Note: Warning! This chapter is intense. If you are reading the story altogether, please stop for a while, take a breath and continue later. If you are waiting for updates, take a deep breath and savior it! This is a quick update, because it's Holy Week here and I will be really busy. So expect the next update at the end of the next week.
Thanks for the love and the comments people! What would I do when this story will finish? Should I start a new one? What do you think?
This is dedicated to @TheWIzardGuy because he always supports me and he is by my side with his fresh ideas. Thank you so much! I believe you are very talented.
29. The God of Blood
“I should go quietly now,
For my bones have found a place to lie down and sleep.”
A signature. An action so simple and yet, so absolute and finite. There was no returning back. After the ceremony of dereliction, she would go back to her old life, away from the strict protocol and all the obligations. So many efforts to make this kingdom a better place for the citizens, so many sacrifices, both personal and political, so much pain. And suddenly, her future depended solemnly on a signature of the King.
Where would she go? What would she do? America offered the solution. An important law firm eagerly accepted her and she would work there two weeks after her settlement in the foreign continent. The home she was sharing with Jade all those years was still available. Not that all these were necessary. She was a golden heiress; her father owned the whole Redmonian north and his companies worth some billions. Her life could be a constant vacation, like the lives of the people of her same age and class. But she detested that life. She would return back to the U.S.A. and learn to stand on her own feet again, to heal her wounds.
A sudden flash from a camera forced her to close her eyes instinctively. The whole ceremony was covered by reporters from the kingdom and abroad. The concise procedure would take place in a luxurious room of the Parliament, were the Prime Minister, the leaders of all the political parties and a hundred more prominent politicians had already taken their places. For the majority, it was just one more boring event and for the rest of the world, one more opportunity to come closer to this unfamiliar institution called monarchy. For another proportion, it was a happy day, because for them she was a burden and an obstacle for their ambitions. Substantially, the only lives were about to change was his and Alexander’s.
Roselyn left a sigh escape her lips and clenched her legs together, as one of the Parliament Clerks declared the start of the ceremony. Alexander… Her decision had hurt him. The very same morning, she tried to talk to him, but he discouraged her and now he was sitting on the throne all gloomy and contemplative. The word’s of her parents, of Ellinor, of Jade, all pleading them to stay, didn’t touch her soul, as the things Alexander had said last night in the library. They had touched her most sensitive chords that for a moment, she thought to jump into his arms and never leave his side.
“Is this your last word, Your Majesty?” the Master of the Protocol asked after a while, signaling that the time had come. “Are you proceeding to the abdication of duty out of free will?”
“Yes,” she declared and her heart started beating faster and faster, as the King lifted from his seat and walked towards the wooden rostrum to sign the document. His lips were sealed, pressed to a thin line, as a parliamentary clerk gave him a pen. He looked disappointed, hurt and absolutely breathtaking in his dark grey suit and matching Kashmir tie. That man was her everything, her whole world. Her words and actions all this time were hurting him, while all he needed was to have her back. She was seeing clearly now.
The King was holding the pen on his hands and simultaneously, her fate. He leaned in front of the document, while everyone was now holding their breaths, waiting for him to decide. Momentarily, lifted his eyes and stare at her intently. Roselyn smiled at him encouragingly and he concentrated on the paper again. He was signing! His long fingers were carving the paper with ink. Instantly, she lifted her eyes proudly to take a deep breath as a Queen. It was over.
And then she saw the sniper. At the balcony of the room, hidden behind a red velvet curtain, there was a hooded man, holding a sniper rifle, aiming at Alexander. For a moment, she reassured herself. The security measures were very strict. No one could enter this room without control. It must have been one of the security men. Yes. Agents from the secret services were always scattered everywhere for the safety of the monarchs. She knew that well. He must be one of them.
But this man was holding a riffle! The Redmonian agents were armed with carbines! This gun… this kind of gun was used two times before, according to the police reports. One, when Alexander’s car had been attacked by the league of the north and once more, when a terrorist had entered the palace and killed and innocent maid. The league of the south. The drug cartel was planning to assassinate the King inside the Parliament! She suppressed a squall with great difficulty, as adrenaline was rushing inside her veins. She had to do something to save him.
Her eyes searched Mr. Hudson, the Prime Minister, someone… with a signal she could warn them. Alexander’s life was in jeopardy. They would murder him; they would shoot him in cold blood. No one was staring at her, as everyone’s eyes were fixed on the King who was still signing, conceding to her abdication. The sniper’s body was closer to the gun now. His hand was touching the trigger. One movement and the King would be dead. He was helpless. They would kill him. They would take him away from her, as soon as he signed. She had to make a decision right now. It was his life or hers.
The gunshot tore the awkward silence into tiny million pieces. All Alexander realized was that the moment his hand left the pen on the podium, Roselyn’s body appeared out of nowhere and immediately he was pinned on the ground by his bodyguards. What was happening?
