You sacrificed yourself for me?
The secret she had meant to take to her grave a second timehad slipped from her lips, a careless word dropped at the wrong moment that letMithos know her death had not been merely human greed and cruelty as he had solong assumed. She met his gaze uncertainly, those familiar and yet unfamiliarblue eyes staring out from the face of a young girl whose body she had alsoonce inhabited. One hand went unconsciously to her stomach where the blade had piercedthat other body so long, long ago, as if she could still feel the warmth of herown blood spilling out to coat her fingers.
“I did, yes” she admitted. There was no point in lying toMithos. “I would do so again, if the need arose” she added. “If by my life ordeath, I can protect you, I will not hesitate.” She closed her eyes,remembering the long, long years of stillness and silence; the watching andlistening without any way to react. She had saved Mithos then, but at whatcost? Was that price worth paying again, if things came to that? Had the price trulybeen worth it the first time?
She looked again at the blonde sitting before her, thinkingback on what their lives had once been. Those lives were lost to them now,behind them forever. “I am sorry for the pain it caused you when I died. Inever meant for you to suffer.” She reached out for Mithos, pulling him into ahug like the ones she had always used to comfort him as a child, resting herchin lightly atop his head as he relaxed against her shoulder. He resisted abit at first, still shocked by her confession, but eventually yielded to herembrace. She gently stroked his hair, a gesture that had often soothed him inthe past.
“What is done is already done, and we cannot undo the past.All we can do is keep moving forward. At least we have one another, do we not?”she asked softly. “We were granted a miracle, you and I; a second chance at alife together. Perhaps it is not the life we imagined it might be, but we arestill alive.” She tightened her hug for a moment, grateful that Mithos wasalive and here with her. The world would be a lonely place to walk alone. Shecould hardly bear the thought of those long, lonely years Mithos had spentwithout her.
“Perhaps it was not the right choice, those many years ago,but it has already been made. I am sorry for the suffering that ensued becauseof my choice. With this new life, I hope I can make some amends, both to youand to the world that you twisted for my sake. I only wish you had nevershouldered the burden of the guilt that came with my choice. It seems that Ifailed to protect you, in the end. My sacrifice may have been in vain.” Shesighed and loosened her hug, leaning back a little so that she could see hisface.
“We have one another again now, so we must make the most ofthe time we have been given. If there is anything I learned from that day solong ago, it is that you never know when your time will run out.” She offeredhim a small smile. “I hope you can forgive me for my selfishness.”
