The Princess of Wrath

Chapter 11 - Part II: Lockdown

Asura's vision got blurry after running towardsDiana to hug her with such desperation as if she feared she could disappear. The smell of rain was strongly permeated into the black fabric of her uniform and mixed with the metallic scent of the dark steel plates, making the infinitesimal drops of foreign blood scattered there and the rest of her body almost undetectable.

Above them, the roof of the barricade protected them from the rain and they were illuminated by the lights of the crystals. Meters behind, Stanislaus had stepped out of the carriage and stood frozen beside Amos, who ordered Aurum with a wave of his hand to point the machine gun in another direction.

"A-Asura ...?" she heard Diana say, her voice tired, shaky and covered with that same irrational fear that the Princess was experiencing. A fear that called into question the existence of that unbreakable barrier that divided  reality from dreams.

Upon meeting those blue eyes and the rebirth of that beautiful smile so familiar to her on her lips, Asura could not hold back the tears. She placed both hands on Diana's cheeks, as if still refusing to believe it was her, and carried out the last test to clear that primordial doubt, not caring or noticing that they were being watched in absolute silence: she kissed her lips, moist but warm, with the gentleness necessary to enjoy that beautiful sensation that enveloped her wounded heart like a healing veil.

Diana was taken by surprise but ended up reciprocating, laughing tenderly and with great pleasure as she cut the kiss shortly after and took her hands carefully.

"T-This is a miracle!" the knightess exclaimed in a brittle voice that clearly indicated that all that joy was going to end up causing her to start crying too. But her euphoria did not last long when she realized the condition in which the Princess was. "Oh, Asura... What did they do to you?"

Her question came accompanied by a little daring on her part as she lowered Asura's hood and exposed her shaved head. Then, Diana noticed the bandages that covered her arms and she rolled one up to see, covering her beautiful face with horror, the fabric covered with red stains everywhere.

Consequently, Asura felt insecure of herself; wet from head to toe, filthy for days without a bath, seriously injured... Broken, torn to pieces.

"Unforgivable... By what right did they dare to do this to you?!" she exclaimed furiously and briefly averted her gaze above Asura to demand an explanation from the four stunned men. Not receiving an answer, she turned her attention back to her lover, who could not control her rampant emotions.

"It was my entire fault, Diana... For lying, for hiding... I killed Jul!" she said, moaning and aching with guilt. "And now...now Royce and Frida...they..."

The blonde knightess quickly understood what had happened but not for a single second did she judge Asura for that: she hugged her with the affection that the Princess needed, giving her her most unconditional and necessary support she needed in that difficult moment.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I lied to you all this time! I...I...!" Asura was unable to speak clearly; she had so many things to say to her lover, so much to apologize for. Fate seemed to have brought them back together when everything seemed to indicate that they would never see each other again, and Asura wanted to let her know everything about how she felt.

"Calm down, love... Remember when I told you that I was always going to support you? This will be no exception," Diana assured her, whispering in her ear with absolute honesty. "What I feel for you goes beyond everything. You don't have to apologize."

Her words made Asura cry harder against her chest, assailed by happiness and the weight of her sins simultaneously. She was so engulfed in Diana's embrace that she did not notice that behind her, Amos had approached with his sword resting on his shoulder, and then Aurum and Stanislaus followed.