The Kingdom of the Rose: Rise of the Heir [Romance/Fantasy/Adventure]

Chapter 44 - Sacrifices for Peace

Conrad

            “Dan! Get away from him, you bastard!” she screamed, running as fast as possible. I was about to catch her, before another opponent chose to strike. Damn, she’s not herself anymore. The ground rolled with the sound of thunder, and I knew that at that exact moment, all of her emotions are whirling into large cyclone inside. It twisted within me, and I groaned at the slow drain her Energia was taking out of me.

            With all my might, I parried and sent the centaur back. With a heave he grunted and smacked his hooves, but soon he ran at the heavy rain. The sudden drastic change in weather was slowly forcing the faeries to retreat. So they must know, the magic of the Princess. At the uneasy feeling at the gut of my stomach, I quickened my pace. 

I glanced over and watches as Rosa pushed Lenn’s hovering figure beside him with a blast of strong air before crouching beside Dan’s limp body. She shook his body gently, watching his green eyes for any sign of life. “Dan, wake up. I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have covered for me, you shouldn’t –“

“Shh, Rosa. He’s back now. You two can be happy, and I can watch over you like the good brother I can be. It’s not your fault, or his. I killed myself, and I am perfectly happy with how – “ a soft gurgling noise came out from his bloody red lips, and he was still. Still as stone, his eyes glazed open. 

 “How can you be perfectly happy, you idiot... How can I be perfectly happy without you!!”  she shouted, shaking him violently. With a sob she hugged him, the huge hole in his abdomen soiling her clothes in an eerie maroon. Maroon.

Her eyes caught mine, beautiful green orbs filled with so much pain, so much dread. But what caught my attention was the way the light green pools changed to a burning gold, her eyes studying the sight around her with melancholy grief. Then her face turned emotionless, cold – the darkness clouding her judgment. She was putting everything away from herself, shielding herself from emotional pain the only way she knew how. The same girl I had seen months ago. She’s totally lost it. 

But even though most of the faeries started trampling back, I knew that danger was still lurking in the corner. If Rosa had united with her – our – Energia, there was only going to be disaster from this point onwards. “Retreat, send the word! Back to camp! I don’t care what you think, run back, now!” I shouted over the raging wind, watching as everyone took a moment to understand that it was an order. Faster, I thought sourly. Even Rosa would not be able to recognize friend or foe, and I was in no state to rescue anyone caught in her deadly turbulent storm.

One figure remained perfectly still amidst the cyclone, and that was the Prince. Lenn stayed still, watching the ground with so much emotion that I had thought it would open up and eat him alive. It was strange, the fact that he was their enemy and their friend at the same time. A part of me pitied him; killing his best friend must have been way unaccounted for. But there was no pity in war.

“Rosa, listen to me, victory is ours. So let’s retreat and take some rest, all right?” I placed my hands on her shoulder, nudging her ruthless eyes. Her face was aflame, perhaps with my own temper. This soul pact thing was seriously going to be the end of us both if she did not learn to control it properly. Without a word, she stood up, letting Dan’s body collapse to the ground.

Sure enough, the ground around Lenn turned into flames. I gasped at the sight, beautiful dancing lights getting ready to pounce on its prey. But he was unharmed, the shimmering air of light around him protecting him against her magic. But my eyes knew better; some of his clothes were slowly getting singed, his eyes lost without the will to fight. In fact, his hair slowly turned to its regular black luster. So he was controlled?

As much as I wanted him to get hurt for killing Dan, I knew that letting Rosa do the deed would destroy her, completely. The flames just confirmed my assumptions that she was one with our Energia. I have to stop her. Now. 

“Rosa, I know you are hurt deep down there, but you have to stop this at once,” I mustered my stern voice, hoping that it would get down to her rage. “Come on, snap out of it,” I pleaded. “You’re not going to bring anyone back from the dead, and Dan is dead. He’s gone,” I whispered, bringing my face close to hers so that she would look at me. At the mention of Dan’s name, her eyes flickered towards mine, suddenly filled with so much guilt and sorrow that stunned me. Don’t let her emotions get to you. “Please.” 

 A blast of cold air pushed me aside, and she treaded slowly towards Lenn. The thunder raged on, the ground cracking here and there at the mercy of our Energia’s whims in Avalon. With a scowl I pushed myself up, quickly running towards her. She needed to wake up, before she scared the living daylights out of her people. If she could even strike me…

But the scene before me brought my feet to an abrupt stop. 

“Why,” Rosa breathed, her hands strangling the air out of his lungs. He looked at her with bland disinterest, his body shivering lightly at the cold. She pushed him down with a kick, her hands closing around his neck. Don’t Rosa, you’re going to regret – “Ro-“

“Kill me,” he choked, his breathing haggard. All around the plains were empty, most of the faeries gone just as much as the humans had retreated. There were only three living beings left, surrounded with the thick rain, thunder, wind and all things supernatural. It was desolate, empty. Just like her. 

“He did not deserve it. He did not. I should have died. I should have,” she started sobbing, the tears flooding down her blue face. She was cold. I wanted to run to her, to stop her, to protect her, but at that moment, I couldn’t find it in me to destroy their private moment. It was as if that tiny bubble of natural disasters shielded her feelings from the world, a strong barrier I cannot break through. But perhaps he could.

“Why? Why am I alive? Why, when everyone else around me dies anyway?” she sobbed, releasing her fingers. “Why?” the green of her eyes slowly returned, the weather quieting down to a simple rain. My legs buckled as I realized the sudden drastic drop in my energy powers, and I groaned mentally at my exhaustion. So this is how it feels to be chained together for life, Mother, I thought absent-mindedly.

“…I’m sorry,” he shook his head. “When I awoke those magical vows took control of me, and subconsciously I reached out to kill and break myself free. I disobeyed her when I refused to recapture you. I’m sorry, for even trying to kill you, and I’m sorry that Dan…” his words trailed off to a quiet whisper. His long fingers reached to caress her cheek, wiping the tears that fell down from her heart.

“It’s not fair. I should have died instead, Lenn,” she murmured, her voice cracking. “Shh,” his long fingers pushed the wet strands of her hair aside, his body slowly sitting up and pulling her into his embrace. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. All mine. I’m sorry.”

“Why,” she started again, but his body muffled her sobs, the only audible sounds her crying.

I pulled away my gaze. 

At the scene, my blood boiled in anger at his words. “I’m sorry?” How could he say such thing, after kidnapping her? After killing his best friend? After abandoning her? He deserved to disappear, to -- 

But just as quick as my temper rose, the sudden calmness in her – in my heart made me realize something: that the man she needed the most right now was not me, but him. He was someone who knew her both in and out, someone who could calm the storm within her.

            With a deep sigh, I willed myself to stand and quietly made my way back to Dan’s body, cradling it gently and slowly walking towards camp. She would be safe with him, just as Dan had wanted.

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