21 Chapter 21: Just A Dream
The morning sun poured through the windows, casting a gentle glow over Eternia as she slept, her peaceful form bathed in its golden light. With her chest rising and falling rhythmically, she appeared like a tranquil vision, an ethereal being nestled in the embrace of slumber.
Marcella stood at a distance, her gaze fixed tenderly upon her daughter. The sight of Eternia sleeping so serenely stirred conflicting emotions within her—a mixture of love, regret, and longing. How could she mend the fractures in their relationship? How could she bridge the chasm of pain and neglect that separated them? Lost in her thoughts, Marcella felt a soft tap on her shoulder, causing her to startle. Turning, she found Aurelius beside her, his presence a comforting anchor in the sea of uncertainty. With a sigh of relief, Marcella chastised him softly for the unexpected interruption, her voice barely above a whisper.
Returning their attention to Eternia, they stood side by side, hands unconsciously finding each other's, a silent acknowledgment of their shared hopes and fears for their daughter's future. In the quiet embrace of the morning light, they stood together, united in their desire to mend what was broken.
Aurelius broke the silence with a simple question, his voice cutting through the stillness of the room. "Slept well?"
Marcella offered a nod in response, acknowledging the restful night she had experienced. "I did, thank you," she replied softly, gratitude lacing her words. After a brief pause, she shifted the conversation, revealing her encounter with Gareth, the Duke of Sapphirepeak. "Last night, I spoke to Gareth, the Duke of Sapphirepeak."
Aurelius's reaction was immediate, his expression clouding with skepticism and distrust. "He isn't to be trusted," he declared firmly, his words tinged with a hint of jealousy and simmering rage. His icy stare conveyed his unease, a silent warning against placing too much faith in Gareth's intentions.
Marcella nodded, but her resolve remained firm. "He has always been loyal and faithful to me," she countered, her voice steady despite Aurelius's evident displeasure.
Yet, Aurelius's anger only seemed to intensify. "That's because he fancies you," he retorted sharply, his tone heavy with frustration. His hand withdrew from hers abruptly, and he placed them firmly on her shoulders, his touch carrying a warning. "Don't put your faith in that snake unless you want to be poisoned by his venom."
Marcella's eyes widened, stiff in his touch.
Aurelius, sensing Marcella's shock, quickly withdrew his hands, his expression softening with remorse. "I'm sorry," he murmured, turning away slightly. "But you need to know... the person responsible for the ogre attack was Gareth Sapphirepeak."
Marcella's reaction was immediate, her eyes widening in disbelief as she staggered back slightly. "What?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with incredulity. "Are you certain?"
Aurelius nodded solemnly in response. "So, be cautious," he advised, his tone filled with concern."
Marcella sighed heavily, a mixture of regret and disbelief etched on her features as she shook her head. "I'm afraid I made a mistake last night," she confessed, meeting his gaze with a troubled expression. "I tasked him to retrieve the whip for me, Aurelius."
Aurelius maintained his calm demeanor, his voice steady as he inquired, "Did you inform him why?"
Shaking her head, Marcella replied, "No, of course not. I'm sorry, Aurelius. I should've talked to you before I instructed Gareth to retrieve it for me."
"It was a mistake," Aurelius reassured her, offering a gentle smile. "We can easily fix it, Marcella. Given that he's attached to you, you can easily use him."
Marcella was touched by his understanding, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as her hand instinctively reached out to touch his. "Thank you for understanding, Aurelius," she said gratefully.
Caught in the moment, Aurelius was about to lean in closer, but a sudden yawn from Eternia broke the spell, causing them to quickly withdraw from each other's proximity.
"Marcella greeted warmly as she approached her daughter's bedside. Taking a seat beside her, she leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead. "Did you sleep well?"
Eternia's smile brightened the room as she replied, "I thought it was just a dream." With an exuberant expression, she wrapped her arms around her mother, embracing her tightly as if afraid to let go.
Joining them, Aurelius added his presence, a tender smile gracing his lips as he leaned in to place a kiss on his daughter's head. "Didn't we tell you it wasn't?" he chimed in, his voice filled with affection and reassurance.
