Blood Rose

#11

We just looked at each other in shock. So Philip didn't want to take her home. That's why he'd waited 18 years. And Estevan didn't know, no one knew his intentions. Idylla laughed, "I'm magical, it seems!"

Oreste stared at her. I was still on her lap. I stood up with difficulty groaning in pain. "Lie down Adonis, you're not alright." Idylla said.
"We don't have time. We have to go back to Cyprus before Philip manipulates Herakles and the others too. We have to tell them the truth."
"You cannot even walk properly, Adonis. No offence." Oreste said.
"You're talking to the man with wings, Oreste." I smiled and looked at Idylla. She jumped on my horse and I climbed behind her. Oreste took the other one and we galloped to Cyprus.

Estevan and Philip were already there and looking at Herakles's furious face, we knew that the evil was done.
"Traitor!" Herakles screamed at me and arrows came shooting at me and they pierced my back and I screamed in pain.
"Stop!" Oreste said, "He's done nothing!"
"You know nothing, brother!" Herakles screamed back. Idylla saw my condition, I was supported on her shoulder. She noticed the archers getting more arrows ready to shoot me. She galloped inside the palace, to the temple ground.

Oreste walked to Herakles and said, "I do know! It's all a lie." And he handed him the letter and said, "Philip's the villain here. He wanted to kill her to be immortal."
"How dare you blame my brother? Why are you defending him?" Estevan said.
"Because I've talked to Idylla. And I have proof!" Oreste said.

Herakles's eyes widened when he read the letter. Oreste said, "Philip made her get kidnapped. He killed father. Idylla just escaped from his clutches."
"Oreste...But Estevan told us that Philip said that Quinn was blackmailed to say that he kidnapped her by Adonis... That Adonis blackmailed her by love to kill Philip but Philip saved himself..." Herakles said.

"And you think that's the truth even after you've read that letter? Brother, you attacked him with arrows." Oreste said.
"Oh god, what have I done! Go look for Adonis and Idylla at once!" Herakles ordered a man. He looked at Estevan and handed him the letter. Estevan stared at Herakles wide eyed after reading it and said, "Now I realise why he waited for 18 years."

He turned back to look at Philip. But he wasn't there. They looked at each other and rushed inside the palace where Idylla and I had run.

***

I collapsed the second we stopped in front of the temple grounds. I could feel death approach. She took my head in her lap and held me tight with tears in her eyes. I smiled and caressed her cheek and said, "I kept you safe, you know. Nothing happened to you."
"Shut up, idiot." She smiled, still sobbing.
"I'm gonna have to go, okay? You're gonna take care of yourself." I said.
"Don't say that. You're not going anywhere." She said and looked up and her expression changed. I struggled to sit up and saw Philip, getting an arrow ready to hit me. He screamed, "You're finally gonna die, you non-royal useless idiot! And I'm gonna be immortal by killing her after you're gone!"
"Never!" I screamed and pulled out my dagger and swung it at him, it cut right through him.

He dropped dead but his ready arrow fired when the bow loosened and hit me right in my chest and I fell into her lap. She was crying out loud now. I'd never seen her cry this bad.
"You're gonna be alright." She said.
"I have to go Idylla. You're gonna be alright though."
"Nothing's gonna happen to you." She said and pulled my sword out of its cover tied to my waist.

"Idylla, don't." I said. I had no power left in me to fight back, I could only talk.
"I'll have to live in debt if you die, Adonis, you know." She smiled, "While if I do this, I can repay everything you've given to me. Thanks for coming into my life and teaching me how to live, how to love."
I shook my head and she saw Herakles, Estevan and Oreste approach. She didn't hesitate for a second.

She cut her lips, blood oozed out and she kissed me. I attempted to push her back but couldn't. We shared a last passionate kiss, as I could taste her blood. And as soon as I got up, she dropped to the ground, dead.

Yes, she gave a dying man life. She saved me, she sacrificed herself for me. I'd just held her that day and cried and cried, till Herakles came close to me and held me by my shoulder. Oreste was behind him. He had a letter in his hand, he handed it to me. I opened it, it was from Estevan.

Dear Adonis,

I've failed to be a good king again and again, because I've loved Philip, I've loved him madly. Now I've lost him and Agnes both, because of my sheer stupidity. Living with this guilt is difficult enough, but I will. Just not in Mausa, not where almost my whole family died, not in Cyprus, where the ones left died. I know I'm a good person, but I'm stupid Adonis, and that's what ruined everything.

Wherever I am, I'll be fine. I just have one request, take Mausa under your capable arms after I'm gone, be their king. And thank you brother, for everything. I'm sorry that because of my stupidity, you lost her. I'm sorry for not trusting you.

Estevan.

The second time somebody had abandoned me, after mother. It wasn't easy. Estevan was like a brother to me. I handed the letter to Oreste while Herakles closed Idylla's eyes.

"Estevan rushed out when he saw Idylla die and I ran after him. He wrote this real quick using a quilt and paper he found in the throne room. And he handed this to me and said he couldn't face you and asked me to give you this. I didn't know it said this, Adonis. I'm sorry." Oreste said.

Idylla's and Philip's last rituals were done, we all shed tears, Mausans and Cyprians together. I became king reluctantly when Herakles convinced me to, saying that Mausa needed me. My mother crowned me. She gave her consent to come back to Mausa and Mausa and Cyprus stayed friends forever.

That's my story, that's our story. I never felt what Philip did, the greed, crazy greed for immortality, but I did feel true love. I felt true love in whatever little time I had with her. And when death comes to me, I'll be prepared, I'll be proud to say at the gate to afterlife that I've lived my life well, I've lived it for love.

And I know Idylla will say the same, only she didn't just live for love, she died for love. I would've too. And when I think of it, had Philip known love, true love, he would've never run after immortality.

Well that's the end! Thanks for your enormous support throughout!

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Love, Kaninika xoxo