Chapter 396: Demon In Hell-I
When it was dusk, Arabella finally learned of Renard’s sacrifice to stay back inside the witch’s forest for good, an act of self sacrifice for their salvation. While she knew Cassius who had heard the news felt the pinch in his heart, he had pretended as though it hadn’t bothered him, as though he expected this from Renard as he is a loyal retainer.
But Arabella knew better than anyone else that a part of Cassius wasn’t going to accept losing his closest aide for his own sake in silence.
And she was also guilty for being the cause for of it.
"Perhaps," she whispered to him at night while he brushed her wet hair in silence, his expression on the reflection of the mirror was full of a silent contemplation. "Perhaps it would be a better idea not to break the curse? As Lastor had told me before... it’s not going to hurt me by living with the curse."
But Cassius knew she didn’t know the entire story well.
The truth is, her curse was not dangerous but she only has one more chance in her life before exploding thoroughly to nothing.
No one else but Miranda could help them and although he didn’t like idea of sacrificing someone who didn’t have anything to do with his problem, they didn’t have much choice to make.
Knowing Renard well, he believes that his aide wouldn’t be so foolish and offend the witch, perhaps finding a way to leave.
"No," Cassius answered, "No curse has ever been good to live with. We are going to find a way to remove the power in the safest path."
"But-"
"-Don’t worry," Cassius smiled to her, a soft smile so gentle and satisfied, a smile that no one would expect him to have a few months ago. He placed down the hairbrush and continued to speak, "That puppeteer also said that in his story that there is a demon inside you and I think it’s best for me to tell you what had happened the last time we talked about it?"
Seeing his serious expression, Arabella felt something in her shook, like her heart or perhaps somewhere deeper than that, her soul.
"About the demon?"
"The demon inside you," confirmed Cassius, "There is one. I don’t know their name but sometimes I would find you behaving differently than usual. I thought it was perhaps your mood, something that has to do with your uneasy heart."
"I behave differently?" she repeated with a frown, "I can’t remember that ever happening."
"I know, sometimes we would have conversation where I don’t think you realize that you and the demon had switched," Cassius explained gently, holding to her hand so she wouldn’t be scared. "I had to make sure of it so the day when we asked Xavier to fortell your future, that was when the demon showed its true color. It seems to be residing inside you, trying to protect you somewhat but I can’t trust them. Have you ever felt as if part of your memories disappear?"
"Disappear?" No... never. But she does remember falling asleep and thinking it was just small naps, then finding some of her notebooks or pens disappearing to another place as though she had shifted it while asleep. She thought she had just too much to think and that’s why she had forgotten moving the items..
But now Arabella wasn’t sure.
The thought of someone being inside her scared her but a demon? That was even more hellish to imagine.
"You aren’t sure," Cassius summarize by seeing her expression. Gently he stood up from the floor and reached out his hand to rub her head, pushing her closer into his chest. "That’s alright. We can figure something out on our own. The demon is fickle and it doesn’t seem to like appearing every time, or maybe it couldn’t. We will find a way so that demon wouldn’t come as a hurdle to us."
"I’m sorry," Arabella pursed her lips, biting the insides of her cheeks. The frustration she felt laid double, folded million times inside her head.
Why was it that she is so filled with defective?
Everything about her was with flaws, so much so that instead of helping Cassius all she does was add to his burden.
"Don’t think to much," Cassius leaned to kiss her neck and as he breathed her scent a knock resounded from the door.
He stifled his sigh and she smiled while holding his cheeks, lifting his face, "It might be urgent, Your Majesty."
"Sometimes I regret being the King," Cassius whispered, "But it’s a price of freedom."
"But I like to see you as a King, don’t you know what everyone says about you?" She asked with a smile and staring at her delighted face, Cassius played a fool.
"What did they say?"
"A perfect King of the century. The King that will always be remembered in the history as the best King of Versailles."
"What a smooth mouthed civilians I have," Cassius chuckled before kissing her forehead. "I know you can’t sleep well without me so I will tell Karnala to bring you warm milk. Try not to stay up for too long won’t you?"
"I won’t, see you soon," she whispered as their hands slowly parted with reluctance. Seeing his back as he left the bedchamber, Arabella pulled herself together with a deep sigh from her chest. She looked at her hands, looked at her reflection and then stared at it for a long time.
"The story said I can speak to you through mirror, didn’t they?" Arabella muttered on her own. She thought it was silly to talk to herself but she had to try solving the problem alone as much as she could, so she wouldn’t be a burden as she was already. "So if you are, talk to me demon."
Silence ensued and the candlelight beside her shook as though a ghostly wind had brushed against the flame.
She sighed, thinking what a fool she was to talk to the demon that never shows its nose.
Deciding to stand up, Arabella was going to fetch herself the warm milk when the reflection behind her quake without her knowledge and slowly a pair of arms rushed to pull itself out of the mirror. ..