Only when hell freezes over

"You see, even she knows what you're doing is ludicrous," Zale said. "Why do you never support me?" Achilles crossed his hands over his chest. "I do support you. I just think that this whole thing you're doing is not the best. Myles has been leaving the Palace very often, and I don't know where he's been going. I tried to follow him one time, but I got distracted and lost him. I think he's plotting something." Zale said.

"What could that nitwit possibly be plotting?" Achilles asked. "I don't know yet, but he's raising suspicion."

"Look, if for some reason you can convince my father to let me marry her and still be king, I won't yield the throne to my brother." Achilles said.

"You know that's not possible, Achilles,"

"I'm feeling 'your grace' today." Achilles presumed.

"You're not king, so 'your grace' doesn't work for you. How about 'your yieldness'?"

Achilles burst out laughing. "That's not even a word." He said.

"Maybe you'll make it a word." Zale responded. Achilles stopped laughing after a while.

"No, but I seriously mean it. There's no going back now. I'm sorry I disappointed you." Achilles said.

"Don't say that. I know Myles is not fit to be King at his young age, and so it won't be long until he begs you to take the throne back."

This made Achilles more optimistic about the entire thing.

"You're a good friend, Zale." Achilles said. "I'm your only friend, you dumbfuck." Zale reminded him.

"Oh yeah, but don't call your king and dumbfuck." He hit Zale on the shoulder. "You're not my king you throne yielder."

"Treason! Treason I say!! Punishable by death." Achilles announced in a playful way. "Oh no I'm so scared!!" Zale played along. They both had a good laugh.

Achilles was glad that the situation had got to a stage where it could be joked around with. This one happened rather quickly seeing as it had only been a day since he announced that he would give up the throne.

"Let's go back now. I need to talk to Kristen." Achilles said.

Zale nodded and they both walked back to the Palace.

"Good luck buddy!" Zale bid him before he went the other way. Achilles gave him a slight nod and exhaled. He headed upstairs to the first floor. Myles had shown him Kristen's new room so he went straight there.

*knock, knock*

"It's me, my lady," he said. "Go away, Achilles. I don't feel like talking to you right now." She answered him. "Please, Kris, just open the door, will you?"

"I said go away!" She cried out. He tried to open the door but as expected, it was locked. "I'll break the door down if you don't open it."

"Alright, go ahead!" Achilles rolled his eyes. "I was hoping you'd open the door if I said that."

"I'm not opening that door, so you can break it if you wish it." She was really being stubborn. He sighed.

"I'm not going to break the door but if you just open it and let me explain, that'll be great for yours and my conscious and if you still don't wanna go through with it, I'll understand. You can leave the Palace, and I'll be king just as planned."

When she heard this, her heart thumped. It had no reason to. She had forgotten that she wasn't even from Jurry Island and had to leave sooner or later. She slowly walked to the door and opened it for him.

"Thank you," he said before entering the room. They both sat on the bed, and she waited for him to speak.

He explained everything to her, but she still wasn't having it. She said she'd love to marry him and that she loved him dearly, but she couldn't do it even if she tried her hardest.

"I get that you're looking out for me, but you don't have to do that. All I need you to do is to be my princess, my wife, my soul mate." He said.

"It's not that easy, Achilles. Your brother hates me, Loukâs wants to take revenge on me and your people. What would they say about me? About our children? They'll call us freaks." She also said.

"You shouldn't worry about what they'll say," he cupped her cheeks.

"Even you worry about what they say. What do you think will happen if the people found out that you're giving up the throne? Answer me honestly." She demanded.

He was quiet. He didn't want to tell her cos he knew bad things would happen.

"If the people found out, it would spread like wildfire. The enemies would know I wouldn't be king and attack. It could start a war." He finally responded.

"I don't want a war to start becoming of me, so be king, your grace. I'll be on the side lines, rooting for you." She said.

"You can't stay here if we don't get married." He said.

Her facial expression changed when he said that. Of course, she didn't want to leave.

"Then I'll leave," she answered. "If you leave, It'll kill me." He said again. "No, it wouldn't, my love. Nothing can kill you."

"A silver xiphos to the heart might. And you leaving would wound me forever." He smiled through the pain he was feeling.

She was about to say something, but she swallowed her words when she saw him go on his knees and tears dripping down his beautiful face.

He held out the ring he gave her before and said, "my lady, I would take a million arrows to the chest and I would take that xiphos to the heart a thousand more times just to have you. I'd move the heavens and the earth for you but to give up on you, my love, only when hell freezes over."

She was literally going to cry.

"Marry me and make me the happiest god alive." He added. She couldn't bear to see him like this. She's never seen him cry before. She didn't think he even had it in him to cry. She then stretched out her hand to him.

"I'll marry you, Achilles." She finally said. She finally agreed... again. He stood up hastily and put the ring on her finger... again. He got a feeling of déjà vu as it had happened before.

He hugged her tight around her waist. "You better not die if there ever was a war." He laughed at what she said. "I won't." He responded. "I've never seen you cry by the way," she mentioned. "I don't cry easily. It shows weakness, but you, however, can make me cry an ocean."

"Mmh!"

She closed her eyes and stayed hugging him for a little while longer.