Culture Shock

Chapter Thirteen

"The why don't they just kill me instead?" The words came out which I did not see coming. I meant it. At the end of the day, my life's miserable and I'm not living it like what I wanted to. What's the point of keeping it worse?

"Killing you would have been easier for me, yet the heads kept you alive."

It caught me, and everything in my vision suddenly came into blur, even the man I was glaring at. My jaw clenched and all my mind was telling was to slap him on the face. Fucking hard.

Killing me would have been easier.

"Should I thank you now? Huh, Marius?" I rolled my eyes.

"You will swallow your sarcasm the moment political conflict arises between houses, I tell you. Your womb is nothing without your mother's name."

"Then they should have picked a different womb if so!" I hissed.

"Yes, they could have picked a daughter of a head, but it was too late to infringe the compact. We value each oath and you must deal with it."

I fell into silence. What more was there to defend? Whatever I say, there will be no chance of winning. When will I ever learn?

I surrender. There's no point in getting away, anyway. Whether I stay or not, I can never live in peace. Demons surround me wherever I go, and even in my death, they will prevail.

His arms slid down my back and pulled me towards him, caging me into a hug. Transporting his warmth and taking me out from the idea of loneliness.

I needed it. He knew I needed it.

Since Neon left, the feeling of being loved vanished into hatred and despair. Leonidas is around and his company if the first that I got, yet it seemed not enough. There are voices murmuring, you shall not trust him. But somehow... sometimes I feel it. The concern I believe to ignore. It makes no difference. He's neither a friend, nor a serving knight.

With light pats planted on my back, I still did not feel better. I let my eyes close for a quick break for I was to face another consequence of my act. He'd turn me in, apparently.

"Alright. I must show you something, and I suppose, it would lighten your baggage," he whispered and let go.

-0-

My mouth hung open and gave him a hesitant look. "I can't. That's too high." I am scared of heights, and even if otherwise, it is still dangerous. More dangerous than running away.

I could not even see the rope ladder's opposite end. The tree is a monster and aiming for its peek is insane.

Antique is visible from the summit and he wanted me to climb up this giant through a ladder which even I haven't tried before. What if I fall? I'd die certainly.

His lips stretched into a smile exposing his teeth and pat my head. "Worry not, my lady. I will never let you fall."

I bitterly rolled my eyes and confidently said, "Yeah right, Leonidas. As if."

He threw me an impatient expression. "Fine. If you fall, I'll be there to catch you." Then his face turned pleading like a kid. Fudge. How can I refuse a Mr. Sweet Face?

I took a deep breath and agreed, eventually. My first step made the rope tremble and my arms could not seem to relax. My weight was a challenge to take into balance, especially because a rope isn't a concrete material to deal with.

At the same time, my fear became an odd excitement. Leonidas was watching me anyway, making his every step rhythmic to mine. Despite the doubt, I feel protected whenever he's around. That I don't have to watch for myself because he's doing it for me.