♛♡♛

the love that I tried to protect began slipping away from my fingers,

as if trying to grasp on air

air

noun /er/

the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen

Despite trying my best to enjoy the rest of the festival, I could not help thinking about what I saw just before: the Zelinda. I was curious, what were they doing? I felt bad for Vega; she was trying her best to get me to enjoy the night again, yet all I could do was think about the Zelinda. How pathetic, was I not? To be affected so much by such a thing. Perhaps, I had not let go of my bloodline. Perhaps, I was still waiting for someone to take me back and apologize to me.

Thus, the night grew darker by every hour. For how long were we at the festival, I did not know. Had Vega not reminded me, I would not realize how long the time had passed.

“Let’s go back home?” she asked, tugging on my sleeve carefully.

It surprised me. I turned swiftly to her; eyes widening. “I... can you go back first?” I asked, cursing the hesitation in my voice. “I have to take care of something.”

Vega frowned her eyebrows, analyzing my gesture. In the end, she smiled and nodded. “Sure! Take care of yourself and get back quick, okay?”

Thus, after I gave her a thin, apologetic smile, she turned and bounced away.

Me? Well, I wanted to see what the Zelinda were doing. Foolish, was I not? I was so hung up with them. Pathetic.

They say, curiosity killed the cat. In my case, though there was no satisfaction that brought the cat back alive.

As I sneaked to find the Zelinda, I caught Vega from the corner of my eye, going towards the short way. I clicked my tongue. Even though I had reminded her multiple times to not go into dark alleyways alone, she still did it. However, I decided not to think too much. I was being overprotective to her, I believed. So, I sneaked around again, catching a glimpse of the Zelinda at one corner of my eye, and a suspicious man out of the other at triggered my danger alarm. To make matters worse, he was going towards the shortcut Vega took to go home.

I hesitated. I glanced back and forth between my family and their guards, and the suspicious man. I had finally gotten close enough to my family; finally close enough to learn what they could be doing. Yet, someone was following Vega?

If I were to go to Vega, I might never have another chance to meet with my family anymore. However, if I had not gone to Vega—

I shook hesitations away from my head, turning over and dashing towards the alleyway. I hoped that nothing bad happened, but also expected for the worse to occur.

It seemed that luck was not by my side, then.

When I skimmed through the alley, I found the man facing the wall, as he pinned a smaller person to the moldy wall.

And it was Vega.

When my bad feeling was actually correct, I lost myself. I hurled towards the man, punching the life out of him. I did not think. I did not even recall whatever I did. It was as if I were possessed by something so protective of Vega, so furious to have my beloved touched like that. Disgust. Anger. Nausea. Whatever madness I had flooded from within me, screaming to break free as to protect my beloved one.

Had Vega not stopped back then, whatever would be of the pathetic excuse that was called a man?

“Hera, it’s okay, stop it!” Vega stuttered, holding onto me with every strength she had. How did I know she used every strength she had? Well, her arms were shaky and weak, but the will that swarmed from those arms was strong. As though a feral animal that could only be tamed by one person, I stopped. Though my bewildered eyes were still glaring at the bloody man, my breathing was ragged and heavy, my hands were shaking in adrenaline, I calmed myself as best as I could.

Vega examined my hands and noticed bruises that—upon realization—stung pretty bad. She kept hushing and repeating words of comfort with a really gentle voice. So strong, as if something bad had not just happened to her.

My memories were blurry after that. I could not recall how we managed home, but by the time I came to my senses, I was already sitting on my mattress, with Vega tenderly caring for my injuries.

My blank gaze drooped to the clean cloth that wrapped my knuckles. “I wish I had not told you to leave alone. I’m sorry,” I whispered, barely audible, more to myself than to Vega.

Vega placed her hand on my knuckle gently, I could barely feel her touch, if not for her warmth. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault,” Vega stretched her lips into a thin smile. “It was enough that you were quick to save me, while I can’t do anything.”

Her words, as reassuring as it sounded, did not convince me. “I’m sorry...” I repeated, choking on my own words.

Vega crawled and held me, squeezing me tight and rubbing my back. “It’s okay,” she reassured me again and again.

Thus, an impulsive decision that we agreed on before came back into my mind. However, that time, I was serious. I made up my mind, believing that it was the best decision for us.

I gently pushed my way off Vega’s comfortable embrace, looking straight into her dark eyes. I made up my mind. I would no longer hesitate. “We should run away. Together. To somewhere safe,” I suggested firmly.

Vega was taken aback, and her initial reaction was a soft laughter. However, realizing seriousness in my eyes, she melted into a smile. “Sure,” she concluded. “We should elope now, should we not?”

my greed to protect so many things in life,

led me to almost losing everything in life

left in ruins.