Epiphany

⇞ hatred ⇞

When I opened my eyes everything hurt, my head, my body, my throat even my eyes lids.

I could not hear a word of hushed argument happening right next to me and the people arguing were merely a blurry image. I tried to move my feet but something brushed across my feet and yelp escaped my lips. The people arguing turned towards me and my vision cleared.

Nazereth and Darren looked at me with a frown.

"I will talk about this later." He said and Darren inhaled sharply before leaving us alone.

We were at home.

"How are you feeling?" He asked in a softer tone that made me feel jittery.

"Good," I mumbled lying to his face because I couldn't say more words.

He seemed slightly amused.

"Good?" He asked again.

"Not entirely, just that you are back home," I said in a small voice.

Silence followed my words.

"What do you want?" He asked and I looked up.

Almost all his injuries were tended to and his eyes looked swollen as if he cried.

"What do you want Ermeline?" He asked in a calm yet annoyed tone.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the act you are putting up and trying to be good to me when all I have done is torture you. I will always hate you because of who you are so what is in your mind?" He asked.

I caught myself staring in his eyes. The little flicker was back again and it was burning beautifully. I thought he would look away or glare at me but he was staring back with confusion and something more.

"It's not an act." For some reason, my voice came out like a whisper.

He doesn't break the stare and heat rise up face but I can't look away.

"I am just trying to be a wife, after everything my father did send me here even though everyone knew you would hate me. But for me right now you are my husband and I have no one and nothing to go back to." I  say partially putting truth in those words.

He was after everything my husband.

Something in his eyes softens, "Runaway then."

This again.

"Why? Because you will hate me and I remind you of what happened to your family." My words surprise me but he was staring at me intently.

My stomach curled under his gaze. 

"Partially, yes." He answered.

But his answer made me curious. What was the other reason?

"I will not run," I said with all the defiance I can muster.

"But you will Ermeline, I will make sure of that." He said with a grim expression.

"I am stronger than I look," I said meekly opposed to the said statement.

"I know that now. But you will break." And now he looks away.

"But I will stay," I said feeling sad at his words.

"I will always hate you." He reminded me.

"I know, you have said this quite a few times now and it's never pleasant." I retorted tired of hearing him say this.

He sighed and that made me look up again.

"What?" I asked and he looks at me.

"I should always hate you." He reconstructed his words.