Chapter 16 Painful Leave

My eyes widened after I heard that. “Stay away from him?” I asked, still can't believe it.

“Yes,” Prince Eaux replied sadly.

“But… why?” my voice cracked.

“We already told you. He's not an experiment. We cannot just conclude that he will live if the ice in his heart will completely melt.”

“But we cannot also conclude that he will die if it is,” Prince Fuego suddenly replied so Prince Eaux looked at him.

“I know, that's the point. We don't know what will happen so the best thing to do is not to let it happen right?”

“But... what about everything they have been together?” Prince Feesy asked. “That's just painful.”

“What then? Can anyone give me another option?” Prince Eaux asked seriously.

No one answered. “See? There are no other choices.”

As they debated, I started to think.

“But what about Jethro?” Prince Turuki asked. “I mean he will be confused why suddenly Yani is avoiding him. He doesn't even have an idea what we are talking about right now.”

“I know that,” Prince Eaux replied. “But he was the one who called us here in the first place so that means he knew this was coming and he knew that this will happen so I think he knows what he will do.”

“Tss, easy for you to say,” Prince Fuego rebutted. “And yeah it's Jethro anyways so he can do that but what about Yani? She's the victim here.”

Prince Eaux looked at me. “Right. Then let's just—” he stopped. “Wait. I thought we decided on this. Why are you all suddenly arguing with me?” Prince Eaux asked.

“It's just that...” Prince Edmondo paused. “…we found out that Yani loves Jethro.”

There was silence after Prince Edmondo said that.

“I've decided,” I said which surprised them and broke the silence. “I clearly understand everything. You are doing this for his sake so...”

I paused as my eyes dimmed with the tears forming in it. “…so I'll try my best not to make any close contact with him and avoid him,” at last, I said it.

I looked at his sleeping face. “But, can you give me this time to talk to him?”

Prince Eaux smiled sincerely. “Please take your time.”

I took his hand and squeezed it. He is as cold as ice but even if it’s like this, even for a moment, I will not release it.

“Okay uhm how do I start… *sob*” Great. These tears are really treacherous. I wiped them first.

“Uhm first of all… Jethro I'm sorry… I'm really sorry for the times when you were hurt because of your chest pain… that I didn't do anything… then all along… I'm the reason why so I'm really sorry…”

As I was speaking, memories suddenly came back to me that we were together causing tears to flow that I was holding back.

“It's your fault in the first place… if you had said to me earlier about your heart… I would have just avoided you from the very beginning…”

“…but thanks anyways. Thank you for always accompanying me during those times. You didn’t stay away from me… and even though most of the time you ignore me, you are still there... so thank you.”

I stopped again and wiped my face.

“Jethro...” I tightened my grip on his hand.

“Please always remember... whatever happens... don’t... leave me...”

“So this is what you meant when you said that,” I said crying. “I really don't want to leave you or even avoid you but… I know you are aware of this so you will not be surprised if I avoid you… and I am doing all of this… for your own good… so I know you understand…”

“But don’t worry… I will wait.”

After I said that, I just closed my eyes and let my tears fall. Sadness was evident on the faces of the surrounding princes. Even though they didn’t understand what I was saying since I was speaking in Filipino, some of them cried.

“Why does it have to come to this point?” said Prince Eaux in sorrow. Yeah you’re right. I wish you had told me about his heart earlier so I could have avoided him at first because I don’t have any feelings for him yet and I hated him before but...

…right now, honestly, I don’t regret that. I am even thankful that it all happened because my life suddenly found its meaning.

I wiped my tears first and then stood up. “So uhm I'll be leaving then before he wakes up,” I sobbed.

“Yeah,” Prince Eaux replied.

“Just say I have an important thing to do and uhm maybe uhh...”

“Yani, it's okay,” Prince Eaux interrupted. “We will take care of it.”

I just looked at him and gave him a smile full of sadness.

“Uhm well, stay safe,” said Prince Eaux.

“Yeah Yani,” said Prince Fuego. “You can still talk to us if you need someone to talk to.”

“Yeah. Don't be scared to approach us,” said Prince Feesy.

I nodded and just smiled because of what they said. Again I looked at his face sleeping soundly.

“Bye Jethro,” I turned around at once and pulled my hand away from his.

I stopped because I felt something. For a moment, my hand… I turned around and looked at my hand at the same time my eyes widened at what I saw.

