Chapter 5: I Miss You

The morning's breeze felt calm and relaxing under the morning sunshine. Just like any other day, Melina was busy in the kitchen preparing for breakfast with her mother, while her father was out working.

"Lex, come eat your breakfast," Melina called for him who was enjoying the morning sun from his bedroom window.

He couldn't sleep a wink last night thinking of when his mother would come. He was only a child who crave his mother's love just like any other child, though now he only just wishes that his mother did not forget about him. Sometimes when times got rough, he planted a seed of hope so he could keep himself optimistic. However, only rose bushes were grown wildly and hazardous without its blooming flower, only thorns and treacherous thought.

His counting has passed a hundred, but his mother was still not there. Not even her silhouette nor her shadow appeared.

He walked feeling disheartened, with every stepped felt heavier than the last.

"Melina, when will my mother come?"

He asked her as he sat down on the wooden chair.

"She… she still has some work to do," she was startled by his question. She doesn't want to lie to him further, but she couldn't help herself. As a lie was better than the feeling of being left alone.

"Will she come sooner? I miss her," he looked gloomy, with his head faced down.

"She will come, Lex. Come eat. You don't want her to feel sad right? She will be sad if you are sick, so come here, eat some," Melina said as she tried to comfort Prince Lex.

"Ok," he still looked sad, but still forced to feed himself.

Day passed like usual, and waiting was all he could do.

While in the palace, the Queen was anxious and agitated about the disappearance of the prince who hasn't been found. All the assassins that have been sent by the Queen came back fruitlessly. Though it didn't cease her to manipulate the good-hearted king with her ridiculous request. Every night she spent with the king happily, though the king couldn't wait to get out of her chamber. She clings to him as her life depended on it, till the day a royal seed bloom from her beautiful figure.

Once a week, her assassin would come to bring her the news regarding the searches of the prince. She was feeling restless waiting for the good news to come. Suddenly, an assassin who she has waited for appeared from her bedroom window. His scarface and his big figure make him even more terrifying behind the dark cloak.

"You're late," the Queen said as she sips her tea.

"I bring good news to you," he looked pleased with himself. Even with the Queen in front of him, he doesn't act courteous but arrogant. He, who was selected by the Queen herself was granted higher pay than any other worked he had done before. Besides, he knew that he was the best in this job. Hence, the Queen will never abandon him for the success of her plan.

"You find the boy?" she was almost jumped out of her seats.

"It depends on your payment, your majesty," he said.

He had found the prince's whereabouts after he had done a thorough check from the day he disappeared till today.

"I'll double the pay, no triple. When he's dead, I will give you more than a year pay. Money is nothing for me. You just have to do your job," she was happy as a clam hearing the news.

"Do whatever you have to do, I want the boy dead," she continued.

"Have I ever disappointed you, your majesty? Make sure you get my payment ready," he smiled at the Queen and jumped out of the window.

Truthfully, it was not that hard for him to look for the boy, he just lengthened the time of the search due to the payment that he got from the Queen. Even for a piece of mere news would gave him more than a month of his usual pay.

He found out about the boy, through one of the assassins that he planted inside Lady Claudia's building. He was doubtful of the sudden quitting of one of the maids there. So, he investigated further and found that a woman and a boy took a sudden trip out of the capital. The man who was interrogated by them was tortured half to death due to being uncooperative at first. Now, he only needed to take a few assassins with him and killed the boy.

On the other hand, the king's mistress, Lady Claudia still refused the king's helped though he pleaded her sincerely. She couldn't trust the king's heart, as she was only a woman who was as weak as a kitten, but with big determination. Everything she did was in the name of love and the hope to protect someone dear to her. Her life and the king shouldn't be correlated for her to be happy.

She doesn't ask for the title nor the luxury that was given to her. She just wanted to be happy, but it was the only thing she could not receive. She promised herself that she would keep the only secret that she had to her death and accompanied her in the lonely grave. She lived only for a short period of time, but he; her beloved lover will have many years to come. She prayed for the goddess to always protect Prince Lex and her lover whom she would never see anymore.

"My lady, you should eat something," Miss Edith said. She was the new lady in waiting appointed to her by the king. She was the eldest daughter of Baron Collymore. She was kind and sweet, though no one knows what is hidden in someone's heart.

"It's fine, Edith. I'm not hungry," Lady Claudia said as she forced a smile.

"No, you haven't eaten properly for the past few months. What will your son say when he returns? Please, Lady Claudia," Miss Edith pleaded. She felt bad about Lady Claudia's circumstances, but she has to keep on living. Her beautiful face was hiding behind her pale skin and lips. Besides, her eye was red from crying, and her tiredness from not sleeping or eats properly.

"…," she just sat there looking at the food in front of her. Suddenly, tears fall down her cheek uncontrollably. She missed her son dearly, but she couldn't do anything.

Miss Edith was startled by the incident and tried to comfort her. However, she could not do anything as Lady Claudia forced her out.

After she went out, Lady Claudia continued crying on her bed. Her days were filled with bitter teardrops and torturing heart.

"Helios…," she called the name of the man she loved, the only one who has the right to live inside her heart.

Before all of this happened, both of them lived happily like nothing could tear them apart. Each day was like a blessed from the goddess. However, her man carries a big secret that could never be told to anyone, but only to the person, he trusted.

"Claudia, I have something to tell you," he said while embracing Claudia which sitting in front of him. He was terrified of what she will think of him, but in the name of love, he tried to gather all his courage.

"Yes, my love," she said, as she turned towards him and caressed his cheek.

"Don't worry. I will always love you," she said to console him as she saw him looked troubled.

"Have you heard the story about the assassination of the king of Quirinus?" he asked her.

"The one that happened centuries ago? Yes, I have seen a play at the town before," she said, wondering why this related to his secret.

"I am the one who killed the king," he looked down on the floor, worrying about what will she said.

"…but it was centuries ago," she was shocked and couldn't find a word to respond to his words.

"Yes, I am from Elysian. The last one," he looked sad despite the worried on his face.

"Will you tell me your story? I would like to hear it," she said as she held his hand.

She knew he would not act tyrant for no reason. The Helios she knows was kind, responsible, and hardworking. Moreover, from the look on his face, she knew there must be something hidden between this history that everyone knew of; The assassination of the King of Quirinus by the Elysian's tyrant.

She sat there silently listening to Helios's heart wretched story. The brutality that happened towards the Elysian people was too sad to hear and too unjustified to be ignored. How could they change history just to fit the royalty glory?

"I will always be by your side, Helios. I will always love you," she said as she hugs him tightly. She couldn't imagine all the sadness, guilt, and fury he felt, but only could promise him all the good things for years to come. She vowed to be by his side forever and cherish him with everlasting love.

Everything that happened felt so long ago, though the love and pain were still there to this day. She was the one who promised to be with him forever, but she was the one who abandoned him first. The day she walked away, she said to herself that as long as she can bring him happiness, she will be fine.

She, who was caught the king's attention only lived with grief each day. She knew she had to do something at that time as running from the sun was pointless. She knew if she consult Helios, he would fight for both of them. However, she was too scared. What would happen if fighting would only bring more misery than glory?

Hence, she chooses to leave him, so he can find happiness even if it was not with her.

A/N: If you're interested in Helios story please read in 'The Lady with a Purpose'. I wrote two chapters about him. Thank you for reading.