Chaos. Voices, screaming and shouting filled the air. More gunshots, more terror, more fear. Footsteps. People were running to escape from the hell. Where was Rose? His head was below the muscular chests of his bodyguards, special trained agents, ready to protect him with their lives. They had him pinned on the cold ground. That was the protocol.
“The shooter is in the vicinity. Don’t release. The shooter is in the vicinity.”
The voice coming from the radio inside the pocket of one of the agents was giving clear orders. Screams and hollers again. He was immobilized. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t breathe. Two more gunshots. Where was she?
“The shooter is in the vicinity. Don’t move. I repeat don’t move. Reinforcements are here. How is the King?”
“Safe. Over.”
As the agent moved his arm to answer to the radio, he finally was able to see again. The view he had was limited. But what could see was enough to start pushing his security men violently. Roselyn was lying behind the other side of the rostrum. He could see her nude high heel and a small part of her left ankle and calf. The rostrum prevented him from seeing her face or body.
“Rose?” he shouted at the top of his voice her name, but the part of the body he was obvious to him remained immobilized.
“Rose,” he screamed again and his insides clenched in agony. He used all his strength to shove the men on the top of him, but it was impossible.
“Don’t move, my Lord,” one of the bodyguards ordered, but he was unable to hear a word. His attention was summoned on the motionless leg a few meters away. Who was doing this? Why? It was madness. And as he was yelling her name again and again, waiting vainly a response, it dawned on him. The bullet was for him. They wanted to murder him and she ran from her seat to protect him. She had placed her body as shield between the bullet and him.
“No! It can't be! No!” he kept shouting in desperation, as the reality was unbearable. “For God’s sake answer me! Please, I beg you!”
The gunshots didn’t stop and she was there all alone and vulnerable to any attack. The people were screaming and shouting, covering his cries and the bodyguards cared only about the security of the King and nobody else’s. That was the protocol.
“You morons protect her,” he ordered incoherently. “Let me go to her. Protect her! She’s your Queen. I didn’t sign! I didn’t. She is still your Queen! God!”
He was fighting desperately, but he couldn’t move. There were more than seven bodyguards on the top of him, keeping him still. He didn’t care if the gunman was still out there. All he wanted was to see her, to save her. She was exposed to the danger. One more gunshot. The final one.
“Target down. I repeat, target down,” the voice from the radio repeated several times after some long terrifying minutes.
“All clear?”
“Clear. The target is out of the room.”
No more words were needed. He pushed his men and although numb, he used all his powers to stand up, holding the podium for extra support. Immediately, he moved to the other side, but the view immobilized him.
There was blood all over her. Roselyn was shot on the belly. She was lying on the ground, with her eyes shut, while there was a large dark red stain on her white shirt and beige skirt. There was blood on the marble floor. She was as pale as ghost, neither moving or responding. Was the bullet fatal? All his strengths were abandoning him. He wanted to shout, but no voice came from his lungs. He kneeled abruptly on the floor next to her, panting, his eyes never leaving the red stain on her shirt.
“Red alarm! Queen down,” one of his bodyguards murmured to the radio. “I repeat Queen down!”
She was so pale. His girl was so pale and so weak. Instinctively and completely ignoring the chaos that was going on around him, he approached her torso and started caressing her cheeks, forehead and hair affectionately, with eyes full of tears.
“Where do you leave me? How will I live without you?” he asked and the voice came like a complaint from the deep of his soul. His face came closer to hers and soon he realized that she was still breathing. Heavily and slowly, but breathing. His eyes flashed with hope.
“Rose, open your eyes, honey. I’m here. Come on.”
He started patting her cheeks gently in an attempt to revive her. Instantly, he lifted his head to realize that his bodyguards were still around him, standing idly and staring at the hurt Queen.
“Do something,” he barked and his eyes narrowed dangerously at them. “Go, bring help! Bring an ambulance, find a doctor. There must be one here.”
He had to act. Roselyn would soon be drained from blood. He was in the army; he had training to face extreme situations. Those things had to be somewhere in the back of his mind.
“Stay with me, babe. Keep breathing. Stay with me.”
Firstly, he leaned forward and lifted her chin, to make sure there was no problem with the airway. Then, he lowered the waistband of her skirt and lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing her stomach, which was covered by her own blood. The Queen’s body had received one bullet, probably the first, a few centimeters above her left hipbone. Probably, the bullet was still inside her. He took a deep breath and started applying pressure to the wound, hoping help would arrive soon. She had lost too much blood already. She was cold as stone and her limbs were becoming bluish.
“My Lord,” a young agent approached him. “Mr. Hudson has sent a team of paramedics and an ambulance is ready to take Her Majesty to the closest hospital. Sir, they can’t enter.”
