Celphi’s Secret

Celphi stood beside me and overlooked the vast forest as if he owned it. His eyes darted around reacting and inspecting each sounds and movement, as if he could see a few hundred meters away. Maybe he did. He looked different under sunshine. Or daystarshine. 

If I had to give one word to describe him based on first impressions, it would be ethereal. But that seemed to be just for when the moonlight touched him. Right now, he is a hunter. A predator ready to strike.

This is what cat owners feel, isn’t it?

Looking at their little hunters and calling them ‘cute’ despite knowing they’re lethal hunting machines. His trained eyes scanned the vicinity and his nose made small twitching movements, as if tasting the air.

Cute! Shouldn’t I be finding this scary or concerning? But, he is so lovable. I do not understand this slowly budding feelings of adoration and protectiveness over Celphi, like I want to put him in my front pocket. The one near my heart, and keep him forever.

I kept waiting for a slitted tongue to come out of his lips, like a snake would when they check their environment, but it never comes. I wanted to stare at him some longer. Take in every detail of this adorable stranger.

Oh! Did he most quickly side -eyed me?

Celphi was getting more and more conscious of my staring at him! Keeping my eyes on him any longer than I already did would be an invitation for misunderstandings.

Better get back to my food.

After going through each fruit, I braced myself to interrogate him some more when he suddenly jumped out of the window. Or door.

‘Aaaah! Celphi!!!’ I shrieked. Mortified, I rushed to look down to where he disappeared to.

’Celphi?’

All I see are greenery and some holes that could be traps, surrounding the tree. I tried to extend my body outside as far as I could, searching for him.

Uh, reminder to self, not to fall off again. We are here because of that.

I briefly saw what seemed to be a white moving object some hundred meters away, some squawking noise and then silence.

‘I better hope that it is you, Celphi, I can only wrap my head around one transforming creature a day.’ I mumbled to myself.

My eyes were attached to that one part of the forest that had some movement a minute ago. The tree slightly shaking made me blink and when I opened my eyes, ’It is me,’ a familiar face too close to mine said.

I shrieked like I won the lottery. Or like when I am on a downfall of a roller coaster ride. The sudden appearance of his face in front of me is enough to deduct 10 years from my life. Celphi came back as fast as he left, his tail holding onto the tree and helping him slither around so quickly. 

Once he was inside, he changed into full human form and his glorious physical attributes, from perfectly tied-up hair, chiseled face, prominent collar bone, strong toned arms, pretty fingers and elegant demeanor, is enough to return the 10 years of life I’ve lost earlier. Maybe with a bit more extra.

’Hey!’ I took the empty fruit basket and threw it at his lower portions aggressively. Thankfully, my reaction was quicker than my eyes could see. He changed into full human form without clothes. 

Not that I minded, I was a student nurse and carer. I was no stranger to anatomy. Though in saying that, I did mind it after all. I do not know why. I just do. He’d received the basket as if I’d tossed it to him normally.

‘I got you your favorite noisy bird.’ On his right hand, he shows me his recent catch.

’That looks like a pheasant bird.’ I took the deceased bird carefully and turned my back away. I studied the feather colors and any recognizable similarities. ‘But this looks a bit bigger and fatter.’

‘So you had this in the other world as well?’

‘I actually never had the luxury. I am an orphan you see. Memories of my younger years are that of living in an orphanage and with the people I met there. I am currently working hard to finish a nursing degree while working as a carer.’

Celphi looked bewildered. He already has some clothes on. His usual go to look is long fabric with arm-hole and closed in the middle with another fabric. Like a monk, or yukata, without the intricate belting. The linen itself looked like it’s scaly but it isn’t really? More like those a fake skin leather bags in look. Only Celphi’s one is soft to touch.

How convenient having reptile skin is! He can just fashion his scaly skin into clothes! I wonder if this clothes are removable? I mean in functionality, not anything else. Does removing clothing translate to shedding?

‘Oh. Right. Terminologies you do not have on here. Got it. Orphanage is a place where youth without parents, or those with parents that gave them up for adoption, are taken in and helped through life. Nursing, I think, could be understood as a healer of sorts. But not magical of course.’

He nodded. ’You said you only had memories of being in the orphanage?’

‘Yes, I can not remember anything before being 12 years of age.’

Celphi looked distraught and stepped closer while raising his palm. Maybe to take my hand, but he stopped himself and straightened up.

‘I apologize, Ina. I should’ve been strong enough to protect you.’

What am I supposed to say? I am tired of repeating myself.

I remained silent and let him continue.

‘When you were here’, Celphi corrected himself ‘I mean, when Raiona was here, it signified a time for recovery and healing.

‘Just before your arrival, huge calamities occured all over the world. Safety was gone. Resources were scarce. That caused all the creatures to disperse all over the planet and eventually at war for the best new locations for living.’

He gestured if he could take my hand and I accepted. He led me to sit on a pile of fur that was situated close to an area that looked like a sink.

‘You can sit there as I clean this.’ He said as he made sure I was comfortable first and went into a makeshift sink on the corner and started skilfully and neatly removing the organs, blood and feathers of the bird. ‘I remember you didn’t like these.’

