is going to me more than just a festival, I hope she comes and by she I mean Sarafina and I also hope things don't go wrong like I keep thinking it would.
"I'll be fine Jamal, don't worry about me and make sure to accompany Ditya to the festival, she is still officially engaged to you"
"I will Ammi" I replied and walked out, unfortunately or rather fortunately I met Jafar at the oak tree separating my chambers from mother's.
"Jafar Egor, my dear cousin" I called out making him stop on his track. He turned back and I stalk towards him, my hands behind me. "Its been a while isn't it? The last time we met you were telling me how there shouldn't be a special day for me to roam around the streets when I can't even feel the sun... Its been so long hasn't it?"
"What do you want Jamal? You gave everything why would you bother someone like me?" He said through gritted teeth.
"Feigning ignorance here are we now? Though as much as I would like to thank you for taking Ditya off my neck, I might still want to find out the real motive behind this" I said even though I knew the reason, I only wanted to get words out from him.
He creased his brow in utter confusion. "What are you talking about? Getting Ditya off your neck in what way?"
Okay I think Jafar should be given a prize for acting or is he really serious. "You really don't know?" I asked.
"Know what?"
I laugh dryly. "Okay this is not funny.. You don't know that Ditya has decided to call of our engagement because she is in love with and getting married to you?"
His eyes widen and he took a step back in shock. "What. Are. You. Talking. About?"
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