CHAPTER 72:
King Cyrus' POV:
Watching everyone troop into Lyra's room with smiles on their faces made me feel sorry for myself more than I already was.
There was nothing I ever did that was good enough.
Nothing I could do to convince her I'm not the monster she thinks I am.
But there's no way that's going to happen, at least not easily.
The ceiling of my room captivated me since I was thinking so hard and couldn't sleep…that's when I heard a scream.
My body immediately went on auto-pilot to the source; to Lyra's bedroom.
She has night terrors every now and then and wakes up screaming or crying.
When I got there, she was sitting upright and sweaty with tears in her eyes.
Her eyes wide in horror and fear.
"shhh, it's alright" I cooed, moving closer but as my hand touched hers she moved away as usual.
"d-don't touch me" she whispered and a small sigh left me.
"it was just a nightmare, go back to sleep" I tried to smile and lay her back to sleep but she didn't let me.
"no; you're the m-monster of my nightmare" my heart felt like it was being ripped to pieces.
Her words were like acid against my skin.
"Lyra-"
"y-you've always tormented me. Trying to make me go b-back to the castle s-so you can kill m-me once a-and for all"
"why are you being like this? I've tried my best to change your mind and show you I've changed but you won't listen" frustration began to set in.
"w-wh-when I begged you t-to stop did you? N-no matter h-how many times a snake sheds i-it's skin; it's still a snake" she spat venomously.
Honestly, I couldn't take it anymore; she wasn't willing to forgive me no matter how hard I tried, it wasn't good enough.
Seeing as she isn't willing to forgive me then there's no use of me staying.
"Lyra are you alright? Oh Cyrus; I didn't know you were here already" Jackie walked in with a surprised look on her face.
"I was just leaving" I said through my teeth and walked back to my room.
Well I have to go back to my kingdom and live my life though it won't be the same without her...
Lyra's POV:
"your speech has improved greatly" Jackie smiled at me.
It was mid-day, Jackie wanted to spend some time with me while she was on her day off.
Everything has been quite…hectic.
Darya and Eri have been giving me especial elixir that boosting me up and I feel better every day.
Though the crystal is still weak, it's better than how it was and most of the effects of the poison has worn off.
Memories of everything that had happened haunts me every now and then but I'm glad I have such loving friends around me.
People that truly care.
Me and Sam are trying to go back to how we were before all this happened.
I go as far as asking him about his sister and what kind of person she was.
Sometimes I wave it off if it's too hard for him to talk about it.
Life is almost back to the way it was before.
"Lyra; I overheard your conversation with Cyrus earlier" her voiced had changed from a cheerful tone to a serious one.
"and?-"
"why are you being so hard on him?"
"you have no idea what he put me through-"
"GIVE IT A REST!!" she yelled, interrupting me.
"yes he treated you badly but it's not compared to what Hellen did to you. If Hellen came and begged for your forgiveness you would forgive her without wasting time. Sam was the one who betrayed you and yet you forgave him and buried all your anger; but when you were taken, Cyrus became a mess. He was losing his mind at the thought of never seeing you again. I don't think I've ever seen any king like that. He barely slept or ate because he was looking for how to rescue you from Hellen. You should give him a chance for once and don't pretend. He left his kingdom and came all the way here for a chance. When we found you in a pit, he literally walked across broken glass, poisons, spears just to save you. The undead bit his skin and tore his flesh and yet you're still not convinced?! I never thought you would be this selfish" she got up and walked to the door.
"between you and me, I wonder who's the blind one" she said over her shoulder and walked away.
"she does have a point" mother spoke to me though her voice was a bit weak.
"mother-"
"you've have carried this on for far too long. This isn't how it's meant to be. Think of the people. Do you think they would believe that the Khamatu, who was meant to bring peace into the world can hold a grudge? Imagine what they would become. I think it's time you swallow your pride and forgive him for good. Enough is enough!"
I looked out the window.
Everyone has told me to forgive him, everyone has shown me reasons why he's changed and what makes him different.
Now it's up to me.
After everything that Jackie has just said, I think he truly has changed and it was time to start over.
I feel so horrible and no more than the monster I have accused him of being.
It was time to set things straight.
Mustering as much energy as I could, I stood and walked towards the door, trying to support myself on the wall.
Fortunately, I opened the door just in time to see him walking along the halls.
"Cyrus?" I called but he didn't answer me.
He had a bag slung over his shoulder…he was leaving!
No! I couldn't let him leave.
"Cyrus" I called a little louder but he didn't stop and keeping up with him was a serious problem, considering how fast he was.
"CYRUS!" he turned around and my eyes met him.
They were cold; not even an ounce of emotion was in them.
They were like how he was when we were at Redlake.
Now that I think about it, he actually did try to change but I didn't let myself see that.
"what? Come here to tell me I'm a monster? Well you won't have to bother about me anymore; I'm returning to Redlake and stepping down. Alex will be crowned king and I can live in peace"
Just as he was about to walk away again, I held his arm and he froze in place but didn't look at me.
"I'm sorry. I t-truly am. I've said horrible things to you and was blinded by hatred and inability to let go. Please, let's try to live in peace. I've been acting like a selfish monster and want to put this all behind" I croaked.
For some reason, I was so close to tears for having abused the opportunity he had given me, for abusing the fact that he wanted to change.
"no matter how many times a snake sheds its skin, it's still a snake; you said it yourself" his voice was soaked in hopelessness.
If he went back to his monstrous ways just because I couldn't accept him then I'd never forgive myself.
"Cyrus please don't go back to your old ways because of me. Don't change back because of me, don't-" hot tears began rolling down my eyes.
What a horrible person I've been; I don't think I deserve his forgiveness or anything for that matter.
I paused when I felt his arms wrap around me in an embrace.
This might be the first time I've hugged him.
"apology accepted" he pulled away to wipe the tears on my cheeks with a genuine smile on his face…
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