12: Darken: Resurrection

Chapter seven: Daria

I hid behind Thespian, i could feel myself shaking as Draus raped Astraea. i was powerless to stop it, or i could meet the same faith. 

The sound of Astraea's screams echoed in the room, a stark reminder of the peril we faced. Thespian's protective gesture shielded me from the worst of it, covering my ears, his gaze steady and comforting. The torment seemed endless, but eventually, Thespian turned and nodded, signaling it was over.

"Let's go to bed, Daria. It's been a long day," he said softly.

I nodded, grabbing his hand as he led me out. He didn't let me look back, but the sound of Astraea's sobs lingered, haunting me. Once we reached the room, I fell to my knees, the weight of it all crashing down on me. The tears flowed freely, a mix of sorrow and helplessness.

Thespian turned away, his shoulders tense. "You should get some sleep," he said softly.

"Thank you," I muttered, the words almost lost in my exhaustion.

He paused, a hint of confusion in his voice. "For what?"

"You've been protecting me since you revived your father," I replied, my voice trembling slightly. "Shielding me from the worst of it... but why?"

Thespian's expression softened, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his face. "Because, Daria," he began quietly, "I see the goodness in you, despite everything. It's...complicated. My father's ways are not mine. I don't want to see you suffer."

"You say you don't want to see me suffer, yet you let them endure it," I continued, my tone firm but imploring. "They are good people, Thespian. Watching them suffer while I can do nothing—it breaks me."

Thespian's eyes met mine, a silent struggle playing out within him. His father's shadow loomed large, but in this moment, there was a chance for him to choose differently.

Thespian's body tensed, his voice strained. "I cannot give you to him," he said, a conflicted look in his eyes. "And I cannot help them."

"Why not?" I demanded, standing to my feet. "Why...?"

"Because if I try to help them... he will hurt you," Thespian said, his face filled with sadness. "And if I give you to him... I can't do that, I can't let you get hurt."

His words hung heavily in the air, the weight of his predicament evident. The conflict within him was palpable—caught between his father's cruelty and his desire to protect me

"Why?" I demanded, my voice trembling with intensity. "Why work so hard to protect me?"

Thespian turned away, his posture rigid, refusing to meet my eyes. "I can't..." he started, but the words seemed to get stuck.

"WHY?" I yelled, tears streaming down my face, demanding the truth.

"Because he was right!" Thespian finally looked at me, his voice raw and filled with emotion. "He was right that I love you. You are not my pet, not my toy. You are the woman I love."

The confession hit me like a tidal wave, crashing through the confusion and fear.

I backed up, my mind racing as I processed Thespian's confession. Flashes of memories surfaced—how he stopped Draus from hurting me, how he shielded me from witnessing Draus's cruelty. His actions, always protective, now made sense in this new light.

Thespian's confession hung in the air, each word heavy with emotion. He kept his gaze on me, his vulnerability laid bare. "I have loved you since the day I met you," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "When you showed me that, even though you were willing to do the job I gave you, you still felt guilt about it. I realized those feelings when he was about to hurt you. I never told you because loving you could lead to him using you to control me."

Thespian's eyes pleaded with me, his vulnerability laid bare. I could see the internal struggle written across his face.

I remained silent, thinking. 

He continued, his voice trembling slightly, "Look, I get it if you don't love me back. But please, just tell me how you feel for me. I need to know now that you know the truth. I need to know if I can hold you right now, to calm you from crying."

His words hung in the air, a mix of hope and desperation. Thespian's confession had shifted everything, and the path forward was fraught with complexity.

"Thespian..." I muttered, looking into his eyes, stepping closer and placing my hand on his cheek. "I have loved you since that day on the streets when you caught me stealing that stupid ring. I knew you would change me in ways I could only imagine."

His expression softened, a mixture of relief and affection as he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. In that moment, everything else seemed to fade away—the pain, the fear, the uncertainty. All that mattered was this connection, this shared bond that had grown stronger with each passing day.

the door behind me swung open and Thespian pulled me behind him as Draus walked in, anger on his face. "How sweet," Draus sneered. "No point in hiding it, I already knew you loved her." His glare intensified as I peeked out from behind Thespian. "I can forgive that. However, what I cannot forgive is this."

He handed Thespian a familiar note. I recognized it instantly—it was the warning to Althaeon about our location. Thespian read it, his face clouded with sorrow and conflict as he looked back at me.

"Care to explain?" Draus demanded, his voice seething with rage.

We both remained silent, the gravity of the situation pressing down on us. Draus's anger was palpable, and the stakes had never been higher. In this intense moment, the bond between Thespian and me could be our only chance for survival and escape. 

"It was me," Thespian spoke up, his voice steady despite the tension. "I was trying to taunt my brother... I used her name so that he would take it seriously."

Draus's eyes narrowed, suspicion and fury mingling in his gaze. The room felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for his reaction. Thespian's quick thinking had bought us a moment, but the danger was far from over.

Draus's strike landed with a sickening thud, but Thespian stood firm, silent, and stoic. "Nice try, but I know your handwriting... hers, on the other hand," Draus sneered, turning his gaze to me, suspicion and fury burning in his eyes.

He reached around his son, grabbing my by the hair and forcing me to the ground. 

Draus's grip on my hair was excruciating, but Thespian's intervention was swift. "Father, no!" he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. Draus ignored him, but Thespian, driven by his determination, forcibly pushed his father away, putting himself between me and him, "if you touch a hair on her head again, i will kill you, you know only i can."

Draus's growl was filled with menace, his eyes blazing with anger. "Either you or her need to take punishment for her actions, to be sure she never thinks of going behind my back again."

"I will," Thespian spoke, "she was my responsability, i will take the punishment."

"Draus's cold voice cut through the tension. "Fifty lashes with my whip. It's either that or I take her as my own."

"No..." I muttered, then spoke louder, forcing my fear back. "It was me. I snuck out at night to send pigeons to Althaeon. That is on me. I will just do it again if I'm not punished."

Draus's smile was cruel. "What a brave little demon you are," he laughed. "How about this: twenty-five lashes each, and I don't take her."

"No..." Thespian started.

"That is fair," I interrupted, meeting Thespian's glare. His eyes were sad, filled with both anger and sorrow.

"Who first?" Draus asked, his voice cold and unyielding.

"Me," Thespian stepped forward, determination in his eyes. "That way, I can at least comfort her after."

Draus nodded, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Follow me."

The room felt oppressively silent after Draus and Thespian left. My mind raced with worry for Thespian, knowing the pain he was about to endure. Each second stretched into an eternity, the weight of our dire situation pressing down on me.