CHAPTER 24: I Was Never Her

He stared straight in her eyes, "When we were sent separately I promised myself that I will become stronger, much stronger to support you."

He never wanted to see that helpless crying she had back then.

That time that she cried as if she was about to lose her mind, he didn't want to see that ever again.

She stared at his eyes as he showed her his emotions.

He placed his head on her shoulder without letting her shoulder go.

"Speak up Saphira, please tell me something."

Saphira slowly looked up and very slowly spoke words he never thought could be possible.

"Every single time this day comes. What I remember was the moment my own sword... pierced through her body. The moment my hands... were drenched by her blood."

He stood straight and looked at her with shock visible in his eyes.

"No one knew I broke down back then because when I opened my eyes that was the first thing that I remembered. The feeling of her flesh..."

She slowly raised her hand and stared at it again, it was trembling.

"She killed them and I killed her."

Hunter felt tremendous pain in his heart, because she never voiced this out.

She never did speak about any of this and held it in on her own.

She smiled sadly again before sighing, "We should go back now."

He couldn't speak more as they indeed returned, the fire was gone and the others were resting.

The two of them simply sat down in silence in that cave with the darkness of the night accompanying them.

But slowly Saphira leaned her head on his shoulder, "I want to sleep."

He wanted to tell her that she needs to get change or dry up first but her head heavily leaned on him before he could do so, that he let her sleep for now.

She had been carrying so much and the rest made her carry even more but she didn't complain.

Not once did she complain, she took everything and silently carried everything.

He couldn't even apologize to what it is that she was experiencing.

*****

The next day, the rest were done preparing for their departure, Hunter had left Saphira to lie down for a bit longer while he too prepare to leave.

But despite all of the noises that they created, Saphira remained unmoving in her sleep.

Hunter approached her and he saw her shivering.

"Damn it, I told you, you would fall sick," he cursed when he touched her forehead and found her to be having a fever.

The rest approached with worry.

"Don't touch her, let's just get to the next town."

He carried her in princess style and started moving.

The rest could only follow.

Hunter rarely snaps that way and guilt started eating them when they remembered the pain crossing her eyes when they all looked at her yesterday while they talked badly about Raynisha and them showing discomfort towards her as well.

"Tell me."

As they walked towards the closest town, they all heard her suddenly speak up.

"Why?"

She still had her eyes closed and it seems that the fever was making her delirious.

"I am not her, I was never her. I tried my best, I tried my best back then as well."

Stormie bit her lower lip while Nixon and Ridge gritted their teeth and clenched their hands.

Willow bowed her head and Drake looked away.

"Why?"

"Shhhh," Hunter caressed her cheeks as he tried to lull her back to sleep.

"Just rest," he whispered placing a kiss on her temple.

His voice and touch allowed her to return to sleep.

But his aura soon changed after seeing her fall back to sleep.

The rest could feel it, his anger has reached its peak.

Healing power heals the wounds and all but a fever was not included so what they needed is medicine.

After arriving to the town and getting into an inn Hunter asked the two ladies to help her clean up and be comfortable while he tasked Nixon and Ridge to get the medicine.

He then called for Drake on an open ground behind the inn.

"Pull out your sword," he pulled out his and commanded.

Drake could tell he was now facing the crown prince and not simply Hunter.

He could only follow without speaking another word.

Hunter started attacking and his attacks were heavy. Drake's sword flew a few times.

And all Hunter said was , "Get up."

After Drake was almost out of energy, Hunter finally stopped.

"I never tried to interfere with anything regarding her because she is letting you do as you please but I will remind you now Drake, she is the crown princess."

Drake looked up at him when he heard the authority and anger in his voice.

"She is the future Empress of Qillian Empire. My future wife, even though she lets you do as you please. You still need to have even just that bit of respect towards her."

Saphira and Hunter had been engaged since they were young.

Engagement between the seven families were never rejected.

But that oncec the one hosting the beast is born then that child will return to the main family hosting the beast.

And right now, Hunter is reminding them that Saphira isn't simply Saphira Fiamma but the crown princess of Qillian EMpire.

A matter only known by Qillian Empire.

A matter most have already forgotten.

And what Hunter learned from Saphira caused the anger towards Drake he didn't know was there to come out.

Not just Drake but the rest who couldn't see things properly.

And when Saphira fell sick, what he tried to contain after hearing the story just erupted.

"If something bad were to happen to her because of this so called hatred of yours towards the wrong person. Then I won't hold back..."

He looked back and there stood the other four.

"She may act nonchalant but she is still affected. She can let it go and be done with it but to hurt her over and over again when you saw just how genuinely happy she was to meet us again."

Guilt passed through the eyes of the rest when he spoke of her genuine happiness.

"Not once did she complain of the fact that you haven't fully trusted her. Not once did she berate you for causing casualties when you could have done better. Instead she followed up after your mess."

He was referring about the giant snake.

"She searched for a different way of taking it down because you are focusing too much on killing it without realizing that your attacks haven't truly done anything."

He noticed how wind and water were actually quite ineffective towards the snake.

He wanted Stormie and Nixon to think about this themselves that he didn't point it out at first but they seem to have not thought of it at all.

Nixon and Stormie pursed their lips at the mention of this, because they really did not think of how effective they were back then.

Hearing it now, made them even more ashamed of their judgement.

"She had not done anything wrong and had done the best she can in regards to our mission. For you not to think about that and still find fault because of the past."

He shook his head in disappointment, "I can forget our family's ties and our friendship, rememeber that."

After a short pause he looked at each of them sharply, "Because Saphira is my bottom line."

All of them bowed their heads, "We understand, your highness."

He had told them yesterday that he didn't want to use his power against them but because of what he found out, he will have to do this if he really wants to protect her from more pain.

He looked back at Drake who was now standing up as well, "Remember this Drake, there is still a story after all of us have lost our consciousness. There is a story we are still unaware of."

He didn't know why she chose to keep quiet about this but to understand what really happened back then, Saphira is the only one who can answer everything.

And he will wait, he will patiently wait for her to speak about it.

He took the medicine from Nixon before stepping inside the inn and went up to the room she is staying in.

"I can hear his struggles from way up here," Saphira spoke up when he entered the room.

She was still lying down and her face was still flush from the fever.

But she was awake and showed signs of getting better after a long day of sleep.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked with a frown.

"Hold my hand," she replied with a smile, raising her hand.

He shook his head and sat down on the chair beside the bed.

He helped her with the medicine before she returned to her lying position.

He sighed after fixing her hair, "You only know how to rely on me when you are already this sick. Or when you are left with no choice."

Saphira giggled, "That's not true though."

She held his hand tighter placing it in her cheek, "I can act the way I wanted. Attack whenever I felt like it or stay back because I know you are there to support me. You got my back that I don't have to worry about it."

She closed her eyes enjoying the coldness of his hand, "Even as children, I can act so freely because you knew how to follow up what I was doing. That is my relying on you a lot."

Her voice slowly turned silent towards the end.

The medicine had kicked in and she had once again fallen asleep.

He could only smile gently at her sleeping face while brushing away the stray hair on her face.