The Kingdoms of Blue and Green.

Part 66

Azrael rubbed his jaw with a gloved hand and glanced back to the dagger inches from his head. He pursed his lips together and blew a strand of his hair back from his eyes, his eyes slowly itching their way back to her.

Azrael stared into her eyes, hidden by those strands of hair. His heart beat in his throat as assessed her. He rolled his tongue and clenched his jaw. His throat ached as tears began to well in the base of his eyes.

He swore viscously as he charged forward. "Did we mean anything to you? Did I mean anything to you?"

He slashed his sword and swiped it across himself. Evelynn pulled back. The swords vibrations violently clattered in their aching arms. They both looked up to each other. Evelynn clenched her aching fists and inhaled, her chest shuddering. Like glass growing in her lungs. "You once did"

Azrael lifted his sword to his face, swung around and pinned Evelynn with his left arm wrapped around her throat. Her sword stuck between her hip and his. He felt her warm breath on his arms and shaking hands as he held them behind her.

"Go on," She hissed, whipping her head to face him. Only turning halfway as he tightened the grip on the semi-headlock. "Slit my throat." She let a grim smile slip between her lips, as she gazed at him. "Let me bleed out on this white marble. Let my blood splatter your armour." She inhaled, her face growing a red tinge. " But when I'm gone, there will be no one left who ever cared about you the way I did!"

Azrael released her and grabbed her cape, pulling her closer to him. The thunderous sound of her blue cape ripping reverberated throughout the ballroom. Evelynn whipped around to uppercut him. He grabbed her waist and arm, then forced her around to face him.

"Look me in the eyes." He searched for her. Her eyes refused to meet his until he inhaled to speak again. "Tell me you never loved me." Evelynn's eyes glowed in response, her eyes wide and bright. Glazed over. "Tell me I meant nothing to you. Tell me that this was all a lie," Azrael hissed. His nose gently grazed her cheek as he reared closer. Their blades hissed as they clattered together at their sides.

Evelynn trembled as he held her arms tightly. She kept her mouth shut, her eyes burning as she stared at him. He threw her back, Evelynn stumbling back on the tiles.

"I don't understand why you didn't let me bleed out on the beach," Evelynn reprimanded peeling her knees off the marble. "He didn't mean to hurt me. He was following your orders."

"He didn't hurt you he almost killed you! Your heart nearly stopped. My orders-" He paused, a crack in his throat. "My orders were no longer orders when I took your helmet off Evelynn," Azrael halted switching the blade between hands. "I don't give a fuck about orders when I saw you. Those weren't righteous intentions. Killing you is my job." He swallowed his chest heaving up and down. His armour creaked silently as he moved.

"Shit" Evelynn mumbled steadying herself on the tiles.

Azrael laughed bitterly, "You didn't just betray my trust, kill my father and court. You destroyed my heart,"

"No!" She screamed at him, tears running down her face. Azrael's eyes grew wide. Her tears ran down her cheekbones and jaw. Then dripped onto her silver armour. Evelynn's heart ached from inside her ribcage.

His heart shattered at his very words. His heart clattered like two wine glasses clinching together. But instead of celebrating they broke into millions of pieces, sprawling onto the white floor.

"Why?" Was the only word he could manage to speak. He didn't dare to lower his sword to his side. But he couldn't let her words let his guard down. She stalked forward and angled her blade higher to his throat.

"Cause I love you" She sobbed. "I couldn't because every day spent with you made the deed more unbearable. Ripping me apart from the inside. You vex me and I want to drive my sword into your gut, but I can't." Evelynn paused lowering her sword from his throat a fraction. "And I hate myself every day because of it."

"Please" Azrael whispered the angry command, the aftertaste bitter. He shook his head. Evelynn tipped her head to the star-filled ceiling. Tears fell her gently freckled face.

The gold and green jeweled crown slid across the marble, Evelynn's attention returning as Azrael threw his crown off. "I'm not afraid of you,"

Evelynn's throat bobbled, her throat dry; an urge to cry made its way up her throat. "I know," she mumbled, but Azrael comprehended her words as he made a slight nod with his head.

"Every time I look at you Azrael, all I see is the face of the person who once told me that they loved me, that I was the only bright spark in their dark world," Evelynn spoke, tears falling onto the marble. "But you will never find someone who loves a soul as filthy as yours," Evelynn cried shaking her head viciously.

The thunder clashed across the clouds. The loud raindrops hit the glass. The purple and white lighting bolts light up the sky.

Her Kingdom. Her Queenship. Shattered, broken, discarded.

"No. You do." His throat bobbled as she lifted the blade under his chin. "Please Evelynn." Azrael pled, holding still. His heart shattered as her words bled into his heart. His throat burned and his lips trembled.

He did this. He betrayed you. He picked his side. He's giving up.

"Do it" Azrael's eyes turned hopeless. His chest fell heavily as he turned his head to the side, exposing his neck. Evelynn bit back her tears as she gripped the blade harder in her calloused hands. The pain swelling in her throat. Azrael gave Evelynn a sad smile.

That sad smile that you knew was fake, hidden behind it was a hopeless soul, a fragmented dream, an unloved, uncarved pair of lips. Azrael plastered on that smile like it was his only crown, his only trophy and he'd wear it until his head was severed off his body.

"This is what you deserve," Evelynn screamed at Azrael. Pressing her blade into his neck, watching a thin line of red appear. Memories flashed in her head.

She tightened her grip on the blade, shutting her eyes.

"Please" Azrael begged her. The thought of his final breath forced him to exasperate the words from her.

Azrael stood there with his hands by his sides, still looking at her like she was not the monster she had become in her own eyes. She was a monster. She was forced to kill him. Yet she couldn't bare herself too.

"You kill me Evelynn, you win" His calm and soft voice had a stern and sharp undertone.

"I can't" She yelled back at him, keeping her eyes shut. Evelynn bit through memories and tears as she inhaled deeply. She had lost everything. Everything except him and their broken Kingdoms. She couldn't lose him too.

"I never wanted to fall for you Azrael Eramaden" Evelynn lowered her blade.