Chapter 19: Prince, spider queen and goodbye

Iliva was wondering what the liar bug was doing. The liar bug put a leaf in between of his jaws, making weird noises with it. That was the fourth one, once again, the leaf was torn and the liar bug choked out the torn leaf to pluck yet another leaf from a nearby bush afterward. He placed it in between his lips and this time, the irritable noises, so terrible and skin crawling somehow turned into a proper song surprisingly. Iliva did not know that a person can do that with a leaf.

The song that the liar bug was playing sounded heavy, tragic and painful. The chorus was chaotic, full of weird noises jumbled and arranged in a turbulent mess. The song sounded like a raging storm, fury and pandemonium like. Then the song changed, the storm subsided and died to be replaced by a soft and translucent sound, mellow and peaceful. But the melody did not last long, it ended aburptly without warning and the liar bug spitted out the ripped leaf, squashing it to pieces within his palm. He was frustrated, furiously stomping his foot on a nearby tree to vent his anger. Nevertheless, he plucked yet another leaf and continued to play his songs. He kept doing that for the entire day only stopped to rest or drink.

Neither Iliva nor the liar bug has said anything to each other since the night before. It was almost strange how much it affected Iliva’s mind. She has hated his irritable ceaseless talking and yet now that he stopped talking, it did not feel right.

The liar bug did not look at Iliva in her eyes once since morning arrived. Even when he looked at her, his gaze went beyond her figure to a distant imaginary place, she was no longer the center of his attention. There was no fire in his gaze, only shame and regret. It was worse than the looks of pity or contempt that she has received, it was frustrating and painful. It was a pathetic sight to behold, unbecoming that of a man and why did Iliva lost her heart to such a lowly human? She hated the liar bug but she hated herself even more for losing her heart to him. That thought made Iliva felt like she was about to tear up.

Suddenly, the song stopped.

“This is it,” the liar bug said, dropping his back pack to the ground with a heavy thud. Before Iliva was an ocean of grasses that stretched toward the reddened horizon. Finally, they have reached the edge of the Mangora Forest.

Iliva turned at the liar bug, staring, she was not sure what to say.

“Here is your pearl,” the liar bug took out Iliva’s pearl from his chest pocket and presented it to Iliva on his opened palm. The glare of the setting sun reflected on her shiny dark pearl, it was almost blinding,

The pearl, her most cherished item has finally returned to Iliva. She took it back, clutched it within her palm, squeezing on it to feel the familiar touch of its rounded shape. It was indeed her pearl, she confirmed it. Yet, it felt almost aliened to Iliva like it was no longer hers. Was a few days of separation all that it need for this cherished treasure to be so aliened to her? Or did the liar have the ability to corrupt it, making it his? Or is this yet another mockery of the dark god planned for her? Iliva has thought she would have be so much happier now that she has finally got her pearl back, not like this.

“Take these items as well,” the liar bug said, taking a small bag from his bag and laying it on the ground He was completely unaware of Iliva’s harrowing turmoil. “They are not so much of an apology, I know, but please take them with you. They are probably more useful to you than to me. I considered selling them as soon as I reach Madukat…but… well… This is a cloak made of Basilisk scales, it’s useful for stealth, I used it to bypass your spiders’ and your detection when you decided to attack me. And this is…”

The liar bug went on and on with “this is” and “that is” for a long time. Then he looked at Iliva, realizing that she was not interest in any of his enchanted items. “Your Majesty, if you don’t like them, feel free to dispose them as you see fit.”

The word ‘Your Majesty’ rolled off the liar bug’s tongue awkwardly as if it was the first time he attempted to say it. Iliva scowled her eyes, trying to absorb the liar bug’s intention for a moment before she could finally understand. “Your Majesty, you just call me Your Majesty?”

The liar bug bent his back, his head bowed low, “I’m sorry for acting out of my place before and calling you by your name. I should never do that…”

Iliva stared at that bended back of the liar bug, still unable constructing a proper response inside her head. She suddenly felt a ticklish feeling on her cheek and brought her knuckle up to wipe it.

“Huh?” Iliva could not understand it herself and became genuinely confused. Why’s the tears? Why’re they rolling? “Why?” They kept flowing down. Iliva blinked her eyes and confusedly wiped off the stream washing down her cheeks.

