Remnya

Remnya returned to her room and closed the door behind her. Letting out a deep sigh, she dropped onto her bed, holding that photo album in her hands. The leather cover was red with the worn shapes of what used to be a flower artisanally carved. Her fingers left a clean trail as they brushed the dust off the cover. Remnya hesitated, her heart racing at the thought of what hid inside.

She took a deep breath and turned the first page. 'Regina' is what it read on the pale paper. Remnya blinked, wondering what that meant. The picture on the next page hit her like a punch of melancholy and sorrow; Magenta and Marcus, younger and happier. He held her in his arms, and her smile was genuine and innocent. Remnya read a short text on the bottom page: 'Just today we found out we're gonna be parents! I'm so happy!'.

Remnya felt her soul escaping her body, leaving a void in her heart. Her trembling fingers tightened around the book as she tried to process what she had just read. "Parents? But . . . she has no children." Remnya wanted to close the book right there, but her fire wouldn't allow her such cowardice. She wanted me to find out the truth, and I have to! Remnya was panting, but she continued.

More and more pictures, each one of them showing them so happy, so full of hopes and dreams. Tears escaped Remnya's eyes, soaking the pages. What went wrong? What? Remnya questioned as frustration burned her chest.

Finally, she saw it. The last page was wrinkled, torn, and stained with dried blood and black dots.

'So, here it ends. Life has once again shown me there's no place for childish hopes and dreams. The doctors had been clear. After what happened to me, I can no longer bear children. Why was I even born a woman in this disgusting world? Just to suffer?

Marcus still doesn't know . . . He still believes I'm just infertile, but no . . . There's more to it, much more.

If he knew, he'd murder them all. The Hunters. Fucking wicked beasts living under the facade of protecting the weak, starting a pointless war to fulfill their greedy ambitions . . . I hope you all burn in hell.

No one will ever know what I went through. No one will ever know what I felt when they took my baby girl's life. No one will ever know what they did to me.

They took everything I loved.

They ruined me forever.

Marcus. I don't deserve you, nor do you deserve me. I don't deserve our beautiful baby.

I'll never forgive them.

I'll kill them all.

No matter what it costs me. I don't care if it costs my whole humanity. I'll hunt them down to the depths of hell if necessary. They will pay for what they did to us, every one of them.

I'm sorry, Marcus, but I won't drag you with me into that inferno. You deserve to be happy . . . GO AWAY. There is still salvation for you. Leave this monster to rot in the bowels of hell.

MG.'

Remnya was trembling. She dropped the book on her bed and stared at her hands, shaking, sweaty, and cold. Her eyes burned as she gritted her teeth so hard her jaw hurt. Remnya buried her head into the blankets and sobbed. She yanked at her hair and let out a roar of pain, desperation, and frustration.

"Why?" Remnya screamed. "None of them deserved this!" She punched her mattress, tearing the fabric apart. Her fists smoked and glowed. "A life of pain just to end like this?" Remnya murmured, sniffling as a raging stream burned her cheeks and turned into steam. "It's not fair . . . it's not fair!"

Remnya staggered away from her bed as crimson sparks shot from her skin.

"That's why she got with Ronner . . . for revenge . . . to kill the ones who took everything from her." Remnya took a deep breath, filling her chest with the pain tearing her soul apart. "I'm sorry, Magenta . . . If I just knew . . ." Remnya closed the book and squeezed her eyes shut, holding back her tears and the fire crawling in her heart.

"I won't leave you alone . . . Sorry, I know I promised it, but you don't deserve to go alone. No one deserves that."

*°*°*

Magenta

Magenta stood still on her balcony, contemplating her garden. An orange sun faded on the horizon, warm and beautiful, and the breeze was soft like a kiss. Pride filled her soul as she marveled at the White Fangs blooming beneath her. They would always be her favorite: Marcus' first and last gift.

She thought about those days when life was simpler and dreams a childish illusion, not an everlasting memory filled with regrets. Life had given her power, money, and fame. Why could she never be happy?

Marcus never walked away. She drove him away.

After Magenta lost her baby, she went into a spiral of madness and hatred. Life had turned its back on her again.

They had waited for their little girl so much. Magenta chose her first name, Regina, and Marcus did her second one, Karen. Regina Karen Froilan was such a crappy name; that's what she had always told him.

Magenta smiled, thinking about those beautiful moments that would never ever come back. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the sweet scent of her garden. She removed her necklace and cracked the gold pendant open. A diminutive red and black pill fell into her palm.

Magenta brushed the marble railing with her fingertips and closed her eyes. She remembered that night when she decided to leave Marcus to pursue her nightmares of fame and power, thinking that'd fill the void in her heart. How wrong she was.

