Chapter 9
Alaric finally realized that my illness was beyond cure.
He remained silent, and the air was heavy with suffocating stillness.
“A terminal illness? No cure? Who dares-”
He suddenly erupted, like a vengeful demon, drawing his sword and charging at the physicians.
“You bunch of charlatans! Charlatans! Who do you say will die, huh?! Who?! My Sera will live for a hundred years! She cannot be dying so soon! I’ll cut out your tongues! I’ll have you all executed!”
He caused a scene at my bedside, his screams deafening.
“Alaric.”
I opened my eyes and grabbed his cloak, his sword clattering to the floor.
He responded with urgency, “I’m here, Sera, I’m here. Is something wrong? Are you in pain?”
He reached out to me, his face filled with concern and sorrow.
“Don’t touch me.” I spoke softly, with no emotion. “After all, you love Vivienne, the one you promised to love. Your kindness is meant for her, not for
me.”
Alaric’s pupils trembled violently. He clutched his head and let out a heartbreaking, anguished cry, one after another, filled with remorse and regret.
embled
It seemed like he was reminiscing on all the ways he had wronged me.
Tears as big as raindrops dripped down his face.
And then, he ran.
The coward, he couldn’t even bear to look at me.
Alaric disappeared for three days.
When he returned, his eyes were swollen, and his face unshaven. He kneeled by my bed.
He begged for my forgiveness, swearing that he loved me, truly loved me.
I almost vomited.
“It’s my fault, Sera. I thought we still had time.”
Time for what? More cruelty?
I couldn’t be bothered to argue with him, so I just quietly listened.
Wat all all w
all wall with all pull Avg.
“How could I wait until I’m about to lose you to admit that I can’t live without you? I held onto my guilt for other women, and relied on you always accommodating me, hurting you over and over. It’s all my fault. Let me make it up to you. Please, Sera, let me right my wrongs.”
I turned
my back on him and fell asleep.
When I woke up, he was still kneeling.
This dragged on for a few more days, and people came to advise him: “Your Majesty, spare yourself–the realm needs you.”
Love? Ha.
He was only moved by his own feelings.
I thought about it and realized I had to make him suffer more. It was too easy to just let him kneel like this.
I wanted to make him laugh and cry, feel pain and exhaustion, give him hope and then snatch it away.
When I die, he will not be allowed to die peacefully.
I said to Alaric, “Get up.”
His eyes lit up.
Chapter 9
On the third day, a swing covered in wisteria flowers stood in my courtyard.
I sat on it,
Alaric chattered
basking in the
sun, feeling strangely at peace.
He talked about the days wh
I had first entered the palace, how shy I had been.
Once, after an afternoon
nap,
I stumbled out, my hair unkempt, sitting on the swing, letting it sway.
Suddenly, Alaric had appeared, and into
my rush to get away, I’d forgotten to put on my shoes and ended up covered in mud as I ran to the palace.
Later, he had personally washed the dirt f
Why feet.
He said he had never seen a girl so full of life.
I smiled faintly.
“Even the most lively person will be worn
down by love. Don’t y
t you think?”
Alaric fell silent.
I stood up and waved my hand at him, speaking flatly, “Take it down. It’s annoying to look at.”
C
