11 Now, Do You Understand? 2

She turned her gaze back to Alvina. "You've got her blue eyes, her V-face, her full eye lashes and brows. So my dear you are beautiful."

She said those words while looking at her friend in the eyes as she gazed upon her beauty, seeing the resemblance.

Alvina who wore a short hand light blue gown that was fled from her waist down, reaching a little below her knees and with her hair packed and pinned in a donut shape, was the pure definition of beautiful in her simplicity.

"Layla" she let a tear slip her beautiful face and Layla gave her a pleasant smile.

"She is beautiful. Let's do this together Alvina. I would help you reach out to healers from other countries and get them to help her."

"Thank you very much."

"Nonsense, she is my goddaughter. It's the little I can do."

Eriel who has been forgotten since the entire conversation, drew his mother's attention as he tugged on her skirt.

"My my. Eriel dear, I am sorry" she carried her son up and showed him to the baby.

"Eriel, meet your new friend. You are to protect her by all means. You won't let anyone bull her okay."

"Hi, what's her name?"

It was then Layla realized she had not asked Alvina for her name.

"Jade is her name Eriel" Alvina quickly came to her friend's rescue.

"Jade, hi" the little boy waved his hand at the baby. "Mum, what's that on her face? It makes her look ugly."

Silence fell upon everyone at the mention of the word ugly.

Layla was the first to recover from the shock.

"Eriel, never are you to use that word on her. She's not ugly, she is very beautiful" his mother warned him.

"But mum she is" he protested.

"I said no more, that's it no more cookies for you" she said sternly at her son.

"Layla it is okay" Alvina tried to stop the argument but Layla could see the pained expression on her face.

"No Alvina, apologize now Eriel."

"No, I just said the truth" Layla was going to have a headache at this point.

"If you don't I'll ground you, that means no more toys or cartoon for a week" she said as she put him down.

"I won't. What is on her face is not fine" he said to his mum and ran away.

"Eriel" Layla called him but he didn't answer her and ran back inside.

"I am so sorry Alvina, I would warn him and tell his father" she turned to her friend to apologize.

"It's okay. I have to heal her by all means to prevent such from happening in the future. Now, do you understand Layla?"

"I do. I would do help. I am really sorry"

"It's okay, I want to rest now if you don't mind Layla".

"By all means. Ari, Rina please escort Lady Alvina upstairs. Ari take Jade from her" she started to instruct them but Alvina stopped her.

"No, I would carry my daughter myself. Rina, pack the cookies and cake for Lady Layla to take with her. Eriel would love them. Bye Layla."

With that she turned and left all three of them behind and headed straight into her huge house.

Layla looked at Rina and Ari feeling ashamed while Ari flashed her a small smile.

"Please excuse me ma, I would go see if Lady Alvina needs anything" Ari said to Layla now looking serious.

"Yes, please do and Ari, Rina, thank you so much for taking care of Jade."

"It's no problem Lady Layla, now please come with me let me pack up the snacks for the young master" Rina said as Ari took this opportunity to hurry away.

"Yes" and they too left the garden.

********

At the outskirts of the city stood a very big mansion.

In a big room, with little or no lights. There was a big table in the center of the room with chairs at the sides.

Men and women sat on either side of the table. At the edge of the table was a different chair, with a man on it. He seemed to be in his late forties, he sat there and listened to them argue.