Week 3 of living alone.
I ran out of chocolate.
At least the internet is good :3
So here's a new chapter and thank you so much for 25K! :D
This one was one of my favourites to write as its kind of the silence before the big storm. Not too many spoilers. Thank you to everyone voting and commenting, it means a lot :D
Enjoy!
The sun was already setting when Clay realised that he had been staring at the stone wall of his cell for several hours.
The tiny window above him let barely any of the vanishing sun light in and the whole cell got even darker.
He thought about everything and nothing, about his parents and his sister, about the little spider on the cold floor, about his friends at the Rebellion, about the puddle in the corner, about his dead siblings, about the spider web near the ceiling, about Darryl and his wellbeing, about the goosebumps on his arm, about their execution which was coming closer and closer, about the long scratch on his right hand, about the royal family and Fulga who suddenly decided to be merciful, about the dried blood on the walls which origin he did not know and about George who let all of this happen.
The high security cells they were locked in were not only making it impossible to break out but also created the loudest silence Clay had ever experienced.
The cells were empty, except for a thin blanket and a bucket in the corner which smelled terribly and had a few puddles next to it.
Besides the tiny window under the ceiling the only opening was a small hole in the door where the soldiers could throw the leftovers of their food into the prisoner's cells.
When Clay and Darryl stood close to it, they could talk to each other.
Darryl was still struggling to stand for a longer time and was usually sunken against the door, making muffled noises of despair.
Clay wondered if Darryl was scared of dying but at the same time he denied the whole situation for himself.
He constantly told himself that someone would come and save them, that there was a way to escape.
Everytime he heard even the tiniest noise from far away, he jumped to his feet, holding his breath and expected the door to burst open any moment with a group of rebels standing in the door frame.
But nobody came.
Clay wondered if the Rebellion even tried to come back for them.
They managed to rescue Karl, who had an important position as a rebel- but Darryl and him were surely not priority number one.
What if the Rebellion came just before the execution? Would they be quick enough to save the two of them from being killed?
Darryl had told him how the news about the fake far front were spreading through the whole Vilis population. A lot of Vilis apparently escaped before the army could take them, joining the Rebellion or simply hiding with their help.
Could all the Vilis stand up and prevent their execution?
If just enough people would fight for the Rebellion…
Could there ever be a happy end for the Vilis? Even after his execution?
Would his death change anything about how some people thought?
Clay was sure that some Pretiosi would be upset about his death too. If they saw him about to be executed and if they saw his purple eyes, would they stand up and say something?
Would they stand up against the Empire for a supposed Vilis with purple eyes?
Whenever a thought related to George crept into his mind, he angrily pushed it away.
Thinking about the Prince felt like giving him the win- and Clay would not accept that.
The more he blocked off the thoughts and the related feelings, the further away all of his emotions drifted.
Before he even realised, a giant numbness was laying over him, making it impossible for anything but detachment to be felt.
He was not even surprised when the cell door opened and a shadow stepped inside.
He could barely see the other person but he knew that he was slightly shorter than him and had dark hair and red eyes.
Clay and George just looked at each other for some time, barely able to see the other in the dark.
What could the Prince want from him?
He would not have changed his mind about the execution.
Clay tried to stay silent, to pretend that he did not care.
But he did.
Besides everything Clay did, there was something between them, like an invisible bond, hidden under the broken fragments of their trust.
As if their stories were damned to end together.
How could all of this just fall apart?
"What you did yesterday was actually quite impressive. You have an incredible power and it's a shame we have to kill you."
George said quietly.
Clay did not react for a moment.
"It was your decision."
He was proud of the coldness in his voice even though he was trembling a bit.
"My opinion doesn't count as much. It is mostly my parents who decide about something like this. And rules are rules."
There was something in George's voice that made Clay want to let the emotions back- but he kept blocking it off.
He nodded, not sure if George could see it.
"Then why are you here? To say goodbye to an old friend?" Clay asked sarcastically.
