Soul Healer

Chapter 16 - A Better Understanding?

>>> CHAPTER 16 <<<
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"Why can't I make her love me? Am I that terrible and impossible to love?", Ares whispers with agony. Longingly he watches as you leave the beautiful gardens. Desperate he clenches his fists, all he want's to do is run after you. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, his entire body stiffens.

"Patience. You need to be patient. You must realize by now that our Queen is like no other. Like I have told you several times already, The Dragon can take care of herself," Alexandros says with a smile. "If you keep on pushing her you will make her snap". With a low chuckle he continues. "You won't like that one bit. Believe me I have been there, and it is not something I want to experience ever again".

"I cannot help myself. Her safety is all that matters. I could not bear it if she was injured again. Why can't she see all I want for her, is that she is safe, happy and loved. I would die for her".

"She does not believe she deserves to be happy."

"How dare you", Ares roars. Furious he turns towards Alexandros, and before the poor General knows what is going on, Ares grabs him by the throat in a death like hold. "You and Bane knew what was going on, that her family put her through hell. That she never wanted to take command of the army. Her father the King tried to kill her on several occasions. You all did nothing to stop it!". As he tightens his hold, Alexandros gasps to breathe. "And now you tell me she thinks she does not deserve to be happy. All of you have caused my soulmate so much hurt and heartache. She is so broken inside. I have no idea how to make her feel better. Her soul is pure, I can feel it. But she is struggling. I can never even begin to understand how she has managed to stay sane through all this.." Tightening his hold on Alexandros throat, he glares at the struggling General.

"Wait, wait," Alexandros gasps. Frantically he struggles to breathe while he tries to escape the deadly hold. "She is strong. You do not understand....I..." Gasping he drops to the ground as Ares releases his hold.

"Explain yourself", he growls.

"We could not interfere. He was the King. But we still did", Alexandros groans. Quickly jumping to his feet he staggers backwards as Ares moves closer with a lethal predatory glare in his eyes. "We did interfere. Please let me speak," Alexandros says, trying to calm the furious Ares. Stopping mere inches from the shaking Alexandros, Ares stares at him with a murderous expression in his dark eyes.

"We did interfere when her father tried to kill her. We would have killed him, had she not stopped us."

"What she stopped you? Why? This does not make any sense at all."

"You do not understand Ares", Alexandros stutters.

"Then make me!", Ares growls. With lethal speed Ares fist connects with Alexandros jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Ares, cursed be. Listen to me. Calm yourself. I cannot explain why we did not, if you keep on hitting me."

"Explain yourself."

"Her father was a monster. You have no idea how much Bane and I hated that man. He used to laugh while he beat her senseless. Can you imagine anyone hurting a small child like that?" The fury in Alexandros voice somehow has a calming effect on Ares.

"When Bane and I first saw her, her mother was still alive. She was so happy back then. She instantly captured my heart. Bane was very protective towards her also, even though they had several fights." With the shadow of a smile, he continues. "Bane was rather full of himself when he was younger. She quickly made him realize he was wrong, when he thought he could take on the entire world." With sadness he tells Ares what happened when your mother died. "Her father, the King was never a gentle man, but loosing his wife send him over the edge. He wanted a strong heir to take the throne, but Ayla's brother Prince Andros was weak. War and the Warrior Way was never his destiny. He was a much learned scholar, and would have made a magnificent Teacher of Arts. But the King refused to let him follow that path. Ayla was the one that had inherited amazing skills. It was as if the Gods themselves had blessed her. The King tried to crush her spirit, but no matter what he did, he did not succeed."