"Are you not going to say anything? Or perhaps... you do not feel the sa way about ?" Leonidas asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.
"No, no, no! It's not that," Lilith quickly assured him. "I'm just... surprised, that's all. I never would have imagined sothing like this happening, not even in my wildest dreams." She offered him a small smile.
"I understand," he said, his expression softening. "But believe it, because it is happening."
Lilith's smile faltered as reality set in. "But wait, what about the prince? You know he's made his personal maid. I doubt he would let walk away from the palace without consequences."
Leonidas exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Oh? Really? I didn't know that. But it doesn't matter," he said with determination. "You and I will run away in the dead of night to another village. We will keep going until we are far enough that no one will ever find us."
Lilith nodded, though doubt gnawed at her. His plan sounded simple, too simple. Escaping the prince's grasp would take more than just slipping away in the dead of the night. But she didn't want to dampen Leonidas' hope.
"Okay," she said instead. "But where will you be staying? And how did you even get into the palace?"
He let out a nervous chuckle. "Well... I got a job as a coachman. The butler was the one who hired . So for now, I have a place to stay in the servants' quarters while we prepare for our escape."
Lilith let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear."
Leonidas smiled, but his curiosity quickly took over. "So, tell , where do you sleep? Is there a separate space for the royal maids?"
Lilith hesitated, pressing her lips into a thin line. "The prince ordered to stay in the room across from his."
The smile on Leonidas' face disappeared, replaced by a deep frown. His eyes darkened with rage. "What do you an by that? Is... is he forcing you to beco his mistress? Did he take advantage of you?" His voice was thick with anger and disgust.
"No, not at all," Lilith quickly reassured him. "He has no such interest in . The prince only wishes to see suffer, that's all."
Leonidas' expression softened slightly, but his jaw remained clenched. "I swear, I would have killed him if he so much as touched a single hair on your head," he muttered, his voice raw with emotion. Then, exhaling deeply, he forced a smile. "I'm just glad you are alright."
Lilith placed a hand over his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You have always been so kind, Leon."
"Co with ," he said, standing straighter. "It's getting late, we should return to the palace before anyone starts asking questions."
Lilith nodded in agreent, slipping her fingers around his arm as they made their way back toward the palace.
~~~
Hades had just returned from horse riding and now sat on a bench under a cherry blossom tree, one of the few places in the palace he found solace. His mother had planted this tree when he was a child. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, taking in the delicate, familiar scent of the flowers. They slled like her.
Even though she had died long ago, he could still recall every detail of her, her long white hair, those piercing golden eyes that saw through him, and a smile that could warm even the coldest heart. She had been an extraordinary woman, her presence giving him purpose and aning. But now that she was gone, all he felt was emptiness, distance, and an unshakable void.
A petal drifted down from the tree, brushing against his cheek before landing on the ground. The softness of it reminded him of her touch. Before she died, she had once said she wished to be reborn as the wind. Hades knew it was foolish to believe such things, but sotis, just sotis, he wanted to. It was easier to imagine that the gentle breeze was her, comforting him.
Suddenly, a sharp, familiar pain gripped his chest, spreading through his body like wildfire. His breath hitched, and his jaw tightened. Rolling up the sleeves of his coat, he stared down at his forearms. The dark veins bulging beneath his skin were as black as the midnight sky, a cruel reminder of the cursed power that coursed through him, wild, consuming, and untad.
Steam rose from his skin, evaporating into the air as his pupils glowed. The black veins crept up his neck like creeping shadows, pulsing with raw energy. Hades dug his fingers into his hair, gripping it so tightly it seed as if he might tear it from his scalp. His breaths ca in short, ragged gasps as excruciating pain tore through his body.
For what felt like an eternity, he remained hunched over, enduring the suffocating agony. Then, gradually, the pain began to subside. His lungs expanded more easily, his grip loosened, and with one final shaky breath, he rolled down his sleeves.
A short, dry chuckle escaped his lips. "Fuck ," he muttered, pushing his hair away from his damp forehead.
No matter how many tis he endured these episodes, they never beca any easier. If anything, each one seed determined to be more agonizing than the last.
Even with his eyes closed, he heard the approaching footsteps. "Why are you here, Lucian?" His voice was calm but edged with irritation. "I told you I wanted to be left alone."
Lucian, saying nothing at first, took a seat beside him on the bench. A heavy silence settled between them before he finally spoke. "You should stop coming here. The mories will only keep hurting you."
Hades chuckled again, the sound low and humorless. "A little hurt won't kill , Lucian. I'm sure I can manage."
Lucian's gaze softened as he looked at his nephew. He truly felt for him, more than Hades probably realized. "You should at least consider those who care about you. I don't like seeing you suffer, Hades. It breaks my heart that there's nothing I can do to ease your pain." His voice carried an unmistakable sadness.
Hades cracked one eye open, turning his attention to Lucian. "Did sothing happen? Why the sudden pity speech?"
Lucian frowned, his expression darkening. "I'm serious, Hades. We have to do sothing before it's too late. Have you told the girl about her purpose here?"
Hades leaned back, his lips curving into a smirk. "You are too serious, Uncle. Let the girl enjoy her freedom a little longer. I'll tell her when the ti is right." He shrugged, utterly unbothered.
"I..."
"Why are you here, Uncle? I'm not in the mood for your advice or scolding today. I'm tired," Hades said, his voice laced with exhaustion.
Lucian let out a sigh before answering a few seconds later, "Your father wants to see you. He has requested your presence imdiately."
Hades opened his eyes, "now, my day is completely ruined." As he rose from the bench, he ran his fingers through his hair, "let's go find out what the old bastard wants this ti."
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