"You know…" George started and stepped a little closer, causing Clay to freeze and stare at the red eyes that were slightly glowing through the dark. He seemed to be thinking but then he relaxed and the words just stumbled out of him.
"The moment I met you I knew that you had something that nobody else had. Of course I didn't know that you had a Pretiosi power without actually being a Pretiosi- and I just didn't care. I enjoyed spending time with you and I know that you liked hanging out with me too." George quickly paused to take another deep breath but did not let enough time for Clay to say anything.
"When I found out that you had been working for the Rebellion to spy on me, I felt extremely stupid for trusting you and wanted to get rid of my whole attachment towards you.
But now you are getting your punishment… and-… and I forgive you. I forgive you for all the time you betrayed me. I'm not doing this for you, I'm forgiving you for my own wellbeing and because I would regret it in a few years for not doing so.
I know that you didn't do all this stuff out of pure hate towards me- I can see when somebody likes me. And I know that you didn't tell the Rebellion everything about me that you could have."
Clay stared at the Prince. This was not what he expexted. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
George went on.
"All this time I didn't want to believe that you could betray me because-… well-… I loved you. I was always afraid to say it as I knew a life with you would be impossible in my life as a Prince. And besides all the things you have done I know you loved me too. I believe you when you say you were torn between the Rebellion and me. They brought your best friend back while my Empire is the reason he was in danger in the first place- and the reason your brother and sister died. But that's how it works and the Black Rebellion is still a terroristic organisation."
George took a deep breath, apparently relieved from letting these words out.
He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, all the judging glimmer was gone.
"No matter what you did, I love you, Clay. And I want you to know that before-… well, before you have to leave."
Clay stared at the Prince, shocked by these words. He was overwhelmed by every single sentence, unable to deny any of them.
And then he realised that this was exactly how he had felt all this time- what made him doubt every decision and caused his whole body to be filled with butterfliey.
There was no point in denying it.
His voice was silent and he was not even sure if he really talked or just thought.
"After everything I did? You still-…"
"Are you gonna say it back?" George interrupted him, looking at the taller one with slight hope in his eyes.
Clay froze, his mind going blank.
"Clay, if you don't say it now, you will never get another chance to. They will execute you and you will die without accepting the truth."
George's voice was desperate, it sounded like he was on the verge of tears.
Clay breathed in deeply. George was right, this was his last chance. No matter how overwhelmed he was, not accepting it now would mean he would never again get a chance to.
"George, I-…"
He could not say it.
The words did not want to go over his lips.
George stepped over to Clay, putting his arms around the taller one and burying his face in the warm chest of the Vilis.
"Say it, please." George whispered, rubbing his head against Clay's shoulder. "I need to hear it. And I know you need to say it. It will make everything so much easier."
Clay sighed and squeezed George softly, laying his head on the shorter one's dark fluffy hair.
"I never wanted it to end like this. I'm sorry for everything I have done and no matter how much I wish I could turn back time and make other decisions, I can't."
George stayed silent, allowing Clay to collect his thoughts and turn them into sentences.
"If all of this didn't happen… if I didn't do all these dumb things… was there a chance for us?"
George smiled slightly. "If things were different… I would have done everything to make it work. I promise. But I can't stand up against the law."
Clay shook his head. "Fulga does. She's trying to save me."
George stepped back, looking at Clay dead serious.
"Yes, because she wants to use you to her own advantage. If you don't do what she says she'd kill you immediately. Don't think she even cares the slightest about you."
Clay closed his eyes and a single tear rolled down his cheek.
Every hope was gone now.
In one day he would be dead.
His voice was shaking but the words were clear.
"I love you too, George."
The moment the words left his mouth, a giant burden fell from his heart.
From the tiny window a stripe of moonlight painted the ending of Clay's last day in a milky white.
Now he could die in peace.
(1842 words)
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ext chapter in an hour or two