章 35: Why?
The tension in the room swelled as we sat in silence. Both of their eyes locked on to each other, but not in a menacing way. It seemed both where waiting for lashings that neither was ready to give nor receive. It was uncomfortable waiting in the dense silence. It wasn't until Sebastion cleared his throat to excuse himself that the tension broke. He hugged me once, than Aunt Amina, then left us to our silence. He promised he would keep an eye out for our assassins in case they showed up while I was gone.
"I should start of saying I am sorry Drake. Over the years you have done us a great many services. Silvus's out rage was inexcusable. Pease punish her how it seems fit." Uncle Harold's grim expression never left his lips as he stared wearily at his friend. Drake gave a deep sigh, taking a chance to peak at me. With a small smile he gestured for me to come to him.
"You shouldn't be the one to apologize your Majesty. You are not in control of your daughters actions or words. She attacked Aria and Aria only so the apology should be made by her and to her." He spoke as I took my place next to him. Our height had matched in these boots, so it was weird looking at him as opposed to up at him.
"Consider it done then. I'll have Silvus stop by and apologize for her rude and abrupt behavior. But she will still be punished for laying claim to a man she had no right to." Uncle Harold said as he wrote down on a piece of paper. The quill moved fluidly as it stroked the air, the hairs dancing in the sudden bursts of movement.
I didn't feel comfortable receiving the apology though. It wasn't something I was accustomed too. It's nt like insults where unheard of, and quite frankly being called a common street whore had rather amused me. It was much better than anything else I was called. Murderer! Reaper! Angel of Death! Monster! The screams echoed in my head over and over.
The room had fallen away and was replaced by a dark void. The most swirled in the distance, but up close I saw I was being surrounded by hundreda of upset people. But they weren't normal, they where injured. Injuries that would have claimed them as the blade struck through. Decapitations, deep thick cuts, amputations. The people I had senselessly killed stood before me. I was on a wooden platform, my hands tied behind my back.
The screams continued to get louder with ever passing second. The names contined rolling through. Every person I killed angry, upset, and obviously hurt. Hurt that I woud take their lives before it was time. Young teenagers to the Eldest elder. My heart ached as I stared at the sea, facing judgement. It was to late to ask for forgiveness. It would be an utter insult as well.
A shoulder bumped with mine, dissipating the scene that had unfurled before me. I blinked it away, my eyes had gone dry from staring off. Concert filled Uncle Harold and Aunt Amina's face. I gave a sheepish grin and scratched the back of my head.
"My apologize, I found myself wandering off. It seems to be a habit these days." I muttered embarressed under my breath. I could feel Drake's stare bore into my face from my side. He would pester me about my day dream later. Something I have come to appreciate about him was his demand for private conversations. I didn't want any one else besides Sebastion knowing about my troubles.
"Thats quite alright Aria. If you are tired, you can make your way back to your room. We can catch up another time." He beamed at me with his pearly white teeth. I smiled in return and gave a small bow. I wasn't really tired, but I could use this as an excuse to get away from the uncomfortable conversation.
"If you don't mind I'll take my leave." Uncle Harold dismissed me with a single nod in return. The feeling of dread that crawled over my body, didn't disappear as I side stepped Drake and towards the door. But he gently caught me with a steong, yet soft grip. The question in his eyes where there, but I pleaded with him silently to let it go. It was not something I was willing to discuss here in this moment.
"I will take my leave then as well. Argus and Lucius are expecting me for a meeting." He spoke, but his eyes never left mine. "I will escort you back into our room, it can get a bit confusing if you don't know the palace by heart." Drake murmured to me. I felt his hand intertwine with mine as we waited for Uncle Harolds response.
"Very well, I have paper work to catch up anyway. please have a good day." Uncle Harold waved at us as we walked out the door. But before we could make it too far down the hallway, Drake spun me around to face him, my back barely caressing the wall. He loomed over me, but it wasn't threateningly. The concern that plasterd his face said so.
"Are you quite alright?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper as he glanced down the hallway both ways. While lstening for intruders, he casually brought my mask over my mouth.
"Am I really worthy of such an apology? After all i've done, do I deserve it?" Drake sighed and cupped a finger under my chin, his expression hard and unwavering.
"Regardless of your past, what she said was uncalled for and not even the slightest bit true. So yes, you are. Stop demeaning yourself over things you couldn't control back then." I sighed and pulled my face away from his hand. What did he know about me?
"You say I couldn't have controlled it, but in reality I could have. I may not have been able to control where I was, but my actions where my own. I am no saint Drake. Her words will never hurt me, not like they did." I couldn't look at him as fresh tears stung my eyes. He new my biggest secret, but he didn't know me as a whole person. I wondered what he would say if he new I lead the invasions against innocsnt lives, much like what happened to my village.
"We can talk about this later. I really do have a meeting to attend. Aria, please stop beating yourself up over this." He placed a gentle hand against my face and forced me to look at him. With a long sigh he kissed me once on the forehead, then disappeared down the hallway. Drake was stiff as he walked, angry and upset once again. Now he was angry with me.
Could I eventually one day do as he asks and let go of my past? Even if we managed to kill the tyrant, could I let go of my wrong doings and maybe find my peace of mind? I let myself meander down the hallway, dragging my shoulder across the wall as I went. I didn't have the energy to walk up right, plus my poor feet where killing me.
