EPISODE TWENTY FOUR
TITLE: MEMORIES. PAINS. TEARS.
Rita was the one doing the talking, Azazel couldn’t talk, He was staring at Adriel and Rita.
He wondered what changed her mind. Despite how much he begged the past years not to leave the Castle, Rita had refused bluntly saying she can’t stay in the palace and watched them wallow in pains.
“Why did you come back?”Azazel asked after a while and the woman smiled.
“I just want to, I promised myself that I won’t let you two be hurt again, I’m a coward for leaving the Castle in a crucial time like this, I’m sorry”She mumbled softly under her voice and Azazel hugged her again.
“I’m sorry, Rita, for everything, Luci would have been alive if not for me, I am…”
“Stop apologizing, Don’t hesitate to break down here, We are your family, You should not hold back”She patted her back and Adriel who has been on his feet since knelt beside Rita and hung his head on her shoulder.
Rita patted their back for a while and pushed them back softly.
“We should have a drink”She suggested and they nodded in agreement.
Adriel left the balcony to fetch the most expensive wine in Azazel wine with rounded small containers for them.
He poured them the wine.
Rita chugged the whole content down her throat and took a deep breath after.
Adriel poured her another round and they all drank slowly this time around.
“Luci..”She started with a broken voice and a tear slipped down her eyes.
Her mind drifted to the night she found out she’s carrying a baby.
It was a shock to everyone in the castle then, How did she got pregnant at an old age?
“I had him in my old days, I waited for heavens to bless me with a child throughout my youthful days. He blessed me with a bubbly beautiful boy when I least expected…”She paused for a while before taking another sip and continued with her words.
“.. I fed him with saggy breasts, I breastfed him with joy, I never knew he would die such a painful death”She broke into a sob.
Rita dropped the container and held her silk dress, she sobbed in pain, She wrapped her hands around her chest and cried harder.
It was just too painful for her to bear, It has been years, But the pains still niggled in her heart, She dreamt of him every blessed day.
Sometimes, he would be happy in her dreams, but mostly, he’d cry in pain and wither slowly away from her.
It hurts so much. Badly.
Azazel slowly wrapped her hands around her and patted her slowly.
Adriel continued drinking without saying a word, He just couldn’t break down at this point.
There’s no point in doing that, He’d buried the pains for years without showing it.
But Azazel held it in the most. Sometimes, he’d zoned out and snapped back into consciousness with an unsettled mind filled with pains and negative thoughts.
Him coming into this wicked world was the biggest mistake.
He lived his life in pain and agony and held himself back from hurting others because every time he let people help him, they always ended up getting hurt.
“He was very happy that day, I never knew he had such thoughts. I should have comforted him more. How could he be so cruel to me?”
She whispered amidst tears.
Azazel continued soothing her back and after a long while, she slept off in his arms.
Azazel stayed in that position for a long time and rose up to his feet after making her sleep comfortably on the mat.
“I will take her to her chamber”Adriel offered but Azazel turned her down immediately.
“I will take her to the room myself, You should take a rest, you had a long day”He mumbled under his tone and scooped her carefully into his arms.
Adriel watched him leave and cleared the balcony before walking out of the room.
He was already drunk and could hardly think straight.
He managed to drag himself to his courtyard and the guards helped him in.
From afar, hiding, Yuna watched him for a while and a tear slipped down her eyes.
How could he not shed a tear despite how he’s hurting?
Why’s he so hard on himself?
Shortly, the guards left the courtyard to take a short sleep before the day break.
She slowly tiptoed to his courtyard and opened the door carefully so as not to make a noise.
Yuna didn’t know why she’s going to his room, Maybe it was out of pity or she just want to check if he’s in a good shape.
A gasp left her mouth as she stared at his room.
How could a room be this beautiful and well arranged?
No wonder he radiated so much wealth and superiority.
He’s just like the second Azazel.
Adriel had drifted to sleep carelessly on the bed.
Yuna sighed before walking closer to him.
Despite how much she hates him, she couldn’t help but pity him.
She placed his head on the soft pillow and arranged his legs in an appropriate manner.
She dragged the bed cover up to his body.
His temperature was a bit high and he’s sweating already.
Yuna went to the bathroom to fetch a towel and cold water in the mud pot.
She placed it beside the bed and rubbed his face with it.
She let his long hair loose and wrapped her hand around his neck to rub his back.
Mistakenly, she slipped and fell on his broad chest.
She closed her mouth in shock as her body pressed against his hard body.
Yuna moved up her body and ended up sitting on his lower body. She was about to step down the bed but realized she couldn’t as his strong hands were over her laps.
“This is Yuna”She whispered into his ears and made an attempt again but he didn’t budge.
Yuna knew this was the influence of alcohol and he would regret this the next morning.
“I just want to help”She stuttered and held his hand but Adriel moved them up to her buttocks and dragged her straw clothes up.
Yuna was too dumbfounded to make another attempt, His eyes were deeply shut making his long lashes grace his eyes.
She trailed her eyes down to his small lips and moved her hand up to his chest subconsciously.
Thinking how crazy and brazen she is, Yuna withdrew her hands and struggled to leave his grasp.
He flipped her over and hovered over her in a swift.
After futile struggles, Yuna stopped in defeat and let him have his way with her.