Hearts and Vines

Chapter I The End as the Beginning Chase is dead. The chase is done. The prince of the vines is dead. He is gone. A smile crept into my lips. Finally! He's gone. My people should rejoice! I turned to my side and raised my hand in triumph as my people jumped, shouted, and cried with glee. “ All hail the princess of hearts!” “ The glory is yours Princess Alasdair!” “ Victory!” Yes, that's right! Honor my name. Victory is ours and forever shall be ours. I looked everywhere and everybody....everybody's joyful. They are ecstatic about my victory. I killed the great and toughest prince after all—but the smile plastered on my face slowly faded as the image of the now deceased prince revisits my memories. I should be happy! I shouldn't be feeling this unwanted feeling that I know too well. I shouldn't feel this. I really should shrug this all off. This is unreasonable! My greatest enemy's now out of the way...out of the picture. This is what my kingdom wanted. This was our vision. This had been the ultimate dream! The goal—It had been once in my grasp and I took the chance to completely take a hold. To choke it. To kill it. The chance. It is finally in my hands. And it was wasted not. Fulfilled. And so the only feeling that I should be having now is....happiness. Joyful. Victory. My mind screams that all is well. That it is right. But I'm not. It is not right. A thought that I shouldn't entertain creeps out of my body. My mind stayed still. It was blank. Filled with thoughts of nothingness but remorse. Regrets. If I could bring back time. If I could. I shouldn't have crumbled upon the evilness. Where is kindness? Where was I? This is not me. Regrets couldn't undo my decisions. My actions. They're all done. It was well played. And I wished I haven't joined in this game. In this game of magic—of power, of authority. I shouldn't have but I did. I dropped on my knees. The crows cheered. My crowd cheered. “ The power is ours, Hearts!” “ Princess Alasdair! Princess Alasdair!” “ Victory! Victory!” They screamed on top of their lungs. Did they thought I dropped because of happiness? Did they believe I am happy with my decision? But isn't that what I should play? What I should act? These people. They didn't know. I looked at my left hand holding my bow. I have always loved my arrow. My weapon. It is made of gold and precious stones. I have always admired its beauty. The craft specially made for me. It glowed. The carved heart glowed bright red and then it turned to black. Everything was becoming dark black. What is happening? It looked like it's burning. I quickly dropped the bow as the dark color reached my palm. It burned and hurt me. I stared at my left hand. Fresh burns and cut showed. The golden bow was now burnt. Looking exactly like a burnt cheap wooden bow. Gone was the mightiness. Gone was the excellency. I looked at my right hand. The hand that fired the shot. It was shaking and so I immediately clasped it with my left. It was almost as if I couldn't voluntarily control it. Which I couldn't as of the moment. I heaved a deep breath. Sweat dropped into the dry land. Lots of sweat. It made the dry soil now moist...or was it really sweat? I tucked a long strand of my golden hair into my ear. I wiped my forehead with the hem of my now soiled dress. It should be dry now. It shouldn't be dripping now...but it only made the ground even wetter. I heard my people laugh, screamed, and just pure happiness as they celebrate our victory in the rain. Wait—rain? And so it is raining. I couldn't quite decide if the heavens was rejoicing for my victory, completely agreeing with my people or it's silently mourning for the loss. For the vines that now slowly creep back into nowhere. If it is silently grieving with me. Yes, with me. I slowly raised my head and bravely looked at the fallen prince just a few yards away from me. As if the spell of evilness casted on me was effectively lifted, sadness filled me in. Chase. My Prince Chase. Chase is dead. The chase is done. My love is gone. I weeped. I weeped under the rain. I mourned my love. My broken soul. I mourned for everything. These tears. The rain. The rain is for the Prince who have my heart. The Prince I killed. These tears are for Chase Leinier. For Chase Leinier. And it would take a million of tears I'd shed in the dark to show how much devastated I am for killing the love of my life. “ We are victorious!” “ Kingdom Hearts! Kingdom Hearts!” “ All hail the Princess Alasdair!” Stop! I want them to stop. This is sickening. This is pure evil. Why would I have resulted into this madness. How could I? H-how? I killed Chase! I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want this. How did this ended up here? My head throbbed. It hurt so much that I wanted it to stop. The voices made it worst. The cheers made me sick. It made me want to vomit. I am utterly disgusted. Voices of all