A Gladiator's Cry (Part 2)

"24 hours left," she told herself.

Her blue dress trimmed with gold fell down to her ankles, her hair was tied in a messy bun and few curly locks of her hair was let loose beside her ears. Karina, the princess of the fallen Chrysafenios Empire, had become the great conqueror's sole courtesan after winning the battle as a gladiator.

She stepped inside the great hall of banquets that was already filled with people; the place reeked with the smell of alcohol and disgusting hypocrite elites. As she walked across the hall, the guests set their eyes on her as if getting under the spell of her beauty. Yet her eyes could only reflect one person; the man who annihilated her family and people, the man who conquered her kingdom, Helios.

"You look more civilized with that dress, Karina," Helios stated with a grin curved on the edge of his lips. Before a word could be spoken of, Helios dragged Karina and let her sit on his lap which made her heart thump.

But it was no longer out of love, instead, it was because he might find the daggers she was hiding. It took her a hard time to hide that weapon on the side of her both legs and she won't let it be found out. For that night, Karina planned to assassinate the greatest conqueror to avenge the countless deaths he had done and to end his ruthless reign.

Yet in order to do so, she must get his trust back even if it would just be for a few minutes. It would be enough to slit his throat if he has his guard down.

"I feel quite embarrassed to be showed off like this, my king," Karina said with her soft voice. She looked down on the ground and slumped her shoulders forward, feigning her timidness.

Helios felt proud upon hearing her address him king, but he knew that she had something up from her sleeves. He grabbed her by the waist and with his other hand, he forced her to face him. Their eyes met at a close distance that their noses almost touched.

"Being obedient is not your thing, Karina," he whispered, "and I know those eyes. They show me nothing but vengeance, ain't it?"

Karina always hated it, she had always hated it when Helios could read her so easily yet she could never understand him.

"Being a gladiator for a long time, ain't that enough to make me obedient?" Karina asked, wanting to convince him that she meant no harm. With a chuckle, he let her go and faced the people having their fun in his banquet.

"In your case, I doubt it," he said while shaking his head.

Karina bit her lower lip, indecisive if she would go with her original plan or her backup one. If she goes with the backup plan, Helios would surely overpower her again and she might not get out from the great hall alive. So she heaved a long exhale before cupping Helios' cheeks and slowly made him turn to her.

"Seduction won't work on me," he told her yet it did not stop her from sealing his lips with hers. With her eyes closed and her cheeks burning, Karina did not move her lips for that was her first and she did not know what else to do.

Unable to contain the swirling mixed emotions inside her, Karina distances herself and retreated her hands from touching him. Yet the moment she did that, Helios pulled her for a kiss. It was not gentle, it was as if he was a monster savoring his dinner.

Not long after, he backed off with a victorious smirk plastered on his face. The party was proceeding accordingly but Karina was having a hard time in keeping herself behave properly. Time was ticking and the night deepened, if she won't succeed tonight, she might lose her life before she could have her vengeance.

Helios noticed how she looked around the hall as if Karina was anticipating something. But when she turned her attention to him, she flashed one of her sweetest smile.

"My king, the look in your eyes tells me that the kiss a while back didn't satisfy you." And she was right. Before the party could end, she was brought into his private quarters.

He laid her down, planting soft kisses down her neck and his hands snaking around her back that sent shivers down her spine. Karina, not wanting him to take the lead, she moved to her right and pushed Helios so he could be under her, shifting their position. This time, she was the one initiating the kisses yet her heart almost skipped a beat when Helios almost held her leg where her dagger was kept. Before he could even do that, she slid her hand on his and put it back on her waist.

Slowly, with her other hand, she reached down her dress and held the hilt of the dagger. Her heart beat faster and tears welled up in her eyes.

"My vengeance, I shall have it," she thought before unsheathing her dagger and almost had it cross against Helios' neck. But the great conqueror held her wrist with a smirk plastered on his face.

"I knew you were aiming for this," he commented before throwing Karina off the bed. She rolled on the ground, the dagger still on her hand. Now that they were alone, she would no longer hold back and kill him at all cost. As she stood, Helios got off from the bed as well as if welcoming her attacks and she did not hesitate to do so. With gritted teeth, she charged forward yet it was easy for him to dodge her attack.

"You are wasting your time, Karina." He gripped her arm and pushed her towards the wall. "If you killed me, would your kingdom go back to the way it used to be?"

His remark made Karina rage in fury and it gave her more determination to slay him.

"You killed everyone!" she hissed, "You killed those who I hold dear!"

Her past came crashing back to her, making her burst into tears. Instead of attacking Helios again, she broke down. Her sobs were overwhelming her; her parents, her friends and her people won't be brought back to life. Killing Helios won't bring them back, it would not change anything.

With a small clang against the floor, Karina dropped the dagger as she fell on her knees, crying her heart out. Helios took that chance to kick the dagger away from her reach before kneeling in front of her and lifting her chin up to meet her gaze.

"Forget about them," he said, "for you can always lean on me."

Instead of a reply, Karina returned a glare at him and before another word could escape his mouth, she swung her second dagger across his throat.

A spurt of his blood stained her cheek as Helios' eyes stared at her with shock before dropping on the floor. Karina wiped off the blood on her dagger with the clothes of the dying conqueror. She stood up and looked down on him.

"No more lives shall perish on your hands," she said before turning on her heels and walked out of the room, heading to the terrace.

She had the vengeance she ever wanted for years yet one question remained; what awaits her after this?

-End-