The Tales of a Cursed Warrior

VI

When the three maids assigned to doll her up finally stepped away, she turned to the door, never looking in the mirror.

The boots she wore had block heels and while they were better than the narrow heels that Reyna wanted her to wear the other night, they were still a torture to walk in, especially with a limp.

She was led to the Throne chamber where the four boys stood.

Ares was on the side, arms crossed over his chest, his uniform tidy. It was like her old one but with three red stripes instead of two, his medals gleaming on his chest. Lukas stood next to him, his uniform free of stripes, adorned in a collection of medals as well. Both looked cleaner than she'd ever seen them before.

The Princes stood on the other side of the chamber, both in uniforms of dark green and silver chains. The silver Crowns gleaming atop their heads. Even Zara stood with them, dressed in a gown of dark purple. A small, silver tiara gleaming on her flaming hair, her updo elegant.

"'Steria," breathed Ares, approaching her quickly. He took her face in his hands and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry, Asteria, I'm so—"

"It's okay," she said, a trembling smile on her lips as her eyes brimmed. "It's okay, Ares."

"We leave tonight," he breathed. "I can't just leave you behind like this."

"We'll figure it out," she said, hugging him. 

"Asteria," said Cassius quietly. "We need to be out."

She nodded, glancing at Lukas. He stood next to the wall, hands in his pockets, tears in his eyes and a crooked grin on his lips.

She almost started weeping.

But she approached him slowly and he let out a broken laugh. "Who knew that one day we'll see you so decorated," he choked out, smoothing down her hair instead of the usual ruffling.

His head tilted and his smile slipped a little when tears started to run down her cheeks. He swallowed, blinking rapidly. 

"I'll always be there, Star. You know that, don't you?"

She covered her mouth and closed her eyes tightly.

His face twisted in pain. "Don't cry," he whispered, wiping her tears with his thumbs. She launched herself at him, arms tight around him.

He bowed his head, hiding his face from the others.

Cassius watched with a strangely hollow feeling inside him. 

This guy—no, this man she was holding was someone she would never forget. Someone he would never be. 

He'd felt that same hollow feeling when she came out of his chamber that morning, dressed in a nightgown that barely left anything to imagination. That slight limp in her walk was what hurt him the most. 

And now she pulled back from their hug, her hands still around his neck and she kissed him. Their kiss was farewell. Their kiss was a bandage that will always be wet with blood. Their kiss spoke volumes of what they meant to each other. 

Lovers. 

Lukas kissed her back with equal softness, one hand on her waist and the other on the back of her head. 

Her brother was looking at the open doors, his hands in his pockets. "See what you took away?" he whispered to the Prince. "See what could've been?" 

Cassius tore his gaze away from the General. 

Their foreheads were pressed against each other, lips sealed shut. There was nothing to say. He was surprised at the amount of pain and vulnerability on Sallow's face. They were only driving the knife deeper into the wound at this point. The longer they took, the more time they had to think of the what ifs.