TWO

CONTENTS:

-- 004 (T/W)The Memory of his Death

-- 005A Small Chance

-- 006Presenting!

+------------------------------ +0 0 4The Memory of his Death[t/w: suicide]

"Okay, let me ask you this, milady," A man said, suddenly appearing on the rooftop of the palace with Athanasia in his arms, he gently put her down, helping her gain her balance before facing her with wide eyes. "Are you crazy, or something?"

Athanasia flinched, finding herself with a man that she doesn't know on the rooftop. How did they get here? And most importantly, the wound on her wrist disappeared as if she didn't wound her hand just now. Her face grew more confused than she was when she saw the man in front of her.

There, stood in front of her, a man with long black hair—which is pretty rare to see—and a pair of ruby-colored eyes that glowered brightly with the moon behind him. He was taller than her and older than her (she guessed). The moonlight gave his face more detailed, showing the mole under his right eye that she just noticed now. Staring at the man made her lose a bit of her confidence as a woman. He looked more beautiful than her. And she was a princess!!

Who is this man?!

Athanasia felt got forced to face the man fully by holding both of her shoulders firmly. The touch wasn't that painful, but she started to shake. Despite his good looks, the way he stared her deeply in the eye, she knew that she should fear him. This stranger in front of her.

"W-What did you do...?!" She squeaked, finally finding her voice. She wants to take a step backward, thanks to the man's hands, she couldn't do it. "And who are you?!"

The man frowned, tilting his head. He looked around for a while to see the changes in their surroundings, he looked a bit confused. But then, he shook his head and faced back at the princess, he lets out a sigh. "Really, you... That's how you thank someone for saving your life just now?"

"You... You saved me...?" Athanasia blinked, pointing at her wrist where she stabbed herself. She stared at the man in disbelief. "You did this?"

She earned a nod but the look he was giving her looked like it was the obvious thing. There was no one here but just her and the stranger. As if the gods healed her out of nowhere, that would be more confusing.

After he confirmed it, Athanasia undoubtedly guessed who is this man. Not his name, but at least she knows a bit.

One word.

A magician.

It was the first time she met one, she never knew what are they liked and assumed that they have magic wands or staff with pointy hats. But something tells her that he is just more of a magician. Something close to a god. Divine but deadly. Has the power to do the impossible, even life and death.

Death.

That's it!

Athanasia pulled the man by the collar, surprising him with a yelp. She stopped until their noses touched, the man could only frown in confusion but also was angered at the sudden pull. But that feeling disappeared right after she said these words.

"Kill me."

Silence.

Dead silence.

It was suffocating.

The man stared at her with wide eyes, her look, the expression she showed to him. Somehow, it feels painful, so frustrating. Why is she looking like that while saying those words? Why?

Stop that.

Stop smiling.

"C'mon!" Athanasia snapped him out of his thoughts as she shook him, her voice was filled with hope and joy. "If you have the power to heal me then you also have the power to kill me!! HURRY!!!"

His grip on her loosened, his lips are pursed. An image flashed in his mind, replacing the princess' face with the face of a man, a dead man, his very nightmare, but also his haven. The only person he holds dear in the past.

His voice echoed in his mind along with Athanasia's pleading cries. It was different yet it feels the same, it made him want to pull out his heart that was killing him right now as he listened to their voices. They are starting to get loud, making him lose his sanity. The fear, the pain, the anger. Everything was all mixed up in his heart.

Then the noise stopped. The hold on his collar faded. No one was in front of him.

He didn't even realize it and suddenly saw Athanasia on the edge of the roof, her hair dancing through the cold wind along with her blood-stained dress. Someone would have called her an angel from that angle, but her expression destroyed it. She looked broken, a broken doll.

She was about to kill herself.

His eyes widened as had watched her body slowly lean forward, so painfully slow. It almost made him see his father for a second, his death, his expression, every detail from that time, all are flashing in his eyes as he just watched Athanasia fall off the roof.

And in a blink of an eye, she was gone, only to find herself hanging with someone holding her hand for dear life (which they are), the man unconsciously rushed towards her to at least caught her hand from falling to her death. She was saved yet again. Unfortunately.

"What are you doing?!!" Athanasia exclaimed, her eyes widened. She began to wriggle her hand for him to let go. "Let go of me!!!"

He didn't answer, he was too focused on trying to use his powers to levitate them but he was able to mutter a grunted no to her, though he doubt that she could hear him. He cursed in his mind, wanting to complain to her to stop moving.

Why am I doing this?

He heard her starting to cry again, her hand is starting to sweat which made the man nervous. A sweaty hand is not helpful in this situation! They're going to fall any moment now! And she is not helping!

"Let me die!!!" She cried loudly. The man thanked the gods that no one was around the area, it wouldn't be nice if someone heard Athanasia screaming to let her die. It would be a hassle.

"You don't even know me!!! I have nothing to do with you, so just let me die!!!!"

