Chapter 10
Aurora
On Saturday, we woke up late, having likely drifted to sleep around 2 in the morning, my eyes puffy and a headache throbbing from all the tears. The memory of the green-eyed creature I’d seen in the forest floated to the forefront of my mind.
After the girls had showered, we headed down to the kitchen for "breakfast," noticing it was almost 11 AM already, and found Rocio, all smiles awaiting us.
"You all must have been exhausted, look at the time, did you sleep well?" she asked with a chuckle.
"Good morning, Ro. We did stay up late. Sorry, it was my fault; I had a panic attack last night," I said, my gaze dropping.
"Oh! I didn’t know you had those, sorry, I didn’t mean to pry," she replied, concerned.
"Ro, it’s okay. Truth is, I don’t get along with my family, and last night I received a few texts that upset me. But the girls were there for me and now I feel much better! Ready to put all that behind me," I said, taking her hands.
"That's good to hear, that you had the girls with you," she said with less worry.
"Yeah, I slept so well, Aurora’s bed is like sleeping on a cloud. I hope mine feels the same," chimed in Lucy.
"I see you all bunked together," Rocio remarked.
"Rocio, can I ask you something?" I inquired.
"Of course, anything you need to know."
"Do you have a pet? Last night, when I was looking out the window, I thought I saw a dog. It was massive, with green eyes, so strikingly bright! It caught me off guard," I shared as I prepared a large mug of mint tea.
I noticed all three women in the kitchen paused, their gaze fixed for a few seconds before Rocio responded.
"Aurora, that creature is named Kantz and he’s sort of a guardian to Oliver. It’s really strange that he appeared here last night. Were you scared?" she asked, clearly shocked.
"No, actually, even though I couldn’t make him out clearly, he seemed friendly, not threatening. I thought it could have been the Ruende, but people around this village are kind-hearted, haha, I doubt there’s ever a need to summon it," I replied nonchalantly.
"No, the Ruende hasn’t been invoked for ages, so it must have been Kantz. Oliver probably let him out for a run last night, but if you ever meet him face to face, don’t panic, he won’t hurt you."
I nodded, and Lucy and Lilly continued to exchange knowing glances. Sometimes I suspect these two communicate telepathically.
We finished our breakfast and set out for a stroll in the village center; I needed to buy a few things, a couple of t-shirts, and some trousers since I’d worn all five pairs I brought for the trip.
We found a thrift store where I ended up buying two pairs of jeans and, unable to resist, two dungarees.
We continued wandering until the girls paused outside a lingerie shop. Stepping inside, we browsed lovely items; the young owner appeared to be around 25.
Lucy, the boldest of all, picked out several sexy sets, including some tiny panties that drew both mine and Lilly’s attention. Each seizing a pair, I went for red and black, while Lilly chose light-colored whites and pale pinks.
As we prepared to leave, we came face to face with Loreto, followed closely by Oliver, visibly irritated. We greeted them cordially.
"Hello, good morning! What a coincidence to find you here," Lilly offered cheerfully.
They both acknowledged us, Loreto hurriedly, as she browsed the sexy lingerie section.
"What brings you out here? I thought you started work today," Oliver questioned, not shifting his gaze from me.
"Oh! We're accompanying Aurora, she needed a few things, so Ro gave us this time off. After lunch, Lilly and I need to head to the offices," Lucy replied, looking towards Lilly.
"I start on Monday, and like Lucy mentioned, I needed some necessities I forgot to pack," I clarified.
"If you’re ready, shall we head back? Rocio must be waiting for us," I suggested with a fleeting glance.
"I doubt my sister is waiting. She asked me to take Loreto out so she could steal away with Leandro. Why don’t you join us?" he proposed with a sly smile.
Lucy, Lilly, and I burst into laughter, amused by the idea of Rocio saddling Loreto with her brother just so she could whisk Leandro away, especially given that Oliver didn’t seem to be at ease around her.
"But Oliver, you promised today to me, to get better acquainted," complained Loreto, pouting dramatically.
"We’ll pass. We're heading back home. I still have a pounding headache, and the girls need to get things set for Monday," I stated plainly.
"Alright! See you later, maybe," Loreto said, tugging Oliver's arm as they continued to peruse the shop.
Oliver
Feeling uneasy, Loreto led me into a lingerie store. 'This is the last time I do you a favor like this, sister,' I thought to myself.
Kantz: Candy, candy, and coconut.
Oliver: What are you rambling on about, crazy wolf?
Kantz: Don't you smell it? My little one is nearby!
I had no chance to reply; Kantz severed the link. His words baffled me, but once Loreto opened the store's door, I got it. There was Aurora with her friends, selecting pieces of cloth, one black and one red, from a drawer in front—hardly more than scraps, seeing as they were too small to cover much. I watched them pack and pay.
Upon meeting us, Loreto was plainly annoyed, and even less pleased when I suggested spending the afternoon together, fearing a tantrum from her. But before she could react, Aurora quickly declined with some flimsy excuse.
After lingering in the store, Laurato purchasing several items, I only half-listened, distracted by Kantz's incessant chatter.
Kantz: Why do you think she bought those tiny garments?
Oliver: I don't know; I don't care. It's her life.
Kantz: I hope she's not planning to model them for anyone else.
Oliver: Can you stop spouting nonsense? What's the problem, anyway?
Kantz: She is Mine; she can't go about in such attire, flaunting her body to others.
Oliver: You're absurd. She isn’t ours, and I doubt she'll meet someone on this island. I don't want to talk to you anymore.
Cutting off the link, I stewed over Kantz's words, finding the idea of her with someone else unsettling. But what the hell, it shouldn't concern me!
"Oliver, I've been talking to you for a while, and you’re ignoring me," Loreto snapped.
"Sorry, Lore, I'm overwhelmed with work and feeling exhausted," I replied, squeezing her hand.
"I get it, Oli. How about a massage? I’m quite skilled at it," she whispered in my ear.
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The Ruende
On the Island, it is said to be the entity that offers the plainest humans supreme satisfaction by bestowing them with a partner unattainable on their own. This prejudiced mythical being aids only men, endorsing the notion that ugliness is a common trait among males, seldom among females. Only malevolent mythic beings, such as the Fiura, embody ugliness. It is told that if a person is exceedingly unattractive and deformed, they must invoke the compassionate Ruende, who, familiar with the affliction of ugliness—being dog-like but not quite, medium-sized, with a hypnotic gaze, shaggy black fur, a moist, shiny snout likened to phallic imagery, pointed ears, and short limbs for its body—will come to their aid. To beckon the Ruende, one must attend the base of a "Tique" tree at twilight for four days, calling its name, preferably near a stream. On the fourth night, the animal will manifest at a distance. The summoner must supply details of the chosen woman, and the Ruende, under the shroud of darkness, will rouse her from sleep. Its penetrating gaze, compelling her to kiss its snout drenched in "Llapuy," a love potion employed by warlocks, will exhilarate her, urging her to abandon her home to follow the Ruende into the woods.
There, beside the Tique tree, it will present her to the waiting man. She will succumb to love with him eternally.
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