Her fate had never been being a mother or a wife. Her fate had always been a shallow ladder to the depths of hell. No way she would drag the man she loved with her.

Yet, she did.

A soft knock on the door caused her to squeeze the pill into her palm.

The door opened, and Ronner's gleaming shoes crawled into her room. His lips twisted into an obnoxious smirk as he sauntered over to her. He leaned his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Are you ready for tonight?" he whispered in her ear.

Magenta said nothing; he wasn't worth any of her words. Her eyes fixed on her exotic garden of black roses, contrasting with her treasured field of White Fangs.

Ronner chuckled and sniffed her neck. "I could stop all this with just one word. All you have to do is comply with my request."

The lady didn't move an inch. She would never kneel before such a pathetic man, she would never yield for mercy.

"Ricardo is eager to destroy that body of yours." His voice turned into ice. Magenta felt his minty breath hitting her neck.

She closed her eyes, allowing the silence to drag the darkness away.

"Have a good night, Maggie," Ronner susurrated and kissed her cheek before leaving the room.

The sun died behind dark indigo mountaintops, leaving a hue of orange and blue scattered across the sky.

That monster with ocean eyes had once made her happy. That monster had cleared the path for her ascension as one of the most powerful women in the country. Yet, the price to pay had been too high. How many lives had perished because of her own greed?

It didn't matter anymore. Magenta had accepted her punishment long ago. Life had given her everything she deserved, and it had taken the only man she had ever loved too.

Magenta paced around her room and stood in front of her massive closet. Buried in a corner, she saw it; Marcus' suit. Magenta took it between her hands and stared at the thread for painful seconds. Tears welled up in her eyes. She smelled it, breathing the faint essence of his perfume, and then squeezed it against her chest.

"You know, my love," she whispered, fidgeting with that mysterious pill between her fingertips. "If I had known you'd return to me, I would've never accepted to become The Lady . . . " Magenta stifled a chuckle as she admired the little mercy between her hands. "I would've abandoned Ronner, my title, my entire fortune, my revenge, my whole life for you . . . "

Magenta caressed her lips and opened her mouth. "When your girl was born, I thought it was over . . . That our story had reached its end." She pushed the pill between her lips and slowly dragged it into her mouth with the tip of her tongue.

"I was wrong."

She swallowed it.

"We were meant for each other." She smiled, thinking about her younger self and his handsome gentleman. "Wait for me, my love. I'm coming home."

Silence.

The whole room began spinning around her. Magenta staggered toward her bed and eased herself onto the soft sheets.

"That young girl . . . she will change the fate of many, won't she?" Magenta giggled as she lay down, burying her face in the pillow, hugging his suit tightly between her arms.

Are you ready to go, my lady?

"Almost . . . "

Her door burst open.

"Magenta!"

The lady recognized Remnya's voice. What was she doing in her room?

Magenta felt her strong arms wrapping around her body and loud sobs in her ear. Magenta tried but couldn't open her eyes; her body wasn't hers anymore. Her soul was the only one refusing to leave.

"My dear . . . " Magenta mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Now I understand it all . . . " Remnya's voice cracked as she pulled Magenta against her chest. "No one deserves to die alone . . . "

"Rem, don't worry about me." The lady smiled, feeling the heat in Remnya's heart and soul. "You already found a family, and they love you." Magenta used her last bit of strength to squeeze Remnya's hand. "Now, get out of here and be the lady and the lioness you're supposed to be."

"Protect them for me . . . "

Remnya's hot tears fell on Magenta's face. "I will, Magenta . . . I promise I will," Remnya whispered in her ear, her voice filling Magenta's soul, assuring her it was safe to leave. That young girl would finish what she started. How proud she was.

"Thank you, Remnya."

A deep silence.

Magenta felt sleepy while a cold but motherly breeze embraced her body. All the pain in her chest was suddenly gone.

A familiar figure flashed before her eyes, blurred at first, but slowly, it imposed over the darkness.

Marcus stood next to her.

Magenta smiled, reaching out for his hand. She wrapped her fingers between his.

Marcus beamed at her.

Without releasing his hand, Magenta eased herself from the bed and stood before Marcus. She lifted her gaze at him, scanning every feature on his face. He was so young and handsome.

Marcus didn't say a word, but she understood the meaning of his tender eyes.

"Do you think I'll be able to see her?" Magenta asked, her pupils shining with joy.

He bobbed his head. "Our little girl is waiting for us."

"Does she have your eyes?"

"No." He laughed. "Her eyes are two beautiful emeralds."

"Good! I would've hated those ugly eyes of yours." Magenta smirked, leaning her head on his chest.

"I know." Marcus kissed her cheek and squeezed her body tightly against his.

The soft essence of White Fangs filled Magenta's soul with a profound feeling of peace.

They stared at each other.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

*°*°*