*Nemesia's POV*
The halls of the monastery were eerily quiet, the sounds of the outside world—celebrations from the Bear Clan, preparations for the departure by the rebels, and the distant echoes of the retreating Jaguars and Lycans—seemed to fade into the background as I made my way through the dimly lit corridors. My footsteps were soft, almost hesitant as if the weight of what I was about to do had finally caught up with me.
David's room was at the far end, guarded only by the silence and the knowledge of what lay inside. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of the betrayal I had orchestrated, the life I had shattered. But there was no turning back now. This was the path I had chosen, and I had to see it through.
As I reached the door, I paused, my hand hovering just above the handle, unaware that Evar was looking at me from the distance. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come.
"Stay strong," Athena urged, her voice firm, but I could sense the hesitation in her tone.
I pushed the door open slowly, the hinges creaking softly in the stillness. The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a single candle on the bedside table. David lay on the narrow bed, his face pale against the dark linens, his breathing shallow and steady.
He turned his head slightly as I entered, his eyes opening to meet mine. For a moment, there was only silence between us, the air thick with unspoken words. His lips curved into a faint smile, one that held a trace of the warmth I remembered from our earlier days together.
"Nemesia," he greeted me, his voice weak but steady. "I was wondering when you'd come... I'm glad that you're ok."
I stepped closer, my heart twisting at the sight of him. The once-proud prince, now reduced to this—a shadow of his former self, barely clinging to life. And it was all my doing. I had planned this, pulled the strings that led him to this bed, to this fate.
"I had to make sure you were… safe," I replied, my voice carefully measured.
David nodded slowly as if my words were a comfort to him. "Thank you. Though, I suppose 'safe' is a relative term now." There was no bitterness in his tone, only a quiet resignation.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to maintain my composure. "You need to know the truth, David. The battle... it's over. Your forces were defeated, and the Bears have claimed the island. You're their prisoner now..."
He closed his eyes for a moment, absorbing the news, then opened them again to look at me. "I expected as much. You wouldn't be here otherwise, would you?" His voice was soft, devoid of accusation, just a simple acknowledgement of the reality.
I nodded, the weight of my actions pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket. "You won't be able to return to your kingdom, David. The Bears have agreed to keep you alive, but… your life will be here now, in this monastery or in a nearby village. You also... you won't be able to… to have an heir. The injuries you sustained... and the measures taken to save your life... have ensured that."
David's eyes flickered with a brief flash of pain, but he remained calm. "I see. So, I'm to live out my days here, in quiet seclusion." He paused, his gaze searching mine. "And what about you, Nemesia? What role did you play in all of this?"
My throat tightened, and I forced the words out, each one like a knife twisting in my chest. "I... I made sure you would be spared, David. That you could live… peacefully. But I can't change what was done. You'll never be able to return to what you were."
He was silent for a long moment, his gaze dropping to the blanket covering him. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, tinged with sadness that cut through me like a blade. "I understand. You've made your choice, and I suppose I can't fault you for it. You've always been strong, Nemesia. Stronger than any of us ever were."
I looked away, unable to meet his gaze any longer. The weight of his words, the quiet acceptance in his tone—it was too much. "You should rest," I managed, my voice thick with emotion. "You need time to heal, to... to find a new purpose here."
David nodded, a faint, sad smile playing on his lips. "Perhaps I will. Though, it's hard to imagine what that purpose might be, now that everything I've ever known is gone."
I turned to leave, the pain in my chest almost unbearable. I had done what I came here to do, told him the truth and secured his life. There was nothing more to say, nothing more I could do to ease the pain I had caused.
But as I reached the door, his voice stopped me in my tracks.
"I wish it could've been me," his tone filled with a quiet desperation that I had never heard from him before. "If I were to be your fated... not Marco... If only it was me..."
I turned back to him, my heart pounding in my chest. "What do you mean, David?"
His gaze met mine, and in that moment, I saw the depth of his sorrow, the pain that went far beyond the physical wounds. "I know about what happened in the capital, with Marco. I've known for some time. I knew... and I knew you were being hunted."
My blood ran cold. How long had he known? How much had he understood? "David, I—"
But he held up a hand, cutting me off gently. "It's alright, Nemesia. I never wanted to be a burden to you. I only ever wanted to… to protect you, to be the one who could keep you safe. But I wasn't, was I?" His voice cracked with emotion, and he looked away, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"David… I... never knew... You've always been a good friend," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I didn't want to hurt you... This... this was the only thing that could keep you away from harm."
He laughed softly, though there was no joy in it, only a deep, abiding sadness. "I know. But you had no choice, did you? You were always meant for something greater, Nemesia. I just… I wish it had been me. I wish I had been the one to stand by your side, to be your fated, your protector. But it wasn't me… it was Marco. And I'll never forgive him for what he did to you."
Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision as I stared at him, unable to speak. David knew. He had known all along, and yet he had never said a word. He had never tried to stop me, never tried to betray me. Instead, he had quietly harboured feelings for me, feelings I had never seen, never understood. Not to mention he let me in, knowing I'm probably here to betray him...
He looked at me then, his eyes filled with a quiet determination. "Nemesia, I won't stand in your way. I understand why you did what you did, why you felt you had to. And though it breaks my heart… I forgive you. I forgive you, Nem."
His words hit me like a physical blow, the tears finally spilling over as I turned away, unable to face him any longer. "David, I…"
But I couldn't finish the sentence. The words stuck in my throat, the pain too great, too overwhelming. I forced myself to walk to the door, each step heavier than the last.
As I reached the threshold, I heard his voice one last time, soft, filled with a gentle resignation. "Goodbye, Nemesia. I'll always support you... even if I can't anymore. I hope you'll get your vengeance."
I couldn't look back. I couldn't bear to see the expression on his face, the sorrow in his eyes. I fled the room, my heart pounding in my chest, the tears blurring my vision as I stumbled through the quiet halls of the monastery.
Athena fled to the back of my mind feeling the same as me. I was hard. I was tough... But this broke me in some way.
I didn't stop until I was outside, the cool night air hitting my face as I broke into a run. The forest loomed ahead, dark and foreboding, but I didn't care. I needed to get away, to escape the weight of David's words, the pain of his forgiveness. I wasn't even aware a shadow was following me in the distance.
I ran deeper into the woods, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I pushed myself harder, trying to outrun the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. The trees blurred around me, the shadows closing in as I finally collapsed to the ground, my knees giving out beneath me. I wanted to let Athena shift and take the reins but she was grieving her friend quietly.
The tears came then, in full force, wracking my body with sobs as I buried my face in my hands. For the first time since I've met Evar after Marco's betrayal... Tears were streaming down my cheeks. I had done what I had set out to do—I had secured David's life, ensured the Bears' loyalty, and moved one step closer to my goal.
But in doing so, I had lost something I hadn't realized I still had—a piece of my heart that had quietly, unknowingly, belonged to David. And now, it was gone, shattered by the weight of his forgiveness, his quiet acceptance of his fate.
"Why did you have to say that?" I whispered to the night, my voice broken and filled with anguish. "Why couldn't you just hate me?"
But the forest offered no answers, only the sound of the wind rustling through the trees, the distant echoes of the monastery fading into the darkness.
I didn't know how long I sat there, alone in the woods, my tears eventually giving way to exhaustion. All I knew was that, for the first time since I had begun this journey, I felt truly lost.
And I wasn't sure I would ever find my way back.