"NO, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!! How many times do I have to say to you this!!!" There goes his patience, his brows were now touching to the point it look like a line.

Athanasia was surprised when he yelled at her. No one raised their voice to her like that, she looked up with her wide eyes, she felt a droplet hit her red and swollen cheeks almost making her flinch from the touch, it started to rain. But somehow, the droplets were warm as they began to gently hit her face, mixing with her tears.

Then she realized.

This wasn't raindrops.

It was someone's tears.

He was also crying. She can hear his muffled cries as he pulled themselves up even though he looked helpless. He didn't give up and continued to climb with those numb fingers that were almost on the verge of breaking. But why is he crying?

What made him go to this extent for her?

She was just a nobody.

"Stop..." Athanasia muttered out loud, she looked down, her lips trembled as she heartfelt something that she never felt before. Warmth. It felt good, despite hanging to their deaths, she felt warmth. It didn't make her happy, it also didn't make her sad, the feeling was indescribable. "Stop that..."

I don't want to stop.

"I'm begging you..."

Athanasia flinched, hearing his pleas. She could feel the pain and fear in his voice as he struggled to save them, his eyes glowed more in the dark, he was casting a spell while also trying to pull them back up. His pleas were desperate as if he was praying for someone.

"I don't want anyone to die in front of me again..." He sounded like an abandoned child, she can see a shadow of his past self. She somehow understands him even they were strangers, she could feel what he felt right now. Their feelings were mutual, even in life and death.

"It is pitiful that you have nothing you couldn't bear to lose."

"Please..." He begged, suddenly they felt light, it was slow but Athanasia could tell.

"I will do anything, so please! PLEASE don't kill yourself!!!"

Athanasia's lips pursed, her eyes softened. Instead of letting go of his hand, she held on so right until they both find themselves floating in the air. The spell worked, his prayers were answered. They survived.

Without even realizing it, Athanasia found herself being engulfed by his embrace, hearing a sigh of relief escaping his trembling lips. She could only relax in his hold, wanting that warmth she felt earlier. She felt safe. And he also felt the same

Who knew that the memory of his death could do him such wonders?

+------------------------------ +0 0 5A Small Chance

"I'm broken!! Are you happy, father?! Because I am!!!! For fourteen years, I've never been this happy!!!"

Those words haunted him.

Claude sat up from sleeping on the couch (again), he was a mess. His hair was all over the place, there were bags under his eyes, his lifeless jeweled eyes, and an unruly robe. A full mess, if someone would see him, they would doubt to call him a king. If they dare to say it out loud.

He shook his head, his hand running through his hair to calm down the madness. He tried to remember what happened yesterday. He barely got any sleep because of that. Athanasia has disappeared after putting on a show to kill herself right in front of him.

It was a nightmare.

Every servant tried to find the princess, the party was stopped and everyone was forced to go home. No one dared to ask the reason why but had the guts to make unbelievable rumors about what had happened.

It made him angry for sure but the thought of his lost daughter was the priority he had to focus on. There is no way she could survive by leaving the palace with the cut on her wrist. She couldn't have gone far.

They have searched every corner of the palace, there was still no sign of her. Claude almost gave up and decided to go back home, his mind was full of his daughter's cries and pained groans with blood trickling down from her wrist. It made him feel something he can't describe but all he knows is that he doesn't like that feeling.

As he was about to leave with his brows furrowed and fingers digging through his palms, a silhouette of a man with someone familiar in his arms appeared in front of him. Claude immediately recognized who was the person in his arms. He remembered how light his heart became as he saw his daughter, unconscious but unharmed.

The man with Athanasia introduced himself as a magician named Lucas and told him what happened.

Claude had the urge to take his daughter and hold him in his arms but something told him not to. His expression turned cold before ordering Lucas to follow Lilian to the Emerald Palace to put the princess in a comfortable bed. He noticed how Lucas stared at him as if he was reading deeply at him before leaving with Athanasia.

Claude felt sour just by seeing Athanasia end up in the arms of a man. But that feeling was soon immediately disappeared and was replaced with nothing.

He felt nothing.

Even so, he doesn't deserve to be angry at her when he knows it was his fault.

A small chance is inevitable now that they have come this far, too far from the light that his wife had wanted him to have before her death.

They cannot turn everything back in the past.

It is better to continue what they have until his daughter dares to rebel against him and someday pushes him off his throne with his life.

It was him who doesn't deserve a chance, and Athanasia is the one who deserve love.

Not from a father who chooses to close his heart away from everything.

And in a blink of an eye, Claude found himself on the sofa. Morning came by in a flash. He could remember faintly what happened yesterday. All he remembered was the man Lucas brought Athanasia back and led her to her chambers with Lilian. Then everything was pitch black.

Everything was erased as if it never happened.

And with a sigh, Claude made his way to the bathroom to clean up and get ready for today's work, oblivious to the man who peeks from the window outside, his black hair dangling along with the curtains.

