Blood Rose

#5

"Idylla, I... It's not what you think it is." I said. She walked closer, till we were just a breath away. She whispered, "Then what is it?"
I took a step away, even though I didn't want to. I turned my face away from her, because I couldn't face her while I said it.

"I'm here to take you away." I said quietly.
"Take me where?"
"To Mausa."
She kept calm, didn't speak, as if demanding an explanation. I turned to face her and said, "You're Stavros's daughter, and the sister of Estevan who's the current king of Mausa. You were adopted by Matthias..... You belong with Mausa."

She turned her face a bit to the side and smiled. "I know I'm not Matthias's daughter. But he's still my father. You want me to move to an alien land just because I share their blood? Matthias has cared for me forever." She didn't ask anything, about how I know this, how her family is, who all are in her family. She just said that. She loved her family at Cyprus. She tried to walk away, I stopped her by her hand and said, "Please, just listen to me." I was begging this time.

She looked into my eyes, and even if out of pity, stayed. I let go of her hand and said, "I'm no merchant, no ship of mine got caught in the storm. I'm Adonis, man in command of Mausa's army. Estevan has a younger brother, Philip, who's one of my companion's on this journey." I took a pause before I said, "Idylla, I need you to come back to Mausa."

"One of your companions is my brother?" She asked.
"Yes."
"Why do you need me to go back? It's been eighteen years." She asked.
"Mausa needs you. Estevan is a good king but is too blinded by his only left family, Philip. He's wasting too many resources behind Philip. Mausa is suffering." I said.

"I can't go back forever and leave everything. I can meet my brothers, pay visits. But not move to Cyprus. I have Matthias here, I've got two brothers. Herakles and Oreste. They love me more than their lives. Even the people of Cyprus. I'm the princess, Adonis."
I didn't know what to say. I just stared at her. Mausa needed her so bad. But how could I do this to her? How could I snatch her happiness? Moreover, her paying visits should work just fine.

"Say something." She said. I smiled and went out to the big square shaped balcony attached to her room, overlooking the palace gardens. I lied down on my back. I could see the stars twinkling high up in the sky. I'd never seen a sky so clear. I could hear her light footsteps as she came and lied down next to me.

"That's the Ursa Major." She said, pointing to a group of stars that looked like a ladle. I'd never had time to lie down peacefully and look at the stars, I'd never known constellations.
She turned to her side to face me and said, "Tell me about yourself."
"I already did. I'm Adonis, the chief in Mausa's army..."
"Not that. Tell me about yourself, not about Adonis."
I looked at her, took a pause and said, "There's not much about me. I've grown up being a warrior, grown up with my men. There's nothing much I did in life except being the chief in army."

"Tell me about your family." She said.
I looked back up and said, "My father was in the army. He was the one who taught me how to hold a sword. He lost his life to battle when I was 7."
She didn't speak. I continued, "My mother was pregnant back then. She couldn't take people coming to her everyday, offering sympathies, because that's the last thing we want. She moved away before she even gave birth.

She'd asked me the night before, 'Would you want to come somewhere far away and start anew, Adonis?' I, considering it hypothetical had said after some thought, 'No mother. Father would've wanted me to stay and join the army and fight. That's what I'd want to do.'
'Even if I go away?'
I looked at her and she said, 'Just asking.'
'Yes, I'd still want to stay and join the army.'
That's the last conversation I had with her."

"Any other family?" She asked after some silence. I shook my head, "No sibling. Just the unborn one. I joined the army after she left. I looked for her, couldn't find her. She'd left me a note, 'Do what you've wanted to do, join the army. You're a strong boy. Wherever I am, I'll love you always.' and there was a letter saying how she couldn't take everyone talking about my father, how she fell too weak, how it was selfish of her to leave, but she couldn't stay, how she didn't take me along because she knew what I wanted. And she'd concluded it by saying she'll be safe, with my sibling when it comes along."

"You still have that letter?" She asked.
"Yes. In my family home, locked up in a cupboard. I devoted my life to battle after she left." I got up. She got up after me, smiled and said, "I'd like to meet Philip tomorrow. I'm curious about how good the person looks whom I share genes with."

I laughed. She laughed. I went close to her and held her hand. Seeing her not resist, I kissed it and said, "You're one of the most beautiful and sorted people I've come across. I'm glad to have found you." She smiled.

I went out of the same window later. I snuck into my room, smiling like an idiot, where Philip awaited me, sharpening one of his knives.
"Where is she?" He asked, his tone nasty.
"I talked to her. She's okay with paying visits all the time but she won't move. That should be just fine." I said.
"No it wouldn't be." Philip grinned and someone leaped out of my bed. I'd not noticed him earlier. And he wasn't Julian or Owen.

End of chapter 5 too! Again, sorry for the long wait. Who was in Adonis's bed? Read on to find out! Thanks for your support!

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Love, Kaninika xoxo