He held it… tightly. Take note: HE held it. I tried to pull it but it was too tight. Does that mean... I looked at his face. Gradually, his eyes opened.

“He's… awake,” I said in astonishment. They were all surprised and immediately looked at his face to make sure.

“He's really awake,” said Prince Edmondo.

Wait a minute. Did he hear what I was saying a while ago?

“Jethro, how are you feeling?” Prince Eaux asked.

Shacks! He smiled. I felt the warmth on my cheeks. HE SMILED GUYS!! But it seems wrong. I could see the prince's faces in shock.

“I'm fine,” Jethro replied while smiling. His aura of being happy is new. Wait, is this Jethro?

“He's smiling,” Prince Turuki said in shock.

“And happy,” Prince Fuego said in shock. Obviously it was their first time they saw him smile but honestly, me too. Even though I saw that smile, it still felt like the first time.

“Wait, everyone don't be mesmerized by what he is showing right now,” said Prince Zoltar. “This is not the REAL Jethro.”

We all looked at Prince Zoltar. “What do you mean?” Prince Eaux asked.

“You see whenever Jethro wakes up from a deep coma, he always shows this, his personality before he died in the woods.”

The princes looked at each other and were surprised when Prince Zoltar said that. I also wondered. Did he mean that what Jethro is showing now is his personality when he was a child? The time before he died in the forest?

“Does that mean that the 'real Jethro' is still having a coma right now?” Prince Aes asked.

It looks like he was the only one who got it and it also looks like I’m getting it.

“Well, yes and no,” Prince Zoltar replied but I was even more confused.

“How should I say this, you see his mind is functioning of how it used to be back before he died and it's blending with some events right now so he knows each one of us and he's emotionally and physically aware but the current Jethro we know is not aware that he's doing this. In other words, Jethro is still sleeping but his other side is awake,” added Prince Zoltar.

So technically, what he is showing now is that he was a kind and obedient child before he died but he knows us. The Jethro we know is asleep while his side is awake. How did that happen?

“How can we turn him back?” Prince Edmondo asked.

“We just need to make him unconscious again which means putting him back to sleep.”

Ah, just put him to sleep. Pssh why am I still thinking this? I need to get out of here. If I just see that he is like this, it seems like this is the last smile I can glance at. It also hurts to see him like this because he is like this while being abused.

I bowed my head. What hurts more, I am hurting because I will avoid him. Oh there goes the tears again.

“Yani, I'm glad you're here,” and he smiled at me.

I raised my head in no time because of what he said as my tears fell from my eyes. He was surprised to see me like that.

“Yani, why are you crying?” he asked and there was a trace of worry on his face.

I was speechless. You will really feel different at what he is showing right now.

“Did I do anything to make you cry?”

I still didn’t speak. I also don’t know what to say.

“Yani—” I just pulled my hand and turned around. “Wait Yani, why are you sad?”

Paksh*t Jethro. You are really annoying. Every word he said pinched my heart. I ignored him and started walking away.

“Wait—” he sat down and was about to leave the bed but Prince Eaux stopped him so he looked at him.

“Eaux, what's wrong?” Jethro asked.

“I'm sorry but just leave her be,” Prince Eaux replied full of sorrow.

“What? But she's crying. I need to comfort her.”

I held the cold door knob.

“Jethro, she's crying because of you,” Prince Eaux replied.

“What? What have I done?”

Prince Eaux didn’t speak. I opened the door.

“Let me go,” he removed Prince Eaux's hand on his shoulder and immediately got off the bed and walked towards me but Prince Fuego grabbed his right wrist so he stopped and turned to Prince Fuego.

“What are you doing? Let me go Fuego,” Jethro said seriously.

“Stay here and don't follow her,” Prince Fuego said emphatically with a streak of sadness.

“But Yani is crying, can't you see?”

Prince Fuego didn’t speak.

“Just let me go to her,” and tried to get out of Prince Fuego's grip but Prince Edmondo grabbed his other arm.

“Hey! What are you all thinking you're doing?! Let me go! Yani needs me. Wait Yani! DON'T GO!” he shouted as he started to go wild.

I turned and looked at him desperately approaching me. I tried my best to smile saying that I am okay and finally left his room.