The liar bug unbent himself, noticing Iliva’s miserable state. His face twisted in an unknown emotion. Was that pity or regret? Iliva did not like it, gritting her teeth to endure the humiliation.

“Will you allow me to call you Iliva for one last time?” he requested in a soft and most earnest voice.

“I don’t know. Suit yourself,” said Iliva

“Iliva…I’m so sorry for giving you so much pain. I did not realize that. I should have. I won’t beg you for your forgiveness, I don’t deserve forgiveness.” He approached, held Iliva’s hand in the between of his two palms and planed his lips on her fingers, “I wish your pain will go away soon. I wish someday you will love and beloved by someone who’s more deserving than me.”

When he finished, the liar bug grabbed his bag and silently waked away.

“I…” Iliva didn’t not know what she was doing. Her hand reached out almost as if she was trying to stop the liar bug. However words could not come out of her throat properly. When she saw the liar bug turned back reflexively to her voice, she quickly put her hand down, hiding it.

The liar bug stood and gazed at Iliva, waiting.

“Take my pearl with you.”

What am I talking about? Iliva almost put a hand on her mouth to seal it. What was she thinking? She just got it back. Why is she doing this?

“You will never be able to marry another Arachne if I was to take away your pearl.” The liar bug concernedly replied.

Of course, Iliva did not need the liar bug to remind herself of the importance of the black pearl. As an Arachne herself, she knew the importance of this pearl better than anyone.

“There would not be another person finding an abomination like me attractive. So that doesn’t matter…” Yet, words that she did not want to say kept spilling outs.

“You can’t say that for sure. One day, one day there will someone…”

“You can never stop lying, can’t you liar bug?” Iliva asked, staring right into the liar bug’s dark moonless eyes.

“I… I…” he stuttered.

Iliva sneered, angrily wiped away her tears with her bony knuckle and tossed the black pearl into her mouth. This is degrading. Why did she say something like that? What was she thinking? Why did she offer her pearl to such a wretched of a male after it has finally returned to her?

Her tear kept flowing like an unbroken stream. She hated the liar bug more than anything she had ever met and more than any enemy who had ever wounded her. He stole her heart. He hurt her and wounded her pride. “If you can’t do that, get out of my sight. Don’t let me see you ever again. If I found you in this wood, I will tell my spiders to make you suffer the most horrendous death,” Iliva shouted furiously, giving the liar bug her most hated look, pointing her finger at the distant horizon.

The liar bug looked into her eyes for one moment, a short instance. His mouth opened and silently formed her name, but no word followed. He wordlessly gritted his teeth, held his head down, turned and started walking.

I hate you liar bug. Iliva stood and watched the liar bug’s back getting further away from her. Tears welled up within her eyes. She blinked and rubbed them off with her knuckles. When the liar bug came to her view again, he was running, but not away from Iliva, to her.

He leapt, clutching the back of Ilia’s head and yanking it to his height. His dark eyes was right in front of Iliva and without warning, he invaded her mouth with his wet tongue. Iliva almost pulled her head back by reflex, and yet the liar bug was so much stronger than usual.

His hands that were clutching the back of her head were deep rooted trees, old and strong as Escana, can’t be budged or bent, they prevented Iliva from retreating. Was he always this strong? Or did she suddenly become weak? His tongue was like a wild serpent, aggressive and raw, wet, slippery and hot like baked silk. His tongue, it tasted like her own tears. Iliva told herself that she would bit his tongue off for this offense, and yet, her jaws had no power.

Before long, Iliva was robbed off her pearl once again. She glared at the liar bug’s face through her disheveled chalky white locks and slapped him across the face with every bit of strength that remained within her body. “I hate you,” Iliva cursed, wiping away the drools on her lips and then the tears that distorted her vision with their scorching vapors. “I hate you, liar bug.”

The liar bug palmed his reddened cheek and used his thumb to rub away the blood on his lips. His teeth must have cut his lips when Iliva slapped him, he deserved that. Even the liar bug admitted it, “I deserved it,” licking the blood on his lips.