Eternia's gratitude washed over Marcella and Aurelius, their hands entwined with hers. "Thank you," Eternia expressed, her voice filled with sincerity. "Thank you for being here for me... I know how hard it must be to defend and protect me, especially after everything..."
The unspoken pain of their past hovered in the air, the weight of their painful history evident in their shared gaze.
Marcella's words poured forth with raw emotion, a torrent of regret and love intertwined. "This is nothing," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "This isn't enough to atone for all the pain I caused you, for all my shortcomings as your mother. I promise you, I will fix this. I will heal you and erase every trace of that woman's cruelty from you. No one will ever hurt you again." With each word, she hugged Eternia tighter, showering her daughter with kisses. "I'm so sorry for everything," she choked out, her embrace becoming a lifeline. "I would turn back time if I could…"
Eternia clung to her mother, feeling the weight of her words and the sincerity behind them. "It's alright, mother," she whispered, her voice a soothing balm. "I'm just glad to know that you love me... to feel it too."
Tears welled in Marcella's eyes as she struggled to stay composed. "Of course I love you," she admitted, her voice breaking. "I loved you when you were conceived, and I loved you when you were born..." Her voice trailed off, heavy with regret. "I was just blinded by anger and hurt... but I always loved you, my miracle."
Eternia's gesture touched Marcella's heart deeply. As her daughter revealed the pendant hidden in her dress, Marcella's eyes widened in surprise and warmth. "You're always with me, mother," Eternia said, her smile radiant. "This was to protect father, right? A token of your friendship."
Marcella blushed, her gaze shifting to Aurelius. "You kept it," she murmured, her heart swelling with emotion.
Aurelius met her gaze, his expression softening. "Of course, I did," he replied, his smile genuine. "You were the most important person to me…"
Marcella returned his smile, her hand reaching for his. "I suppose we need to replace it since you bestowed it to our daughter," she said, her voice tinged with affection. With practiced ease, she produced a crystal from her pocket and began to infuse it with magic. Lightning crackled around her fingers as she engraved a protective rune onto the crystal's surface. Taking a strand of her own hair, she wove it into a delicate chain and merged it with the crystal, creating a new pendant.
Leaning closer to Aurelius, their faces mere inches apart, Marcella secured the pendant around his neck. "To protect you," she whispered, a sense of deja vu washing over them both.
"Thank you, Marcella," Aurelius planted a kiss on her forehead.
Their serene family moment shattered like glass as a deafening shriek of madness tore through the air. Alexa's presence loomed at the entrance, her countenance twisted with a cocktail of rage, wrath, and seething jealousy. In her hand gleamed a dagger, its blade coated with a sinister poison. "You bitch!" Alexa's voice reverberated, punctuated by the violent throw of the dagger. It was aimed straight at Eternia, a lethal intent gleaming in her eyes, but Marcella, in a swift act of maternal instinct, intercepted the lethal projectile, the dagger finding its mark in her soft, delicate back.
A chilling laughter erupted from Alexa, a cacophony of madness and malice that sent shivers down the spines of all present. Eternia's cries of terror pierced the air, tears streaming down her cheeks as she witnessed the horrifying scene unfold before her eyes.
Eternia screamed, crying.
Despite the excruciating pain coursing through her body, Marcella mustered a brave facade, her voice strained as she reassured her trembling daughter, "I'm fine."
Aurelius, fueled by a potent mixture of fury and protectiveness, rose to his feet, his form radiating an aura of raw power as he summoned his magic to shield his family from further harm. His eyes blazed with a primal intensity, a silent promise of retribution for the heinous act committed against his loved ones. The palace staff burst into the room, their urgent calls for the guards echoing through the chaos.
With a chilling resolve, Aurelius seized Alexa's wrists, his grip unyielding as he pinned her in place. "This ends now," he declared, his voice cutting through the tumult like a blade. "How dare you lay a hand on my family!"
"Oh, Aurelius," Alexa's tone was laced with poison. "Don't you understand?" she asked, laughing madly. "I am your family! Me, Eternia, and you—we're a family!"
