UNDERNEATH THE FORTRESS***
*
She breathed slowly, her stomach grumbled hungrily. It was like the atmosphere burned, though it was cold.
For a day and half Sophie had made them starve her. She hoped for someone, anyone to show up.
She hoped for Holland but on a second thought, she guessed maybe Sophie must have done something bad to her.
If so, then there’s no point hoping for anyone because almost every maid h@tëd her so much.
But not quite long she had thought about this, she could hear footsteps then a whispering voice from the far end of the cave.
“Thank you.” Was the only word she did hear soundly.
Gradually the footsteps grew near, after then, a voice. “Theodora. Theodora.”
“Holland, is that you?”
“Theodora, can you hear me? Are you alive? ”
” Holland, I’m here.” She said, a bit louder.
Holland stood by the door, glaring pitifully at her. “Theodora.” She called in a shaky voice. “Are you alright? ”
Theodora tried moving her hair aside since her hands can’t reach her face. Forcefully, she moved her head backward, sending her hair to the back.
Now, she can see Holland clearly. “Yes, I’m fine. What about you?” She asked back.
Holland nodded slowly. “I had to sneak in and out to get you this. ” Her eyes moved to what Holland was holding. “I knew she starved you so, I brought you something to eat. Though it isn’t much but, I hope you can manage it. ”
Theodora stretched the chain, enabling herself to walk a little closer to the door. She took the snack from Holland, devouring them.
“How is it?” Holland asked, watching as she h@të them all hungrily.
” It’s good. ” She continued eating.
“I made it myself.”
Theodora paused, staring up at her. She smiled, “You really are a good cook.”
She was sure Theodora had finished eating, she sat down on the floor. “You’re gonna stain you dress doing that. ” Said Theodora.
“It doesn’t matter. I heard tomorrow is your execution, I just wanna spend this few time with you before wh@tëver happens.” She smiled shyly, taking her gaze away from Theodora who was staring back at her.
Theodora started laughing. Holland wondered why she was laughing. “What?” She asked.
But Theodora kept on laughing, Holland followed after. “What’s funny?”
“What’s funny?” She asked back.
“I don’t know, you’re the one laughing and it’s making me laugh too. ”
” I just wanna feel happy before I die. I don’t want to have any regrets in my after life. And watching you smile, makes me happy the more.”
Holland blushed. ” You’re flattering me, aren’t you? ”
” No, I’m d@mn serious. You know, you do remind me of my best friend, her name is Camila. We’ve been childhood friends before the attack. Sometimes, I do hear her voice talking in my head, like she’s always with me. ”
“I can see the connection. ”
“Yeah. It’s more like a sisters connection, I’d say. She told me I should live for her, I lived for myself. Just in case I die, please… ” She paused, tears leaving her eyes.
” Hey, you’re not dying, okay. Because the Moon Goddess said so, remember?”
” There is nothing between light and darkness. This is witchcraft Sophie is practicing, and nature or even Zeus has no business with witchcraft. If they do, they would have released the beast a long time ago. I’m gonna die, I can feel it. ”
“I don’t care, but all I do know is that no one is going to take you away from me. I don’t know how you survived losing Camila, but I don’t think I can survive losing you. So I’m not gonna believe you’re dying, cos you’re not. ”
Holland yawned. “It’s three days now. I just can’t wait for Prince Raymond to take over. I’m pretty sure when he does, that witch will be as good as dead and everything will be back to normal. ”
” Seems you’re getting a lot hope on this Prince Raymond.” She smiled. “I remember back then when I was so much desperate just as you are now. I make sure that before I close my eyes to sleep, I read his history over again. I even made him as my night prayers. ”
She chuckled. ” I always imagine him sitting on the throne, and every single man would smile on seeing him. But now, it’s all gone. The hope, the prayers, the connections, it’s all faded.”
“You still have a chance to reconcile with him.”
“I don’t want to. I don’t want it to look like my reconcilation with him is all because I’m scared of dying. Let those who have fate in him, keep to their fate.”
Holland spent almost the whole night with her. She wanted to keep her company and not to feel alone before her death.
Before she left the cave, she looked at Theodora for the last time. “I know I can’t take away your love for her, but I hope to have a place in your heart too. Good night, Dora.”
If there is any one to tell her that there was hope to live, she has so many reasons to doubt that.
Right now, she has only one thing to regret. She won’t witness the death of Kaleb.
This has always been her wish, but now, it was a hurtful wish. She knew his betrayal was never his fault, he was just so weak to her spell. Which any other person would be.
“Kaleb.” She sniffed. “Kaleb, why did you do this to me?”
She felt pains in her head, a heavy one. It just came without a sign.
Her hand couldn’t reach her head as she tried to massage it. “Fu*k!” She grunted.
She struggled with the chains, each second the pains increases. “No. What’s happening to me?”
The pains went round her body, and she began to shiver like she was having a fever.
She thought this was her own death. A death without an execution. Of all names she knew, only one came out of her mouth.
“Raymond!!!” She screamed.
~~~~
To Be Continued…
Awwn, can you have a friend like Holland. ?????
