[ act iii - the healed heart ] CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE ( a betrayal)
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
ALTHEA STOOD AT THE TOP OF A CLIFF AS SHE LOOKED down upon her vast city. The wind was slightly harsher up here from the place she stood. Her hair billowing in it. She breathed in the sharp and crisp air, her hands held in front of her. A twig snapped behind her and she turned her head slightly at the sound, she could see the outline of a man but could not tell who he was. Her heart beat quickly in her chest as she turned back to face the city.
"Beautiful, is it not, Althea?" The man spoke, causing Althea to turn around to face Gunnar, her heart dropping to the pit of her stomach.
Her brows furrowed as her lips parted as she figured out what to say. "H-How?" was the only thing she uttered. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at the beautiful man in front of her.
"It does not matter how, my love." He said softly as he walked closer to her. He stopped once he stood in front of her. His blue eyes met hers as he looked down at her. "Just that you both come with me if you are ready."
"W-What do you mean?" Althea whispered, her tears falling down her cheeks. "How is it possible that you are here?" She asked as she tilted her head slightly, her bottom lip quivering as she breathed out. "I do not understand..."
Gunnar smiled softly as he finally placed a hand on her belly. His touch was warm yet not completely there. As if it was here and far away at the same time. Althea's hands shook slightly wanting to reach out and touch him, but she felt as though she could not move. As if she was trapped.
"It is time, only if you and our child are ready." He spoke softly and it was only now that Althea could see that he was not completely there. It was as if she could see through him. As if she reached out to touch him he would disappear.
Althea had this strange sense of urgency to leave, a searing pain that radiated from her lower body. She shook her head as more tears fell, the saltiness of them infecting her mouth as she looked up at the man she loved.
"I do not think I can as much as I want to..." She started, "My people need me. Our child needs me..." She sniffled. "W-Where you are.. I can not follow, my love."
Gunnar's hands moved to her face, he held her close as he placed his forehead against hers. Althea's eyes closed as she whimpered softly.
"Do not cry for me. There is no point for I am no longer here." Gunnar began, something about him holding her felt weird, almost as if it did not exist. "Althea, my love, you need to wake up if you want to live."
"What?" Althea opened her eyes to look at him, her eyes darting between his eyes.
"Wake up, my love." Gunnar kissed her forehead, "Before it is too late." Gunnar then pulled away from her as he backed away. The searing pain she had felt before only intensified. "You have to survive."
