Heal My Heart

7. Forgiving Type or Not??

Arya's POV

I collapsed down to the ground and burst into tears. I could handle his arrogant, emotionless, rude self. I have handled it since I met him, even though it scared me, and it hurt me. But... the hurt in his eyes, the gentleness in his touch, helplessness in his voice, I couldn't handle that, it made me feel horrible for lying him. He was literally begging me, not only from his words but from his touch, from his looks, from all of him, to speak the truth.

I wanted to tell the truth. I hate my self for that I have to lie. But do I have a choice? How I can I be sure, if I tell the truth he will let my brother live even a day more. What is the guarantee I have? If he can forgive us, he can do easily while I am being the culprit. Because there is some connection built up between us, from the moment I saved his brother. So why he wants me to speak the truth so much?

I couldn't understand anything. I was not in my right mind. I felt really confusing and my head was spinning. I hold my head with both hands. I cried so loud, I have never cried like that in my entire life. My cries echoed in the empty cell and it came back to me and started haunting my head like crazy.

I felt an unbearable pain in my head. I felt my head is going to explode. I got some unclear pictures of people in my head.

I pictured My mom was sitting in her favorite place in the garden and reading a book. My dad was in his office room writing something, with a bright smile on his face. My brother was riding his favorite horse, his face was bright and shining. Prince Ernest lying on the bed, he was smiling and his face looks so fresh and healthy. Prince William was near Prince Ernest's bed talking with him, he was laughing loudly. That laugh brightens up his handsome face.

Then I pictured him. The King. He was inside a cell. His eyes were teared up. His face looked so deeply in pain. I realized he was in my prison cell.

Then everything changed suddenly. I pictured my parents and my brother was tied to the wall in the same prison cell. they were all sobbing with pain. They all were tortured, they were covered in blood. The floor of the prison cell was... dark red. It was covered with their blood. Prince Ernest and Prince William were looking at them, so helplessly. their faces were shrunk with sadness. Then there was him. Laughing like a mad person... Then I think I passed out.

******************************************************

I didn't know how long I was lying down unconsciously. When I opened my eyes, I was still lying on the floor, but my head was not in the icy cold floor anymore, and a soft hand was on my head. I looked up. It was Laya. My head was in her lap. She was massaging my head smoothly.

Her face filled with a smile, when she saw I have opened my eyes. "Arya!!!" she shouted and petted my forehead.

"How are you now?" I looked my left to find to whom the voice belongs. It was Prince William.

"mmm... I think I am fine..."

"hmmm... Take some rest. Laya please take care of her and make sure She is ready to come to hear the verdict within an hour"

"I will do so Your Majesty"

then Prince William left us without even looking at me again.

I gasped.

"How long I have stayed unconscious?"

"Prince William came to visit you, and then he had found out that you were passed out. he got really panicked and had tried to gain your conscious, sprinkling some water and all. But he couldn't so He sent a soldier to me. and I came with some medicine. It was nearly an hour after I got the news, but not sure how long you were here all alone, without conscious. My poor little girl " Laya burst into tears.

"I can't stand seeing you like this Arya. I can't. I was with you since the day you born, protecting you taking care of you. I can't stand, that you are just abandoned in a prison cell. You know how much I want to switch myself with you right now. Take all your pains to me and let you be the smiling soul you always have been..."

"I know Laya... I know that... Don't cry... You are my best friend and my sister. you will remain the same no matter what happened." I took her hand and placed a small kiss.

"So the King is going to give the Verdict?" I smiled at her

"Yes, he is. With the blessings of all the seven Gods, I pray he will forgive us. "

"I am not so sure about that. It was his brother, who was in risk. It seems from all the people in the world Prince Ernest is the only one he cares about. And this is treason. Like the king he can't just let this go" I said. My voice was so calm and firm. I think being out of the world for some time has positive effects on me. I didn't feel any pains or sorrows. I was ready. I was ready for the Verdict. I was ready for even death.

"you think that he will give the... d...de... death penalty?" Laya's voice was breaking.

"I think that's the verdict for treason"

"yes, that's true but still...."

"Look Laya" I lifted my self up from her lap and sat down so I was facing her.

"I value my brother's life more than mine. And I am really embarrassed this fault happened from our side. You know I hate violence. And knowing the fact that someone used the poison I made myself against another human being is killing me from inside. I am always thinking of what would happen if The King couldn't make it to us. It was like a miracle. As he didn't even know that this is the exact place he could save his brother. But what if this miracle didn't happen? I am also guilty for what has happened. And I am ready to take the consequences."

"No, it is not right... You can't just sacrifice yourself" she shouted.

"Then can I let my brother sacrifice himself Laya? he is just a kid. Everything he has done, he did them with the pure intention of protecting us. He is still not a grown up to actually measure the severity of his acts"

"But Prince William said, you have to speak up the truth. So there is a better chance for the King to forgive all of us"

"The King himself told me something same" I closed my eyes for a second. I pictured the moment King Edward was near my prison door. He turned around to me. "I know you are covering up for him... you have to trust me and tell me the truth..."

His word echoed in my mind. Didn't he ask me to trust him? And I felt that he meant every single word he said. But Still...

"So if King also said the same thing, don't you think it's better, to tell the truth?"

"I don't know Laya... I think I didn't know the King for that long to trust him to this extent"

"What will happen if Aron spoke the truth" she suddenly asked.

"What??"

"You think, it is only you that King has visited? he probably would have visited Aron and your parents. Maybe he has convinced Aron to speak up. You know it is easier to persuade him, than persuading you"

Okay. How I never thought of this. It is so obvious that he would go and persuade Aron. I had been really out of my mind not to even think of that.

So what will happen if Aron speaks up the truth? will the king forgive us? Can I really trust him?

all the calm and relaxed feeling I had, just dissolved. My head began spinning again.

"Laya, will Aron tell the truth? what should I do now? "

"I don't know Arya, but I am pretty sure King Edward would have talked to Aron and your parents. You know I heard so much about him from his soldiers within these few days. He is said to be someone who will do whatever it takes to confirm his suspicions"

"What else you got to know about him. Tell me is he the type of forgiving?" I took Laya's hands and gazed into her eyes. I wanted her to tell yes. Even though he doesn't seem like the forgiving type from all the things I have experienced in these couple of days, I wanted to believe form all my heart, that he is going to forgive us. As Laya said maybe with the graces of all the seven Gods.

"I... I... don't ... know" Laya said dodging my eyes. Actually, she didn't have to tell those words, from the way she avoided my eyes I knew the answer.