Her brows furrowed. It was clear from her face that she was trying to digest the sentence. Moreover, the word 'Forever' at the end was very inappropriate to be there.
"Yes, I know you should come back to your home. But, you can visit me.. I mean us.. once in a while, right?"
Tasia's question made Hadyan's lips curve into a gloomy smile, not a sign of happiness, "I think you'll understand what 'Never come back' means."
"Why? Is it against the rules? Aren't you a prince who can do whatever you want? You're in your reign, aren't you?" Tasia rushed him.
"It is because I'm a prince. It's an oath that I made before deciding to stay in the human world. Like it or not, I have to accept the conditions in order to be able to resemble the perfect being and stay in their world for a quite long time. I'm a prince who bound by my own oath."
Haydan looked deeply at Tasia. The girl's gloomy expression really made him not want to talk any further. But, he still had to tell Tasia the truth. Tell her what he was facing right now.
"I'm not coming back, Anastasia. Even if it's only for a second, I won't show my form to your world. The human world is only for the discarded demon. Here, they are only living in misery and trapped in just one place. They are the lowest demons that only have a little power."
"You.. Are you trying to scare me? Make me want to come with you to your palace?"
Hadyan shrugged his shoulders, "If that's how you feel right now, of course, I will be very grateful. But everything that I said was true. I never intended to tell the lie to you."
Out of her control, Tasia slowly felt the heat in her eyes. She immediately turned her face away, holding back a cry that Hadyan couldn't detect anymore. She felt very sad because she would lose Hadyan forever. Couldn't see him again, not even for a second.
"Grrrr!!!"
Suddenly, a growling sound caught their attention.
Tasia gasped in surprise, ready to run wildly, "Bear! There's a bear!" she whispered frantically as she patted Hadyan's arm, Instructed him to prepare to run.
Hadyan held the frightened Tasia's hands, "It's not a bear. Not an animal. They wanted me to leave this place."
Tasia blinked many times, then understood what Hadyan meant. Her face instantly turned pale, "I'm scare.."
"Do not say that," Hadyan cut it straight. "With me by your side, everything will be fine. They feed your fear. The more you get scared then the more they get stronger."
While squeezing Hadyan's arm, Tasia closed her eyes tightly, "How can I hold back the fear?! I feel like I want to scream now!"
Hadyan instead laughed amused by seeing her, "They are after me, Tasia. You are nothing to them. After all, your sensitivity to the supernatural energy is too low. It makes it difficult for them to reveal themselves to your eyes. Unless your supernatural vision is opened, then you will be able to see them with bare eyes. Just so you know, you are the human with the lowest sensitivity of supernatural energy that I have ever met."
"Is that so? Then, I won't be able to see them now?" She opened her eyes, looking at Hadyan innocently.
Hadyan nodded, "Only those that are extremely strong have enough energy that allows you to see their form. Luckily, no one has that much energy here. This mountain is visited by humans too often."
"Don't worry, Tasia. I can handle them. You must remember that I am a very powerful prince. They will not dare to come near us." He continued as he pulled Tasia to sit closer to him.
What Hadyan had said made Tasia calmer. Then, she rested her head on his shoulder. Actually, Hadyan's energy was fighting so hard with all the forest dwellers around them. He seemed to make an invisible supernatural circle around himself and Tasia, so that the lowly beings could not get close to them.
"Hadyan," Called Tasia, still leaning on the man's shoulder.
"Hmm?"
"Can you be a human?"
"I'm a human now." He answered.
"I mean to be a real human, for good. How about you stay here forever and visit your sea kingdom once in a while?"
"I'm sorry, Anastasia. I can't do that. I don't belong here. Humans are the most perfect being. I'm a demon. I can't turn completely into a human." He stroked Tasia's smooth hair which was still leaning on him.
"Why? Are you starting to like me?" Hadyan asked hopefully.
Silence replaced their conversation for a moment. But Tasia seemed to be playing with her fingers nervously, "If I tell you that I'm starting to like you, will you be close to Marya again?"
Hadyan's lips cracked a sweet smile. He took both of her small hands and squeezed them gently, "Whatever you say, I will never be close to her or any other woman. Don't ever think that anyone can occupy my heart other than you."
Slowly, tears flowed down Tasia's chubby cheeks, she began to sob. It made Hadyan confused and thought there was something wrong with his words. He looked at Tasia with a 'What's wrong?' expression.
"I don't want you to leave," Tasia started to cry heavily. Only to Hadyan she could reveal her fragile side. Showing that she was just a weak girl who was tired of holding back her pain and crying all this time. The whole world saw her as a strong girl. She could survive after losing her entire family in a tragic car accident. Survived facing her beloved grandmother who suddenly turned to hate her because of an illness.
Hadyan felt sad and happy at the same time. Tasia finally wanted to like him, but still, she didn't want to follow him home. It would only make their wounds worse in the end. Hadyan was no longer a pusher. He was no longer a fierce and selfish prince for the sake of his beloved girl. In front of her, he was just a man who needed love for the emptiness that had filled his life all this time. Tasia was an oasis in the arid desert of Hadyan's life. He wanted Tasia to come with him of her own will.
He grabbed Tasia's body and hugged her tightly. Burying his face in her silky soft hair, "What can I do, Anastasia? I don't know either."
***
The night was so quiet. Sometimes, there was a sound of laughter and growls from around the two of them. Hadyan didn't want to show Tasia the real situation that could frighten her. He kept holding back other energies that kept trying to break into his own energy circle.
He sat on the transverse tree roots while he let Tasia sleep on his lap, in his arms, while the air blew colder.
'She won't even let go of my hand. What a cowardly girl,' Hadyan smiled amusedly.
The cold wind blew again, making Tasia couldn't help but shiver in cold. Hadyan rubbed her arm as he hugged her even deeper. Hadyan was a snake demon who had a cold body temperature. So, he had to use the rest of his strength to radiate heat from within his body to warm Tasia.
Of course, Hadyan felt a little tired. But his current position felt to be a supplement that doubled his strength. In his smile, he was lost in the beauty he could see and touch. But suddenly, that feeling of happiness was replaced by a pain in his chest.
'Could I have you forever? Can I live my life as before after parting with you? Will you live your life like before when I'm gone?'