He continued, ‘King Arye is a just ruler and a loving family man who dedicated his love for Queen Tiaret and Princess Raiona.’

I commend him for not referring to me as Raiona this time. Good boy Celphi.

‘When he was still working for the scorpions’ kingdom as the combat specialist, he rescued females sold illegally as slaves. With this background widely known, no one dared to wage war against him. Overtly that is’

Well that is a relief. I am happy that I would be going “home” to a kind father.

Well, he is still king after all, so he might still order me around? Hmmm.

‘I heard he rescued some individuals who are now part of the high society. So there is just no denying his goodwill, strength and influence.’ He said plainly, as if describing a historical figure. Not like a person describing someone they knew.

His expressions grimmed, ‘Then, there was an incident when you ended up fighting for your life. You got transported into a different world as a result. Around your early adolescence.’

So Raiona ended up in earth? Did the summon for her end up pulling me instead? Or am I really Raiona? What proof is there to identify her? I can’t keep up. I am just Ina really.

Celphi must have read my face. ‘We can continue on this topic after you eat. I understand it can be a lot. I will be here to answer your questions and support you on your decisions.’

Hmmm. Why do I feel that that was insincere?

‘Thank you…’

‘Give me some time. I will explain to you once you’ve given me a chance.’

‘A chance to what?’

I was met with silence and contemplation.

I know I am getting annoyed but I also need information. I can’t let the distaste of my current predicament get in the way of my finding a way to get out.

Observing him work his hands with the bird meat was somehow soothing. Then it suddenly occurred to me. ‘Is that also another human, well potentially?’

He laughed. ‘No, some creatures don’t have enough magical energy in them and they are built to be just plain animals.’

‘So what differentiates you from normal animals? Are you a human first?’ I inquired some more.

‘Hmm.’ He stops cleaning and looks up. ‘It’s hard to say. I am human, for example, I can procreate per se, but I can also eat humans in my reptile form. So I am also a beast, in that aspect.’

I was not able to hide my concerned face after hearing that. ‘I hope you won't eat me.’ I held both my arms up in defense, half joking, half serious.

‘My heart won't be able to survive that.’ Celphi turned towards me with a certain look of serious affection and was about to say more but stopped himself.

I felt like that was on me for putting us in that awkward situation. Kudos to him for stopping himself from spilling his feelings about me, as he promised. 

While it was rude to stop him from confessing all of his love for me, I knew it was for Raiona. So there was no point in him telling me how much he loved a different person. The sound of feathers being plucked filled the silence.

‘This world is made up of animals, and humans who can transform into creatures. You are the only human who can’t transform, unless that has changed?’ Celphi saved the mood by being a gentleman and changed the topic smoothly.

‘Regular human here. Also how are we going to cook that?’

‘I will cook as you want. You just need to select the spices. I do not want to burn this tree or attract unwanted attention to us so we have to cook everything a bit further down there. ’

‘Do you not use fire to prepare food here?’

‘Depends on which creature.’ He opened a part of the room I did not know existed. A hidden walk-in closet that is camouflaged by all the tree bark interior design. He took out a long sleeved fur top and trousers, with a fake tail attached to it.

‘And what animal am I supposed to be?’ I studied the costume on his hand.

’Depends on what horns or ears you select.’ He smiled and retrieved a box of horns and animal ears.

‘Hihi. This is like comic-con.’ I settled with dark bunny looking droopy ears to match my hair.

Celphi handed me the clothes and went to the corner of the room pretending to be busy as I changed.

‘When did you change my clothes anyways? I thought you liked me wearing your shedded skin?’

‘You looked cold last night when you fell asleep while looking at the skies, so I changed you into warmer clothing. I did not look nor touch you.’

‘Celphi you don’t look like the type to lie. Don’t start now.’ I finished changing into the new clothes.

‘I didn’t, I studied where I would need to remove the clothing from, and looked away as I untied the neck portion…’ he trailed off and looked embarrassed.

‘I really felt bad waking you up and telling you to change clothes when you were looking so tired like that’, a hint of pouting in his tone and face.

 ‘Forgive me.’

‘Ok. Don’t do it again.’ I took the bunny ears to match.

‘Do you have a hair tie?’ I looked around for something elastic in the box and did not find any.

‘Will a small piece of cloth help?’ Celphi cuts a fabric from a stash in the closet and hands it to me. I noticed notebooks on the back before he closed it.

‘Yeah this will do. Give me another one please.’ He handed me two strips that I used to braid my hair on each side.

’Are those your notes on the back?’ I asked.

’No, they were yours.’ He said.

Oh! Clues about this Raiona person!

’Can I read them?’ I said.

’You can. And, only you can read them.’ He added.

’Oh? Must be earth writing.’ I mumbled.

‘Ina.’

‘Yes?’

‘Never mind.’

Celphi appears to be wanting to say something but hesitated to start a certain topic. 

‘You can just tell me really.’

To this, he gave me a deep and long meaningful look. As if he was staring into my soul. For something to wake up.