Scrambled Regrets

The sound of things falling jolted me awake.

Did he kill me yet?

I tried catching my breath first and looked around.

Ok, I’m alive. And this is Marik’s room. And I don’t see any items to end me with.

The same crashing noise came again. I walked to the source. Marik was kneeling in the room beside, trying to pick up things from the floor and putting them all in a bag.

Do I just leave? I know where the exit is.

‘Marik.’ I called out before I knew it.

He had plenty of chances to end me if he wanted. If anything, with Marik, my chastity is more in danger, not my life.

‘Ina!’ He flipped around more excitedly than I expected from someone who just threatened me.

‘Sorry about earlier.’ He searched my face, needing forgiveness, but I gave him nothing.

‘I wanted to show you via mind vision what I meant when I said I will do it myself.’ He trailed off.

’But I guess the stone didn’t work right?’ He said as he tried to wrap his arms around me.

’I did not have any dreams. Maybe it depends on how long I am asleep for.’ I said as I pushed him away.

Maybe I was angry and scared enough to decline any interference with my thoughts and emotions in most vulnerable state. Maybe I didn’t want to see your mother anymore. Maybe… even you.

’Just less than an hour. I was just getting ready for us to leave as you slept.’

‘Maybe it is time for you to talk to me properly.’ I declared.

Marik sighed and stepped back.

‘Ok. Ok your highness princess Ina. Let me finish packing up and then we can speak as we go.’

’Go where?’

’Your kingdom.’ Marik said with a sad smile as he averted my judging stare.

*****

I used the excuse of being hungry and left him alone. I wanted to think.

’Oh yeah I wanted to kill you! But also please pity me.’ I whispered to myself, mocking Marik.

I wandered the halls, gathering blankets, scraps, anything useful for travel. Even if I couldn’t stand his “pity me” expression, I still collected things for him.

What is wrong with this man? First he wanted Raiona. Then he wanted to kill Raiona. Now he wants to save me.

After doing another sweep of the area, I eventually found him battling the kitchenware once more.

Is he trying to make something because I pretended to be hungry?

In a lovely non-life threatening scenario, he looked just like a hot husband who cooks for his wife. And fails.

But forgivable cause abs.

Marik eventually relented and decided that he can only squeeze juices from fruits. He managed to collect a whole glass full.

Yeah, put those muscles into better use.

He finally surrendered, squeezing juice from fruit instead. He poured it into a glass, then turned and nearly collided with me. Startled, he dropped the container. I caught it before it shattered.

’How long were you standing there?’

’I don’t find klutzy men attractive.’ I said as I downed the juice.

But I couldn’t deny it. Someone doing something for me without being asked always cut deeper than any abs.

I wiped my mouth. ‘Thank you. Let’s go.’

Marik looked like he needed reassurance. His eyes dropped again, full of unspoken apologies. He lifted his hand toward my waist, but pulled back.

I exhaled in exasperation. His pity party started to grow on me. I leaned my head forward.

‘Fine. Here. You can kiss my forehead.’

I’ve never seen someone wipe the frown off their face so fast. His face lit like fire catching dry grass. Before I could regret it, he seized my waist without hesitation and planted a resounding kiss on my forehead.

‘We have time you know… ’ he started.

’I don't want to know.’ I stopped him dead on his track.

If “give a man an inch, and he will take a mile” is a person, it would be Marik.

He laughed, a deep, rich laugh that wrapped around me despite myself. And against my better judgment, I laughed too. I saw a sense of relief wash over him. Only Marik could turn my constant rejection into a flirting moment.

Ok Marik. Tell me more of your story. I will listen.

‘Why are you hitting me as you laugh? Are you trying to get a feel of my body subtly?’ He said as he made his pecs bounce.

I snorted, half-annoyed, half-impressed. ‘You ruined a wholesome moment.’

‘Then I’ll make more.’ His arms enveloped me in snug and protective hug. He pressed kiss after kiss to my forehead, and for once, I didn’t push him away.

Oh? He’s not being sneaky? Just following as I said? Good boy Marik.

After what seemed like an eternity in his gorgeous arms, I finally managed to urge him to start moving.

‘We should go.’

‘Let me grab the red stone,’ he murmured against my skin, sealing it with yet another kiss. My forehead was practically baptized at this point.

I followed him from the wide corridor through the small lobby with multiple doors.

’Why is there a hole on the ground behind that door?’ I asked, pointing to one ahead of us. I had left a mental note to ask him about it after I’ve studied the layout.

Marik turned sharply, looking at me with immediate concern.

’WHAT HOLE?’

The sound of the ground moving grated behind him. A figure cloaked in priest attire emerges from the concealed entrance. A blade hissed free of its sheath.

‘Marik!’ I shoved him aside, body colliding with his, just as the dagger plunged into me.

‘INA!’ I saw the blood before I felt the warmth.

I staggered, turning toward him. ‘Are you hurt?’ My voice was shaking, already fading. I wasn’t sure if he was also hit. 

