Gods and Guardians

Chapter 52: The Queen Saves the King

'My Lord, Dasirus, Please.' Haneya begged on her knees. 'Please eat something. Please.'

Dasirus' gaunt face and sunken eyes drifted away from her. There was breakfast on the small table. Haneya knew that he would not eat. He did nothing these days. For more than a tenth and a half since the death of Nimrod, he had not eaten. He drank very little water. He would sit all day and stare into the gloom. His body had not even experienced a bath since that fateful day. Haneya begged him every day to try to live on, but he never answered her. He never spoke. He was starving himself to death.

Massey never saw his face since that day. Breth came in occasionally to implore him to eat, but Dasirus never answered him. He just sat there like a statue. Sometimes he slept, and sometimes he sat. That was all he did.

Haneya's unshakable person was tested now to the extreme. Was Dasirus dying? How could she watch him go like this? She stopped eating herself after about a tenth. She couldn't anymore. She would sit all day at his feet, imploring him to eat. It was as though he was deaf, blind and dumb. He was inaccessible. Although Breth went and came, he hadn't forgiven his father yet for issuing the warrant, but he was worried now that Dasirus was taking his own life.

Massey never seemed to care. He never spoke lightly of his disappointment with his father and he seemed to wish him dead. It would be poetic justice.

Kiyanna departed Kainon a few days ago now and wouldn't arrive for at least a tenth.

Haneya knew she had to do something. She was literally the only one who could at this point. The stress had her beaten down too. She was a shadow of her old self. Never before had life been so dark. She couldn't let Dasirus slip away like this. His family was not on good terms with him. Dravan was not. In fact the two kingdoms were no longer at peace with each other. If things continued like this for a tenth more, Dasirus would be dead! Kiyanna would not even meet him alive.

No. She would rather die with him. Dasirus could not die. Then she reached a resolve.

'Dasirus, please. Listen to me. I am your wife. My Lord, please. Think about me. Think about everyone that loves you. I love you no matter what you think you have done. Please. Don't starve yourself to death. Please.' She sobbed, flooding his feet with tears.

Dasirus just turned his eyes up and stared at the ceiling.

'Dasirus, please. Think of all of us. We still love you. Please. I love you very much my Lord. Don't do this to me. Please don't.' She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, but he wouldn't even look at her.

She seized his hands so he could lower his eyes. 'Dasirus, please.'

Dasirus could see the sweat that glued her hair together and her dress to her body, yet he watched her like a distant observer.

'Dasirus, please. I love you so much.'

She slouched and wept for long moments, then she put a hand inside her dress. Dasirus was watching her now and was shocked when she pulled out a knife.

'You don't love me, Dasirus.' She rose slowly. 'You don't love me Dasirus. And you don't care how I feel. You don't care at all. You don't care if I'm dead or alive.'

Dasirus watched her now with deep apprehension. What was she trying to do? She heaved and exhaled with a heavy heart.

'But I love you, Dasirus. I love you so much; I'll never watch you die.' She caught the neck of her dress and in one sharp motion tore it down her waist, the fibers snapping with strong resistance. 'But you don't love me Dasirus. You don't love me at all. I will die before you do. For I shall never watch you die.' She released the dress and it dropped to the floor. She was stark naked.