Post by desteke on Oct 14, 2016 18:54:42 GMT
Chapter 15
You were sitting on the edge of your bed and Mana was standing up next to you. You had decided to take a walk in the palace garden, when Therapontas’ sudden appearance was omening other plans for tonight.
Mana took out her magic wand and aimed it to his direction putting her most convincing “battle expression” on her face. The black-haired man stopped at the sight of the wand. He wanted to show that he didn’t have bad intentions.
“Calm down!” he said, “I don’t want to harm anyone.”
“Hard to believe.” Mana declared, “After everything you’ve put through my friend.”
Therapontas looked at your (e/c) eyes; he noticed your confused and scared expression. You had the similar expression, when he saw you waking up in the cage-carriage. Back then, he hid his feelings, in order to go everything according to Theonoe’s plan. But now, sorrow was taking over him. He despised seeing uncertainty in your eyes. He wanted to put an end on your tortures.
At the same time, Atem was watching outside from your room. He was hidden, so you weren’t able to see him and make things more complicated. He was waiting Therapontas to explain.
‘What do you have in your mind, Therapontas?’ was the question, which was spinning in his head.
Tears started blurring your vision. You swept them away with your hand and held yourself not to burst again.
“Lady (Y/n); I know you’re surprised that you’re meeting me like that- and after everything I did to you- but please, listen what I want to tell you and then, you can make your conclusions.”
You replaced your sorrowful look with a determined one and nodded.
You didn’t know why, but something within you was telling you to hear him, even though his actions showed the opposite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Therapontas narrated all the events, which thought they were more important that moment. He told you everything about the tyrant, who was threating your city-state and your self-sacrifice in order to stop threating you. When he heard all those he froze for a second, but he thought your decision of sacrificing your freedom, so your citizens live at peace, was an act of true bravery and pure heart.
‘(Y/n)… you’re the most special person, I’ve ever met…’, he thought and then focused again on listening your conversation with the black-haired man.
“That tyrant… is he still alive?” you questioned slightly worried.
“No.” he answered tersely.
A sigh of relief escaped your lips. That moment Therapontas lifted a bit his arm and looked at his palms.
Mana wondered what he was trying to pass with that gesture. However, her question was answered fast.
“Because I kill him with my own hands.” He admitted, put down his hands and clenched them to fists.
-Flashback begins-
You walked down the stairs and entered the city, which had turned into a battlefield. You saw many warriors on the ground lying down dead or injured. You tried to avoid the spots where warriors were fighting, so you won’t be hit by friendly fire.
You entered a small alley. It was slightly dark, although you could see very well where you going, because the sky which had the numerous hues of red and orange. You glanced up and saw a black nebula above the alley.
‘This isn’t good!’ you thought, ‘The fire is spreading rapidly! If I don’t get out of the city quickly, I’ll burn alive!’
At the moment you were ready to get out from the alley, a hug man figure blocked you the way. You stepped back, when you saw he was.
The man laughed sinisterly.
“As I told you before; you’re next after your father.”
“Murderer! Stay away from me!” you yelled filled with rage and agony.
The man growled with your reaction.
“You insubordinate worm; you’re the same like your father! You never understand who has the upper hand!”
Exactly after finishing his sentence, he dashed right on you to stab you. Then, everything started to move around in slow motion. ‘Is this really the end?’ you were thinking, while at the same time you were closing your eyes and putting your arms in front of you as a shield. You were expecting for the sword to fatally injure you or kill you, but instead you heard a metallic sound, then small cry mixed with pain and rage from the tyrant which it was followed another metallic sound.
You opened your eyes and the first things you took a glimpse were his fallen sword and an ostracized arrow which probably had come from above, where the tyrant was angrily glaring.
“Miss (Y/n)!”
A very familiar voice made you turn your eyes above at the building to your right. It was Therapontas behind the highest window of the building in the alley. He was the one who shot the arrow and save you from sure death.
“Therapontas! Thank gods you-”
“Stop thanking me!” he interrupted you with his strict tone and leaped out of the window and landed down in front of you.
He glared the evil swordsman, who already picked up his sword and pointed at you.
