Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 54
Deep within a lush and dense forest, Mabuhi awoke upon her bed, sweat and tears pouring down her face, her body weak; too weak to sit up. The Lady took her hand and squeezed it tightly, a look of compassion in her eyes. Mabuhi looked up into her eyes and gritted her teeth, as if in pain.
“It is done then?”
The Lady nodded, placing her other hand on Mabuhi’s heart and smiled.
“Yes, child of the woodlands, it is finished. He is free to dream again.”
Mabuhi’s tears shed like rivulets of water down her face, mingled with sweat. She sighed, beginning to fade, an exhaustion she had never before felt taking her over. With all the strength she could gather, she squeezed The Lady’s hand and placed her other over the back of the hand she rested upon her heart and nodded.
“Oh, Mother, I am so glad.” She closed her eyes, slipping away into rest. “He has lived with this for so long . . . terrible . . . terrible . . . ”
Brushing her tears away, The Lady smiled as her eyes gleamed with inner power.
“Sleep now, child; I will watch over you. Sleep deeply.”