"I love General Helios" The female had walked towards the very corner of the ballroom and clutched the commander's arm before declaring in an enriching voice filled with emotion. Not only Marianna rejected Duke Valentine without any explanations but had instead proposed another man infront of the entire empire. Just like that the ball had ended with many whispers in the background.
A loud crashing echoed in a silent chamber at the very corner of the duchy and multiple goblets filled with medicinal liquid shattered on the ground.
He was so tired of this.
"How long are you going to give in to their impudence?" Steps that were quiet eager to enter suddenly stopped outside the doors listening to the frustrated voices talking inside the room.
"You are in no position to raise a question about them, remember your place." It quieted down the murmurs and a long silence extended after the raged admonition.
"How long will A-no her name is now Layla, so how long will Layla live?"
"Not long now, just few days more."
"What about her child?" It made chills run down Marianna's spine who stood listening outside as if cold water was poured over her head.
"They also shall die-"
Chamber doors were pushed open furiously and apparitions resembling smoke figures that were talking disappeared after watching the wrathful azure irises.
"Marianna-"
"Who are you?!" A long sword was unsheathed and pushed dangerously against Helios's neck making droplets of blood dribble down.
"Let me explain-"
"No you monstrous devil! You cannot be Helios who conspires to kill my sister, who are you? What have you done to him?" There were tears gathered in her delicate eyes yet the anger and betrayal she felt far exceeded her pain and anguish.
"It cannot harm me." The sword pushed deeper and cut through his skin yet the cold smile on those lips made the female tremble.
"Its me Helios, it has always been me, it was your fault in loving me while unable to see my real face."
"How can you ruin the life of the person who treated you like his own brother, when Icarus knows....d-did you wish for the throne of Ardos?" Marianna's lips were trembling with the scarily disgusting words escaping her mouth yet she wanted to know what kind of beast did she fall prey to.
"Treated me like brother?" Bronze irises glittering in fire blazed splendidly at that moment as Helios held the tip of the sword with two fingers before breaking the weapon into half.
"I will give it to you." Helios looked at the woman infront of him and his chest constricted as if weighted by overwhelming pressure.
"The throne, even Everdale Ducal house, I will do what you tell me to, if you heal my sister...I will give you anything that you desire..."
It was that instance.
That one passing glance
Deep love intermingling with a hatred that ran even deeper
Marianna did not see it but Helios did.
She would sacrifice whatever he would ask and at the same time hate him.
A palm covered azure eyes that were glaring at him with a veil of unshed tears, he did not wish to see her looking at him like that.
"It is not me who betrayed them, its them who abandoned me, there is nothing in this world that you can give me for everything was given to you by me."