Iria Alewine never once thought that this day would come. The day when the corpse of Jolene lay right before her and with Zire next to the corpse, asking her to punish him for killing Jolene without an order!
Why must these happen? How did things go wrong?!
She stood still for a long time as she was in a daze. What should she do? She wasn't even sure. She felt too lost!
"Rion."
Rion was too fixated on his friend who was on the ground. He knew that Zire would be practically dying on the inside right now but... there was nothing he could do. As he was too concentrated on his friend, he didn't even hear his Commander calling him.
Commander Iria shifted her gaze to Rion and understood his situation. "Rion," she called again with a much firmer voice. This time, he was finally snapped out of his stupor.
"Yes, Commander," Rion responded, turning his body in the direction of the Commander in a hurry.
"Take Zire to his tent. He shouldn't go anywhere and stay there until further orders," the Masked Commander commanded.
Rion nodded and helped his friend up. Then he led him to his tent like the Commander ordered.
Iria Alewine narrowed her eyes at the corpse of her former trusted General. Then when she shut her eyes, what Zire did relive in her mind and it won't stop tormenting her.
How could she be possibly fine while knowing the reason why Zire chose to do that? She knew that his heart will be completely broken by what he did and... he might not even recover from the trauma.
He just killed the woman he loved with his own hands... how will he forget that?
After a while, Rion returned but she was still rooted in her place.
"Commander," he called out with concern.
"Inform the soldiers about this matter," she muttered. "Tell them that General Jolene took her own life due to guilt."
"But -"
"Take away the corpse too," Iria Alewine said, refusing to listen. "I know that a funeral is not allowed for traitors but... for the sake of the years she spent serving the army, send her corpse to her family. I will take responsibility for that. However, send it in the evening, not now."
Knowing that his Commander won't budge no matter what he said, Rion nodded. "I understand, Commander." Then he took care of the corpse like the order he received.
The moment she was alone, Iria Alewine abruptly sat on the chair as if all her energy suddenly left her body! Slowly, she shifted her gaze to the blood on the ground and she clenched the armrest of the chair.
Though she felt too weak due to all the pressure she faced during the whole day, she rose from her seat when Zire crossed her mind. Then she walked out of her tent to meet him.
*
When Iria Alewine entered Zire's tent, she saw him sitting on the chair. He didn't even notice her presence and instead, he sat there without any movement, like a statue.
The Commander slowly approached the General and sat opposite him. Finally realizing her presence, Zire abruptly stood up. "Commander..."
Iria pointed her chin at the chair, gesturing for him to sit down. Zire complied with a bit of hesitation.
"I know why you do that," Iria Alewine calmly said.
"Commander -"
"You're not responsible for her action, Zire," she promptly said, interrupting him before he could say more. "We all make her own decision and... she chose that path. No one forced her to do that."
Zire narrowed his eyes and his hands nervously entwined on his thighs. The blood from before was still there and his clothes still had a few stains as well.
"I was scared. That why," he said in a very low voice. "When I imagined her to be executed before the whole army, I know that such a shameful thing will even scare her more than death. With her high self-esteem, the humiliation and contempt she will receive would surely kill her on the inside."
Zire paused, recalling the time he suddenly unsheathed his sword and did that. Then he finally looked at his Commander. "I know that she cannot live no matter what. That's why... I do that to give her a painful but quick death despite knowing that it's against the rules."
Even if he did that for Jolene, the Commander knew that what he did will never leave Zire. The heart-wrenching pain of killing his lover with his own hand. The scar will be in his heart, forever.
If she were him, she didn't think she could do it.
"She was right, Commander," Zire spoke up again after a few seconds of silence. "She was right when she said that you're always my priority but... I never thought that it will affect her that way.
"You saved my life and brought me to this army, Commander. I'm an orphan without a family or home but you gave me that. I'm not good as Rion and I'm a slow learner but... you never give up on me. Years ago, I already made up my mind to live for you and the army and... my decision has never once wavered. And now... I feel like it's harming you. I never want that."
Commander Iria stared at Zire, unsure of what to say. Though he was trying his best to not show it, she clearly knew how hard it was for him. Pain and guilt were tormenting him and might even swallow him from the inside!
"I told Rion to send her corpse to her family," she said and he darted his eyes to her.
"Commander, that's... "
"You don't have to worry. I will explain to His Majesty and if needed, I will take responsibility," Commander Iria stated. "Rion will send to her family in the evening and there is still plenty of time before that. You should go and see her for the last time."
Zire thought about it and said, "Is that the right thing to do? I'm not sure, Commander."
"If you miss this chance, you will surely regret it for the rest of your life," Iria Alewine remarked. "I don't want that. So, go and see her. After that, I will not allow you to leave this camp for a while. It might be days or even a week."
She didn't want him to lose control and storm out of the camp and Zire was aware of that. He knew how hard it would be to went through that. However, he still nodded. After all, he had never defied her.
"I understand, Commander."
With that said, Iria Alewine left the tent and Zire sat still for a while before he eventually went to see her for the last time.....
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