Glass Heart [S1: Episode 7]
A Time Travel Romance
Thalia, a young psychologist with a troubled past is transported back in time, where she must navigate a kingdom ruled by a cunning lord and a melancholic king, all while confronting her own inner demons.
Episodes release every Thursday at 9:00 am EST. This is Episode 7 of 7. The last episode!
CW: depression, suicide, violence, alcoholism
King Alexander reached his hand through a space in the cell bars, his fingers trembling as he touched Thalia’s face. She stood silently, unsure of what to do or say.
“I have a plan,” the king whispered almost frantically. “Please just trust me.”
Thalia could barely see his face in the darkness but could feel the sincerity emanating from his voice. He wouldn’t let her down. There was newfound confidence in his stature, a strong sense of determination in his deep brown eyes, a sentiment of peace in his once troubled soul. He would be able to protect her.
Thalia reached out to touch his worry-laden face and her expression softened. “Don’t worry. I trust you.” But she didn’t.
The king smiled at her with a hint of regret. “Whatever I would do for Elara…I will do for you.”
And then, he disappeared into the comfortless night.
As the days dragged on, the ball of anxiety that had formed in Thalia’s stomach swelled larger and larger, leaving her mind with a strange fullness, though she wished for it to be empty. She found herself growing more anxious, sluggish, delirious by the second.
What was the king thinking? What was he planning? Would he truly be able to save her? And most importantly, could she trust him?
Thalia had never been one to rely on others; she always preferred being the one in control. But now, she was helpless; she was at the mercy of another human being. And for a moment, she missed her world, the world she had been desperately running away from. The world she wanted to hide from. Her shortcomings, her failure.
‘He says he sees me as Elara’ she thought to herself as she stared at the stained ceiling of her lonely jail cell. Thalia wasn’t sure whether she should be comforted by the thought or not. But all she could do was wait. Wait…wait…and wait some more.
After what felt like weeks, Thalia was finally dragged out from her dirty cell. But she knew she wasn’t free. At least not yet. She and her fellow prisoners were herded outside to the palace practice grounds, their heavy chains clanging with each painful step.
It felt good to see the sun again and soak in its radiating warmth. Thalia found herself appreciating the familiar chattering of the court people, the buzzing of the late spring insects, and the melodic song of the birds. Although this world was still unfamiliar to her, she had missed this.
The verdant, green fields stretched into eternity, shiny gold bells and brightly colored streamers decorating the few trees in a festive manner. A flag that read ‘SWORD FIGHTING TOURNAMENT’ fluttered at the entrance of the grounds and trumpets blared as people danced, twirling about in a somewhat uncalculated rhythm.
The prisoners were sectioned opposite to the crowd and in the middle, two strong soldiers slashed swords, the heels of their boots digging into soft sand and soil. The clanging of metal against metal rang through the air as the tournament progressed, each pair placing a bet before their battle. Some men won money, others land, and occasionally, a pretty maiden’s hand in marriage.
Soon, it was King Alexander's turn to compete and he confidently stepped out into the field, the tight leather of his combat suit hugging his muscular body. His black locks had been tied up into a neat bun and his brown eyes held a new sparkle to them. He was no longer the drunk, depressed monarch of the past full moons.
“I challenge!…” King Alexander’s voice boomed as he looked at the crowd of eager men standing before him. Unbeknownst to them, he’d already had someone in mind. “...Lord Malgor.”
Surprise flickered across Lord Malgor’s bandaged face but it was quickly replaced with his usual calm, calculating expression. “It is my pleasure, your majesty,” he said, bowing his head down in respect. “What will you bet?”
The king spoke loud enough for the crowd to hear. “Whoever wins, gets to choose what happens to the prisoners standing over there.” He motioned at Thalia’s group who stood huddled together both in anticipation and fear.
Lord Malgor’s eyes lit up at the king’s announcement. He had no interest in the others. Only Thalia.
A soldier handed each of them a simple, silver sword and they got into their positions.
The king held on tightly to the heavy, metal handle of his weapon, keeping his eyes on Lord Malgor. He wouldn’t let the old man have his way this time. Today would be the end of Lord Malgor’s treacherous reign. His unlawful reign over the kingdom and his treasonous reign over King Alexander’s once weak and feeble mind.
