Heliport's Arrival
At the height of this nightmarish scene, Heliport appeared at the room's door. He stood for a moment, his eyes following his father, who was madly talking to his reflection. Deep shock was etched on his face, and his eyes began to fill with tears. He advanced with slow, hesitant steps, his voice broken:
"Father... please, come to your senses."
But the Emperor did not turn to him. He continued his dark dialogue with his reflection, as if the world around him no longer existed:
"You knew the plague would take him, yet you sent him!"
Heliport could not bear it any longer. He rushed towards his father and grabbed him by the shoulders forcefully, shouting in a voice mixed with pain and anger:
"Father! Adonis will be fine. I will bring him back, I promise!"
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Empress Imyphra entered. Her presence was like an icy storm sweeping through the room. Her golden eyes, gleaming with a stern brilliance, seemed to see everything and nothing at once. Her sharp features and long blonde hair cascading in a royal style added to her unchallengeable aura. In a stern, decisive voice, she said:
"Who will you bring back? Have you lost your mind, Heliport?"
Heliport turned towards her with uncontrollable anger and shouted:
"Are you blind? Don't you see what's happening to him? He will completely lose his mind!"
But the Empress showed no sympathy. She looked at Heliport with a cold gaze, and a faint smile that felt like a stab:
"Don't worry. Nothing will happen to him. This is just a phase, and it will end soon. Let's go out."
She grabbed his arm forcefully and dragged him out of the room despite his protests. Heliport's voice echoed in the corridor, but the Empress did not turn back.
Empress Imyphra, known for her megalomania and dominance, was a woman who knew no mercy. Every move she made was carefully calculated to display her absolute power. Her gleaming golden eyes radiated an unyielding coldness, as if she were observing the world from an ivory tower. She embodied power, devoid of any pity, as if her heart had turned into a cold stone.
From her hiding place, Daphne tried to absorb everything she had seen and heard. She knew this day would change her life forever. Her thoughts raced:
"A plague... the city of Fania... did he know? What is the secret of that herb that made him like this?"
She knew that the time had come to seek the truth, and that her role in this new world had become greater than she had imagined. She resolved to face fate, however dark it might be.
Daphne slipped out of the room in a state of panic and fear, imagining that the Emperor knew what had happened and that Adonis had gone to the epicenter of the plague. Her steps were heavy, as if she could no longer carry herself, but suddenly she stopped when she felt Heliport's hand grip her arm.
"Heliport, Daphne, you're here again?" he said in a desperate tone, trying to appear calm despite the worry that was evident on his face.
Daphne looked at him with eyes full of anger and blame, as if all her suppressed feelings had exploded at that moment. There was no time for words, and she did not want to hear his apology. Anger blazed in her eyes as she freed herself from his grip and looked at him for one last moment before turning and continuing on her way, her heart wrung with pain and fear for Adonis.
Heliport, who did not know how to comfort her, remained standing in his place, watching her walk away from him, filled with feelings of confusion and regret.
**** In Heliport's Palace ****
Heliport sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back against the frame, his eyes gleaming mysteriously under the faint moonlight filtering through the room's window. The room was enveloped in silence, save for the soft sound of the breeze blowing outside. Hyacinth, who was lying on the bed, looked at him with a gaze that held a mixture of curiosity and concern.
"Have you gone to sleep? Are you a chicken to sleep so early?" Heliport said in a soft voice, a mocking smile creeping into the corners of his lips, but his eyes did not hide the deep feeling that lay behind this jest.
Hyacinth smiled faintly, trying to ease the tense atmosphere, but a small laugh from him made her pause for a moment, sensing the worries he carried in his voice. She looked at him with eyes that slowly widened, as if she were reading between the lines.
"Yes, and have you forgotten that I am also human? And what does that have to do with you? Oh, I forgot to welcome you and throw a party on the occasion of your entering this room. I thought you had forgotten where it was," she said in a soft voice, a teasing smile playing on her lips, even though her heart was suffering from an anxiety that Heliport did not understand.
Heliport laughed, the sound of his laughter like a mysterious pleasure seeping into her heart, but it quickly faded, replaced by a heavy silence. Hyacinth sighed and slowly sat up, and with a graceful movement, she sat beside him, while he extended his hands forward, as if his hands had lost the ability to feel anything. He did not want to feel that this weakness had shaken his pride.
"What's wrong? How did your feet lead you here? Or is it a holiday?" she asked in a quiet voice, but she could not hide the worry that crept into her tone. She felt that there was something he was not saying.
Heliport gently rested his head on her shoulder, as if seeking refuge. The warmth of his body seeped into hers, making her heart beat faster. "Isn't a wife a refuge to turn to when feeling suffocated?" he said in a low voice, his tone carrying a deep sense of confusion and loneliness.
Hyacinth looked at him with wide eyes, as if examining him, then said with a teasing but serious smile, "Did you hear that from the Empress?"
