Her King Of Shadows

Chapter XI.

Shana sat on the floor of her mother's chambers. It has been so long since she was last here. Even Boris tried to erase every trace of the proud warrior she was, there were still memories. Next to her was a large window. She could remember so little. She closed her eyes hoping to hear her voice again. Any kind of sign of comfort coming from the person who sacrificed her own life to save hers. But now everything was changing. No matter how long she looked at the black traces on her skin, nothing could erase them. With them she felt marked. As an object which carries the name of its owner. There was so little she could remember of the celebration. She didn’t know how she got to the tower. When Boris eventually got there, it was empty. The only sign something had happened was a bruise on her head. But they could always say it was an accident. That the attack never happened. Boris took responsibility for creating the best scenario and apologized to other leaders. And secretly he blamed her for making him sound so helpless.

Now she could hear the same footsteps which she had started to be afraid of. In her heart she hoped he had left her home already. He came to say goodbye. Even if he hoped to see her again. When she saw him, he was already standing at the open door. Emerald eyes were curious. As if they could see everything she was hiding. She wanted to tell him how wrong he was. She wished to tell him it wasn’t for him to save her. She was wrong. She was never meant to be. She was a mistake of her mother and father. A witness of their failure. But it was so hard to say anything in front of those emerald eyes. She just let silence rule the room. He got closer, sitting on the floor opposite. She bowed her head, watching at her hands which still trembled. Which would still live in the nightmare.

-It will become easier with time.-he knew what he was talking about. He knew that in her dreams she was still falling. Only no one was there to catch her. No one was there for her. She waived her head. Touched her sore throat.

-Did you ever wonder?-her voice was careful. -Did you ever think that it wasn’t upon you to save me? Maybe fate has chosen this. You have stood between me and death twice already. Maybe you should have let go… Maybe this time my fate was not to stay alive.-she was honest. But at that moment he didn’t want to think or speak of death. She was there next to him. Soon she will be in his home. He will talk about it that same night with Boris. And he was ready to do anything, give everything to have her. She was only a young girl but he could already see how perfect she was. How much she meant to him. He pulled a long silver chain from his pocket. It was light but very strong. It had a pendant of a black diamond. It looked very simple and modest at first. It could have existed hundreds just like it.

-I want you to always have this with you.-he said. It was an order. The dark stone was the same color as her eyes. He brought it closer to the lone light of the candle. Darkness turned to fire. All the walls of the room were decorated with the shadow of the same symbol which she carried on her hand. It was the mark of his family. World of shadows. He silently put the chain into her hand and closed it with his. His heart told him she would listen to him.

Dark eyes looked at his. Somehow she knew he would come that night. And if she wanted to tell him anything, this was her last chance. Her soul warned her that maybe she would never see him again.

-I will not bring you happiness.-she warned him. And she was completely honest. As if apologizing. As if it didn’t depend on her but on fate, which was cruel to them. She didn’t refuse him. She didn’t consider him unimportant or unworthy. She said it as a truth which they couldn’t escape. The hand which held hers became stronger. As if he wanted to make sure she heard his every word.

-Now I am the only warrior in your life. My darkness will follow you. My darkness will see each step you make. You will never be alone again. My darkness will call you from the other side of the world and you will hear my voice. That is what we are now, Shana. That is your fate. Do you understand what you survived last night? Are you aware there is not another warrior before you who knowingly fell into the world of shadows and woke up alive in my hands? Do you know how many have tried to do what you did only one night ago?-his voice was honest also. She tried to pull her hand from his but he didn’t let her. She had to hear him. This time she had to believe that he was made for her. But she didn’t want to. She refused to hear the words full of darkness and death.

-You have told me to fall. What kind of power can I have when I was just following your voice?-she whispered. He touched her forehead with his. He didn’t want to leave. But the rules have ordered him to do so. She had a right to say goodbye to her way of life before she had to follow his. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to stay calm. At that moment, the desires of his life didn’t have the right to break the surface.

It was a young girl in front of him. Only a girl.

-I am leaving tonight.-he admitted as if it was a failure. She stayed calm even though he was too close to her. He felt it when her hand was relaxed in his. She knew they would not see each other for a long time. And part of her doubted if they would see each other again. So she dared to be honest. She dared to say what she had known for a long time.

-It was you. I wanted to tell you when you came here. When I saw you, it was you that took me away from my mother's body. It was you that saved me from the darkness that was coming. Father never told me but I have felt it. And when I saw you again I knew it was the truth.-she spoke. He just nodded his head, knowing any moment now he had to leave. That was all they had.

-You looked at me like you called me last night. Asking me to save you. -he explained. He noticed dark eyes filling with tears. Because she knew now the time was coming when he would not be able to come to her. When he would not be able to hear her no matter how loud she called him. But she didn’t cry. It wasn’t like her to show tears. She took his present and put it around her neck. Diamond was the color of her eyes. The diamond which hid the secret of his family. She understood they were saying goodbye. That leader has saved her countless times, but not anymore. That duty wasn’t upon him any longer. Now it was time for her to take care of herself. He waited for what she would do. He waited until she would send him away. She raised her hand. Trembling fingers touched his cheek. She wanted to remember him as he was at that moment. Sitting in a light room next to a leader of the world of shadows. She smiled silently while the light of the candles played with tears in her eyes.

-Araphel.- she whispered his name for the first time. And he thought he had never heard somebody say it with so much feeling as she.

Boris stood at the door. He was a witness to this meeting which should never have happened. Boris, who darkly understood that his family had to give the biggest sacrifice without a fight. He interrupted their conversation rudely. Araphel stood up, making himself turn his back to her. The leaders looked at one another. Even if the rules were on his side, Araphel knew that the battle wasn’t over. No matter how much he had hoped, Shana would not leave with him that night. She was and she had stayed to be Boris' daughter. He stepped out of the room without a word, followed by his footsteps.

-My patience has its limits.-he said over his shoulder. They have stopped in the lobby now, enemies as they always were.

-You will not come here and tell rules in my own home.-he interrupted him.

-You have called me to come.-he had to remind him. Boris stepped away a little. His world was slowly but surely collapsing. Everything he had spent years and years building was about to fall down on its maker.

-I know what I have done. You don’t have to remind me. Shana is still my daughter. And I will be the one deciding when she will leave for your home.-he stayed on his decision. He had to allow him as much. The choice wasn’t his. He had to be grateful with a thought that soon enough she would be at his home. That she will be safe from all the dangers of the world. He nodded his head.

-If I don’t have her, I would return. And destroy this place as if it never existed.-he said, leaving. His warriors waited for him. There was only one place in which he could wait. He ordered that after years of wandering they go back to his sanctuary. If there was anything of it left.