The liar bug carefully span and plucked the silver silvery ring he wore on his pinky finger out and presented it on his palm, “Championship is calculated by golden crown, MVP by ivory scepter, Final MVP by ring of platinum. During my second year in the league, I have failed FY and my entire team during the very last moment. We were so close to get the golden crown and yet I blew our chance. They have created a chance, a window of opportunity for me to do what I was supposed to do, I chickened out and we lost that war. The year after that, I promise to myself that I will get us back to where we was before and that I would never chicken out when my team need me. And this ring is the proof of that promise came true. It was the proudest moment of my life. This is the first ring I have ever had and I have worn it since, a little reminder to myself that I could achieve anything I wish if I put enough heart and time into it.”

Iliva could not understand half of what the liar bug said. What was he trying to say? What does this ring have anything to do with this?

“I want you to have this. While we human don’t have a pearl of Universal Wisdom to exchange at our marriage, we exchange rings. Since you gave me your pearl. It’s only right that I give you my ring.” The liar bug said, kneeling before Iliva and presented her his ring.

It’s only now that it started to make sense to Iliva.

“I don’t want your ring.” she rejected it. Her eyes still brimmed with tears. This wretched liar bug treated love and life like a game. He could not care if he won or lost in the end. Loved him she might, but Iliva could not bind herself to someone like that, a human no less.

“That’s pain. That’s the voice of your pain. I’m in pain, not as much as you Iliva at the moment, but I understand. We are not thinking straight right now because of the pain, neither you nor I. It’s confusing, every choice we make at this moment is confusing and yet we keep making them. However, if we allow our pain to control us and speak for us at this moment, we might regret it for the rest of our lives. So, I have a suggestion, I will leave this wood and come back once I have made up my mind. At that time, if you are still in pain, I will return at a later time. But if our feeling is mutual, I want you to be my wife, if not I will return you the pearl and you will return me my ring. Is that okay with you?” the liar bug said.

“Suit yourself liar bug,” Iliva wiped off her tears, swiping the ring on the liar bug’s palm but he clutched his fist and denied Iliva of her attempt.

“No, make a decision for yourself. Try to conquer the pain in your heart just for a moment and make a decision. Think through and make your choice. Yes or no,” the liar bug shouted, grabbing Iliva’s arms as he tried to gaze into her misty eyes.

“I can’t,” Iliva shrugged off the liar bug’s feeble grip on her wrists as she screamed.

“Look at me. You can’t let me tell you what to do. You can’t allow me to make such an important decision for you. This is your life, take control of it. Just try to conquer your pain for a moment and think what is good for you.” The liar bug was persistent, he looked into her eyes and grabbed her wrists once more time, this time with more force. “I will not tell you to do as I said. I can give you the suggestion, and you know what, I’m not even sure if this is a good suggestion. If you don’t like it, think of something else. If you can’t think of something better, pick the best option you got and live with it”

Iliva wondered how long had it been. She felt like it was an eternity happened within her head. She remembered that time when she heard the news of Briza’s death from a sister of the Sisterhood of Binding Web visiting her house. She remembered being chased away from the settlement, being alone in the wild, unsure if she will ever be safe from the savage beasts. She remembered all the suffering and pains she went through. Pain is something a person got used to. However, this was the first time she suffered this kind of hallowing pain, perhaps the liar bug was right, she was unaccustomed to this kind of pain and it confused her. But all pain will go away eventually, even the death of Briza did not hurt her now. This pain too, perhaps will go away one day, Iliva told herself.

“Unhand me,” she said and the liar bug did just that, “You are telling me that what I am doing at the moment is not smart and this is because of the pain inside my chest, am I correct liar bug?”

“Yes”

“Can you swear that you are not lying to me?” Iliva looked into the liar bug dark eyes and made him swear.

“I swear that is the truth, or at least that is what I believe to be the truth.”

“Then my answer is yes. I will hold this ring for you and wait,” Iliva took the ring inside the liar bug’s hand.

“There is also something I want to apologize for. The thing we do, mouth to mouth strength contest, it was not really a strength contest. That’s a kiss, an expression of love. You only do that to a person you love.” The liar bug knelt and kept his head down as he told Iliva.

“I have already sensed it when I see you kissed that girl.” Iliva sighed, lightly slapping the liar bug’s head

“What girl?” he looked up at Iliva and asked.

“It’s that Arameer. You dare to deny that you did not kiss her.”

“Who is Arameer? Are you sure you remember the name correctly? I have never dated a girl with that name before.” The lair bug perplexedly squinted his eyes and rebutted.

