The Lost Ligature

Prólogos

Prologue: Will The Broken Wings Be Mended Still?

Today happened to be the gloomiest days of all.

I was outside the palace edifice, drenching myself in the deluge. I sat alone and grieved silently at the back garden where my late parents were buried. Thankfully, the rain made my tears invisible; heck I didn't even know which ones were the raindrops and which ones are the tears.

I lifelessly brushed my fingers along the engraved name of my mom on her tomb, like I was caressing her face. Only, instead of her warm and soft skin, the only thing I felt was the cold, wet, and rough granite. Longing for my mom's warmth, I clenched my fists and cried, gritting my teeth to prevent the sobs from escaping my mouth.

But I knew my feelings would fail me. The misery was too painful to handle, I thought I was pierced by a sword. Soon enough, I was already sobbing. I put my hands around my biceps, shielding myself from the cold. But I shivered. And that was all it took to make me realize that my parents were no longer here to give me the warmth of their love.

"Mom, Dad," I hopelessly called, hiding my face in my arms. I tightened my hug, despondently covering myself from the anguish. My shoulders trembled, I wasn't sure if it was due to the nipping rain or to my crying. I already knew that the rain wouldn't wash away this travail and I never wished for it to happen. But I just wish there was someone to stop me from shattering into pieces.

I let my voice out, crying as loudly as I could, and it was only drowned in the sound of the cloudbursts. It was as if the rainfall itself was a gigantic wall of soundproof glass that no one outside the garden could hear my cries.

Silence and agony are the worst bullets life could shoot at you, I would rather be shot by a real gun instead. At least, it hurts less. Indeed, these bullets didn't cause any bleeding but it sure did bring so much pain that no physical pain could match the torment. Those two bullets were enough to make me feel like I was drowning...but still breathing.

I just wish crying would make me feel numb.

As I was already letting myself drown in woe, I felt two strong arms hugging me from behind. I raised my head and peeked over my shoulders only to see a young guy with black hair and green eyes. Those were the only features I needed to know that it was him. I stared at him. He looked at me with a smile on his face, as if he was saying that everything would be alright. The green orbs of his eyes were so calming and so reassuring that I burst into tears and held onto his arms.

He embraced me even tighter and leaned his head gently against mine. I was enclosed in his protective arms, it was as if he was shielding me from the agony. He rubbed my left arm slowly and gently—carefully avoiding the still fresh scar that was on my left shoulder—to calm me down. He would hush whenever I sobbed, and whisper the endearment that he would always call me ever since we were little.

But this overwhelming empty feeling just wouldn't let me calm down, "I miss them so much."

He took a deep breath, and I felt him tremble, "I miss them too...as well as my parents."

We fell into another deafening silence as the two of us continued to hold in each other's arms, lending our strength to one another. Both of us needed this comfort, as we lost both of our parents on her hands. And both of us needed answers.

I felt him planting his face on my right shoulder. He shifted his embrace on a more comfortable position and his arms were now circling my waist. I put my hand over his, and as I did, I felt the promise rings we were wearing bumped against each other. That's when I noticed our rings were aligned.