Touch of Flame

Ravina sat on her bed going through all books about pregnancy prevention. None of them were safe enough. She could still get pregnant and despite all of that she was more worried about protecting her heart than protecting herself from getting pregnant.

She chuckled alone in her room at her frustration. If nothing was safe enough then she wouldn't be safe enough with Malachi as well. She could not pretend with the nice act then. She could not let him touch her. Perhaps for the better since she didn't want to become what she pretended to be like Ares told her.

Ares. She felt strange the more she thought about doing the deed with him without allowing her walls down. Feelings had already crawled in her heart when she let her walls down. She couldn't allow them to develop. She couldn't feed them more or… she might change her mind. What if she decided to abandon her mission after that? What if letting her walls down made her weak right before going to face the enemy?

She sighed. Clearly, she wasn't ready for all of this. Ares or the enemy. Perhaps she should abandon both. Throw herself through the window and end this agony. But she couldn't. Not before she found her sister and her enemy could help her. She had to endure it for her sister's sake.

Tomorrow she would have to find these preventions and see how to use them. She closed the book and as she put it in her drawer there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and her uncle stood outside.

"Your Majesty?"

"Have you eaten?"

The usual nagging. "No." She couldn't lie to him anyway.

"Come. Have dinner with me." He said and without waiting for a reply he walked away.

Ravina hurried after him. "Have you not eaten yet?" She asked once she caught up to him.

"No. I was busy."

She nodded. He would often ask her to eat with him when he was eating alone. She felt sad for him sometimes.

They sat at the dining table where they were served dinner. "Have you decided on a date for engagement or marriage?" He asked her.

"You really want to be rid of me."

"I told you already." He said, picking up his cutlery.

Well, he would get rid of her soon. She wouldn't see the face of her father anymore, the other thing that kept her alive besides the inventions. She watched him in silence, again projecting her fantasies of him being her father. She would believe so if she hadn't known her father and uncle so well. They looked identical but acted very differently from each other.

Her father was known by everyone. He had a way of talking, walking, and smiling. He had a certain tone, a certain aura he carried with him everywhere. Her uncle was a bit rougher on the edges, although he changed since her father's death. He had also isolated himself and when he came out again, there was a cold and detached man. One who wasn't like her father or uncle. One who was only mission-focused. Like her.

"We will pick a date soon," she said.

He nodded and began to eat. Ravina picked up her cutlery as well and they ate in silence. Then he walked her back to her room. Once they stopped in front of her door she looked at him closely. She had this strange feeling of wanting to hug him knowing that she wouldn't see him soon, but those damned walls. They were crumbling. She couldn't be emotional.

Ravina had avoided him most of the time, just like he avoided her as if both knew getting too close would make them break down. He used to hug her and her sister a lot when they were younger. He was in fact more playful with them than her father. He loved children and spoke of having many. She could understand that he probably changed his mind and decided to keep just one. Maybe she should ask him about prevention methods.

She held back a chuckle and he looked at her with a frown. "Something is funny?"

She shook her head. "No."

They looked at each other for a while and then her feelings got the best out of her and she hugged him. He stiffened in her arms and then slowly he hugged her back. Tears burned in her eyes.

No!

No!

She closed her eyes liking this more than she should. Why was she doing this to herself? She pulled away and curtsied. "Good night, uncle." She said and hurried back to her room. She threw herself into her bed, burying her face in the pillow she cried. How did she expect to be with Ares if she melted so easily? If her walls fell so easily?

Ugh… why was she doing this before leaving? Why?!

She consoled herself by thinking of her sister and fell asleep, the tears drying on her face. In the morning she woke up with a headache but ignored it. She had a lot to do.

Feeling impatient she undressed and bathed quickly not allowing Ester to help her much. "Are you in a hurry?" She asked.

"No. I just want to do it."

After getting dressed she went to the dresser to comb her wet hair. Ester stood at the window staring with a frown. "Are you watching the rude knight again?"

"No. It seems like they will kill the prisoner today."

Ravina froze. What?!

No!

She dropped the comb and hurried to the window. The soldiers were taking Malachi away to the execution ground.

No, no, no!

Ares! She looked for him among the soldiers. He wasn't there. Only her uncle and Prince Andrew.

Ravina rushed out of the room, pushing the door open she ran down the hall. Where was Ares? What was happening? Before she could reach his room, he came around the corner and she almost bumped into him.

"The prisoner!"

"I know." He hissed and walked past her in a hurry.

"What do you know? What is happening?" She walked fast to keep up with him. Where was he going?

"I don't know. Your uncle must have found out about your plans. He isn't easy to fool." He said continuing to walk fast.

"Where are you going? Do something?"

"Just follow me!" He said.

He took them upstairs and pulled out a pistol from his pocket. "Ares?"

"Shh.." he told her.

She followed him, now panting and sweating from running up the stairs. When they reached up the tower, the guards who sat at the small windows with their weapons turned around.

"My Lord, Your Highness. No one is supposed to be…" Before he could finish his sentence, Ares shot him with his pistol. Ravina gasped shocked and the other guards turned around but Ares was quick to shoot them as well.

"Don't worry. They are not dead." He told her when they fell to the ground.

No blood. He shot them with something else. Sedatives?

He stepped over them, picking up their weapons before turning to her. "This is your last chance to decide. Do you want to stay or leave?"

Her heart skipped. "Leave!" She didn't have time to doubt herself now. They were going to kill him.

"Then run to the rooftop. I will free him."

"How?"

"Leave that to me. Just go."

"You will get in trouble."

"We don't have time." He told her.

She looked at him, more worried for him than herself. She stepped back and then took another step. Ares watched her with a painful look.

"Ravina you have to…"

She crossed over the distance, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him. One last time before she left, she wanted to kiss him. Her eyes fluttered close as he kissed her back and then she pulled away. "Don't die!" She told him and with tears in her eyes, she ran away.

She cursed herself and the life she was living as her tears were carried by the wind from how fast she was running. Her heart pumped in her ears, and her lungs pained her. She was giving herself to the enemy. Leaving her home behind. Leaving her people behind.

Once she reached the rooftop she was panting. So many emotions ran through her, including fear. She went to the edge to look down just when something explosive was shot at the soldiers and the prisoner as they tried to tie him against a graviton.

Ravina closed her eyes and ears from the ear-tearing sound. When she opened her eyes again, a large black figure with wings cast a shadow over her. Her heart trembled before two large claws swiftly swept her off the roof. A cry tore from her throat.

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Bonus dedicated to Marianne33 and DespinaNY. Thank you for the supergifts <3