LARA’S POV We were stunned to see Scarlet coming out of the Chamlee’s chamber with her face cast down, looking all deserted. Her appearance was truly not a good sight to behold. The answer is obvious. Chamlee has refused to succumb, he chose death instead. He would gladly die than sacrifice the life of his unborn child. I don’t know if to be happy or sad. What do I even want, what do I wish for? Truly I want Scarlet to be happy, and I want her husband to be well. But I also want her to carry her own child. I wish her the joy of motherhood, I want her to experience it all, mother father, and children. I wish for none to be missing. But I guess it is all left for the moon goddess to decide. It is only left for her to decide our fate. She alone knows what is best for us. “He refused?” Eval asked. Her voice filled with anger, hate, and bitterness. Why does it feel like she is taking this personally, why does she happen to be wailing more than the bereaved? Eval is not my focus right now, all I want is to console my friend, Scarlet. I may not know exactly what she is going through, but I know that it hurt really bad. “It will be fine, dear. I know it will” I said in a whisper. I could barely hear myself and I doubt if Scarlet heard me. “He just would not budge. He chose death instead” Scarlet announced in deep sadness. “Oh... my dear daughter... you have gone through so much in such a short time. May the moon goddess look down upon you with pity” my mother said and went over to hold Scarlet. “Did he even stop to think of me for once? He didn’t consider how I would feel without him” Scarlet said. Her voice was low and tears flowed effortlessly from her eyes. “Believe that everything will be fine very soon, dear. It will be all over soon and your sorrows will be no more” my mother said in consolation. “I don’t believe in fate, mama Ruth. I stopped believing in it long ago” Scarlet responded defeatedly. “See the moon goddess has her eyes on you and she will take care of it all in due time, worry not, my child” my mother consoled. “The moon goddess?” Scarlet’s anger was beginning to build up. The mention of the moon goddess is definitely not what she needs now. “The moon goddess got no hold on me and I don’t wait on her for anything” she fumed. “Where is she, where has the moon goddess been in all that I went through and I am still going through” she yelled. “Where was she at the mansion where I was reduced even lower than a slave in a place that was supposed to be my father’s house? Where was she when I had to escape for my life in Black Moon Pack? That was supposed to be my husband’s house, but I ran away. I had to run or else I would have been killed by his mistress. Where is she even now? I fought a war to defend my people’s rights and what did I get for that? The life of the only man that has ever truly loved me is now on the verge of death. Just so to refresh your memory, mama Ruth, he is in this condition only because he wants to save me. If not for his timely intervention, I would have been long dead. But where was the moon goddess at that time, what has she ever done to ease my burden?” Scarlet stopped yelling and moved away from my mother. “You are a good person, mama Ruth, maybe you should keep away from all of this” Scarlet said. Her words to my mother sounded like an appeal, but we all know that coming from the Chamlar, it was an order. Now she wants to deal with this herself. I don’t blame her, I never will. Even if tomorrow she becomes the queen of the whole world, I will never envy her. I will never pray to be like her, not even in the slightest. I will never wish for even a single percentage of what Scarlet has gone through for an enemy, I don’t want to be in her shoe for even a single day. “My Chamlar...” Eval called out coquettishly. “Eval, Eval...” Scarlet cried. “Something can still be done right? There must still be some other sacrifice and not just this one. He would not agree to it but I need him to live. Please help me... save him” she begged. My heart was torn to shreds as I watched Scarlet in her helplessness. I could bear to look on no more. My eyes were covered with tears and my inside burnt. The hotness that I felt was beginning to melt even to my bones. Oh, dear moon goddess, when will all these pains be over, when will Scarlet know true happiness? DAWN’S POV Her tears burned my soul. I never knew even half of her pains. She has gone through so much, a terror that not even an orphan can endure and it breaks my heart to know that I was part of her pain. I caused her a lot of it when I was supposed to shield her as a sister. I might want to excuse myself and say that I never knew better, but no amount of excuse would ever be able to erase this guilt that I feel, one that I would bear for the rest of my life. Oh, precious moon goddess, I have never suffered since I was born, I knew no sorrow. I lived the fancy life of a princess. I usurped Scarlet’s position. Please take away Scarlet’s pains and pass them on to me. Let me bear her burden. Please do this for me, moon goddess, give my sister the joy that she deserves, a complete one. “I... I.. am afraid, my queen...” Eval stammered.“Please Eval, do something. You already registered great improvements in just the little time that you have attended to him. I believe that you can still do more” I went on my knees to beg with hot tears gushing down from my face. “Eval, do something, there must be another solution... please” Scarlet begged. She wanted to join me in kneeling too, but Lara quickly dragged her up and held on to her tightly. Seeing what the queen was just about to do, Eval immediately went on her knees and said. “Please don’t knee for me, my queen. I fear for my life. I will do all I can for you. I can see that you have a very good heart and someone like you do not deserve to suffer” Lara went down on her knees and begged. “Eval, I am kneeling on behalf of the queen, don’t let her Chamlee die we beg you” “Get up, Eval, you should all get up” Scarlet ordered and we obeyed immediately. “What else can be done, Eval?” Lara asked. “It can only be a sacrifice of blood, my queen, I sincerely wish there was another way out” Eval replied. “Sacrifice of blood? But you can get the blood right? Or I can ask around. I know someone will be prepared to do this for us” scarlet asked. “It must be that of family... a stranger cannot save him” Eval replied. Family? If that is the case, then we don't have a problem. “If it is family, then use me. I am prepared to die this very minute. Kill me and save the Chamlee. He does not have to agree first about me, right? Please go on with it, I am old enough to give my own life”