“Yani wait!! Why are you sad?! I said let me go!!” he shouted as he violently tried to get away from their grasp.

“Feesy, get the sleeping medicine!” Prince Zoltar ordered.

“On it.”

“Wait!! You don't understand!! YANIIII!!!”

I ran out of the palace crying and because I was not looking at the road, I slipped on the bottom of the stairs and fell on the snow. Fortunately, the snow was soft so it didn't hurt when I fell but my head remained buried there.

The pain… is too much. I can't stop crying. The pain of leaving the person you first loved. I just ignored times like this when I read a story and sometimes it’s so corny when I watch a drama on TV but... when it happens to you, it hurts.

I felt someone come next to me so I raised my head to see who it was. When I saw who, I also got up and sat down.

“That's why you have to call the seven of them because of this,” I sobbed.

She didn’t say a word and just held out her hand. I wiped away my tears before I took her hand but I was surprised when she pulled me up and suddenly hugged me. I was stunned by what she did.

“I thought everything would be okay. I'm sorry for what I said earlier,” she whispered.

I partially processed what she said before I cried again.

“Callie it hurts. It hurts so much,” I cried.

…

After a few hours of crying, I calmed down as well. Callie led me back to the Main Cabin and I went straight to my room. I changed first and sat on the bed.

I want to sleep but my eyes will get smaller when I wake up. If I were to write, I might just wet the papers with my tears and I might not understand what I was writing. I want to do something so as not to think about what happened, but what can I do? I went to my closet and opened it. I saw the watch.

Oh right, the recorder. There’s something I need for King Gabi to hear and this is perfect because they are all still in the Ice Cabin. I think only I and King Gabi can hear his voice. I just need to hurry because if someone will come, I feel like I broke my promise to him. I picked it up right away and went to King Gabi’s office.

I am already in front of the door. I would have knocked but... I realized what I look like right now. Great. Maybe he'll just tease me of how I look and ask me why. Does he know about it?

Well whatever. Knock, knock.

No one answered. Maybe he’s busy.

Knock, knock. “King Gabi?” I asked but... still no one answered.

“King Gabi, I'm going in.” I opened the door.

“King Gabi?” as I peeked.

He is not at his desk. Where could he go?

“Ya... ni.”

Wait. That was King Gabi's voice but it’s very weak and fragmented. I went in.

I looked around to find out where the voice came from and when I looked to the left of the office...

“King Gabi—”

What I have to say is cut short.

“Ya... ni...” he called again.

Sh*t. This is probably the most surprising of all. My eyes widened and tears began to form.

King Gabi... is bloody on the floor.

JETHRO

I opened my eyes. I stared at the ceiling and then turned to my left and saw Zoltar sitting and looking at his computer monitor.

He glimpsed at me and was a little surprised to see me. “Jethro! You're awake.”

I didn’t speak and sat down immediately while holding my chest. “So, what's the result?” I asked.

It was a long time before he answered. “It's 60% frozen.”

I was a little surprised and looked at him. “60?” I wondered.

“Yeah. 40% have been melted,” he replied.

“I collapsed at 60?”

He was speechless. “I thought you said at 50?”

“Well what can we do?” he replied. “That was the result anyways and it was just my hypothesis that you will collapse at 50.”

I stopped talking and just laid my feet on the floor and stood up.

“What happened after I collapsed?” I asked.

“Well, since you commanded your assistant to call the seven of us here, of course we did what you want us to do,” he replied.

“How about Yani? Did you explain anything to her?”

He began to put away his belongings. “Actually, after we checked you up and found out the results, we just told her that you are fine so she left immediately.”

I was silenced by what he said.

“Well since my job is done—”

“You didn't tell her anything at all? About the past and my heart?” I asked.

He didn’t speak again.

“Why didn't you tell her?” I asked again.

He picked up his bag before facing me. “She doesn't deserve to know about it yet. You said so yourself, it's your personal life,” he replied seriously.

“I think she needs to because she has something to do about this,” I replied.

“I know. We all know so if that's the case what do you want us to do with her?”

I just gave him a look.

He glared back at me. “Do you want us to get rid of her here in this nation?”

I was surprised by what he said and by what he showed. I can’t talk back. He walked past me and when he confronted me, he tapped me on the shoulder.

“I was just joking. She's a precious citizen in this nation so why would we do that?”