The two men engaged in a fierce battle, their blades clashing against each other with each thunderous strike. Within a few minutes, they were already working up a sweat and gasping for breath. Lord Malgor with his flexible, lean body was nimble and sly while the king’s advantage lay in his speed and force. However, the two seemed to be equal in terms of skill.
King Alexander staggered for a moment and that was when Thalia noticed the amulet glinting on Lord Malgor’s belt. She smiled; everything was going according to plan. She had renamed it ‘poison amulet’ due to its new, “special” qualities.
And Lord Malgor was getting ready to unleash it on the king.
“The amulet!” Thalia screamed and she was swiftly knocked down by one of the prison handlers. But it didn’t matter.
King Alexander swiftly blocked the gold talisman with his sword. The ink black liquid spilled on Lord Malgor’s flesh and he toppled to the ground, screaming in agony. Holes appeared where the poison had burned through clothes, skin, and bone, causing the court official to resemble a spotted leopard.
Unsure of how to react to this unexpected occurrence, the crowd erupted in cheers.
In one smooth motion, King Alexander slashed his sword across Lord Malgor’s chest causing the court official to shriek in pain. Crimson blood sputtered from the open wound like the bloodied waters of a cursed fountain and the remaining color in his face drained into a pale, empty white. The rise and fall of his chest slowed; he was beginning to slip away.
“Treason,” the king said, stepping back to catch his breath. “Do you not know that it is treason to attempt to murder your king?”
Lord Malgor choked on the black blood that was pooling in his mouth. “How could you see-eek her for counsel? When you ha-a-ve me?”
King Alexander grabbed him by the hair and looked him in the eyes. “What counsel? I am grateful to no longer be under your control.”
The king shoved Lord Malgor’s head to the ground before walking off the field, his entourage following closely behind. The crowd erupted into more cheers. They knew that the results of this skirmish signaled a new beginning and a better future for their wounded kingdom.
“You’re plan almost got me killed,” said King Alexander as he and Thalia sat in the gardens later that day.
She turned away, her facing growing red with shame. He had known. But how?
“I am not as ignorant as you think I am,” he said. “And I know that you are not of this world.”
Thalia glanced at him in surprise and the king smiled, gazing at the white clouds in the sky. “You are not the only wise one between us. I too travel among the stars from time to time; though I have lacked the ability to change the future. Until now”
“Was I that obvious?” Thalia asked and the king chuckled.
“Luckily for you, I was the only one smart enough to notice.”
The king’s voice softened. “If Elara is a star, then you are a cloud in the clear, blue sky.”
They sat together quietly, soaking in each others’ warm presence. And for a few moments they were away from the cold world. For a few moments, they could do nothing but breathe, savor the sweet taste of silence, the serenity of the gentle breeze. They could watch as the sun rolled down like a golden disk, lowering itself from the clear, blue sky.
“You are glowing,” said the king. “Does that not mean that you will leave soon?”
Thalia looked down at herself and she was indeed emitting a soft light. She examined the palms of her hands; they were already beginning to turn translucent, resembling the see-through state of a wandering spirit or the sad anatomy of an earth-bound ghost. But she wasn’t ready to go. There was so much she wanted to tell him! So much she wanted to do…
“Maybe if you come to my world…”
King Alexander slowly shook his head and hoisted himself up from his seat on the grass. “I need to prepare for war. Our people are still prisoners in Elara’s kingdom so I must finish the work she started. My duty is here.”
Thalia tried to hide her disappointment but tears were already welling up in her eyes. She hid her face in her sleeve and angrily wiped them away. What was she thinking? It had been a stupid idea anyways. She didn’t know how any of this worked. How could she expect him to join her in the future?
Noticing her distress, the king motioned for her to stand before pulling her into a tight hug.
He spoke softly, his voice slightly muffled by her thick hair. “Are you not the Explorer of the sun, moon, and time? If so, then you can always come back to me. I will not let you be one of my many mistakes.”
When Thalia opened her eyes again, he was gone. Instead, the ancient book lay in front of her; it was back in its solid, glass case. She watched as the author of the book changed from “Lord Malgor” to “King Alexander” and the familiar voice whispered in her ear. “Thalia. Come back.”
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Oh my god 🥺 that is so bittersweet 🥺 I need Thalia and King Alexander back together 🥺