~Laith~
"The Evil One is you," I voiced out.
"Did you miss me, love?" he asked and let out an evil laughter. His arms wrapped gently around me. Like I was made of glass and he was scared to break me if he pressed harder.
'My tainted Incirion,' his words resonated in my head.
It was possessive as though he considered me his own. I wanted to correct him, to tear away from his embrace however, the warmth of his arms allured me to stay put.
I inhaled the smokey scent emitting from him. He smelled like lilacs and snow. A strange yet compelling combination.
In that dangerously spellbinding moment. A dangerous thought crossed my mind. 'I wouldn't mind being his,' it was dangerous and crazy to have such thoughts of my mortal enemy. But it couldn't be helped.
In a world where everyone expects me to be strong, to shoulder all their problems without fail. Prince Zephirin is the only one who hasn't held such expectations of me.
The first person to look at me and see a person with feeling, capable of breaking like all others. The one person to grant me a shoulder to lean my head and warm arms to keep me from freezing.
"Why are you kind to me?" I dared to inquire.
"I do not know. I want to kill you and end your reign before you end mine. However, each time I see you, I feel this strong desire to comfort you," Prince Zephirin expressed honestly.
It was foolish to find comfort in the enemy. But with no friends by my side, that option seemed the only one I could find.
His answer made no sense. Nevertheless, it came from a place of truth. For whatever reason, im grateful he offers a kind hand to me.
In his embrace, thoughts of the second prince withered from my mind. The heartbreak that turned me into half of a whole seems to lose weight. I can focus on my breathing and concentrate the little energy I have left to feel better. The feeling was leaving my eyes dry.
Wings fluttered in the distance.
I leaned my head close to his heart. To listen to the sound of the Evil One's heartbeat. Surprisingly, he had no heartbeat. The part of his chest where his heart should be was motionless.
No beat or pulse to indicate he had a heart. "Why don't you have a heartbeat?"
The deposed crown prince tightened his hands around me. The silence was the answer I received to my question.
"Why do you cry for my brother?" he finally let out a word. His voice was light and without judgment.
'I can't help it.'
Since birth, the main reason for my existence was being the holy Incirion. A man touched by the goddess to bring light to the world. Foreordained to kill the Evil One, end his reign, and annihilate darkness from the world.
The Saint has lived in the holy house teaching me nothing else. The way of Rezelna was the only one I've known since age. Until the second prince took notice of me. Made me see and feel things that I never thought possible for a man in my position.
He became my sweet escape to the planned-out life the Saint authored for me.
We stayed in silence for an extended time. Allowing time to pass us by. Prince Zephirin came across as a stranger at first, but who would have foretold that I would lean on him in my time of need?
He ascertained differently than the rumors of him in the palace. I find it onerous to believe that someone so warm is predestined to go aimlessly on a dark path.
"Do you think our prophecy will come to pass?" I broke the silence. Prince Zephirin puffed out and spoke; "If it is to pass, you can bet my version will triumph over yours."
The words sounded better like a threat than an answer. Strangely so, I felt no dread in my soul. Be it confidence or fatuousness I felt unassailable than endangered by his side.
"I won't fight you," I claimed. The utterances coming from my lips were bound to condemn the world. As I am the sole being capable of slaying the Evil One, without my aid, the world had no hope of stopping Zephirin from breaking everything in his wake.
With this knowledge, I held his gaze and stood my ground. The kindness he's shown me can never be repaid in words of gratitude. This is the way I could think of to repay his compassion towards me.
"I will hold you to your word. You aren't allowed to change your mind," Prince Zephirin smirked.
Hissing sounds echoed in the air.
"A forbidden embrace is unholy!"
"Let go of the forbidden before you lose your path!"
"His unholy touch will corrupt the purity of your light."
"In the name of goddess Rezelna, remove the unholy hands from your sacred body, Incirion!"
The warnings rang in my ear. One after another the augury from nature fell on deaf ears. The voice grew harsher and louder but I ignored it.
My soul is tainted by my love for the second prince. The unholy one of the two of us was me. Prince Zephirin is a ray of light that came by my side when a dark cloud hovered over me.
"It is unholy to seek comfort with your enemy!"
"It's you who made him my enemy. I didn't have a say in that!" my voice roared as loud as thunder. I enclosed my hands tightly on Zephirin's back. To anger the spirits that spoke on behalf of my goddess.
The pain in my heart slowly transformed into bitterness. Love is a pure feeling from the goddess through her people. To connect different souls, a feeling that flowed through my body, heart, and soul. For a man who can never be mine.
"Who are you talking to?" Zephirin asked.
"Guardians of the Incirion of goddess Rezelna. They have opinions about me being in your arms," I responded honestly. "Forbidden, unholy, foe, they call you by many names," I summed up.
"Hmm," Zephirin lowered his eyes to mine. "What name do I hold to you?" his soft voice allured my attention to his face. His beautiful purple eyes gazed at me. As though he was seeking his answer from my soul.
"Zeph...Evi...," I stammered. Words refused to form to convey my thoughts.
"Zephevi," he sounded amused. "Then it will be a name that only you, my tainted Incirion refer to me with," his sweet whisper echoed in my heart. Captivating my eyes to his. "Wipe your tears and learn to hide your feelings. It's a dangerous world to wear your heart on your sleeve, Laith," he advised.