I’ve never known feelings can be so complex. He was once my lover, he once warmed my side. He made my mind at ease every time he was in my bed.
With Basilea, I was feeling another kind of fondness. I hadn’t felt the same for another being and I don’t understand why I couldn’t reciprocate his feelings toward me back then.
It’ll all be so simple if I could, I wanted to feel the same towards him. I don’t know why, though I strongly wish I could.
*****
“He still loves you, you know that right?” Basilea asked as she wrapped her arms around my body. It had been a week since I visited him back in his room, he has been keeping himself busy with his peers.
“I know, he told me.”
“We can always invite him again, I like seeing you with him.” The succubus traced her hand to my backside and snuggled deeper onto my chest.
“Maybe, let me know when you want him, us, together again.” I kissed her forehead and let her go when she got up and started to get dressed.
“I want to visit my dragon, you should do your King’s duty and get out of the bed. One might think I sucked up all your energy and let you die.” She giggled and pecked my lips before heading out and leaving me alone in my room.
So I did as she suggested, I went to the main hall and found Magnus conversing with Titus. He turned to face me and gave me his smile but then he got up to leave me with Titus, my oldest general and friend.
“I thought you were done with him.” He didn’t even greet me, went straight accusing me of hurting Magnus again. Titus had been like an older brother to Magnus, he had always been protective of his generals.
“It’s complicated.”
“Yeah, I know, that angel loves you and I can’t tell either of you otherwise. I’m just telling you what I see.”
“I didn’t want this for him, I hated myself for not being able to give him what he needs.”
“I know,” Titus put his hand on my shoulder and continue, “you’re one of the good ones, that’s why we elected you as our king.”
“Hmph, I’m at a stage where I think you should find another king. I’m not feeling very King worthy, not when I kept on breaking his heart for the hundredth times maybe more.”
“Yeah, that angel does have some serious issues.” Titus chuckled but rested back in his seat then smoothly changed the topic of our conversation to a human-demon intruder we had snooped around the court’s gate for the last couple of days.
“He’s Savaric, some demon gargoyle shit that was cursed and sent to hell by some witch. Eh, I think he’s in love with your demon succubus. One of ours finds out when he opens his mouth and blabs about his feelings.”
I raised my eyebrow at Titus and he let out a rich hearty laugh when he told me that the human was alone and he was no threat. “Do you want to take him in? maybe question him?”
“You know what? Let Magnus handle him, I need to give him some chores. Maybe one of these days his love for me will wilt and die all on its own.”
“Yeah, sure I can tell him to take care of it. But you two avoiding each other is not going to solve anything, you know that right?”
“Yeah I know, you’re getting too wise in your golden days.” I rested back on my throne and raked a hand over my hair, still feeling upset that Magnus kept on avoiding me.
“Hey, I’m only a couple of hundred years older than you. I’m just blessed with the grey streaks in my hair, it makes me look more rully.”
“Okay, now you’re making words up.” I chuckled, silently thankful that he was on my side, keeping me afloat.
The older angel shrugged and excused himself to tell Magnus about his new assignment.
I went to check on the dragon’s enclosure and found Basilea running her hand on one of the dragon’s necks. Brontes, her pet dragon was not far from her side. She was talking to the keeper, looks like they were in a serious conversation so I let them be, thinking one of them will come to me if they needed any assistance from my side.
Continuing my rounds around the kingdom, I talked to my other generals. We were discussing about making a new defense perimeter when Magnus passed by and completely ignored me.
Titus sighed when he walked behind him, but the older general joined me and we forget about Magnus. For a short while.
“Have you talked to him about the human gargoyle?” I asked Titus once the other generals had gone back to the posts.
“Yeah, he said you shouldn’t give orders through me. Magnus said he’s a competent general and good at his job, he doesn’t need me to babysit him. You, I’m blaming you for this.” Titus shook his head but then chuckled when he got up to leave me, saying, “You need to fix this, my king.”
I groaned when he used my title to show me that I should be the one who’s on top of things. And he’s right, still, I feel so fucking guilty about it.
Walking outside, I decided to check out the demon human gargoyle myself. How can a human be that stupid? venturing into a territory without any backup. Huh… I do remember that the human wanted Basilea and he was truly shocked the day Ranulf gave her as my parting gift, the peace offering since he took my Rain away.
“You!” I blamed myself for being too self-absorbed that I didn’t see him coming. The human was an average size being, I would have easily killed him if he hadn’t painfully stabbed me with his dagger.
“Yeah, you sleazy king. I’m here for Basilea, she’s coming back with me.”
“She was given to me, by your king. Are you going to defy your king’s words?”
“I’m a human,” he shrugged. He was head over heels and stupidly in love with Basilea. But my brain had stopped thinking as the wound from the small dagger on my stomach was throbbing and the black webbing veins surrounding it indicated that I was poisoned. Not again. Fuck!
“You’re going to cause a war you know that right? If Ranulf couldn’t control his men I will bring the fight to… fuck!” I cursed, feeling the magnitude of the pain. But I managed to grab him and tackle him to the ground. He hit his head but struggled to get up as he kicked my face trying to break free.
Our fight didn’t go unnoticed when Titus came to my rescue and Basilea was not far behind him. The human looked so pleased when he saw her, he was about to take her into his arms but went quiet the second she yelled at him.
“Savaric! what are you trying to do?” she breaks away from his hold, backing away, creating some distance and staying put in her place. The demon succubus gazed at me but she was clearly stating that she was not coming anywhere with him. “I’m following King Ranulf’s order, are you trying to get yourself killed? have you no gratitude for when he took you in?”
“I… I thought…” the human was lost for words.
“Get me Gaelan, oh… fuck, this is so much worse, I don’t think I’m going…” my words faded when I couldn’t keep my head up. My wings felt weak, the tips were greying as my eyes fluttered shut and I lost consciousness.
I sure hope that this is not my time, how can a human kill a fallen angel?