sort. Men, women, even that of children. How could they? Is this what they really wanted? Is this what my kingdom really wanted? My parents...the king and queen. How could they let this madness rule over them?! “ Princess Alasdair!” “ Princess Alasdair!” No, please stop. I slowly crawled my way towards Chase's body. My head is killing me. It felt like it's splitting in two. But it is alright. I can manage. I only needed to get close to Chase....I just need to get to him. Whatever it takes. I would only have to count from one to ten.Then I.would be able to touch him. Hug him...kiss him. One Two “ Kill him again!” “ Yours is the glory!” “ Princess Alasdair!” No. Please stop. I do not want to hear. T-those voices...make..make them stop! Three Four I do not entirely know if I am still walking or crawling in this matter. All I know is that I'm nearer Chase. All I know is that I'm closer to him than I were before. My throat dried. I would need water to replenish my thirst. But I can wait. Chase.... Five Six I bit my lip. I tasted blood. I needed to put on a diversion. I needed to put another pain in order to conceal—to make the pain in my chest bearable. To make the throbbing and splitting of my head even more bearable. Just a little bit more. Just a little...I could see his face now. I could almost touch his hand. A little bit more...I pushed my self to stand. I should go to him faster. I—I was on my feet for a second and then I collapsed. No, my head is killing me. The excruciating pain. Please, I just need to get to him. I just need to see his face. I only need to bring him back to life. Even if it would take my throne. My power. Or my life. Seven Eight If I couldn't walk, I'd crawl. I'd do anything. Not minding my dress, not minding the crown on my head....perhaps it causes me more pain. I touched my crown. I felt it with my fingers. The edges reminded me of thorns. Maybe this crown isn't all that gold. Maybe this is only thorns glorified. Nine Ten I spread my arms wide. I could almost touch him...I just need to outstretch my hand. As far as possible... I was wrong. Counting to ten wasn't enough. It was an illusion. He was more far than I had expected. Perhaps a mile. I can not. With the strength I have left, I just couldn't get to him. I didn't understand. The pain in my head seems to be draining the energy in me. It's like something was controlling me to not be able to get to him. Someone is making me suffer. Someone out there. If crawling to him means draining life out from me, then so be it. “ Chase...I'm sorry. I...need..to get..to..you...” I almost couldn't recognize my voice. It was something I haven't heard for a while. Little by little, slowly, just slowly getting to him. “ That is enough,” a man spoke in a hard monotone. I was quite sure I know this man. I just couldn't get my mind to think straight with it throbbing in all the wrong places. I thought ny brain would burst anytime. I could not just shrug the familiarity in his voice. I know him. I know that I know him. I raised my head to see the man who have just spoken. His gray eyes bored on me which causes me to shiver. I knew it. I know him too well. Gone was his once cheerful voice. He speaks different now. His eyes doesn't radiate a positive aura like how it used to. He changed. Or is this who he really is? “ That is enough Princess Alasdair.” “ Pl-ease...help me...I need to get to him..Chase.” I uttered. I wanted to reek more authority.But I can't. I'm too weak. I hated myself for that. “ Please....I—don't know..what's happening..what's becoming of me..I'm drained...so weak.” His towering figure casted on me as he bowed his head. “ My apologies, princess.” “ Please! Please! Just bring me to him,” I held on his leg. This is so unlady like. Not what a royalty would do. But I need to. I could hear the disapproving voices of the crowed. They were murmuring. They weren't expecting me to be on my knees. They weren't expecting me to beg someone lower than me. A servant. “ I can't.” I looked up at him, still clinging on his leg. His eyes reflected pity. I know that look. His eyes were always soft for me. “ I have your loyalty! Your life is owned by my kingdom. You live for my family!” I am not someone who'd rub off my title to people but I ought to do this for him to help me. I only need to get to Chase. Just that. “ I only need to be near him. I just want to look at his face...you of all people, knows what I truly feel for the prince. Please, help me on this. I'd be on your debt.” “ My princess, you can't do anything about it anymore. The prince is dead. You shot him with your arrow. With your own hands,” he spoke gently...like how he used to speak with me. I swallowed the lump in my throat, determined to make him help me. “ I can bring him back to life!” I desperately said. His gray eyes showed a hint of shock for a while. “ I can. I can bring him back to life.