“You have to get out from here.” he said without taking his glare away the tyrant.
“But-”
“Forget the “but” now and go!” he shouted like he was ordering one of his privates. “I’ll bite you some time, so you can escape a little bit more safety.”
You weren’t so worried about you, as you were for him. You were about to ask him if he could make it through, but you withdrew it because you knew he will say, he could. You nodded and exited the alley.
“Senseless monster! You’ll pay with your life for anything you’ve done!” he yelled with all the rage he had.
“You’re still angry because I killed your beloved fiancée? I told you; she died, because her lord acted carelessly against me!”
“Shut up you absurd tyrant!” he roared, took out his sword from his sheath and dashed on the enemy.
-Flashback ends-
“I can recall that I ran away from him… so that guy was a tyrant… and killed my parents and Kleoniki…” you looked away for a moment feeling disgust about that horrible man- even the word “man” wasn’t fitting to him- who eviscerated almost your whole city-state.
Thinking about that senseless creature wasn’t going to help you to understand, what happened to you at past, so you asked Therapontas another question, which was bothering you for a long while.
“How did I end up a slave with you as a slaver?”
“It was all part of your rescue.” He replied with a grave expression.
You and Mana were wordless of what he just said. Your friend was confused and suspicious of him at the same time. She wasn’t sure, if he was playing with your minds or he was just bad at lying.
“You know you’re not making any sense, aren’t you?” she said.
“I said the same words too, when she told me about it, but in the situation we were… there wasn’t any time for objections…”
-Flashback begins-
After the battle his battle with the tyrant, Therapontas was the winner. His armor was stained with the enemy’s blood. Exhaustion was about to take him down-because he was panting heavily- but he restrained himself. After all, he had his duty to do.
‘I’m sure; the emergency exit isn’t so far from here. Maybe I can catch up (Y/n), if I sprint.’ he thought and headed there.
The emergency exit was located south at city inside to a building. It was a huge and very well camouflaged trapdoor, which was leading to an underground tunnel. That tunnel was leading outside the city and to a safety distance from the enemy, whether he infiltrated.
After a few minutes, he pushed another trapdoor and exited the tunnel. When he got out he glanced to the trapdoor, which was -also- camouflaged as a hillock, then the flamed city-state. He let a depressed sigh and turned his head and saw Theonoe next to a cage-carriage. Then, he narrowed his eyes to see who’s that person in the carriage was.
“(Y/n)!” he exclaimed surprised and ran to you.
He grabbed the bars of the cage looked at your unconscious body flabbergasted. He tried to hold in check his wrath, but he failed when noticed the chains on your ankles and wrists.
“You enchained her! What were you thinking?” he roared.
“I thought that it would be more persuading, while you were escaping. After all, there are still tyrant’s warriors in the area. You’d better change too into something simpler. In order to, look like a coachman.”
Therapontas was wordless; he couldn’t believe what Theonoe said to him.
“But that wasn’t the plan! We said that we will take her somewhere away from there, but not like a slave ready to be sold!”
“I have something to confess at you, Therapontas….” She said forming a grave expression on her face. “When your fiancée was killed, I saw a vision about (Y/n).”
She made a pause and then with her most serious tones of all she said. “Therapontas; take (Y/n) to the land of the Pharaohs. There, destiny has in store for her a happy life replacing what she lost here.”
“Excuse me?” he exclaimed, “Have you lost your mind? What is she going to do in Egypt?”
“She will find her soulmate.” She answered laconically. “However, she won’t remember anything, but only her name.”
“Why?” he asked- even more surprised than before.
“Because Fate decided that.” She answered with a slight aggressive tone.
“You’re not making any sense!”
“There is no time for explanations”
Theonoe handed him a map.
“Follow the path I’ve marked with red ink. Take a ship from Athens to Egypt and we will meet at Nile, after you give (Y/n) to the right person.”
“And how will I understand that I gave (Y/n) to the right person?”
“You won’t choose him. (Y/n) will find him and choose him. Now go!”
Therapontas –still troubled, confused and hesitant- hopped on the carriage.
“Therapontas don’t forget our password!” she shouted while he was driving away.
