Queen of Persia ✔️

chapter thirty-three

"Stop!" Parisa called out when she saw Arman on his knees in front of Afshin. She was breathing heavier as the moments went by. She felt more blood slip through her fingers. Maybe death was this easy, but she had seen it before, and she wasn't going to give up without trying.

Arman's head swung around to see the one he loved standing there injured. His heart sank at the image of her in pain. She was bleeding and he could see her legs giving up. Afshin lowered his sword, shocked to see Parisa. She dragged herself towards Arman, kneeling in front of him. She carefully rubbed the tear of his checks, before hugging him.

"Great. A family reunion. Well, I guess im going have to kill him in front of you Pari," Afshin told her. She felt her blood boil when he called her than. Pari was the nickname her brother called her and that name on Afshin's tongue made her sick.

"Don't do it," she asked Afshin, hoping he would change his mind. But he didn't. Instead, he held his sword up, pointing it to Arman's heart again. "Please Afshin don't do it. End this cycle of torment. I beg you don't kill him," Parisa finally begged him. Afshin's gaze didn't change. He stood there stiff and determined. Arman to his head to look at Parisa one last time.

"Close your eyes," Arman asked her. A request so heart breaking. Parisa could barely move, and before she could stop Afshin, he kicked her onto the floor. Parisa felt the tears gather up in her eyes. Her lips quivered and her heart felt heavy. She wasn't going to watch him die, but she couldn't get up.

"Say goodbye Pari," Afshin stated.

"Don't. Please. I can't lose him too Afshin. There is only so much my heart can take. I will die without him. I love him Afshin, please," she begged one more time, but still, he didn't listen. Close your eyes, Arman mouthed one last time. Parisa finally moved closer, reaching for Arman, only to see his body collapse. The sword was in his chest. Afshin stood there with no remorse, watching Parisa realise what had happened. Her realisation was ever so painful. And suddenly, a scream roared up in the palace. Parisa's scream broke every window in the castle. Arman's eyes observed Parisa one last time before his body slammed onto the ground.

When Afshin pulled the sword out, Parisa found herself shaking Arman's lifeless body. Through her screams of denial, Afshin heard the guard's approach, and so with that he left with no trace. He killed a man and left with no regret. Parisa pushed his wound, forgetting about her own. She placed his head on her lap, trying to save him.

"Arman," she called out to him, sobbing heavily, "Arman wake up. Don't leave me. You promised," she screamed. His eyes slowly opened, trying to recognise her face. And when he did, a single tear fell down his cheek. Maybe this was his end. He slowly lifted his hand to hold hers and she just buried her face in his chest, crying her eyes out. She felt the same grief and pains he had felt when her brother died. But this time she wasn't going to lose her family. She wasn't going to let him slip away like that. Not again.

"Tell me a story," he managed to mutter. His request destroyed Parisa in and out. She could barely breath. Her wound felt numb, and her face was wet. Her lips were shaking unstoppably. Her mind knew that he wasn't going to survive but her heart didn't want to give up. Her heart wasn't going to accept it. She nodded unable to speak. She parted her lips as the tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Long ago, before the sand could set upon the golden sand, lived a girl. She had only just lost her brother and she felt like she had lost her world. She had lost herself. One day, she decided to marry the evil Shah everyone despised. She wanted to marry him so she could save her country. But in reality, it was a way to save herself. When she met the Shah, her word collapsed. He wasn't anything she had expected. He was kind and caring. And just like her, he wanted to be loved," she paused. She took a deep breathing to look at his face. Just as always, he was focused. But this time tears were slipping from his face when he realised what the story was about.

"And so, two broken souls bonded to fix each other. And they did. Soon they only had each other. A love everlasting. A love that was meant to be forever. But little did the girl know that she would lose him in the end. She loved him and she forever will. Because he was her Huma bird. Her saviour. And so, every night, he told her a story. Little did she know every story would lead to this very story. The love and life story of Parisa Elaheh. A foolish girl in love with Arman Sassanian," she continued. When she finished, she looked at his face. He mouthed a soft I love you before becoming heavy. His hand slowly slipped out of hers, as his eyes shut.

"Arman?" she asked. But he didn't answer. He didn't move. He didn't do anything. His blood covered her body. He was gone. His body was life less. "No, no, no, no," she repeated to herself, "Don't leave me Arman. Come back!" she yelled. But he was gone. And so, her screamed filled the palace walls once more. She felt power surge through her.

"Bring him back," she yelled, "Bring him back to me. Take me instead. Please bring him back to me," she pleaded to the sky. A sky that didn't respond. A world that left her. Suddenly, she saw the figure of an old man in front her. She looked up at him realising how familiar he was.

"Hello Banu," he greeted her. It was then that she remembered. A life time. A thousand lifetimes. She remembered him. The man who had cursed them.

"Salman?" she asked. He nodded. "Bring him back please. I can't lose him again. I'm sorry about your daughter, just please bring him back I beg you. End the curse," she pleaded grabbing his feet, with nothing to lose.

"You were forgiven long ago," he confessed, "and the curse is over just as I promised. I can't save him banu, but a single tear drop can," he concluded. And with that he disappeared into thin again once more. She was alone again. She yelled for him to come back. She yelled for him to explain. She begged him to save Arman, but no one helped. She held Arman's hand in hers, squeezing it tight. Squeezing it so hard she felt her fingers go numb. She didn't want to let go. But she had to. And she did.

One single tear fell on his wound. A single tear filled with so much emotion. So much love. So much pain and grief. She placed her head on his chest, laying down beside him. Forever was all they had. Little did she know a single tear was going to change everything. Because a single tear is all it takes to love. One. Single. Tear.