PoisonFairy

Sorry for a late upload. Booohooo. I really thought writing rebirth stories would be easy (if it's like those generic ones). I got so ambitious, but honestly, this novel pretty much came from my "what ifs". It's a big challenge and ambitious of me to write this story I tell you. Anyways, I am a busybee with life and work and procrastinations. Leave a comment  and it is very much welcomed and appreciated!

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In the corridor veiled in darkness, a song drifted into the stillness of the night. It resonated throughout the place - a song of lore. It was a song of how the founding king of the kingdom met and wedded his beloved and ladies of marriageable age sang this song as they dreamed of a love story of their own. Yet at this moment, the one who was singing the song laced it in a heart-wrenching tune, as if accusing and resenting a lover.

To the circle, we will meet

I shall find you...

A sob broke the song like a spell unbound. On top of a pile of straws, a trembling figure was embracing herself. Between tears and sob, she tried to sing again, but she found no more strength to go on. What replaced the song was her weeping.

"You lied to me..." she uttered through cracked, purple lips. Her voice was so small and weak it was like a whisper to the wind. It was hard to tell what expression she had on her face for her long hair, which had long lost its vibrancy and now in disarray, veiled her face.

In the corner, a man stood looking down on the crestfallen woman. His face was devoid of any emotions as he stared at her. It was unknown what the man was thinking, neither did he allow any emotion to leak through his eyes. Despite her present state, he appeared to be unmoved.

She lifted her head, and when her hair parted, he caught a glimpse of her face as pale as a ghost;  her eyes glowered at him. When their gazes met, gray eyes against her cerulean blue,  it was apparent that the affection of yesteryears was gone and passion had long been extinguished and cold. It was replaced with deep hatred, the kind that gnawed to the bone and chilled the heart.

"I have not," said he. He held her gaze. "But you... " he sighed. "What have you become?" He looked at her in disappointment and disbelief.

She shook, but not due to cold, but hatred and the words that came out of her mouth were poisonous.

"I am Lady Eventide Altair Nobilis, the jewel of the Nobilis family. How dare a lowly one like you to look down on me and treat me in this manner?"

Yes. She had fallen so low for a lowly man like him. She had given him everything, even her heart, and soul and he crushed everything to pieces.

"Just who do you think you are, Henri Von Iadovec, to treat me like this? You are nothing but a son of a lowly mistress. You may be of royal blood, but what of your kingdom? Just a barren land at the mercy of my Western Kingdom! You and this land would have perished had it not been for me!" she yelled, disregarding years of etiquette and decorum.

"I should have left this place to ruins and crumble to dust!"

What of flowery words? What of speaking softly and gently? What good did any of those brought her? Did any of those capture his heart? She was taught to be the mistress of the household and she thought by mastering all the womanly lessons and arts, her husband would love and cherish her. Oh, how wrong she was!

At this moment, all she wanted was to pierce his heart so deep and shred his dignity to pieces the way the world shred hers until nothing was left but an empty shell.

She gasped for breath. In her current state like a sack of bones, she could barely raise her hand, and her screams had exhausted whatever was left of her strength.

"You are nothing... Nothing at all... If it weren't for me... You... This place..." she murmured between her breath.

Silence enveloped the room and only her gasps and sobs were afloat. Tears trailed from her eyes as she studied the man before her. He was truly... Time was kind to him for, after eleven years, he was still as handsome as that day she first laid her eyes on him. What had changed was that look on his eyes... No. She shook her head. That had remained unchanged.

At her realization, a pain slowly crept through her heart followed by a bitter smile on her face. Why had she not realized it soon enough? It was as clear as day that he had not, not even once, looked at her the way a lover would look at his beloved. He was gentle and kind. He would pamper her with gifts and compliments, but they lacked warmth and passion. Back then, young and naive she was, she knew, but her heart refused to acknowledge it. She convinced herself that his gentleness was a sign of his affection. Even in nights they shared, he was brief. He would leave her chambers once it was done; he never spent an entire night with her. She had lost counts of times she shed tears every morning she woke up and found the space next to her long cold.

Those days...

Those years...

She gave another smile - a bitter one. It didn't matter now for this was the end.

As if finally awoken from his own thoughts, Henri sighed. Knowing she was beyond reasoning at this moment, he took a deep breath and shook his head as if in surrender.

"You..." His shoulders dropped. He had to admit he didn't know what to say. He shook his head once again in helplessness. He knew. It was over.

Without sparing her a single glance, he headed towards a door made of metal. He knocked twice and someone on the other side opened it for him. A guard holding a long spear held it open for him.

"Your Highness," the guard respectfully said as he bowed.

Henri signaled him to be at ease.

When his foot was halfway through the door,  he halted. With his back facing hers,  he stood still for a moment and said under his breath, "May you find peace. Farewell." and with heavy, yet, decisive footsteps, he left.

Unknown to him, she followed him with her gaze until he disappeared into the darkness.

With a faltering voice like that of fading light, she whispered, "Not even once... "

Not even once did her name escape his lips.

And as he disappeared out of her sight, the guard  shut the door close, never to be opened again.