“ as if remembering my ability, he relaxed. He knows it too well. He knows me too well. Everything about me. “ Yes, and this is where it ends.” Gone was the gentleness. It was back to being that unfamiliar hard monotoned voice. “ What?” He kneeled on me and cupped my face. He gave me a sly smile. Something unfamiliar in his face and yet there was something telling me that it belongs in his face. His face was meant to have that kind of smile. “ I will not let you, my princess. My sacrifices would be wasted. I will not let you ruin my plan.” I gasped. My eyes widened in realization. I heaved a deep breath. “ You..you are the reason of this! You controlled the game. You are evil!” I spat. I gritted my teeth in anger. “ I am evil.” he laughed. I didn't want to hear his laugh. It was intoxicating. He showed me his necklace. “ T-that necklace!” I shouted in horror. “ Yes, yes,” his face looked so proud. “ And you, feel for it. That prince was too late to realize. It had been me after all this time.” I kept silent. This man. This man had been my confidant for years. Despite our differences, I have always considered him as a friend. Despite being known as being a foe, I have always opened my mind and life for him. The kingdom have always opened our doors for him. For someone needy of attention. Of food. Of just everything. Why? “ Why have you betrayed your kingdom?” I asked with a voice barely inaudible. I am hurt for my own doing—of taking my love's life but I am most especially hurt of this poisonous betrayal. A betrayal of someone I have always considered a friend. “ This is not my kingdom.” his face turned grim. He let go of my face that he's been holding all this time. He got up. “ We have welcomed you.” I said. He stayed silent for a while before breaking the silence with something I didn't expect that he'd say. “ Your kingdom had made me forsaken my kingdom.” he uttered with angst. I shook my head. “ No,” I said with conviction. “ It wasn't our fault. It wasn't my kingdom. It was you...it was you who chose to leave your kingdom.” I gave him a hard look. He laughed in disbelief. Has he gone mad? Well, I believe he is. This is madness. And he have caused this madness. Him after all. Everything was planned by him...and we played according to his layout. We were fooled. I can't believe this. “ Your happiness would be gone soon. I'd let the kingdoms know.” “ You can try. But there wouldn't be a difference, princess. The damage is done. All you could do is,” Still slumped on the ground, I followed him with my gaze. I wished I could get up and just run to Chase or punch this man's face hard. But I can't. Now I know where this weakness came from. He's controlling me. He is the one controlling me all this time. It's the necklace. The necklace with the amber pendant that absorbs my strength...and many more. He has it. He went near to me again, kneeled in front of me and gently stroked my hair. “ What is that look, my princess? This isn't the way you used to stare at me.” I could almost hear sadness in his voice but it's impossible..someone as evil as him would certainly have a heart of stone..or a boulder or a whole damn rock formation. “ This look is only given for someone I deeply despise. And that is you.” He stared at me with those grey eyes that almost glistened with pain. If that was hurtful, it should serve him right—no he deserves more. “ Alasdair, marry me.” “ Are you insane? how could you ask me to marry you when you just killed the one I love!” “ You killed him,” “ You made me shoot him! It was you...it was you—” I choked in my words. Tears fell down and I a princess in distress couldn't do anything. I have always see myself as someone strong, brave, courageous...but the truth is I am just any other damsel in distress. A typical princess who'd need saving. I am not admirable. “ Marry me, Alasdair. Chase is dead.” I shook my head repeatedly. “ You knew that I love him,” I softly said. There was no point of me shouting in anger, it wouldn't do anything. “ You fell in love with an enemy.” I took the last courage that I have and look at him in the eyes. “ You are the enemy.” His eyes glared at what I have said. “ I am doing this for my kingdom!” he roared. “ And so, putting kingdoms into war is your only solution?” “ Sacrificing one weak kingdom would answer it all,” he held my hand. I almost wanted to slap him. It's just that I can't. “ Why can't it just be me?” he added. “ You are selfish. You are greedy. You are manipulative. You are evil—” he stared intently at me and I could feel how his grasp tightened on my hand. “ You are everything Chase wasn't.” He puffed air at what I have said. “ You! You can't do anything, but to marry me! You have no choice Alasdair.” I forced myself to get up. I used the only strength that I have.I held my head.