3 III : The Past Haunts

A month passes by, slowly Melissa starts to think that maybe the fate will not play with her dear ones again. But she was wrong, very wrong.

*Forbidden forest, Asfalís*

"I really love spending time with you Izel," says Evan in his usual dark black suit covered with a robe.

"Should we inform our families about our relationship?" asks Izel.

"Yeah we should actually, Melissa will be really happy I must say!"

Izel doesn't say anything. She keeps her head on his shoulder as they sit down on the grass of the Forbidden forest.

Suddenly they feel like they're being watched. Izel thinks that it might be her friend trying to spy on them.

"Is it...is it Xandria behind the bush?"

But instead of Xandria, Asterion Mantis shows up in front of them. A tall, muscular old man. His long brown robe is sweeping the grass. His beard and hair are long enough to touch his chest. Izel isn't familiar with this pale grey faced person. Their little fairytale feels lost with the arrival of him.

"Mr.Mantis? What are doing here?" Evan shrugs.

"Mr.Mantis? Who is he Evan?" Izel asks confused.

"He is the fortune teller of the royal family of Ierós," Evan says, "Why were watching us secretly? Answer me Mantis."

"I'm really sorry to do this, but prince you should not be around this filthy blood girl! She has the worst blood running in her veins!" Screams Asterion.

"What are you saying Asterion?! I respect you but that doesn't mean that you'll disrespect her!" Evan notices that Izel is now sitting on a bench, sobbing, "Izel! Please don't cry. I know you, you're the best I can ever find!"

"When you'll know about the past, you'll never love her! Her blood is the reason behind you being an orphan, trust me prince! I never tell a lie," Asterion exclaims in anger.

"Past? What past?" Izel speaks now. She always heard rumors about the death of her parents. She thought maybe Asterion knows about them, "Tell me!"

"There's no need to hear to this maniac Izel, let's go from here!" Evan holds her hand.

"No! I want to know, Evan, a fortune teller never lies!" she says looking at his brown eyes, pieces of heaven, "Please tell us about the past."

"You're bringing down your doom girl!" Asterion says still angry.

"Not a problem, I have faith in my love," this time she fights back.

Evan still couldn't understand how a flower-like person like Izel can do anything wrong.

"So it goes," Asterion starts speaking with a dint of disgust towards Izel, "It was the time when you two were born, the most beautiful summer Asfalís and Ierós had ever seen. Flowers and festivals as if spread like fire. But then her filthy blood father.."

"Can you please tell us the past without being disrespectful to her and her family?! I beg you Mantis!" Evan interrupts angrily.

Asterion without giving much attention to him resumes, "Did you know that your great-grandmothers are twins?"

Both of them are left shocked hearing this, "That's why their birthday was on the same day," Izel says.

"They both married the Lords of the two neighboring Kingdoms. Ms.Mihapi married Lord Aegeus, the founder and former ruler of Asfalís. And Ms.Melissa married Lord Bennett, the ruler of Ierós. They had children, your grandfathers. Then your fathers were born. They got married, both of you were born. Izel was the first girl child in Asfalís after a decade. Everything was going on pretty well. On your 5th birthday both your father's decided to have a huge celebration. But the expected happiness didn't come," after a long time Asterion takes a break. He sighs as if in deep agony.

"That summer, Ierós got a huge benefit form pearls. After selling them, we got a lot of profit and well...power! Power is a very dangerous thing my child, it can force the most decent people to walk on the path of evil," his voice cracking and for the time Izel senses that the hate towards her is slowly fading away from his voice. Cause deep down he also knows that Izel isn't guilty of what had happened in the past.

"The then king of Asfalís, your father, couldn't bear the prosper of our Kingdom. He tried to snatch the pearls, when he was unsuccessful he attacked Ierós. According to the rules, you cannot attack any kingdom without giving a notice one month before the war. You cannot attack when your enemy is not ready or is unarmed. That time, well obviously it was Evan's birthday and everyone in the kingdom were unarmed and drowned in merriments," his voice cracking again. Izel being Izel stands up and takes Asterion to sit on the bench, even though he didn't want to but still sits down.

"You're a pure soul Izel, I know that too but the horrors of the past hurts me like a needle," he sighs.

"You don't need to be sorry, it's not your fault as well," Izel says. Evan nods as well.

Asterion resumes, "Blood and dead bodies were everywhere. The king's dream of having a birthday for his only one son was broken. But Evan, your dad, fought like a brave warrior he is. He fought till his last breath. But when he started to understand the whole scene, he ordered your mother to go away with you and your great-grandmother. But she didn't leave. She kissed you for the last time and got you and Ms.Melissa to a safe place. When you father was fighting like a wounded lion, he saw his wife by his side, fighting! She said that she couldn't leave the love of her life to die! How pure! They fought but breathed their last when they were severely injured by the king of Asfalís. It was the darkest days in the history of Ierós. Many died in that unfortunate war, my child. People say and I also believe, that, your parents, Evan, had cursed Asfalís Kingdom. The curse was,

'No body with your filthy blood will live! Everyone will die! And we will be at peace only when the last heir of Lord Aegeus dies! Your family will be finished forever!'

which means that Izel, I'm sorry to say that but that curse killed your father. Your mother couldn't bear his death and died out of heart blockage. This curse vanishes you from the world entirely. You don't even wake up in the hereafter. There remains no sign of your body. You just vanish in a deadly...death. That curse didn't effect your great-grandmother because she doesn't have the same blood. But you have that blood inside you, Izel.

Now I can't take out the blood, nor I can save you. You must die when the time comes," Asterion breaks down into tears so as Izel and Evan.

Izel just couldn't tolerate that her beloved father did such a nasty thing, "How could he do this!" she screams.

Evan was still shocked about how his parents died. But he was more heartbroken thinking about the curse and losing Izel.

"I can't lose you!" Evan exclaims in anxiety, "I have no one to call mine, Melissa is aging day be day. I can't lose you Izel!" He hugs her tightly thinking that maybe that'll help to keep her with him forever, "Don't you have any cure for this curse Mantis?" Evan literally is screaming now holding Izel's hand tightly.

"If the princess is killed by a person who loves her selflessly and has a pure heart, only then she can wake up in the hereafter. But she has to die. I'm sorry, my child but I cannot save you."

"How much time do I have left?" Izel asks wanting to spend the rest of the time with Evan.

"What...what are you saying Izel?! You are not going anywhere you get it? I'll not let you die!" Evan's voice cracked filled with sorrow and love.

"She has to die, Prince. Your parents still didn't get their peace. His curse will cause the death of the last heir of Lord Aegeus. Izel is still unmarried and even if she marries, her child will not be considered as the heir of Lord Aegeus. She is the last heir. How tactfully the fate plays with us and we just have to go with the flow as mere puppets!"

"Go with the flow? Are you insane Mantis? I cannot let her just vanish for a mistake she didn't even commit in the first place! I wanted to take revenge when I heard my parents were murdered but their murderers are dead now. Why should Izel get punished? Please save her," Evan is now begging to spare the life of his love. But he doesn't get his desired answer.

"I'm sorry, prince, I cannot save her, I'm sorry."

This statement leaves Izel crying loud. She's not crying because she's gonna die, she's crying because she will perhaps lose Evan, forever! Her teary and heartbroken grey eyes are now full of sorrow.