“Right.” He mumbled and then thought, ‘God Apollo, with pleasure, is giving you access to speak with the gods.’
“There’s something more Therapontas!” She shouted, “(Y/n) will live happily with the next king of Egypt!”
‘That’s odd… Theonoe was never able to predict the very far future so easily… something is fishy. I must be cautious…’
With that he hit the horse reins to gain speed.
-Flashback ends-
“(Y/n).” he murmured and then, he fell on his knees and bowed –surprising everyone, who was watching. “I’m begging you to forgive me for everything I’ve done! I was trying to protect you with any means and this avert m-“
“Enough Therapontas!” you cut him off.
He took his eyes from the floor and looked at your (e/c) eyes. Everyone, even Atem, glanced at you surprised. They’ve never met that imperial behavior from you.
“Whatever happened is in the past now! Stop apologizing! Back then, you were under my father’s commands, but now he is gone. So; in order to atone for your mistakes, you shall follow my commands! Now get up!”
Therapontas immediately replaced his surprised expression with a serious one and got up within a second.
After that you giggle, making everyone around you wonder.
“Oh Therapontas… you’ve never changed at all.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The night was magical in Egypt. The dark blue sky was clear from clouds and the stars together with the full-moon were decorating the most beautiful scene you could face. You were in the palace’s garden gazing on that scenery. Your mind was on Theonoe.
What she was up to that mysterious woman? Did she really want your own good? But why did she casted such a powerful curse on you?
All those questions were spinning all over your head and making you to worry. Suddenly, you heard footsteps. You turned your head to the direction where the footsteps were coming and you faced Atem.
“(Y/n), I’ve been looking for you.” He said while he was coming closer to you. He had his hand behind his back.
“I’m sorry, if I worried you. I just needed some fresh air.”
“You had a long and very tiring day. I understand that.”
“Yeah… and I believe it will be followed by more of them…”
The pharaoh’s sympathetic look was replaced by a worrying one.
“Why do you believe that?” he questioned.
“Theonoe hasn’t appeared yet to explain her acts and that makes me anguish. What if this curse she threw over me is, indeed, so catastrophic?”
“Therapontas explained if she actually casted this curse on you, then the spell-caster’s wish will become true.”
“What if her wish is my destruction?”
“That’s why I’ve sent Seto and Therapontas to find her and stop her- if she wants to hurt you. But now, I’m regretting- a little bit- sending them on a mission.”
“Why?” you asked puzzled.
“Let’s just say that, they hadn’t had the best first meeting.” He answered, while imaging those two men shooting at each other death glares.
“I see…”you murmured slightly confused with Atem’s expression. “Therapontas said the wish has its cost…” you said bring the topic back the curse.
“It depends on how important is the wish…” he made a pause and then continued, “In the worst case it might cost somebody’s life…”
When he -hesitantly- finished his sentence, silence quickly surrounded you. Your (s/c) hands started shaking at the idea of losing –again- a closed one. Atem saw that and quickly changed his expression into a more caring and optimistic one.
He tended his right hand-which was all the time behind his back- and cupped your chick. You glanced into his deep, violet, reassuring eyes.
“(Y/n) - no matter what happens- I’ll be always by your side. I’ll protect you from any kind of evil and I’ll always try to take all the grief away from you.”
He caressed your cheek for a moment; you touched his hand with yours and held it still.
You closed your eyes and enjoyed for a few seconds this beautiful and peaceful feeling, which surrounded your heart. You repeated his words on and on in your mind.
Then you said, “Atem, I knew you were special when I, first, saw you. You’re my light and my hope. I don’t want to lose you.”
When you finished your sentence, you opened your eyes and you saw Atem holding something on his other hand. It was a gold-curved necklace with a huge ruby in the middle of it.
You looked the necklace speechless for a minute and turned to face Atem.
“Neither do I.” he replied, “(Y/n), will you become my wife?”
You could believe what he just said to you. The very same king of Egypt had just proposed you! You couldn’t describe how happy you were. Tears started coming out from your eyes.
“Yes Atem.” You answered.
You hugged each other and kissed passionately.