Ashes Of The Throne | Part I

Chapter 45 | The Head And Heart Moments

Sometimes all your grief can say the same thing, demanding for you to listen. Grief is telling you that this isn't how it's supposed to be.

This isn't how it's supposed to be.

And the world laughs at her. Holds her by the throat and speaks.

But this is how it is.

Matthew edged his way around the potential collapse of the rest of the floor beneath him; he stepped across the fallen flooring and made his way towards the woman. Eko had been staring comatose like at the world before her, trying to wipe away her tears with the back of her hand. She wanted to keep her composure but was failing miserably at the moment.

That's when she felt his presence pull around her. For the first time, Matthew found himself doing something so uncharacteristic of his nature up till now. He willingly pulled the crying woman into his arms to comfort her, not because it was the right thing to do as a human being, but because he couldn't resist being the one to comfort her.

Dazed at the feel of his arms around her, Eko peered up through the watery depths of her eyes at the fallen and softened features of the man in front of her.

He wasn't the cocky man she had gotten to know; there was no sarcastic or flirty comment. No speech, no words, showing her that he didn't have an answer for everything but the look he held explained everything that he wasn't saying, the very same that told her also he knew exactly what she was feeling.

That there would be no words that could ever describe the loss she felt when she no longer belonged in a world she once knew, nor was there a home that existed any further from this moment. Being here after the carnage of the attack had only solidified that for her.

Not many truly could show compassion during this war the way that he had displayed it to her at this moment, almost sensing her pain and vulnerability with what had happened. Eko found that he understood everything he needed to know about her, and within that, she was lost again because it was so utterly overwhelming, all the tension, all the fear and all the loss they had been accustomed to.

She felt like she was collapsing from fear and guilt, and she didn't know how to move on from what was now happening, how committed to the lie of what and who she truly was. Shaking her head, Eko hadn't heard him gently whisper her name, feeling the gentle strokes of her hair, and instinctively she wrapped her arms around his neck and softly wept into the nape of it.

"This wasn't your fault," were the only soft and kind-hearted words she heard from Matthew.

"It's all my fault." Eko cried, and Matthew loathed the way he could hear her remorse through the muffles of his shirt.

"I could have protected them better-I-I could have done m-more," and that was true; it was so utterly true. If she had also just shown the world who and what she was, maybe she didn't have to hide her powers and perhaps she could have saved good people like Sophie, that took her place as the fall of a princess. Then that meant so many consequences to her actions, and not all had happy endings in their world anymore.

"I know." Matthew offered sympathetically, understanding more than anyone else, "but we can't save everyone, Eko. Life isn't designed like that. It's unfair and cruel, especially now of all times for us."

Rocking her to and fro, Eko stayed with him like this for what felt like ages. Grasping his shirt again, clutching the man tightly, he held onto her more than before. Fingers re-griped his arms around her, not once did she feel him move and pull away. If anything, he stayed with her, riding out the pain in her time of grievance.

Matthew then rested his chin on her head, allowing Eko to continue to cry, letting whatever she was feeling be felt so that she could move on from it. Unnoticed by the brunette at that point, Matthew had seen both Toni and Richie appear back in the doorway. It wasn't a sight to expect, but it did stop them mid-track, watching their best friend hold Eko in his arms.