Ruin and Revival

Chapter 49: Lilianna

AXEL

My breath catches in my throat as I see Arika strolling out, a shy smile on her face. She is wearing a flowy off the shoulder dress that shows off the delicate curve of her collarbone. It was a deep, royal blue that cinched at the waist, accentuating her figure. Arika's hair is tied in a small bun at the top of her head, showing off the dainty silver hoops that hang from her ears. I suddenly feel self-conscious, peering down at my baggy khaki shorts and collared shirt, which used to fit my form but now all I have is my bone to fill it out.

"How do I look?" I watch those words leave her mouth, painted with a muted pink, a coat of light gloss making those lips shimmer and dance in the twilight. She gives me an expectant look as I realize I had just been staring for a while now.

"You, you know we are just eating on the beach?" I clear my throat awkwardly. She rolls her eyes but grins nonetheless.

"A girl could use a compliment once in awhile," Arika shrugs as she slips off her heels and leaves her feet bare.

"Fine. Uh, you look...nice," I cringe internally at that pause, already feeling the heat rush to my face.

"Thanks, Axel. That was an improvement from your 'I've seen better'" My mind goes back to when I first met her and told her that after she tried on the swimsuit I gave her. At that time, I didn't feel anything for her, wasn't attracted to her in the least. She was simply a pawn in my chess game. But how things can change, drastically.

"Shall we?" I extend a hand and she takes it firmly, her hands soft and petite, and a little bit clammy. However, I knew the deadly fate those hands could weave, their lethal capabilities.

"We shall," We walk in comforting silence toward the serene sound of the waves crashing on the sand. The last bits of the gorgeous sunset were disappearing, revealing the moon and stars.

"You said you hated the ocean so of course, here we are," The blanket is already laid out for us, and sitting on it a basket overflowing with fruits, pastries, and sandwiches. Arika digs in, already stuffing her face with raspberry strudels.

"You need to eat," She grumbles between unnaturally large bites. I chuckle heartily, but make no move for the food.

"Watching you makes me lose my appetite,"

"I don't care. If you want to be able to even do one pushup again, you need to eat," I pop a grape in my mouth. She sighs, shaking her head in disapproval. I relent, sinking my teeth in a savory beef panini.

"Tell me more about Lilianna," I drop my sandwich and it finds its place on the sandy beach blanket.

"Excuse me," I stammer, not sure if I heard her right.

"At night, I hear you murmur her name in your sleep. And you sound so heartbroken. I want to know more about you and your past," Her voice is barely audible over the noise of the sea. The dark cloaks Arika's expression, only the silhouette of her face showing against the night sky.

"When I was 13, Teresa said I would be getting a personal servant. I expected another old lady to nag over everything I did. But instead, I was met with a girl my age. She wasn't an exotic beauty or anything out of the ordinary. But we had an immediate connection. She would tell me about herself as she cleaned my room, how she came from a poor family from the farmlands so she was sent to work at the palace to earn some money to send back home. Lilianna, she made me feel less alone in this palace. She treated me the way no one else would, like an ordinary human being. She loved me for who I was, not because I was to be the next Imperator. Then, then at 15, she got pregnant, with a baby girl," I pause, trying to maintain my composure.

"My parents would have never approved of my relationship with Lilianna. A king and his servant, that was never how it worked. But I didn't care. After we had found out about our child, we had made preparations to run away, somewhere remote where we could raise a family, lead a happy, untroubled life. I could finally be free of my responsibilities. But, Lilianna didn't survive the ordeal of childbirth," The haunting memories threaten to overwhelm me, her cold hands, her lifeless eyes. Arika remains eerily silent, has not uttered a single sentence throughout this whole, tragic tale.

"Disaster followed after that. My foster parents found me with a screaming baby and no mother. They called me an embarrassment, an absolute disgrace to this country. They forced me to give away the baby, my child, and I never saw her again," My voice breaks without my permission. Arika squeezes my hands and I finally meet her glassy eyes, reflecting the light of the moon.

"My mother passed before the year ended and my father's death followed shortly. I dove into my studies after that. All I cared about was being the best Imperator I could be," I lapse into quiet, unable to say anymore. But it felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest, something that had pressed down and suffocated me for many years.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea that," She doesn't finish her sentence, knowing sometimes the best form of comfort was just being present.

"That was very brave of you to share. To open up like that. So thank you. And I swear on my life that we will find your child again," Arika says with so much conviction, so much affection. Something in my shattered heart mended, pieced itself back together. I give into the temptation that I had struggled to keep in check for the past few weeks.

"Kiss me," I whisper, at last, unable to stop myself. Arika beams, her entire face lighting up.

"About time," I roll my eyes.

Her lips are a hidden oasis, a treasure I wish I had found sooner. And I keep exploring, kissing well into the night, the moon and stars our only intruders.