TRES - CHAPTER TEN - LABAW DONGGON

The door creaked softly with the comforting sound of reality.

Labaw Donggon slowly entered the room where his beloved Zoriah slept in rested slumber. The room was large, like all the rest of the rooms in his aunt’s mansion. It was blue, from the carpet on the floor to the walls decorated by tiny flower swirls to the darker ceiling. Even the curtains that hid the darkness of the night, the sheets, even the furnishing was painted the shade of Dong’s favorite color. Sadly, it was also the color of muted sorrow.

He took a seat beside the bed. His eyes glued on the sleeping figure of the mortal woman he had taken as his own. She shifted, mumbling gibberish that he did not catch the meaning of.

“Shhhh,” taking her hands into his and caressing them, “Sleep and rest my beloved Zoriah,” he whispered. She opened her eyes, glanced at him with a smile and closed her eyes again and settled back to sleep.

Dong softly caressed her face, using his long fingers to sweep back a stray tendril of hair that escaped her braid and fell on her face. She smiled; her breathing, deep, regular and rested. He continued to observe her face, the sound of the crickets a soundtrack as he thought about what he must do.

Finally deciding, he bent down and kissed her. Never taking his hand of hers, he leaned his head beside her pillow and slept.