My Rebirth as an alien Queen

Episode 7-Unraveling Hero

 My eyelids were heavy and I struggled to open them, I kept twitching them until finally, they opened up, the view was blurry but I could make out the image of a floating Barb, please…no, I don’t want to be alive, please no…I silently prayed as the image got brighter to see Barb moving carefully above me, she bent a little and peeked into my face.

“Claire!” She let out in excitement. Holy crap…I thought as it slowly dawned on me that I was still alive, is there no end to my misery. I thought as the image got clearer and I finally saw Hero, walking slowly to me with labored steps, his expression was somber and his lids were heavy, being an alien with green skin made the dark circles below his eyes quite conspicuous.

“Why?” He croaked voice low and timid.

 “I don’t want to live anymore Hero, especially not as your abandoned wife-

“I never abandoned you” He sharply retorted.

“That’s how it seems, I would have given life a second chance if I was with the same Hero I used to know, I don’t want to live with this Hero” I felt warm tears slowly trailing down from my eyes to my ears as I was still laid on the bed. Hero face was pale and he looked defeated…

“Please, don’t try to hurt yourself-

“I will, I don’t want to live anymore Hero…I really don’t-

“Please…please, what would you have me do? I’ll do anything, Claire.  Just…you can’t…leave too. Please” I was glad that he just sounded like the Hero I used to know, but that Hero wasn’t weak, he might be shy and timid but he wasn’t weak, this Hero sounded weak and I didn’t want that.

“I want the old Hero back, that’s all I ask” I pleaded willing to give life another chance. Hero nodded and moved to my bed face lowered down a little, he was in so much pain, and somehow I could feel it.

“It’s alright, I’m alive after all” I muttered despondently.

“You could have been dead, if I had come a second late you would have died, I’ll lose without you…I…you’re the only person I can rely on-

“What about your other brothers?” I asked looking into his tired eyes.

“I’m not sure if I could trust them after I caught two of them scheming against me. I’m scared, I’m scared none of them here wants me, I’m scared that I’m always watching my back” A smile found its way to my lips as Hero finally admitted his fears to me, I struggled to have my back rested against the headboard and I pulled him into a hug that tensed him up at first, but then he relaxed into my touch and I smiled glad he was fine now.

Hero was tired and it was obvious as he fell asleep pretty quickly after joining me on the bed, Barb had told me he hadn’t slept since I tried committing suicide which was two days before. He had held my hand so I couldn’t leave while he slept, I did enjoy watching him sleep though, his snores were soft and almost inaudible and he seems to be enjoying his sleep until I removed his hand on mine, he started to twitch his eyes and his hands started to tighten, then he started to whimper, I needn’t be told twice that he was having a nightmare.

“Kio” He muttered and I turned to Barb.

“Kio can be a name or-

“No” I completed Barb’s explanation completely grateful she understood what my look was. I held Hero’s hand and pressed down on it feeling sorry for him then he started to relax as his whimpering suddenly stopped.

“Why…how did he…?” I didn’t know how to frame my question for Barb but she totally understood.

“Your touch is soothing to him because you’re his mate and he had a special connection to you called a mate bond, he might not have formed it with you because you are unmated to him but Aira was, that’s why you could feel attracted to him-

“I am?” I immediately questioned finding it difficult to believe that. I just didn’t think it was possible for me to like Hero, I mean he’s an alien…no offense to him because technically, I was also an alien but just because I was his kind now doesn’t mean I’ll have to like him. I just didn’t think that was possible.

“I think Claire you’ve been attracted to him, the body you’re in doesn’t mean you could love him. You could love him only if you wanted to and I think that Claire, some part of you do” I stared at the thinking robot and scoffed, the damn thing doesn’t even have a heart, how could he know. I decided to ignore Barb’s claims and stay next to Hero since it appears he was having a nice sleep while holding my hand so I decided to leave it that way falling asleep in the process and when I woke up, Hero was gone.

“Where’s Hero?” I sleepily asked Barb as I rub my eyes to keep myself awake. Barb who had been at the end of the room wheeled herself to my bedside to reply to me.

“He’s in his study signing some petitions” Barb relayed and I slowly got down, I moved over to the unusual mirror in the room to see if I needed a change of dress then I found the dark mark on the rope I had tried to commit suicide had left, it was very obvious making me slowly trace the lines with it.

“Barb, I need something…any dress that could make this inconspicuous” I requested and Barb moved over to my closet to select a dress with a turtle neck illusion neckline, it totally covered up the mark and thankfully also wasn’t so tight, it was a fine and soft cream-colored fabric but the illusion neckline was lacy, it was pretty. With Barb on the lead I found my way to Hero who wasn’t looking very good, he looked really stressed and I guessed he was handling everything himself.

Hero wasn’t giving himself a chance to trust anyone so he was basically doing everything himself including managing his paperwork.

“My liege” My voice had him instantly looking towards the door.

“Claire, what are you doing here?” He questioned but I only smiled.

“Just wanted to check up on you, you look busy…want me to help” I requested but he looked rather taken aback by the offer to help him.

“I…I don’t know Claire, I don’t think you can help me-

“I know I can, I’m very smart you know. Besides it’s boring just sitting around all day chatting to Barb, I’ll like to do something, anything to help you I insisted but he looked dumbfounded having walk towards him deeper into his study which I was certain people don’t come very often, it was neatly arranged though, the color of the furniture were radiant just like Hero, the books were neatly arranged unto the floating boxes which I was certain after coming together would make a perfect, I was tracing the edges of the books when I suddenly had a paper cut that made Hero jumped out of his seat to help me with it.

“I told you you couldn’t work, how did you get yourself into trouble so soon” Hero scolded bringing my long finger into his mouth and I gasped loudly shocked by the burst in pleasure that occurred down my lower belly!

-----------