Aurelius recoiled in agony as Alexa's venomous words struck him like physical blows. "No," he breathed, disbelief and horror contorting his features. But before he could react, a sudden, searing pain erupted in his abdomen as Alexa's foot connected with a vicious blow, sending him crashing to the ground, writhing in agony.
The room seemed to spin as Marcella's world turned upside down. With a desperate, primal instinct, she lunged to protect her daughter, her hands outstretched, but it was too late. Alexa's manic laughter echoed in her ears as she snatched the dagger from Marcella's grasp, a glint of madness gleaming in her eyes. "I'm going to kill you, Marcella!" Alexa vowed, her voice menacing. "And your daughter is next for betraying me!"
Eternia's terrified sobs tore at Marcella's heartstrings as she wrapped her in a protective embrace, her trembling hands conjuring a shield of crackling lightning to ward off the impending threat. "You're safe," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the chaos.
With a steely resolve, Marcella turned to face Alexa, her eyes ablaze with a mixture of fury and determination. With a swift, decisive motion, she seized the dagger, her grip unyielding even as blood trickled from her palms. "Pathetic," she spat, her voice laced with cold disdain.
In an act of chilling retribution, Marcella seized Alexa by the throat, her fingers tightening around the woman's neck with a vengeful grip. With a swift, merciless stroke, she slashed the blade across Alexa's mouth, a cruel parody of a smile etched upon her face. "Smile," she says coldly as she sliced her skin.
A piercing scream rent the air as Alexa crumpled to the ground, writhing in agony. Marcella stood over her fallen adversary, her expression ice-cold and resolute, her hands stained with blood. "You will pay for your sins," she declared, her voice dripping with quiet menace.
"You will pay for this!" Alexa vowed, screaming like a lunatic. "I will kill you all!"
Aurelius, shaken but resolute, rushed to Marcella's side, offering his support as the palace guards burst into the room, their stern faces betraying their shock and horror at the scene before them. With swift efficiency, they moved to restrain Alexa, dragging her away as she thrashed and screamed like a wild animal, her vows of vengeance echoing through the chamber like a chilling prophecy.
Aurelius held Marcella close, his heart pounding with fear and desperation as he felt her growing weaker in his arms. "I'm here, Marcella," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Stay with me."
As the barrier around Eternia dissipated, Aurelius felt a surge of relief mixed with apprehension. He knew they needed to act quickly to save Marcella, but his mind was consumed with worry for his beloved wife. Ex wife…
Gently cradling Marcella in his arms, Aurelius met her gaze with a mixture of tenderness and anguish. "We'll get you the help you need," he vowed, his voice trembling with emotion. "Stay with me… Damn it!"
Marcella managed a weak smile, her hand trembling as she reached up to caress Aurelius' cheek. "You still care," she giggled, shaking her head in disbelief. Seriousness returned, tears falling from her eyes. "Protect her, Aurelius," she whispered, her voice falling. "Promise me…"
"Of course I care," he murmured, his voice breaking with sorrow. "You mean everything to me."
Tears welled in Aurelius' eyes as he felt the weight of Marcella's words. "I promise," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own heartbeat. "I'll protect her with my life, Marcella. I swear it." He held her tighter, kissing her head. "So stay with us, okay?"
Marcella's limp body weighed heavily in Aurelius's arms as he hurried towards the infirmary, his heart heavy with guilt and despair. Each step felt like an eternity as he fought to keep his emotions in check, his mind racing with thoughts of what could have been done differently.
Eternia's anguished cry pierced the air, echoing through the chamber as she knelt beside her unconscious mother. Adrian's comforting embrace offered her some solace amidst the chaos, his silent understanding a source of strength in her moment of despair.
Aurelius met Adrian's gaze with a silent nod of gratitude, his expression haunted by the weight of his failure to protect his family. "Thank you, Adrian," he murmured, his voice heavy with emotion. "Take care of her."
With a heavy heart, Aurelius continued on his journey towards the infirmary, each step a painful reminder of his own helplessness in the face of tragedy. As he carried Marcella's fragile form, he couldn't help but be struck by the cruel irony of their situation. She may have been his ex-wife, but in that moment, she was still the woman he loved more than life itself.
