13: I'm broken

~Laith~

I was forced awake at dusk. Rhon compelled me to get ready to attend the congratulatory party for the second prince. 

Due to the weird occurrences during the day, the king pushed the party to tonight. The blood ran and the bloody skies were blamed on the Evil one by the Saint who couldn't make sense of it all. 

Rhon and I were yet to speak of all that he witnessed and the suspense was killing me. He went about his duty as usual and acted indifferent to the events of the day. 

I expected him to have a million questions about Prince Zephirin or the taint in my soul. However, he simply got me dressed. My teutonic-gold hair was coiffed to perfection, neat and smooth flowing. 

My shape-of-the-moon eyebrows are thin and narrow after Rhon shaped them with a sharp blade. My orb round-shaped baby blue eyes darted with the vigor of youth. They shone brightly like two sapphires dipped in milky pools. A straight nose and half-dome chiseled cheekbones.

 Unlike Prince Zephirin, whose mountain peak cheekbones appeared chiseled by a master craftsman. They were of such sharp contours, it looked as if they were sculpted and pared to perfection. With eyes as bright and spellbinding as the stars. They bewitched all who fell under his steady gaze, me being no exception. 

Rhon applied a tint of pink color on my dry lips. His makeup skills were out of this world. He managed to erase the mess I was and present me with so much life. 

"The king insists your seat be next to him at the party. You'll be seated in between him and the second prince, Caelan," Rhon informed.

The light in my eyes faded. The instant Caelan's name was uttered, energy drained from my body. A chill ran through my body. 

A blurry image of the second prince formed in my head. His uncaring eyes stared back at me. Mocking my foolishness of trusting anything he's ever said to me. 

I considered him a friend before all else yet he didn't respect me enough to extend the same courtesy. The feeling was drowning me. 

"The king will discuss the events that went down today," Rhon made eye contact with me. "Be sure to stick to the Saints story. It was all the Evil one's doing."

My lips trembled. Blaming someone who has been nothing but kind to me for my deeds didn't sit well with me. The Saint was misinformed about the incident, it was all me. 

Yet, no words formed to refute Rhon's request. I knew more than anyone that he was only trying to look out for me. The world is unkind to anything they feel can cause them harm. 

Until now, they worshiped the ground I walked on as they considered me their savior. The second their feelings towards me changed, they would not only grow to hate me but gun for my life. A situation I would prefer to avoid. 

"Will he be there?" I played with my fingers nervously. "I mean the d..."

"Prince Zephirin will be in attendance. The King personally extended an invitation to him," Rhon replied as though able to read my mind and understand who I was inquiring about. 

My heart missed a few beats. The thought of admitting that Zephirin was behind the blood rain with him present terrified me. 

'What if he gets offended and reveals my secret to the world? What if he tells the king of my tainted soul? Or about my forbidden feelings for the second prince?'

I found myself stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, I couldn't tell the king the truth that I was responsible for whatever hysteria and panic the blood rain might have caused to the people of Liradia. But on the other hand, I couldn't admit that the Evil one was behind the incident. 

It was shooting myself in the foot to admit to either of the scenarios. They all end up deeming me hazardous to society and instead of the Evil one, it will be my head the people will be after. 

"I need to speak to him before the party," I got up to go and find the deposed crown prince. 

I needed to run my story by him and find out what his stance was. To know what was right for me to say to the king without ending up with my head on a chopping board. 

"Laith," Rhon grabbed my hand. Pausing my movements. A look of concern was evident on his face. He seemed to bite his tongue and hold back from saying what was on his mind. 

"Speak freely," I permitted him to open up about his concerns. 

"I understand that Prince Zephirin is important to you..." he paused momentarily as though arranging his thoughts to not cross the line. "Your closeness with him won't do you any good. You are the Incirion and he is the Evil one, you should refrain from associating with him," he cautioned. 

The words were familiar. They sounded strange coming from Rhon and not the guardians of the goddess. I felt a pang in my heart to be reminded that there was a clear line between Prince Zephirin and me. 

The one who understood me the most and stretched forth a helping hand. Stands to be the one person everyone forbids me from getting close to. 

"He is nice to you, only to you. But I've seen victims of the Evil one and I can say without hesitation that he isn't a good person," Rhon went on to say. His words hit a nerve. 

"Who is a good person according to you?" I snapped. Yanking his hand away from me. His touch irritated my skin the second he started spouting nonsense about the deposed crown prince. 

I couldn't hear a word against him. Not after all he had assisted in getting me through. 

"Had it not been for him I wouldn't be standing here," I defended Prince Zephirin. Without him, the blood rain would fall without a halt. I doubt anyone else would have been able to pull me out of that dark place except for him. 

The world owed him a debt of gratitude for saving their lives today. And here Rhon was teaching me the difference between good and evil. 

"He has done bad things, I agree. But name one person in the world who is without sin," I urged closing the distance between us. Anger surged through my eyes. 

Rhon backed away from me, his body shaking out of terror. "Zephevi is good to me and I like it. I won't take it from you or anyone else who tries to teach me how to feel about the people in my life," I insisted. Each word comes from a dark place in my mind. 

It angered me to the core, to see how easy it was for people to judge Prince Zephirin without getting to know him. 

"The world might fight against him but I, Laith Luthanir will fight for him," a declaration escaped my lips. 

Rhon dropped to his knees. His eyes stared firmly at me. I raised my head and ran my fingers on my temples in frustration. 

"Don't ever think of judging right and wrong on my behalf. I am more than capable of doing that myself, got it," I pointed my finger at Rhon. 

"Laith."

A hand grabbed my arm and stretched it away from Rhon. A splinter oozing with dark energy jetted from my index finger and hit the wall. 

Boom!

A sharp cutting sound resonated in the air from the explosion. I blinked my eyes repeatedly to wake up from the haze. 

My eyes darted to the person who saved Rhon from me. The clear purple eyes reflected my blackened eyes.

The blood in my veins ran cold. "What is happening to you?" his soft voice raised a concern that was puzzling my mind. 

"I'm broken. I'm messed up inside and it's mirroring on my body," I melted into his arms.