Beneath the Ashes

Chapter 20

"S-Sharva?"

Aika's voice, fragile and trembling, cut through the silence like the crack of a distant storm. It froze Sharva mid-thought, the molten fire of his anger simmering just beneath the surface. He clenched his jaw, forcing his breath to steady, and turned to her, his expression softening despite the tempest raging within. His hand instinctively tightened over hers, a tether to anchor her fraying spirit.

"You're awake?" he asked, his voice a low murmur, as though afraid the slightest disturbance might shatter her.

Aika stirred weakly, her movements as delicate as a wilting petal in the wind. Sharva leaned closer, his lips brushing her forehead in a whisper of a kiss—a touch so gentle it sent a tremor coursing through her frail body. The warmth of his breath lingered like an unspoken promise, melting away the frost of fear she had clung to for so long. Her eyelids fluttered open, her gaze struggling to focus on the figure who had remained an unyielding beacon in her storm-tossed world.

"What... happened?" she whispered, her voice raw and broken, each word a fragile thread unraveling the haze of her memory. Fragmented images clawed their way to the surface: shadows chasing her through the woods, the echo of cruel laughter, and the suffocating terror that had swallowed her whole.

As realization dawned, a crushing wave of shame surged through her chest, drowning her in its cold embrace. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned her face away, her voice trembling with guilt. "Oh god, Sharva... I'm so sorry," she choked, the words spilling out like shattered glass.

Sharva's jaw tightened, the anguish in her voice cutting through him like a blade. His fingers brushed hers, firm and grounding. "Aika," he murmured, his tone a balm to her wounded soul. "This isn't your fault. None of this is your fault."

But she couldn't hear him—not truly. The weight of guilt pressed down on her, heavy as iron chains. Her lips quivered as she shook her head, her tears falling unchecked. "If I hadn't run... if I hadn't left Vesperia... none of this would've happened. Maybe Uncle Ryker wouldn't have sent them after me."

Her fingers clung desperately to his, as if seeking salvation in his touch. "I should've been stronger," she whispered, the words laced with bitter self-loathing. "Instead, I dragged you into this—put you in danger. Put everyone in danger."

Her voice cracked, and for a moment, Sharva couldn't breathe. The pain in her words pierced him, and yet he refused to let her drown in it. Gently, he raised her trembling hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Aika, listen to me," he said, his tone firm yet infinitely tender. "You can't carry the weight of other people's sins on your shoulders. Your uncle's cruelty is his own, not yours to bear."

Her eyes, clouded with turmoil, searched his face as though grasping for something solid amidst the chaos within her. "But if my uncle finds me..." she began, her voice quaking with fear. "He doesn't just want me dead. He's after the royal seal. It's the key to my family's power, and he thinks I know where it is."

Sharva's breath hitched, his heart pounding as realization dawned. The royal seal—a relic of immense power, capable of altering the balance of Vesperia itself. In the wrong hands, it could unleash unimaginable destruction.

"He won't stop, will he?" Sharva asked quietly, his voice a barely audible rasp.

Aika shook her head, her words trembling like the first drops of rain before a storm. "If he captures me... he'll do whatever it takes to make me talk. And if the seal is tied to me somehow... he might not even need words."

The unspoken horror of her meaning struck Sharva like a blow. If the seal was bound to her essence—her identity, her very soul—her capture would spell devastation not just for her, but for an entire kingdom.

His resolve hardened as he clasped her hands, his grip a vow in itself. "We won't let that happen," he said, his voice steady, like the first rays of dawn piercing through the night. "No matter what it takes, we'll keep you safe. But, Aika—if what you say is true, then you might also be the only one who can stop him."

Tears shimmered in Aika's eyes, the weight of her destiny bearing down on her. "But how?" she whispered, her voice fragile as a broken melody. "I left everything behind—anything that could've helped us. And if the seal is tied to me, what does that even mean? How can I—"

Her voice faltered, the enormity of the task stealing the air from her lungs. Sharva reached out, his fingertips brushing her cheek with a tenderness that anchored her to the present. "We'll figure it out together," he said, his gaze unwavering. "But for now, you need to focus on recovering. You can't fight this battle until you've healed."

Aika's breathing steadied under his touch, the warmth of his hand chasing away the chill of despair. She nodded faintly, the flicker of determination in her eyes like the first spark of a rekindled flame. "You're right," she whispered. "I'll rest. But we can't wait too long. He won't stop until he gets what he wants."

Sharva's eyes held hers, a depth of emotion swirling within them. In that moment, he saw her for all that she was—both fragile and fierce, broken yet unyielding. His heart ached with the weight of his love for her, but more than that, it burned with a fierce resolve. "We'll find a way," he promised. "No matter what it takes, we'll stop him. And we'll make sure he never hurts you—or anyone else—ever again."

As Aika leaned back into the pillows, her exhaustion pulling her into the fragile embrace of sleep, Sharva stayed by her side. His hand never left hers, a silent oath in the flickering light of the dying candle. Shadows danced on the walls, foretelling the tempest that loomed on the horizon. Yet within the room, for just a fleeting moment, there was peace—a fragile sanctuary before the battle to come.

5 Dec 2024