Aelira
Silence fell onto the burning battlefield as the sword pierced through his chest. The cut was deep—deep as Kael's convictions.
Eryx's eyes widened at the sight unfolding in front of his eyes. His sword, the very sword which was now coated with the king's blood, fell onto the rough ground. At the same time, his dearest brother's still body also fell to his knees.
"Kael!" Eryx shouted and held his brother into his arms. "Kael, what did you do!"
Indeed. What Kael de Viremont, the tyrant king of Velmora did, was beyond his brother Eryx's comprehension.
"You were supposed to fight back, Kael! Why.. why did you down your sword…" Eryx's voice broke.
Kael looked at his younger brother's face and smiled. His lips stained crimson with his own blood.
"I needed to be stopped…" He coughed blood. His breath grew shallow. Even Eryx's healing abilities weren't fair enough to mend a cut at the heart.
"...No one could've stopped me from conquering my beliefs— No one but me. But I can't…" Kael took a ragged, painful breath. "I couldn't let go of my loyalty toward the man who shaped me into what I am today. So I had to end it… I had to end myself.."
Eryx's handsome face retorted with pain as he heard Kael. Tears started to roll down his cheeks.
"Eryx.. my brother.. please be a better king.. for this kingdom…"
And with his last words, Kael fell silent for an eternity.
Even in death, Kael rested his wrist upon the hilt of his sword. His one knee on the ground and on the other, rested his proud head.
"Kael!" Eryx shouted in agony and all the dead trees immediately caught fire at his immense release of power.
With that, Eryx de Viremont became the new king of Velmora. He took his beloved, Siren Azure as his queen. And the kingdom of Velmora was built newly with happiness on the ashes of the previous crown.
The history remembered Kael as a tyrant king who was overpowered by justice. But only you and me will know that he himself did the justice.
_____________________________
My fingers grab the book tighter. My body trembles as the silent sobs wreck it. The black lines on the page blurred under my tears, the paper half-swallowed by the teardrops. The disinfectant scent of the hospital room is not at fault for the new sting inside my nose.
I sniff. And a sob breaks free.
"How's that a happy ending?" I sniff again. "What about Kael? He deserved a better ending!"
The spine of the book 'Ashes of The Crown' was about to break with my tight grip around it. It was a once in a century hit romance fantasy. Written by Ariana Ottawa, this book has a fandom for Eryx so large, they could've been named as a new specimen.
But what is this feeling I got after reading this? Hasn't anyone been bothered by how she ended Kael's life in the story like it was just as killing a rare beast?!
"Heuk—" I started crying again.
The more I think of my boy Kael, the more my chest hurts. Bluntly speaking, I'm actually in this hospital bed for my chronic illness. And see what I'm doing here?
I've got a death wish, I see.
But the thought can't be helped. Kael was mislead, misunderstood, mistreated—and all the other things which start with 'mis'—through the entire novel.
And now I'm supposed to feel nothing for him just because he was framed as a villain!?
"He was shaped into a tyrant by the former king Devan who wasn't even his real father…"
I place the book on the table and lay down on the narrow bed. My eyes are bloodshot red I know. If mom were to see it, she'd have probably scolded the hell out of me.
Speaking of mom… when was it the last time she visited me here? Maybe three days ago, maybe four days ago, or maybe a week ago.
I'm really used to these white hospital ceilings by now. Twenty years of handling with a weak heart—I've mastered it by now. But—
"The room is so lonely…"
Is this how Kael felt when he was ill in his room all by himself? Ah my nose is stinging again.
And once again my eyes are pools of tears.
"Only if… heuk— only if I were there.. I wouldn't have let you be so lonely Kael…"
Suddenly my heart gives a violent jerk. Ack.. that hurt— but my brain feels hazy now. My body also feels so tired.
I think I cried so much that my eyelids are so heavy, I can't open my eyes. The sound of the ECG machine grows distant. The violent pain in my heart feels to fade away completely.
Am I dying?
So… is this how painful it was for Kael?
Another teardrop escapes my left eye (?) and my senses become all black.
But I heard the sound of rushing footsteps and a door bursting open before I lose my sense completely.
It's all dark here now. It's too dark.
______________________
"Aelira…"
"Aelira…"
"Aelira!"
Gasp!
I open my eyes and suck in a deep breath. I can breathe? Again?
I look up at the white ceiling from where I'm laying. But why am I seeing a vibrantly oil-painted ceiling instead of the blatant white one? Then my eyes land onto them—the hospital staffs.. no wait, they're not wearing blue uniforms…
The women are all wearing long black and white skirts. Are they maids by any chance? And the men are also in black. But the elderly man with a slightly wrinkled forehead and deep blue eyes is clad in a somewhat expensive military suit. His eyes look worried as he stares at my face.
"Aelira.. gracious to god, you're alright now." The man spoke as he stroked my hair.
Eh?
"...."
"Are you still feeling unwell, princess?" One of the elder men clad in black spoke.
Ehhh?
"Hey, are you okay?" Now the young man standing on my right side of bed spoke. Jesus Christ—who made you this handsome, man! His beauty is blinding with his handsome face and silver hair, along with deep blue eyes. He kinda looks like the old man. Are they family?
But the most important question is…. Who the fuck is Aelira?
"Uh… where am I?" I ask meekly. Afraid that these billionaire military men are gonna shoot me right here.
All of them exchange worried glances. The old man who was patting my head looks like he's about to collapse. And the handsome guy looks at me with disbelief in his eyes.
"...."