Heliport smiled a somewhat bitter smile, his eyes gleaming with tension. "You're joking, aren't you? There are no such rules in my life, mother."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, "You're drunk, aren't you?"
Heliport laughed, his laughter filling the room as if it were a reminder that life still existed despite everything. "And since when have I not been drunk? I suppose it's the only way to escape this immense pressure. Hyacinth, you are different from me, I love your personality and your strength. Never lose this precious treasure. You think I am helpless, don't you?"
Hyacinth shook her head gently and said in a deep voice, "I have never thought you helpless."
Heliport slowly closed his eyes, as if the conversation had drained him of energy, and replied in a faint, almost whispered voice, "Hyacinth, I'm not bad... let me stay like this for a while."
Hyacinth remained sitting beside him, watching him drift into a deep sleep, her mind filled with mixed feelings of confusion, worry, and hope. The room was filled with dim lights dancing on the walls, as if telling her that something was changing, something lurking in the shadows, something waiting to be discovered. She felt a deep desire to give him strength, to give him the security he lacked, but at that moment, he himself was giving her a similar feeling.
Hyacinth realized that there were things that were not said, but felt, and that was the beginning that would take them to places they had not expected.
... Inside Heliport and Hyacinth's Room
Morning dawned on the palace, bringing with it a subtle tension that permeated the atmosphere. The shared room of Heliport and Hyacinth was in utter disarray; wine glasses were scattered here and there, and clothes lay haphazardly on the floor. Sunlight filtered through the half-open curtains, revealing a scene that reflected Heliport's chaotic life.
Heliport awoke to the sound of birds singing outside, but he could not escape the headache that pounded violently in his head. He sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, and muttered in a hoarse, broken voice:
Heliport: "My head... I feel like it's going to explode..."
At that moment, the door opened quietly and Hyacinth entered. Her steps were confident, but not without caution. She wore a simple yet elegant gown that reflected her status and strong personality. Her gray hair was carefully styled, and her facial features showed a delicate balance between sarcasm and concern. She paused for a moment and looked at her husband with a steady gaze before saying in a tone that held a mixture of reproach and calmness:
Hyacinth: "That's what happens when you drink too much."
Heliport slowly raised his head. His eyes were heavy with fatigue and regret. He looked at her for a moment as if searching for an answer or comfort. His gaze was tinged with confusion, but his heart began to beat unexpectedly faster when he saw her deep and worried look.
Heliport: "Were you here last night?"
Hyacinth: "Yes. You were drunk enough to wake up the entire palace."
Heliport sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He tried to smile, but his smile was tinged with sadness:
Heliport: "I'll take a bath and tidy myself up... maybe I need some fresh air."
Hyacinth raised an eyebrow with a sarcastic look, as if she was used to his excuses:
Hyacinth: "Do as you please."
Heliport looked at her for a longer moment this time, as if something inside him was pushing him to test her patience or read what she was hiding behind her rigid features. But instead, he approached her with hesitant steps, then stopped in front of her. The silence between them was heavy, but it was charged with an unexpected tension.
Heliport: "I need to tell you something..."
Hyacinth looked at him, her heart beating faster, as she could not ignore the effect he had on her soul. She felt that something important was about to explode between them.
Hyacinth: "What is it, Heliport?"
He took a deep breath, then moved closer to her until only a few centimeters separated them. Their breaths mingled, and a long silence filled the air, as if observing this pivotal moment. He gently raised his hands and placed them on her cheeks, as if she were a precious treasure he did not want to lose.
Heliport: "I know I have made many mistakes, but I... cannot live without you."
Her cheeks flushed, and her body trembled for a moment. She looked into his deep eyes, where there was a mixture of pain and tenderness. She turned her head slightly, then placed her hands over his, not letting them fall.
Hyacinth: "Heliport..."
Heliport: "Don't leave me alone in this palace, Hyacinth. Maybe I've made many mistakes, but I will never repeat the same one."
She could not control herself, and her eyes welled up with tears, but she did not let them fall. She was close to breaking down, but she felt emotions she had never experienced before. Her hand rose to touch his face, and she smiled a sad but hopeful smile.
Hyacinth: "Every time you laugh while looking at me, I love you more. And every time you come closer to me, you capture me more within your heart. Heliport, you are the only thing I cannot find a solution for... I suppose I am foolish for loving you so deeply."
He hugged her tightly, the feeling in his heart at that moment stronger than anything else. He felt her pulse between his arms, as if she were a soul representing all the hope he had left. Hyacinth was finally surrendering to this love she had always avoided, but at that moment, she felt that she wanted nothing more than to remain in his arms.
Heliport whispered in her ear, "Never think that I will leave you. I will always be here."
As if a heavy shackle had been removed from her heart, a single tear fell on her cheek, but it was a tear of joy this time. She gently cupped his face, as if trying to make sure he would not go away again.
Thus, at that moment, they realized that there was something unbreakable between them, even though life had tried many times. This love, despite everything, was strong enough to endure.