Iliva clutched her head, realizing that she was talking something really stupid. Of course, that was only in her dream. Of course, the liar bug would never know who Arameer is. “She doesn’t matter. So, that was a kiss?” Iliva immediately tried to change the topic.

The liar bug had that full of suspicion look on his face. Nevertheless, he nodded his head, “Yes, and you are only supposed to do that with a person you love.”

“Do you love me?” Iliva asked, vaguely guess the answer that liar would give her

“Do you want to hear the real answer?”

“I hate you liar bug,” she said. Her guess was close but it still stung her.

“Yeah, I figure you would give that answer. So, here’s mine. Actually, I don’t really know,“ the liar sighed.

“And you dare to ask my hand in marriage?” Iliva swung her arachnid legs at the liar bug in an exaggerate manner. She did not mean to hit him and he backed away, sticking his tongue out.

“You don’t know how many time I have lost myself to your beauty. I’m not lying. And you are also at fault for going commando like that all the time. Please wear proper clothes at all time. That night dress is not considered as proper cloth in any society. You have no idea how difficult for me to control myself whenever I look at your body. And, yeah, I sort or gave in to my lust somewhere down the line and tricked you to a kiss, and that one just now was very awful, I know. I’m sorry.”

Iliva scoffed, pretending to not notice the liar bug’s heat gaze on her chest.

“Will you allow me to make it up to you for lying and also forcing that one just now?” the lair bug asked, his eyes were still glued to Iliva’s chest.

“How?”

“Allow me to give you a proper kiss to make it up to you. The only way to rewrite the memory of a bad kiss is to replace it with the memory of a good one.”

“Have you no shame liar bug?” Iliva squinted her eyes and asked. The liar bug was talking about reserving the thing he called a kiss to a loved one and now he was asking a kiss from Iliva after telling her that he wasn’t sure if he loved her.

“Actually I did. However, I think when I met you for the first time, I might have lost it somewhere within the wood.”

“You are one shameless liar bug,”

This was the usual bantering the liar bug exchanged with Iliva. He always made her mad in the end of their banter with his wicked tongue. She thought that she hated it, though it was much better than the silence treatment or the sad songs she was subjected to for the entire day.

“So, is it a yes or no?” the liar bug had a dastardly grin on his face when he asked Iliva that question.

“Suit yourself, liar bug,” once again, Iliva scoffed.

“Somehow I have expected that to be your answer. Can’t you be more honest with yourself?”

“I’m going back to the wood now,” Iliva said as she slowly turned.

“Allow me to withdraw the previous statement,” the liar bug raised his two hands as if he has surrendered. He grinned and approached Iliva.

Iliva remembered how that hateful Arameer kissed the liar bug. Her moistened eyes, her quivered lips, her flushed face, that scene has seared right into Iliva’s mind ever since like hot brand. She has hated that Arameer ever since she was young but this was the only time she felt thankful to that accursed girl, she at least knew how to act. Iliva bent her sharp and pointy spider legs to stand on her feet, standing at the same height as the liar bug.

The grasses below felt cold to her elven feet, but Iliva did not mind that. She approached the liar bug, one step at a time, walking with her elven legs and arachnid legs as the same time until she can feel his heated breath on her face. The floral aroma of wolfear mixed with the odor of his sweat filled Iliva’s nose, she inhaled deeply, wasn’t sure if it was pleasant or not. It made Iliva felt dizzy, hot and bothered.

The liar bug sucked on her full lips, teasing yet gentle and guiding, asking for entrance. Iliva gingerly parted her lips allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth. His tongue, it tasted like the mix of blood and tears, his blood, her tears, though, Iliva could not stop herself from sucking it, drowning within the sweetened aftertaste. Slowly, their tongue became entangled. His wet tongue caressed hers and coiled, nuzzling. Iliva responded in kind, entwining her tongue around his, wrestling for dominance like a pair of heated Menace constrictors mating with each other.

A strange thought came into Iliva’s head as his tongue started to whisk away her brain. She remembered the humiliation of her first and second defeat. She wanted revenge. She grabbed the liar bug by the back of his head by force and sucked the air out of his mouth, emulating the technique he used to crush her pride. She hungrily sucked on his lips, entwined her tongue around his, coiled, squeezed on it and crushed its weak attempt to retreat.