I still didn't say a word as he looked at his watch. “Oh looks like I have to go and I think your assistant is waiting for you outside,” he said goodbye and finally walked away.

When he reached the door, he stopped first.

“Can you believe it? I just said a joke,” he whispered and finally left the room.

Even as he whispered it, I heard his last words. I don't know if he was joking but because of what he said, I could not move in my place.

I just returned to the truth when there was a knock on my door.

“Dear prince…” Callie's voice from across the door. “…your dinner is ready. Can I open the door?”

I turned to the door and opened it and saw Callie. She immediately bowed in front of me.

“I'm glad you're awake, dear prince,” she politely said.

I didn't say a word and just looked at her.

“Please eat Prince Jethro, to regain your strength.”

“Before all of that…” full of authority, I said. “…tell me what happened after you called my seven brothers to come here.”

“Right away,” she replied immediately. “When we arrived here, we just saw you lying on the floor so they immediately carried you to your room. I'm sorry my prince because that's all I know because they all entered your room and I just stayed here outside to guard your room.”

“Are you sure?” I asked for assurance.

“Yes, dear prince.”

“How about Yani? Is it true what Zoltar said that after they told the result, she left immediately?”

She was silenced. I didn’t avoid my serious gaze to her.

She bowed in front of me. “O-Opo (Y-Yes), Prince Jethro”

I was still looking at her. “Opo? (Yes?)”

She was slightly surprised by my question. I just walked over to the table and grabbed the ice cold coffee and immediately entered my room. I sat on my bed while drinking it and meditated.

Even though I am numb, I feel something is wrong or something has happened. First Zoltar and now Callie. Why did only 40% melt after everything that happened between us? Why do they seem to be hiding something from me?

I know that Yani is responsible for my chest pain and melting the ice and I know that something will happen if it melts completely so why do I feel wrong?

I told myself that when it reaches 50% of the ice to melt, I will avoid her but if Yani really has no knowledge about all this, does that mean I can still talk to her? Does that mean I don't have to avoid her yet?

I got up immediately and changed my clothes.

There is still 60% ice left so there is another 10% chance that I can talk to her and be with her. It doesn't matter if my chest will hurt as long as I can be with her. I feel a strange joy when I am with her and it seems that I am happy now because she doesn’t know anything about it yet.

I went out of the room and saw Callie fixing my desk.

“Dear prince, you look dressed now. Do you need to go somewhere?” she asked me.

“Yes and I need to leave,” I replied.

“Do you need a companion?”

“I can do this on my own.”

“In that case, can I know where you are going?” she asked formally.

“In the Main Cabin. I will talk to Yani,” I replied and walked closer to the door.

I was at the door when she suddenly spoke. “Prince Jethro, that is not possible,” she said firmly.

I stopped and didn’t speak.

“If that's all you plan to do, why not just stay here and finish your work?”

Silence passed before I answered my assistant. “What's wrong with you, Callie? You seem to have the courage to tell me what I should do. Who has the authority here, you my assistant or I, the prince of this cabin?”

The silence lasted before she was able to answer back. “Sorry dear prince. I hope you will forgive me for what I did.”

I ignored her and finally left my office. I stood in front of the door before thinking of walking away.

I got out of the Ice Cabin and I was walking through the dry forest to the Main Cabin when,

“JETHRO!” someone shouted from behind me. I turned around but there was no one.

“Up here,” said the voice again so I raised my head.

“What is it?” I asked coldly as Feesy came down from the tree.

“Nothing. Just want to ask why you are here. It's still early. Where are you going?” he asked with a smile.

“To the Main Cabin,” was my cold answer.

“Yeah, I can see that. Let me guess, the music room, right?”

“To Yani,” was my simple answer.

He was surprised when I said that. I just ignored him and turned around but suddenly the dry branches from the trees blocked my path.

“What's the meaning of this, Feesy?”

He didn’t speak so I turned in his direction and saw him with his head bowed down. He also raised his head and smiled at me.

“I'm sorry brother but you can't go to her,” he said.

I looked at him intently and also faced the road at the same time turning the branches into ice to break it into small pieces.

“I can do whatever I want to,” I replied coldly.

I took a few steps when I suddenly felt drowsy and the next thing I knew, I fell to the ground as if my body had lost consciousness.

“I'm sorry brother…” Feesy said. “…but I'm doing this for your own good.”