Without stopping pressing the wound, Alexander lifted his head and faced the shocking view of the crowd. All those who were invited to watch the ceremony were sandwiched together in front of the only door of the room. There was no fire exit, just one narrow door for a hundred people who were panicked and afraid for their lives. There were injured on the ground, not hit by a bullet, but traumatized because others had stepped on them. The high class was proving once more how cruel it was.
“Damn it!” Alexander hissed realizing that he couldn't move Roselun either, because it was unknown if she had hurt her spine. “Do something. Find a way!”
A sudden movement coming from the side of Roselyn forced him to stare at her. He moved closer to her body and soon, her beautiful chocolate eyes opened and looked at him.
“I didn’t do it, Alexander. They intentionally blamed me,” she murmured confused, probably referring to her unjust arrest. Her eyes wandered around the room and soon noticed the blood and Alexander’s hands on her belly.
“Oh!”
“What have you done, silly girl?” he asked her while his face was covered in sweat. "What have you done?"
Roselyn smiled at him, now fully aware that she was hurt and severely bleeding.
“In our engagement,” she murmured weakly, “You had said that your heart and life belongs to me. So, I have chosen. I give mine to save yours.”
Alexander’s eyes wandered on her face puzzled. She seemed calm. Extremely calm. He nodded negatively, refusing to accept the tragic reality.
“Can you move?” he asked her and concentrated again on pressing the wound, which was now bleeding more. “I mean your legs, your arms, your head.”
“Yes.”
“Good,” he mumbled satisfied and squeezed her soft skin even tighter, make her groan from the pain. “Please, hold on. Help is coming. Paramedics are just outside this door.”
“I won’t make it to the exit.”
“You will,” he reprimanded her. “Hush now. Don’t talk. Save your strength.”
“No,” she protested and grabbed his arm. “I have so much to tell you and I’m running out of time.”
“You will be ok,” he reassured her. “You will be fine and after that, I won’t let you out of my sight ever again. Ever.”
“Alexander, I… I have to tell you… I have to confess.” The words were coming out of her with great difficulty. Each breath, each heartbeat was encumbering her even more. “I have to tell you, because now I am at the end and you will never know what you mean to me.”
She smiled at him, wiped the sweat from his face and tears started running down her own, while the King was glaring at her speechless, pressing her body frantically.
“I was smitten with you from the very first moment, maybe even before meeting you in person. And I felt blessed every single day just because you where there with me. When you started caring, I fell in love so ardently and so strongly, but I was so unable to show it. And although I was hurt when I learned the truth, I never stopped loving you. I was treating you horribly, while all I wanted was to be with you. I am sorry; I was unkind and unfair to you. I am so sorry, Alexander. You were my angel, my light in the darkness and now I will lose you. Ah! Please stop it. Let it end.”
“No!” he exclaimed with trembling hands. “You will be fine, are you listening? Please stop crying, my love.”
“I want something from you. I want you to remember me not as your enemy, but as the one who loved you more than anything. I want you not to forget me, to light a candle now and then for me.”
"No, no, no. You will be ok!"
He turned his eyes away from her to hide his watery eyes. He searched for help, but the people in the room were still trying to escape and the paramedics couldn’t enter. He traced some of his bodyguards trying to create a gap, a path, but the crowd was frantic.
“I want to ask you something,” Roselyn’s voice forced him to stare at her again. The woman was now trembling, as the temperature was falling dangerously. She would soon have seizures. He only nodded with his jaw clenched, as he was unable to speak from shock.
The night I stayed at the medical room, when I fainted. Did you… did you stay with me?”
For a moment, he blinked confused, unable to comprehend, but soon he realized he was referring to some months ago, when she had to stay to the infirmary, when they learned about Jade’s pregnancy. Pressing her didn’t matter now. He was only hurting her more. So, carefully, he took her in his arms, making sure she was comfortable and warm.
“I did,” he smiled and the panic was evident in his characteristics. “You’ve fallen asleep and I couldn’t leave you alone. I had you in my arms and it felt like home. I didn’t sleep the whole night, I was watching you. You seemed so peaceful and serene. One moment, you turned to my side and thought I was busted. But you were asleep. You curled inside my arms, your face was on my chest, just like now. The next morning, I realized I had to leave. I kissed your forehead, but I couldn’t resist so I kissed your lips once or twice or more.”
“Could you do it again?”
Alexander didn’t reply. He just leaned towards her carefully and his lips started caressing hers. She kissed him back with all the powers that remained in her body. Their kiss deepened and she tried to extend her arm to embrace him, but her powers abandoned her. He felt those cherished lips motionless, lost in oblivion, maybe forever.
Note: Take a deep breath, my friends. I have to confess that this was about to be the end of the story. I love open endings, but it is too raw... And I respect you. The next chapter will be called "Fight." Sorry for any mistakes, I was just too moved when I wrote this. @Zazelle, can you understand now what I was saying to you when I read your chapter? Please vote and comment! Especially here. And listen to the song!