She heard a subdued soft moan ringing within her whitening vision, sweet and husky, but it was not hers. That was enough for Iliva to reinvigorate, anchoring her reason to that soft moan against all odds. That soft moan became the sole reason of her entire existence. She hungrily pressed the attack, forgetting about the defense. The liar bug has finally caught on to what Iliva trying to do, too late. She allowed their tongues to separate, going astray for a moment while weakening the strength on her clutch. The liar bug gasped for air and Iliva immediately used this chance to suck away all the air in his lungs, scrapping away his brain with her coiling tongue.

That wet sound was reverberated through her head, whitening her reasons each time it echoed. She heard the liar bug sultry moaning mixed with her own. She felt like her brain was being whisked away to the pleasure. However the liar bug must have it worse, Iliva knew it from her experience. This was his technique, she used it against him, letting him taste his own technique. The liar bug struggled, moaning Iliva’s name into her mouth perhaps, he was under the illusion that he could come back at this point, that’s cute, Iliva thought and went for the finish.

The liar bug dropped to his knee and Iliva allowed him to fall just like that. She gasped for air, licking her lips, “It’s my win this time, liar bug,” she moaned into his ear. Her face flushed red, heated, she meant to whisper, not moaning like that. Her heart beat erratically. Her mind was somewhere between the white of unconsciousness and the sweet aftertaste of his tongue. And yet, she stood strong, pleasing to see the liar bug kneeling on the ground weakly like that.

“Yeah, you win,” the liar admitted as he gasped for air, his breathing rasped and his face was completely red.

It was only this moment, Iliva could clench her fist, savoring her first victory ever against this wretched liar bug. It was satisfying and uplifting.

She could not stop that giggle from spilling out of her lips nor could she end it. It went on, incessant, gut-wrenching and even infected the liar bug in the end. He joined Iliva with his own giggle, more of amusement than elation like Iliva, but she did not care. “You have never laughed this much before,” he said, giggling.

“This is my first victory,” Iliva could only manage to respond that much, gasping for air as she kept on giggling.

“Had I know this, I would have allowed to you win more often,” the liar bug replied.

Iliva immediately slapped him across his cheek, more playful than serious, still trying to catch her breath. She slumped to the grassy ground beneath her, lying next to the liar bug, “And I would kill you for that,” she giggled and the liar bug mirrored her, neither of them could stop themselves for their own giggling monster.

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“Make sure you don’t lose my pearl, otherwise I will tear you limb from limb.” Iliva said while putting more force on her intertwining fingers with those of the liar bug. She intended to make it more menacing but the smile on her lips refused to die down.

“I will protect it with my life,” he said with the usual toothy smile on his face.

“If you protect it with your life, who would return me my pearl?” Iliva used her free hand to pinch the liar bug’s cheek.

“That’s fair.” The liar bug grinned widely, his eyes squinted as if he enjoyed that pinch, “One more thing Iliva”

“Hm?”

“My name is…”

“I remembered,” Iliva cut him, “I did not miss it when you told me.”

The liar bug widened his eyes in surprise, looking into Iliva’s eyes. In the end his skewed lips curved, “I’ll be back. I don’t know how long it would take but I will definitely see you again.”

Iliva did not reply but she felt there was an invisible force pulling the tips of her lips upward. Then, Iliva wasn’t sure when it started or who started it, Iliva herself or the liar bug. Iliva closed her eyes as if it was a natural thing. Their lips met again, slow and caressing as their erratic heart melted as one. It was biting and hot, snappy yet slow and drawn out. It was different from all the previous kisses Iliva shared with the liar bug. It was no contest because neither of them tried to wrestle for dominance and control. It was an accepting and bittersweet of a kiss, stemming out of the vague understanding that they will be parted from each other when this kiss end.

Iliva felt the tingling pain within her chest yet it was not the same monster Iliva had thought that it was. It felt funny, hot and scalding like fire, yet fuzzy and comforting. I really am in love with this human, Iliva thought, wrapping her arms around the liar bug, pulling him closer to her chest. She can feel his heart beating just as erratic as her own through their contact. That’s enough for her. It’s the proof that the liar bug is hers for the moment, even if it’s just this moment, he is hers and hers alone.