The assassin lunged again. Marik bared his teeth. His tail lashed like a whip. His other hand, no, pincer snapped forward, cutting the attacker’s arm. His tail then followed up with a sudden sting. Dark fluid flickered from his tail’s tip.

Venom?

The guard crumpled, screaming. But I couldn’t see it anymore. My legs gave out. Marik caught me before I hit the ground.

‘Ina! Ina, no!’ Marik’s voice was unrecognizable.

My vision was blurring slowly. I felt foam form in my mouth.

‘It hurts.’ I whispered as I felt tears roll down my face without end.

Marik gripped my face violently, forcing me to look at him. His blurred face came into view, sharp and furious and broken.

‘The soldier used my mother’s poison.’ Marik forcibly said between his tears.

His face was wild, hair falling loose, panic in every angle of him. He said something which I assume was him cursing. I couldn’t hear everything clearly.

‘I am very sorry.’ 

Everything spun. I was violently shaking and foaming at the mouth. Unsure of what was going on. It was cold and hot at the same time.

The world was spinning. I was spinning. I wanted to be sick. Some of the words I heard were broken. Despite this, I never felt the cold hard ground.

‘No!! Don’t you dare!’

’Ina!’

More cries and incomprehensible words.

‘I am not sure if I am strong enough to counter it.’ Marik's hands were everywhere. Trembling, searching. I felt a pinch on my arm. Then Marik’s kiss on it. No, not a kiss. He was sucking something.

Was he sucking the venom away? It didn’t help.

I couldn’t recall if I was screaming. I probably was. I trembled and my extremities waved and kicked as if having their own mind.

‘Ina.’ Marik continued to repeatedly call for me in between cries.

Then a deep stab. On top of the one I just took in his place. Painful enough to bring me back to consciousness briefly.

’AAAAAAAAAAAA’ I shrieked in pain.

My body went rigid, then limp. Marik wiped the sweat off my face and forced my face to one side so the foam on my mouth wouldn’t choke me.

‘Oh Ina, will you ever forgive me?’ Marik’s crying was not as loud as my screaming, but moving enough that I could remember in between going in and out of consciousness.

‘There, there,’ he whispered. ‘Stay with me. Come back. You’re going home.’

And then everything went dark.

*****

Why am I floating? Is this heaven?

Beautiful warm day, animals and humans alike taking it all in, trees swaying in rhythm to music playing from somewhere, flowers blooming, children running, except one.

Little Marik watched Raiona from the shadows, in awe. Marik chose to learn just to become someone worthy. He carried the ache of loving someone from afar.

‘’If I can’t have her then, I will protect her always.’’

Oh, I am back to Marik’s vision. But on an outside perspective. I suppose meeting the source of all your nightmare does that.

Marik found a way to play and stay beside Raiona’s side, disguised as a child of the neighboring herding community. A friendly wild cattle and oxen community who lives close to the Aelysium kingdom. They tend to migrate a lot so they aren’t always present. Marik’s excuse was being a sickly creature who gets left behind a lot.

With a convenient disguise, little Marik approached Raiona when she was on her own. Raiona was heavily discouraged to be around children of unknown backgrounds but the more she was held back, the more she did it. This gave Marik plenty of opportunities to establish a friendship.

Much to Marik’s dismay, Raiona couldn’t recall who he was. The lonely kid she danced with under the light rainfall of sparkling dust and twinkling stars. But he did not mind this. He powered through. He continued being around Raiona through the heartache.

‘Where did you get that rock?’ Marik asked. ‘I think it could be an egg. You have to be careful.’

’I picked it up when I sneaked out one night. I don’t want to think it’s a dangerous being.’ Raiona explained how the night went, and to Marik’s relief, hadn't forgotten about him.

However, Raiona did forgot his name. She was then raving about how Riye saved her. Marik did his best to hide his hurt. He ran off while Raiona was still speaking and when he was far enough, started wailing his poor heart out.

Oh you poor little Marik! I am so sorry Raiona was like that. Or that I was like that. Oh no!

After some time, a more grown Marik comes back. This time he had undergone growth and improvements. Conducted himself in a more princely manner.

‘This time, I will be introducing myself as a prince. I will win her over without any tricks. Just the real me.’

Marik said with full conviction. Only to find out Raiona, still surrounded by the phoenix and horse, had been engaged to Riye, and was already bearing the promise bond of a dragon.

Poor Marik. On top of his own power hungry mother, the person he loved just has to be popular. No wonder he thought women only wanted to use men.

Young heartbroken Marik continued to love, and also hated Raiona from afar. And he stayed far as he nursed his broken heart. The news of Raiona disappearing eventually reached him.

Marik’s heart splintered again. And yet, he searched relentlessly. He infiltrated Aelysium’s army, risking everything, just to know the truth.

‘She’s really gone.’ He wept. A boy’s tears. A man’s regret.