137 Chapter 137: Shackles (1/2)

The sudden brightness made the two figures, sitting on top of a tree, to squint their eyes. Usui held his hand over his face while his other hand shielded Hazel from the sudden brightness. Hazel opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering like a butterfly, to stare at the shadow hovering over her face.

She parted her mouth slightly before glancing at the person beside her who was staring ahead. Her eyes trembled as it moistened before she turned her head away from him.

Usui saw her eyes moistening and knitted his brows in worry. He didn't want her to cry anymore. She had been crying after telling him about her nightmarish night. Her eyes were red, puffy, and swollen.

He sighed when he thought of what she had to go through at such a young age. He was glad that she took a step out of that darkness to protect what her brother left.

He didn't have to hear the rest as he could imagine what all she had to do, to fill in her brother's shoes. The training she had to undergo that changed her innocent, spoiled child into this strong tough woman. How she had slowly dimmed her brightness to be one with the darkness.

He closed his eyes in grief thinking about the circumstances she had to go through to reach the masses. General Freya and Princess Hazel were two people who are well known among the masses but no one knows the struggles she had to go through to reach there.

Usui sighed and asked her softly, ”What is it?”

Hazel bit her lips as her tears threatened to fall again. She squeezed her eyes shut as she forced her tears to stay put. She didn't want him to think of her as a crybaby. Hazel shook her head refusing to turn around making Usui smile.

He reached his hand towards her and pulled her to his chest. Hazel widened her eyes and struggled but stopped when she heard him say, ”It's not your fault you know.”

Hazel froze and Usui could feel her body stiffen. He rubbed his chin on top of her head as he said, ”What happened back then...was not your fault. Don't blame yourself for it. It was a mistake... one which happens to everyone.”

Hazel pressed her lips as she muttered, ”Do everyone become the reason behind the death of their family?”

Usui frowned as he pulled her chin upwards, making her gaze at him, ”No, they don't. But I would still tell that it wasn't your fault.”

Hazel pursed her lips and as she wanted to pull her face away, he pinched her chin as he said, ”I'm sure that it isn't just me who thinks like that. I'm sure your family would agree with the fact that you are innocent.”

”Its normal, Freya”

Hazel looked into his golden-brown eyes desperately. He smiled down at her and said.

”Hezekiah would never blame you, Freya. In fact, I think he would be proud of you.” Hazel raised her brows at him, making him caress her cheeks, ”Of how you turned into this strong beautiful woman. He would be very proud.”

Hazel stared at him as his words echoed inside her mind.

'Never my fault?'

'He would be proud?'

Her hands trembled when she remembered how she allowed them inside the castle. How they stabbed her brother in front of her eyes! She shook her head as she moved back from his arms. Her lips trembled as she thought of her brother's shocked face when the sword pierced his chest.

It was all because of her.

”Hazel, look at me.”

Startled, Hazel swiftly turned to Usui's stern eyes and heard, ”No matter what you think, remember how Hezekiah loved you. He loved you more than anything in this world.”

She lowered her eyes as she mumbled, ”That's why this is my burden to carry.”

Usui ignored her words and countered, ”That's why he would be disheartened when he knows that you are suffering because of him.”

Hazel shifted her eyes towards him hurriedly, shocked by the fact. Her hands trembled as she clenched them into a fist. She pressed her lips and jumped down the tree. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She could feel the blinding light fighting with the darkness to save her. To bring her back into this bright life, to remove the shackles she had placed on her body. She could feel the shackles loosening its grip around her heart and her eyes flashed open in a warning.

She shouldn't...

She felt him land beside her and hurriedly said, ”It's time to change shifts.”

Usui watched her hurriedly fleeing away from him. He pressed his lips and caught hold of her hand, pulling her towards him and making her turn in the process. Hazel was startled when she felt her vision blur and the next second she was plastered against a hard body.

Usui had her hands behind her back as he pressed her closer to him. Widening her eyes, she glanced up and looked at him in fluster.

Usui looked at her eyes softly and said, ” It's time you let go of that burden, Hazel. I'm sure your brother was happy in his last moments. He must have been happy that he got to see you before he closed his eyes.”