"Raphael." The King of Cretea sighed. "This is why the people here in Cretea are too concerned for your sake. Why are you not shaken and instead of acting as I delivered you good news when I told you you could be stripped of your immortality?"
"I am aware that it is a punishment, Father." Raphael laughed and looked at the King of Cretea. "Banishment from Cretea is something nobody would want and to be removed of powers will make me vulnerable."
"Then why do you insist…?" the King of Cretea sighed and shook his head. "You were born privileged, Raphael. You think that you will be happy once you are reunited with your wife as mortals. You do not truly understand the dangers."
"I lack the experience to understand what it is like to be mortal. However, I think that the punishment you've inflicted on Rowena is enough." Raphael said and placed a hand on his chest. "I am willing to take the risks and odds for her."
"Will your wife even think the same?" The King of Cretea asked. He massaged his templed when he heard how his youngest son was acting this way. Raphael was too different from his other sons. Why did he have to be like this?
"If you will truly allow and lift the punishment from Rowena's eyes and instead turn the both of us mortal and banish us from Cretea?" Raphael asked. "I think it is worth it to me and I will tell her the good news."
"Then go and look for her, my son." The King of Cretea said and closed his eyes. He had already sensed Rowena's presence leaving and didn't know what to make of it. He was really concerned about his son.
However, this was all a test.
"Thank you, father." Unaware of it all, Raphael teleported back into his house.
"Rowena." He noticed that her presence was gone and his eyes widened. The Seventh Prince ordered his servants to search at once and then went to look for her by himself.
"Where are you? Why did you leave?" Raphael's heart ached as he quickly searched among Cretea and tried to trace down his wife. Eventually, Raphael finally located his wife's whereabouts. A servant told him some people witnessed Rowena went toward the outskirt of the capital.
"What? When was it?" Raphael grabbed the servant's collar and forced him to speak faster.
"It's maybe… h-half an hour ago, Y-your Grace," said the servant in a stammer. He had never seen the master looking this distraught. "The man said Lady Rowena seemed to walk toward the… uhm.. the River of Death."
"Oh, no…" Raphael felt his heart drop to the floor. He didn't know what Rowena was trying to do. Was she having one of those episodes where she thought she was seeing things?
He immediately teleported to where River of Death was located.
And there… he saw her.
But he was already too late.
Raphael arrived to see Rowena's hand vanish in the River of Death. He instantly fell down on his knees and grew numb. He didn't want to believe it and wanted to think that it was a trick in his eyes.
"Rowena!!"
Devastation ripped through him as he was stunned by the river and witnessed the last sight of her disappear. If he had not had better self-control and a clear mind, he might have jumped down to be with her.
"No… what have you done, Rowena???" he cried in agony when he could finally find his voice after being stunned by what he saw. His body went stiff and he couldn't move for the longest time.
What was the meaning of his life without the only woman he had ever loved by his side?
He just received good news and yet.. he had no one to share it with. She had killed herself.
The River Of Death was the solution provided for immortals who had grown tired of life. Not all people who could stay young forever enjoyed living in eternity. Some of them became bored and tired after so many thousand years.
Since immortals were not allowed to kill each other, their only way of chasing death was by jumping into the River Of Death and their lives would end.
"Father…" Raphael's lips twitched when he remembered how his father inflicted such harsh punishment by making Rowena see monsters. Even though the king said he only made Rowena see Raphael as a monster, in reality, it seemed Rowena started to see everything around her as fearful and scary.
That was not part of the deal. Maybe she finally couldn't take it anymore and decided that it was better to end her suffering and kill herself.
If that was the case, then Raphael had someone to blame for the decision that his wife took. Even if he had to die, he would make sure he made the king pay for hurting his Rowena so badly that she chose death over living with Raphael.
After he wiped his tears, Raphael teleported back to the king's throne room and instantly appeared in front of the man. Raphael tried to attack his father but was blocked by a golden barrier.
Raphael threw his fists against the strong magic and tried to shatter it. He shouted at his father. "What did you do to Rowena?! Did you do this to her? Did you trick me, father? Why did Rowena…"
Hot and angry tears trickled down his face again and he looked at his father with a betrayed expression. Raphael thought that the King of Cretea was a benevolent and kind man, and he truly respected his father.
However, right now, Raphael was too enraged and saw him as a tyrant.
"Why did you separate the two of us from one another? How could you make her go in the River of Death?" Raphael shouted at him.
The King of Cretea looked down at his son, the Seventh Prince, Raphael, and spoke solemnly. "The decision was with your wife, my son, and never me. However, fear not, Raphael.. I believe you do not understand that your wife is not truly dead."