“ You asked me where this love have brought me, and I'd say that this love had brought me to where I was destined to be....to be with Chase. The only one I would ever love. Even if it means death. I would never marry a man like you, Mal.” I taunted. I know there was nothing to lose anymore. I have nothing to lose. I raised my arm as I whistled and shouted, “ Nana!” Mal tried to stop me, but the speed of my Nana was faster than him. I immediately got a hold of Nana as she flew swiftly pass at Mal. “ No! Alasdair!” But Nana flew directly into Chase's direction as she flew low, I held Chase's hand and tightly. I gathered my full strength and pulled him. Nana flew far from the wrecked chaos. With me, and the dead body of Chase. Nana went inside a cave where it led into a whole new paradise. This was where we used to stay. This was our haven. Me and Chase's. I could feel my strength coming back to my body. I am fine, Mal cannot control me as long as he's away. How could I had forgotten earlier that he was always been by my side. I laid Chase in a grass bed. I stared at him. This...this is the man I love. The man I should have defied the odds with. The man I should have fought to live...and yet I killed him. “ Oh, Chase...my love...I am sorry,” I cried in his chest. I cried for us. I cried for all the dreams we had and all the promises he have never fullfilled—perhaps he will never have a chance to begin with. I should start doing what I should have done earlier. I need to bring him back to life. I closed my eyes tightly as I pulled away the arrow that I have fired buried deep in his chest. I closed my eyes and put my hands just above his chest. I could feel heat and light coming out from my hands. I opened my eyes and looked at him. It's not working! “ Chase please, please stay with me.” I didn't know what to think anymore. I continued healing, I continued shouting his name, begging him to come back to life, begging him to come back to me. “ Please...please...please..be alive!” tears streamed down my face. It wasn't working. He isn't coming back to life. I could feel ny powers draining. The light was becoming dimmer. I am feeling really weak again. “Oh, no....Mal is nearer. Please, Chase. Open your eyes my prince. Open it.” I helplessly cried. Just a little more. I just need to push through...his hair once black turned to a silvery white with streaks of gray. Just a little more.... My powers died. There was no more light coming out from my hands. It's over. “ Nooo!” “ Please!” I tried again. But there was nothing left. I slumped and hugged Chase. I cried in his chest. “ I couldn't save you, I'm sorry. Would you forgive me? Would you still love me? because I will...I will still love you and if I'd have to ask for your forgiveness over and over again, I'd still do it.” I kissed his lips. “ I love you.” I looked at Nana. My dragon. She went to me and pressed her head on mine. I surveyed her. Her condition made me cry. She was full of cuts, wounds, burns. “ I am sorry Nana. You have been there all along. I am sorry you got hurt.” “Ngghhhhhrrr” it was an assuring growl. I chuckled a little. “ You've been a good girl. You are smart and ever beautiful.” I looked at her and her eyed glistened with tears. “ Oh Nana, do not be sad. I'll always be here. You'll always be my Nana. Thank you for everything.” I kissed her forehead for the last time. “Nnghhtrrrr” “ I need to do this Nana. It's okay, everything will be okay,” I whispered in her ear. I need to do this. I need to end this. And it's sad it had to end this way. “ You fly far from here Nana. Don't be caught by him...and if I'd be back, you'd always know...you'd know Nana.” my tears fell down again as I stared at Nana. “ Goodbye Nana, I love you.” I heaved a deep breath as I buried the same arrow that have killed my love in my chest. “ This end is the beginning, my love.” I started to taste blood in my mouth. I held Chase's hand and laid next to him. “Nnggggrrrrrrr'” I could still hear Nana's sad growl. I smiled to assure her that it's okay. I know she's watching me. My mind was becoming hazy...until there was nothing but the sweet smell of flowers and the feeling of being held tightly by vines. *** In Nana's eyes, she have seen her princess closed her eyes. She didn't want her to go, but she know her princess would want to be where the black haired prince is. She have seen how the black haired prince's hair turned to silver and gray. She have seen how her princess' necklace glowed. She have seen how the prince's anklet glowed with light as bright as her princess'. She took her necklace and his anklet as she licked them the last time. It was a kiss for her. She watched as her princess and her prince got covered in a mesh of vines. With flowers and roses and daisies, and lilies covered them. They are gone, replaced with beauty—they've always been. She said her last goodbye. “Nnghhhrr” Took one last glance and flew to a far away land where she'll hide. She'll know it if she's back. “Nghhhrrrr” The end is an another beginning for Nana.