Chapter 159   - 36

Heart pounding, hands sweating, Heaven closed her eyes and finally stabbed him after a long moment of hesitance. She expected to feel her blade cut into something, a resistance, but it felt like she stabbed through thin air.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Zamiel was gone. She looked at her blade, no trace of blood.

Heaven dropped the blade and fell to her knees. She buried her face in her hands and burst into tears. She cried loudly, not caring if anyone heard her. The relief that washed over her was overwhelming. She could not bear it.

Zamiel.

He chose her.

He chose to not let her suffer.

He chose her happiness over his own.

She knew there was hope. She knew that there was a part of him that was still alive, a part of him that could still love and care. He just needed time and support. She would be there for him when he needed her.

Heaven could barely open her eyes in the morning because they were so swollen from all the crying. Her handmaiden Kate was shocked to see her like that.

"You Highness, what happened?"

"Nothing, I am fine." Heaven said, and it wasn't a lie.

She was fine. Zamiel was alive, and she had killed no one. It was a strange feeling. She was both relieved and worried.

Heaven continued with her daily routines as usual. Learning, observing, and sometimes her father would let her participate in decision making. He would tell her afterwards what she did right and what she did wrong and give her suggestions on what she needed to improve on.

General Kian would be kind to teach her about other kingdoms, how their royal army worked, what their strength and weaknesses were, and their own strength and weakness.

Her tutor would bore her with his lessons, but Heaven would try to be patient despite how difficult it was to understand what he tried to teach. It was not her favorite subject.

Roshan's fighting lessons on the other hand were fun. It was her favorite part of the day because he would make her laugh so much. Zarin would follow her around in the beginning to show his support, but eventually he calmed down and went back to his usual self, and Heaven was thankful for that.

Whenever she found time, Heaven would study the spell book that her grandmother gave her. Her grandmother would be gone for a few days to visit an old friend and wanted her to practice on her own while she was gone.

Before she knew the night would already come and Heaven would try her best to sleep, to not think of Zamiel or seek him out. She told herself to wait ten days. If he did not come to her during those ten days, only then she would go looking for him.

But tomorrow was already the tenth day, and he had still not come to see her. Was he alright? She worried for his safety and wellbeing the most.

She hoped that he was not doing anything to hurt himself, and if he did not come to meet her tomorrow, she would have to visit him after the party.

Her father was throwing a party to welcome the king of Varish to celebrate their alliance.

The preparations already began early in the morning. Because Heaven woke up late, she was eating breakfast alone in the dining room when her grandmother suddenly joined her.

"Good morning."

"Grandma." Heaven was happy to see that she came back. "Good morning. How was your visit?"

Her grandmother sat at the table and grabbed an apple. "It was fun. How are you?"

"I am fine." Heaven smiled, but her grandmother gave her a certain look. Heaven didn't know what it meant.

"I heard there is a party tonight?"

"Yes. The king of Varish is coming."

"Make sure to dance and enjoy yourself." Her grandmother said, knowing that Heaven didn't like those parties. She got easily bored.

"I will try. But I think men are scared to ask me for a dance when father is present."

Her grandmother nodded knowingly with a smile. "Take the lead, then. Is Zarin coming?"

Heaven nodded. He would probably. He liked parties and he would bring one of his many ladies.

"Are you coming? You need to enjoy yourself as well." Heaven said.

"Then maybe I should." Her grandmother smiled.

When the sun hid behind the darkness of the night and the moon shone against the black canvas, it was time to prepare for the party.

Heaven wore a green dress that matched the color of her eyes. It had a court neckline and flowed nicely below her waist. The long sleeves were loosely fit and slightly shorter than her arms. Elegant golden bands outlined the bottom of her dress and sleeves, and a golden belt divided the upper and lower part of the dress.

She let her hair down, except for the sides that were held back with pins so the hair wouldn't fall over her face. Heaven liked it simple. She didn't like wearing heavy jewelry, so she wore a necklace around her neck and then she was ready.

Tonight she wanted to enjoy herself. At least a little. She didn't want to just sit down and watch while other people chatted and danced happily. That might cause her to seek Zamiel. Her patience was running out and her worry was increasing for everyday that went by.

Once the king of Varish arrived, and her father welcomed him the party started. Heaven had wanted to dance, but she didn't expect the King of Varish, King Rufus, to ask her for a dance. He was an old man, bald and short. He reached her b.r.e.a.s.ts and Heaven tried to endure dancing with him without grimacing.

Far in the corner she could see Zarin sitting next to a beautiful lady with a smirk on his face. He was enjoying her torture.

"How old are you?" King Rufus asked.

"Nineteen, Your Majesty." Heaven replied

"Why is a young, beautiful lady like you still unmarried in this age?" He asked.

Oh, no. Heaven didn't want to talk about it.

"My father is looking for a husband for me." Heaven replied politely.

"What would you say about marrying a King?" He asked.

Heaven couldn't believe what he was suggesting. She shouldn't be surprised, but she was.

"Your Majesty, that is for my father to decide." Heaven forced a smile on her face.

She prayed for the music to end soon, and thankfully it did. King Rufus led her back to her seat. No more wishing to dance, she thought.

Heaven looked around. Her grandmother and Gina were dancing with handsome gentlemen. Zarin was dancing with another lady then the one who sat beside him earlier. He held her close and whispered things into her ear that made her giggle. His parents sat at a table, looking elegant as usual. They were so possessive of each other. Heaven could see how Klara would threaten any woman who gazed at Roshan with just a look and Roshan likewise.

Someday Heaven hoped to have what they had.

Someday….

After a while King Rufus left the party to rest in a guest room after his long journey, but the party continued. Heaven sat next to her father on the throne where she could see everyone and everything clearly.

Mostly she watched her grandmother, who was surrounded by men waiting for a chance to dance with her or pursue her. She could not blame them. Her grandmother was a beauty, and no woman in the party was nearly as beautiful as her. Heaven was happy to watch men dying for a chance to just hold her hand.

Suddenly the room went quiet. Those chatting stopped talking, the ones dancing slowed down and the ones eating chewed slower or swallowed whatever that was in their mouth. Eyes widened and heads turned.

Heaven wondered what caught the crowd's attention. She gazed at the entrance where everyone was looking. She couldn't see clearly because people were standing in the way, but she could hear the clicking sound of footsteps before a man slowly came into sight.

Heaven's heart stopped when she realized who it was.

It was Zamiel.

******

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