Where even was I? I was far from the study now so I couldn't even back track and find my way back to the room. I cursed myself for not paying attention and getting lost. I frantically scanned the hallways and corridors, hoping I could find someone who could give me direction at least. Every single hallway I passed was empty. Void of life, amd pin drop quiet. I was alarmed yet relieved. Alarmed because if I was an assassin I would find this heaven that the security was absolute garbage. But that also meant any wandering assassins wouldn't spot me and try to interrogate gate me.
Even if I did find an assassin, I would just kill them anyway. They would be scratching their heads for hours wondering who would so easily underhand special elite murderers. The thought of killing another sent my blood pumping fast through my veins. It's been a few days since I have actually killed anyone, what was one assassin any how? Except that I would be alerting the others, and also Drakos's right hand man eunning the current show.
I couldn't make things harder for Drake by being reckless. I would find the best oppurtunity eventually to strike and sedate my blood lust. So sitting stuck at a four way hallway, I decided that I would go right, and hope that there was possibly someone around. Hopefully not some crazy assassin.
I froze when I heard manly voices echo down the hallway. I thought I could make out Argus's voice, but I was still to far away to determine the owner. So carefully I undid my high heeled boots and pulled them off. The cool floor soothed my aching swollen feet and I almost with relief. Why didn't I do this sooner? I tip toed down the hallway straining my ears in hopes that I could make out what these gentleman where saying.
"What do you mean she is hiding something? What else could she be keeping from us that has you white as a ghost Lucius?" Drake, he sounded almost as pissed as last night? Who was he talking about? Should I really be listening?
"Aria never told you gow close her and the Tyrant Drakos where? How she was his right hand wingman from the start? She brought down armies and villages for this bastard. She could very well still be one of them." Lucius hissed darkly. I tensed as dread over came me in sharp deep waves. No Lucius stop. Don't tell the about that? I was a kid just trying to survive!
"You idiot. What else was a kid suppose to do? She wasn't blinded by devotion, she was blinded by fear. The will to live and protect her brother. You can't condemn her for doing exactly what we all would have done. Even I am not innocent." That voice, I knew that voice. But it was impossible, he was dead.
"She was nicknamed the Angel of Death! How is that not a warning? She is as dangerous as she comes and right now she is in the castle. A damned rogue blood dragon with a thirst to kill is not something to make light of!" Lucius countered angrily. Rogue? Why was he calling me a rogue when all I've done was deal with the cards I kept getting dealt? Does he really think so low of me?
"Ha! You sound as if you are afraid of the little dragon. She doesn't even kbow gow to use her magic or shift. Hell she might not even be able to use both because she is of human blood as well. Why do you fret so much?" Argus replied, amusement in his voice. There was a heavy slam on the table and a pattering of feet. I braced myself against the wall and prayed he wouldn't come out.
"Listen here you thick headed Black Dragon. Let me make one thing very clear. She doesn't scare me. In fact she is more of just a paper weight nuisance that has our leader wrapped around her finger. She has been more of a proble, than a solution. If she wasn't able to use some kind of Magic Drakos wouldn't be interested. So why don't we just kill her and get it over with already. Drakos can't use her if she is dead!" I flinched at his angry response. He was right though. All I had been lately was a burden. Only being holed up behind doors instead of out on the field.
It wasn't like I hadn't thought of the idea myself either. Because he was right, Drakos couldn't use my abilities if I was dead. They wouldn't have to tip toe about, and maybe they would even save the princess. They could stop Drakos, destroy the guild, and free the people who hadn't chooss fhe life to begin with. There would be peace. I clenched my hands into fists. Even though it sounds easy, I wouldn't do it, because this was my fight too. I wouldn't cower any more.
Metal unsheathing sounded from the cracked door. Someone had drawn their sword. A heavy thudding noise sounded against the nearby wall. Heavy grunts echoed into the hall as two of them wrestled. I dared a glance through the cracks, trying to find out who was fighting. White cloth flew by the door, followed by that of blue.
When they weren't so close to the door, I found Lucius pinned against the wall, two fists grabbing his shirt tightly securing him. I was baffled by his inhuman beauty. Bright pink eyes that glared with such ferocity I thought he would melt his assaliant. His platinum blond hair was tied with many ties down his back. He had two long pointed ears that stood proudly towards the back of his head. Was he an elf? He was so gorgeous that even I had a hard time trying to pull my eyes away.
But I forced them onto the blue fabric, following up the muscled arms and over the slim chest, and upon his face. I let out a tiny surprised gasps. His face, the face of my savior and best friend. The man I had to lay to rest five years ago. His gold eyes lit with anger, his teeth frozen in a snarl as he glared down at Lucius. His long brown hair laid gently against his back and past his taught butt. My heart throbbed with anger and grief as I stared at Nicklos. The first man I ever felt a certain kind of love for.
His eyes met with mine through the crack and I instantly backed up. This was a night mare, it had to be. There was no way he could be alive! He let go of Lucius and reached for the door. Adrenaline coursed through me, my brain screaming for me to run. But my legs felt numb as the door swung open, his full body appearing before me. I could feel myself pale underneath his frozen gaze. My back brushed against the wall and I jumped.
"What are you doing here? Do you know how dangerous it is?"
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