He then showed up as soon as Claude left the room. His brows furrowed in curiosity, scratching his chin in wonder. Something doesn't feel right.

There is something wrong with the emperor.

An image of Athanasia sleeping in her bed appeared in his mind then back to the door where Claude left. His lips formed into a thin line, too many questions filled his head that he badly needs answers to.

"Maybe a small chance could work between them..." He muttered as he dissolved into thin air, returning to the tower.

+------------------------------ +0 0 6Presenting!

Athanasia almost couldn't swallow her food.

She glanced at her father who is at the end of the table across from her, eating breakfast so casually while reading some papers. Her lips never left her fork where she took a bite of her pancakes. She badly wants to gulp her breakfast down her hungry stomach but with her father in front of her, she could only take small bites and slow gulps of her food.

Is this what they called torture?

Though, she was not surprised at how her father acted so normally after what had happened at the party where she almost killed herself twice. She couldn't remember what happened right after Lucas saved her, but she knew that something is weird with her father. He was avoiding her more than usual.

Did she do something that she couldn't remember? Or worse, Lucas told him something about her or her fall?!!

Overthinking made Athanasia choke on her berry. She immediately took her glass and gulped down to stop the coughing. She sighed in relief as she put down her glass. She almost died because of a berry.

As she was about to take another bite of her pancake, she noticed her father's frowning stare. She paused right after she took a bite of her food, it was stuck in her mouth.

"Is there something wrong, father?" She awkwardly asked, unknowingly talking with her food still in her mouth. Athanasia had forgotten how to swallow food.

Claude blinked for a moment then sighed in disappointment, looking back down at his papers. "Your manners, Athanasia. Never talk when there's food in your mouth," He muttered before taking a bite of his pancake.

Athanasia flinched, finally realizing that she has still food stuck in her mouth. She immediately swallows it and nervously looked down, staring at her breakfast in shame. "My apologies, father..." She said, almost in a whisper. She wondered if he heard her from that distance with the long table in between them. She could barely even see her father because of the huge vase in the middle.

Claude didn't utter a reply and just continue to eat his breakfast as if Athanasia wasn't there eating with him. It kind of saddened Athanasia but she didn't let her feelings get the best of her and just nodded in understanding that their conversation only just stops there.

Manners are more important than family.

Athanasia finally finished her breakfast and was about to stand up when Felix came into the dining room with a knock, making his way to His Majesty before bowing in courtesy at her. Athanasia smiled back, nodding as a greeting.

Her eyes followed Felix as he whispered something to her father, curiosity got her stuck on her way out of the room. What was Felix whispering about?

A moment after, Claude looked up and put down his papers, he glanced at Athanasia who is still there. The latter flinched and bowed before making her way out of the room.

"Athanasia."

Athanasia froze in her tracks. Her hand halted as she was about to twist the doorknob. She immediately turns around, her shoulders tensed, and answered like a soldier as she could be, "Yes, Father?"

Claude stood up and snapped his fingers for the maids to clean up their plates, Felix stood behind him. "Come with me for a moment."

She's screwed.

Athanasia followed before combing her hair a bit and adjusting her frilly dress. Felix came out last, closing their door behind them.

Her heart won't stop beating nervously as she continues to follow in her father's footsteps. She badly wants to walk beside Felix to make herself calm down a bit but she would assume that her father would only get angrier at her.

Just act like a princess, act like a princess. Those words echoed in her mind like a mantra as comfort words that she is not in trouble and her father only needs something from her. Besides, she did nothing wrong—aside from cutting her wrist in front of her father and yelling at him—yep, nothing was wrong. She was innocent as a fourteen-year-old could be.

They arrived in the throne room, she was told to sit down on her small throne beside her father while Felix still stood behind us like the loyal soldier he is.

It looks like they are having a visitor from another kingdom.

Athanasia glanced at her father before staring at him with wide eyes. Is it really okay to wear a robe in front of a visitor?! This must be inappropriate!

But who is she to tell her father that, it might be her last words if she says it out loud to him.

"You have quite a visitor, princess," A voice echoed in her mind, surprising her. But Athanasia immediately knows whose voice is this.

Lucas.

Somehow, Lucas decides to follow her invisibly like a guardian angel, except he is not an angel. The man is a spawn of Satan, she almost fell into his angelic hands when he saved her from falling. But when she found out what his attitude is, she regretted giving him a hard smack on the face when she had the chance back then.

He was quite annoying too for a guardian angel.

The man was just bored of his life.

"Could you tell me who it is?" She asked telepathically, raising a brow as her eyes glued on the door, waiting for it to open. It's quite helpful because it made her forget what her father is wearing right now to welcome the visitors.

As Lucas was about to answer, horns blew loudly from the outside. The door went wide open.

"Presenting!"

---A/N:finally an updateeeee~!and it's very long, I know hohohoho~I really like the flow of this story hehe^^

Hope you guys enjoyed it~!

—AJ