A King's Heart

18.

Chapter Eighteen: Give You My Heart

Mara felt her lungs burn as she ran through the forest. Her mind was set on getting back to the prince as quick as she could, knowing the danger the humans were in fighting against elves.

Her frantic eyes caught onto the scene ahead of her. Lifeless elves spread against the earth, Kai grunts could be heard as he and the prince fought them off.

"Tom!", Mara yelled out to the prince making him turn his head.

"Mara! Are you alright?" Prince Thomas questioned as he approached her. There was a tired expression on her face as she leaned into him for support.

"It's done," Mara whispered, "The spell. It's done."

Prince Thomas stared at her with a confused look. With knowledge of her intentions, he wasn't aware if she had chosen whether to save him or bring her mother back.

Mara opened her mouth to speak when suddenly her face morphed into an expression of pain. Prince Thomas eyebrows furrowed in confusion before he glanced down to Mara's chest and let out a small cry.

A spear stabbed straight through her heart made Mara yell out in pain as she collapsed to the ground.

"No, no Mara," Prince Thomas got down to his knees as he held onto the dying witch. There were tears streaming down his face as he glanced up to King Elio who stood above him with a smirk on his face, "What did you do?".

King Elio simply closed his eyes and smiled, "I brought my son the peace he deserved."

Prince Thomas watched as King Elio looked down at Mara with a unknown emotion in his eyes, nodded his head slowly before he turned and walked away. He sat there, with the dying witch in his arms, tears pouring down his eyes as he attempted to fix her.

"Mara, hey look at me? You have to get up okay?" Prince Thomas said in between sobs, "You need to get up and give me my heart back, please."

Mara simply gave him a soft smile, trying her best to ignore the burning pain she felt. She had known from the moment that she had met the prince that she would never allow no harm come to him. Mara would do everything in her power to keep his safe, even if it meant for her to die.

In that moment, as she felt her life slowly fade away, Mara had come to realization.

She had fallen for the prince.

"You need to get up Mara. You must return me my heart" Prince Thomas tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smearing her blood across her cheek, "Please, get up."

He wouldn't stop crying. Prince Thomas could feel Mara's heart rate slow down by each second. He couldn't let her die, not when he finally understood why he worried so much about her.

He had fallen for the witch.

"Prince Thomas" Kai slowed down his steps at the view in front of him.

He felt his heart clench in pain at the way the prince held a dying Mara. Without his knowledge, tears began to roll down his cheeks as he watched Mara take a harsh breath, almost as if she was holding onto to the little life she had within her.

"You...need to keep going", Mara softly whispered, "Your kingdom...they need you".

Prince Thomas shook his head as a sob left his lips, "I need you".

Mara gave him a pained smile as tears escaped her eyes. She had known that her decision to save the prince's life would come with a consequence but she was willing to accept it.

Kai leaned down, resting on his knees he gave the dying witch a smile, "Stop being so stubborn Mara and get up. We have no time for games."

Mara watched as Kai tried his best not to break in front of her. But the way she watched his blue eyes drown in tears, she knew in that moment that he had grown soft for her.

Kai may never voice it out loud, but he cared for Mara, the way a brother would care for his younger sister.

"You have to go Kai, take the prince", Mara coughed, wincing as she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, "Genevere needs their king".

Mara turned her gaze back to the crying prince, a pained expression rested between his forehead as he looked at her. She ignored the way her heart clenched at his sadness and instead reached up to cup his cheek.

Bringing his face down to hers, Mara whispered softly against his lips, "My heart belongs to you."

Mara pressed her lips against the prince as she completed the spell. A burning white light surrounded them as she moved her lips against his, savoring his taste before her life faded away.

Prince Thomas held onto Mara with all his force, he wasn't aware of what she had intended with the kiss until he felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest. A small gasp left his lips as he pulled away from, "Mara, what did you do?".

Mara simply gave him a soft smile as she tried her best to ignore the feeling of her power fade away. She gave him a tearful look as she rubbed his cheek, "Be a great King, your highness."

Prince Thomas broke into a painful cry as he felt her take her last breath. A scream left his lips as Mara's eyes closed, the hand cupping his cheek fell against her body as her head leaned against his chest.

The future King brought a hand to his mouth as he tried to block the sobs that left his lips. He held onto Mara with all his force, hoping that he could save her. That he could bring back the witch he had fallen so deeply for.

But all he could do was cry, for realization had settled in as he looked down to her motionless body.

Mara, the witch that had stolen his heart, had died.

authors note: hehe I'm gonna go hide now! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

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