The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-472

With the silence that filled around both Raphael and Beth, Beth looked at Raphael's face, staring at him. The demon was looking up at the branches of the trees, thinking about something.

"Lady Madeline and the King are in the town. They are still fighting with the others. It would be good for you to stay here rather than turning yourself into a bait they can make leverage of," stated Raphael. The smile on his lips had dulled down, and his expression had turned calmer than before. "Stay here until the King or Queen come looking for you."

Beth felt her eyes prickle, but she tried to hold back her emotions. If only she had some ability, she would have been able to defend herself that day in the village of Cossington. The werewolf would not have bitten her, nor would the fight between her and Raphael would have broken this way.

"This is all my fault," she whispered, her eyes lowered down to her hands that held the ice. Her hands were turning numb, but she ignored the feeling and continued to aid the demon, who was the reason why she was not a werewolf anymore.

Beth realized how useless she was. All her lifetime, she had done nothing but caused trouble to people around her. She couldn't do anything right, and it further broke her heart.

"I have a request," said Raphael, and Beth turned to look at him. "When I am gone, I would like to have some flowers on my grave. Specific ones."

Until now, Beth had never discussed after flowers to be placed on the grave with anyone. It was uncomfortable, and she felt guilty. "What flowers would you like?" She asked him. The blood didn't stop, and it continued to spill down from his body, and Beth felt the ice was nowhere helping him but only melting in her hands.

"What do you recommend? Something that you would like?" asked Raphael. Seeing her stare at him, he said, "Lady Elizabeth," he took a deep breath before continuing, "I know you don't like me, but I do like you a lot. Maybe you are not fond of some parts of your life in the past, but I think it is the errors that we make and fix, which makes a person amazing. And you have been doing wonderful," he said, keeping his gaze on her.

When Beth closed her eyes, the tears she had been holding back finally spilt down on the coat that she was wearing which belonged to him.

"H-how is it wonderful if I have saved my life at the cost of another person's life?" she looked away from him quickly.

"It isn't you who made the choice, but I," said Raphael. "I think it would be quite a waste to see a woman like you, who is a late bloomer to not bloom and not live your life to the fullest. Now that you know how precious your human life is, you can decide to live the way you want. Don't carry the guilt in your heart, because it wasn't your decision, but mine."

"You didn't have to pick me over you," she shook her head in refusal. Since the time she had been bit by the werewolf, Raphael had been next to her, watching and taking care of her. It was the same time when other people looked at her with their eyes holding doubt and suspicion. After all, she was the woman who was going to marry Markus Wilmot, who was labelled as a traitor.

"What happened is already done. Now we hold the outcome of our actions," stated Raphael. "Do you think it would have made a difference if I was still alive? Would you have allowed yourself to think about me?"

Beth's tear-filled eyes met Raphael's eyes, and she nodded her head.

"A pity indeed," he murmured to himself.

For a moment, Beth, who looked at his leg was somewhat glad that the bleeding had finally stopped after all her efforts. But what she didn't know was that, apart from the wound on his leg and the stomach, her werewolf claws had ripped into Raphael's back, which the demon didn't mention nor had she seen it as he leaned against the bark of the tree.

"You didn't tell me which flowers you would pick for me," commented Raphael.

"I will see to it that you don't die," said Beth, trying to give both of them hope and hearing this, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Flowers, milady," at the same time, he pulled the card from his pocket that was the card of the fool.

Beth took time to think before answering, "Forget me not. That's the flower."

"What a wonderful flower you have picked," he said, almost getting lost in her green eyes. "I am sure that there will be at least one person who will not forget me. You have beautiful eyes, Lady Elizabeth."

"Thank you, Mr. Sparrow," Beth pulled the ice piece away from his wound to have a look which was when he caught her hand to see it had turned pale.

"That should be enough. Your fingers will fall out from your hands if you continue doing this. Don't waste your efforts by doing that," said Raphael with a small frown on his face. He didn't let go of her hand, and continued holding her cold hand. Beth didn't pull her hand away. It might have been the first time where she didn't flinch or refuse a male's advances. Instead, she wrapped her fingers around his hand.

"What about your family?" questioned Beth. If the worse did happen, wouldn't he want his family to come and look at him?

"I have none. I was an orphan, and we all know how difficult it is to find people we have no clue about," hearing this Beth squeezed his hand.

"I am sorry."

Raphael groaned in pain, making Beth worry. "I am fine," he whispered, his voice turned lower than before, and if she wasn't sitting next to him, it would have been difficult to hear his words. "I am fine," he repeated, bringing his other hand forward. But before his hand could reach up to her face, the hand fell without having the opportunity to touch her face.

"Mr. Sparrow?" Beth called his name, but the demon didn't respond to her nor did he move. His hold on her hand loosened as if it had lost strength.

Tears spilled from her eyes, falling on her cheeks that trailed down and fell on his coat. "Mr. Sparrow?" she called him.

A sob escaped from her lips, and her body bent forward, unable to hold her tears any longer, she cried alone in the forest.

She found it hard to believe that Raphael was no more. She didn't want to leave him here all by himself, and she continued to stay next to him, accompanying him even after his death. She was thankful for the kindness he had shown her, and she hadn't been able to thank him. Even though Raphael's hold had loosened on her hand , Beth continued to hold on to his hand.

She used her other hand to place it on his face, "I won't forget what you did for me. Never," and she closed his eyes so that he could rest.