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She was abandoned, she was lost, she was raped, all so the gods may be given their new plaything. Still, laying eyes on her beloved friend, Zellendine was overjoyed at his return. She threw her arms around her lover, showering him in kisses brought nearly to tears at the sight of his face.
Troylus stared back at her, smile faltering, “My love, you can not forgive me.”
Zellendine’s smile left her face, “Where have you been? Why haven’t you come for me until today?”
He could not meet her eyes, “The gods told me to do it. They forced me to violate you. I heard of your sickness, I came to your tower. All I desired was to heal you. You have to believe me. All the other princes died reaching your tower, but I knew I could be the one to break the spell.”
Zellendine sighed, “I was told of the curse. Or the blessing, I suppose others are calling it. My son is gone now. I only knew him for a moment before Zephyr spirited him away. He will be raised by the gods themselves to save Britain someday. They say his father was Mars himself, choosing me as his vessel. They say I should be honored,” she paused for a moment, “They say he did it to save my life, but I’m not sure I believe that. Surely there was another way if that truly was his goal.”
Troylus’ face crumpled, “Mars is not the father. The father is me. I know you can not forgive me my love, but may I please ask that you’ll let me explain what happened.”
“My love, nothing you could have done will change how I feel.”
Troylus forced himself to meet the eyes of his true love, “I heard of your condition, I did all I could. I traversed the cursed land, I climbed the tower, when I heard your true love was the one needed to break the spell I was sure I would be the one. I was told tales of every other prince, knight, and suitor being claimed if not by the briars then by the other suitors, and if not by the suitors then their families, and if not their families then the tower itself, and if not the tower than the beasts of the woods, and if not the beasts then the gods themselves. I was told tales of how a few had seen you inside, peacefully lying in bed as if nothing was wrong, dressed in the finest silks just waiting for the man who could bring you back to life. They said Venus was saving you for the right one.”
At that the tears returned to his eyes and a desperation crept into his voice, “I had no idea what I would walk into. I had no idea what I would need to do to free you. I prayed to Venus and she told me I would know once I got there, so I chose to trust her. So I made my way here, and to my shock I was met with none of the obstacles described to me. Everywhere I walked in the woods the beasts kept their distance, I briefly saw another custom only for him to drop dead the moment he gazed upon me. When I arrived at the castle the gates opened for me unbidden, the briars turned to flowers in my presence. All I needed to do was scale the tower and of course I did it. I would have done anything for you.“
Zellendine reached forward to brush the tears from his eyes, all she wanted was to embrace him, hold him close, to never part from him again, “Go on my love.”
Gently, as if afraid of breaking her, Troylus took the hand of the woman who should have been his bride, “Finally, finally, I made my way to the window. The sconces lining the walls came alight with fire just as the briars had turned to flowers. I checked the bed, but did not find you there. In desperation I called your name, but I got no response. I carefully made my way through the room, hopeful that maybe you were already saved, for even if it meant you weren’t mine at least you would live.”
Troylus steeled himself for a final time before continuing his story, “Unfortunately neither of us were that lucky. Eventually I found you, not clothed in fine silks sleeping peacefully in your bed, but nude on the floor, pale and sick, hair plastered to your face as you lay unmoving in a heap. I stood in shock for a moment unsure of what to do, I turned away from you and walked back towards the window calling out for Venus, praying for answers. She told me what I must do, to take your virginity, create a child for her to raise. I couldn’t do it of course, I had already violated you by breaking into this tower, but this request was too far. Still I didn’t want you to perish, or to sleep for eternity.”
Zellendine pulled away, “My love, you didn’t.”
Troylus nodded, unable to meet her eyes, “Not on my own. I didn’t know what to do, but I did refuse Venus’ request. I demanded a better solution, surely there had to be something else I could do. But as I spoke she became angry with me, she told me how I must not really love you if I wouldn’t do this. She told me how I could not call myself a knight or a man if I couldn’t carry out such a simple request. Finally she said that if I wouldn’t do it on my own she would not let you remain in that state.”
Zellendine wept, but Troylus could not bring himself to comfort her, she needed to know what he had done, “She overcame me, filled my head with lust, my body moved of its own accord, every nerve burned as tears streaked my face and I could not force my eyes to open. When it was finished I could not bear to see what I had truly done. When the act was done I saw that you had been bruised, you looked even more a mess than before. Carefully, not wanting to harm you further I carried you to bed, gently kissed your hand and fled the castle. Ayer what I had done I could no longer be a friend to you, I could not face you ever again, not until you called for me on this day.”
“Troylus,” Zellendine gasped.
“I had no plans to see you again, not when the baby was born, not when you were presented a new suitor, not even today, but I could not bring myself to say no. You have a right to know the cruel act I did to you. I can not ask you to forgive me, all I can ask is for a final goodbye.”
As Troylus began to weep, Zellendine took a moment to find her words. Through her grief she said, “My love it was not your fault, any more than it was mine. The gods used us both as their puppets. I think it would only be more of a betrayal to let that destroy us. They used me just as much as they used you and I don’t know of anyone else who would understand what was done to us. It wasn’t until today I understood what was done to you, but you should know that even as you vanished I could not bring myself to be angry with you.”
“When I saw you that day,” he said, “I understood. My world fell apart as I realized what was done to you, I couldn’t stomach the fact that I had any part to play in it.”
“I know,” Zellendine replied, “But please, I know it might be a selfish request, but truthfully all I want is to spend the time I have with you.”
“How could that ever be selfish? You were the one who was hurt, you were taken advantage of, you were used by everyone. Who could ever call you selfish?”
Zellendine struggled to speak, “You were hurt too. You were used just as I was. This was a rape that the gods carried out, but it happened to both of us. It does change things, it changes them in ways that can never be undone, but I would rather run away with my true love today than wallow in regret until the gods call upon me again. So please, my knight, would you be my companion again, even if not as a lover, could you at least be my friend.”
For the first time since they were reunited a smile crept across Troylus’ face, “My dearest princess, I will follow you anywhere you ask. I will be whatever you desire, it does not matter to me if I am a lover or a friend, so long as I can be your companion.”
The pair embraced tightly, both wishing to never part again. As they rode on horseback away from the castle, away from the tower, away from all who would have allowed them to suffer, Zellendine called back to her family a final goodbye and a prayer that the kingdom may get the heir it so demanded. May he be all that was promised, but may she never see his face again.