AMACon 3: Oikos (30 Day Drabble Challenge)

Day 11 - Thuo (All I Want)

A/N: Hi everyone! Please take note that this happens after my after my 10th, 6th, and 9th drabble. It's all connected but you can read each one separately.

*Thuo is a Greek word meaning to sacrifice, to slay, kill, or slaughter.

***
Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess who was cursed to kill the man who will love her. Fate would choose this man from another world and the princess would bring him happiness for a time. And when he finally utters those three words, she would need to end his life. Once that happens, the princess would to return to her kingdom and bring prosperity to her people.

"And then we would live happily ever after. Or so they thought," Princess Maine Mendoza muttered to herself as she entered her chambers in the palace. For the past few hours, she had wondered how her life came to this. She made him fall in love with her just so she could commit murder. A part of her wanted to go back and save him while another part of her wanted to just forget about him. But she couldn't merely walk away from this experience.

For as long as she lived, she would never forget the look on RJ's face when he begged her to stay with him. She knew that the pain and the love in his expression will forever haunt her.

"Did you not hear me knock?"

"Uncle Ryan!" Maine stood up to meet her favorite uncle who just entered her room. "My apologies. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Oh, I just wanted to know how you are doing," Ryan sighed deeply. "You've barely said a word during the ceremony this morning."

"I'm just really tired."

"Perhaps, that is true."

"I beg your pardon? What do you mean by that?"

Her uncle suddenly paced the room, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I just noticed that the curse has taken it's toll you. You're acting different and it's not just because you killed an innocent man."

Now the guilt over what she had done to RJ ate her. She hadn't even thought of that when she left RJ to die.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Uncle Ryan," Maine said, averting her gaze. "What do you think of me? I wouldn't do something like that."

Her uncle suddenly stopped walking. "Really?" he asked with a smirk. "You don't have to lie to me, Menggay. You can tell me what has been bothering you."

Can she really tell him that she might have fallen for someone she hardly knew? Or that she was on the verge of crying her heart out because she just lost the man who made her happy?

"I'm just so confused. I did what I have to do yet why do I feel so empty? Why am I not happy?"

"I just knew that it would come to this," Ryan said. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Maine opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she realized that her feelings no longer matter. She's already home. Even if she finds a way to go back to his world, she would never ever see him again. She cannot even ask him to go with her. Because he's already dead.

"I already choose our kingdom over him."

"Hmm," Ryan murmured to himself. "Did you ever think of choosing him?"

"He's already gone, Uncle," Maine said tonelessly. "Why are you asking me these things?"

"I wonder...is he worth it?"

"What?"

"You have loved and lost in just a short while, Menggay. Was he really worth the trouble?"

"He will always be worth it."

The truth is, Maine knew that she should've just walked away the moment he confessed his feelings. It was wrong for her to lie and say that she loved him back. It was stupid of her to stay and enjoy his company. Now, she just realized that after everything has been said and done, how can she survive each day knowing that that the man she loves died at her hands?

Maine had not realized until later that her face had been streaked with tears.

***

Suddenly, RJ woke up to the sound of two people fighting.

"It's not working!" a male voice shouted.

"I told you to wait! Hades would not dare lie to me!" a female voice replied.

"We've been waiting for the past six hours. I think my assumption is not far-fetched."

"How many times do I have to say this? He will wake up."

RJ sat up and then looked around at his surroundings. What just happened? Why is he still alive?

"You're finally awake!" A beautiful woman approached him. She turned to her companion who was wearing black robes and a hood. "I told you it would work!"

"My apologies," her companion responded. "I trust that you can handle this yourself?"

The woman waved a hand at him dismissively. "Of course, you can go now. I'll take care of him."

The figure nodded before disappearing.

RJ stilled. "What...what just happened? Who are you? Why am I still here?"

The woman gave a high-pitched laugh. "So many questions. I suppose I'll have to answer all of them, right?"

He made no response.

"Fine," the woman sighed. "I am Aphrodite and I saved your life."

"What? How is that possible?"

Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Seriously? I'm a goddess and, out of the goodness of my heart, I decided to give you another chance to live."

"What do I have to do?"

"Nothing much. You just have to find your princess."

"That's it? How I can I do that?"

"Use the key on your pocket to open the portal to her world," Aphrodite clapped her hands. "Now, run along and get your happily ever after."

"Wait. How am I supposed to know which way to go once I enter her world?"

"I'm sure you'll find your way back to her," Aphrodite smiled at him widely before disappearing in a flash of light.