Epiphany

⇞ light in dark ⇞

The most obvious way to end the curse is to end the terror region in Udairis and let Princess live a normal life. But Morel explained that this not how curses worked. No matter how far she lived or where she went, Ermeline would always be the princess of Udairis, she can't alter bloodlines.

Back home we waited for King of Udairis to sent troops or maybe an assassin or something wondering if Odette did share the secret or that there was a spy who informed him about Ermeline missing from the tower but a week passed and nothing happened.

And I thought maybe this ended, maybe we could live in peace, maybe Nazereth would not be guarding the perimeter whole night and maybe I can find a paradise of my own. 

Morel, we need to talk and you can't keep escaping me.

I called out for my pet who usually guarded with Nazereth.

 I am here. But so is your husband. He looks worried and heartbroken.

I sighed realizing morel won this round.

Worried and heartbroken are two things I wouldn't want Nazereth to be.

I got up and rushed out to meet him.

He was not in his room or in the library.

I found him at the archery practice instead. He was shooting arrows with an intensity that might injure his fingers. I carefully walked towards him hoping that I could help his mood.

"Azer," I called still not accustomed to calling him that but he said he loved it.

He shot an arrow and immediately looked at me. The cuts on his fingers made my chest stiffen with pain but I didn't react.

I just observed him and noticed the mud on his boots. He had been to the graveyard and that explained his pain. The weapon in my satchel grew warmer.

He dropped the quicker and walked towards me pulling me in for a hug. His whole body radiated so much pain. His head buried in the nook of my neck as if he sought human warmth and comfort. He sighed and it was followed by a tremble, he was holding back tears. Once in a while, he would go to graves of his families and the soldiers he lost.

And it reminded of everything bad in his life. I lighted patted his shoulder and tried my best to take his pain. With time and with my weapon, I was better at this and merely felt it like a needle pricking my heart. It was enough to make my eyes water but at least I didn't have nosebleeds, I didn't pass out and threw up. I stood there being his strength for once.

As his pain transferred from him to me, he almost jumped apart.

His eyes widened, filled with unshed tears.

"What did I say about not taking my pain Zephora." He said ina soft tired tone.

"I am your wife Azer what do you think I would do?" 

He sighed and lightly wiped off the tears about to drip from his eyes.

"If I hadn't found you Zephora, believe me, I would have thought that I am cursed." He looked away as if talking more to himself than me, "I have lost so much, so much and the memories or time doesn't help. Their death is intact in my mind and I wish each time I should have died with them or at least kill those who killed them."

"I can make you forget pain, I can make those memories fade but that means you will live like me, having a messed up head with hazy reminders of what and who your family was. They would just remain as a nightmare when you sleep and tears when you wake up as every part of that nightmare fade away."

I didn't want him to forget, the smiles and songs with his sister, the love he held for his father and mother, the way he loved Dalia with his fearless heart. I didn't want to give away even a minor part of old Nazereth but if he wanted to let go of the pain I will help.