Chapter 802: The Punishment

When he looked at Harlow, Raphael couldn't help but think about how they ended up like this.

He met her for the first time in one of his travels. As the 'surprise baby' born to the King of Cretea and the queen after several thousand years, he was the youngest prince in Cretea, and all his older brothers doted on him.

He was always a baby in their eyes even after he became an adult and asked permission to leave the realm to see what was there outside of their utopia. He went to the elven realm, the demons realm, and finally to the humans' realm.

Everyone he knew told him that the humans realm was the most boring. However, his experience proved otherwise. Humans were very interesting in his eyes.

They were social creatures who loved helping each other out. Without magic, they had to work harder to conquer their environment and make a living, but they didn't complain.

The human realm was his favorite place to explore and he had visited it countless times. That was where he met Rowena and fell in love. She was the most beautiful woman across the entire realms.

She was carefree, feisty, and really smart. Raphael fell for her and he fell hard. He was head over heels.

She made him laugh and feel the happiest he had ever been. Soon, he asked her hand in marriage. And then he started doing the unthinkable for her sake.

Before he knew it, he became the public enemy in Cretea and people accused her of being his downfall. They said he was blinded by love. She was the one who blinded him.

Even the benevolent king of Cretea himself repeated the same words when Raphael came to beg his forgiveness for Rowena. The seventh prince was blinded by love.

"What do you mean, father?" Raphael asked as he looked up at his father.

"All of us can see how she seduced you and tricked you into committing a crime, yet you always think she is innocent." The king looked at Raphael with concern. "It's because you are blinded by love. She never loves you."

The king added, "She only took advantage of you even until the very end. Look at you. You are even willing to take punishment in her stead."

"She didn't take advantage of me, Your Majesty," Raphael insisted. "I know."

"You say that, but what if she asks for more?" the king said. "First she steals the magic dust and immortality potion, but what happens next? What if she asks you to turn her entire family immortal. What if she asks you to save their kingdom from a catastrophe? Will you keep doing that all for love?"

"Rowena wouldn't do that," Raphael said. "And even if she asked, it is up to my discretion whether or not I'll do it. But I swear to you, father, that she loves me. I know it."

"She doesn't love you but she could pretend because you are the seventh prince of Cretea. It's easy to pretend to love you back because you could give her whatever she needed. You are useful to her, " The king said flatly.

He added, "Also, we are immortal and do not age. We can take whatever form that we desire without any trouble, but what do you think will happen if you are not one of us? Do you think she could stand you when you become unbearable to look at? What happens if you lose your powers?"

Raphael paused and wondered if his father was going to strip him of his powers. Despite that, there was no hint of hesitance in his voice as he said. "Rowena will not leave me. I am confident in that."

"That is why I must ask you to prove it to me," the king said. "If you can prove to me that your wife loves you no matter what the circumstance then I will allow it. I will no longer question the love between the two of you."

"How can I prove it to you?" Raphael asked. "How can we prove our love to you, father?"

The king of Cretea looked at Raphael with a faint smile. "I have made a test that will see if her love for you is true. I already know that you love this woman so much that you come here to plead and beg despite her crimes. This time, it is her chance to prove to us that she truly loves you."

Raphael looked at his father but bowed. "You will see how much she truly loves me, father."

"Then go back and free her from prison now, my son. Perhaps it's you who will finally see the truth."

***

When Raphael came back to the prison to free Rowena, he saw that she was waiting anxiously inside of the prison cell.

"Rowena, I am here," he called out to her.

When Rowena lifted her gaze, the smile melted off her face and she quickly backed against the wall, screaming. "Ahhh, get away, you monster!"

Raphael's eyes widened and he looked at himself, feeling confused. There was nothing about him that had changed. Why did she call him 'monster'?

"Hey, hey, wifey. It's me," he said gently and reached out his hand to touch her. Rowena slapped his hand away and gasped.

"Who are you?" she was scared but still prepared a stance to fight. She didn't have any weapons with her, so she could only rely on one-on-one combat.

"Rowena, this is Raphael." The man let out a frustrated sight. He suddenly realized that his father cast magic on Rowena's eyes and now she couldn't see his real form. Raphael wondered how scary did he look in her eyes now...

"Rowena, it is me." Raphael said and made the prison doors open as his magic worked at last. "I made a deal with the king. You are allowed to go if I take the punishment. So, he turned me into a monster."

He must not tell her that it was a test. Rowena must prove to everyone that she loved him no matter what and the king would believe what Raphael told him, that his wife sincerely loved him.

When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse because he was holding back his emotions. It was really hard on him to see his wife throwing him a disgusted look laced with fear. He wondered what she saw with her eyes when she looked at him. How hideous? How horrifying?

"It's me, wifey"

Rowena paused and finally recognized his voice. Her brain needed to convince herself that the monster with two horns that she saw before her was truly Raphael.

Rowenan bit her lip and stared at him hesitantly. In her eyes was the most hideous beast alive. "I-Is that is that really you, Raphael? Or are you a monster tricking me so I could go out of this prison and die?"

"Yes, it is me." Raphael said. "You don't have to fear for your life."

Rowena looked at the monster with uncertainty, but finally she stepped out and looked at Raphael. "I I believe you."

Raphael smiled in relief and reached out to her. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her forehead. "I know you will."

Rowena swallowed. She recognized his voice and she felt safe in his embrace, but the man who was hugging her looked so different than the man she married. It was awkward and frustrating.

"Is this the punishment the king gave you?" she asked with a low voice. "Will you have to live looking like this for the rest of your life?"

Raphael took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. Either this or losing you forever. The council of immortals wanted you dead."

Rowena's chest felt so heavy all of a sudden. "You don't have to do this."

She removed herself from his embrace and pushed him away. The man was surprised to see her reaction. He touched her hand and squeezed it gently. "I don't mind. You know I don't care about looks."

"I know, but..." she bit her lip. "You don't deserve this. Why can't you just let me die? Problems solved. It's my fault that you end up this way. Maybe you can still talk to the king and ask him to cancel his decision."

She still remembered his handsome face, his smile that was like a ray of sunshine, and the adoring gaze he always received from everyone. Now, they would shudder at his sight. Just like Rowena who flinched when she saw him earlier, those people would be horrified and stay away from him.

From the previously adored angel, he would now be seen as the hideous devil. Even if Rowena could get used to his new appearance, what about other people? Could Raphael stand their stare and horrified gaze for eternity?

Sooner or later this would affect him and he would regret his decision, taking this punishment for her sake. And this would only make him resent her in the long run.

And once he did, Rowena would truly have no one left in this universe who stood by her. She would be alone again.

Why must she wait for the inevitable? It was better if she died now.

She was guilty of the crime they accused her of and she didn't mind accepting the punishment. She was scared yesterday but now she had found her courage. Seeing him made her brave. She should die and leave all this behind.

He would probably feel sad when she died, but he would get over his loss in no time. He would move on and his life would go on.

If she let him take this punishment, it was only a matter of time before he regretted it and resented her. And by then she would regret not choosing death from the beginning.

"Rowena, I can't let you die. My life is not worth living if you are not in it," Raphael spoke seriously. "I don't mind my looks, no matter how hideous, if I can keep you by my side."

Rowena fought her tears from falling down. This man was such a wonderful person. But soon, he would regret his decision and he would resent her.

She couldn't let it happen.

"Well, I mind," she said curtly. "I can't live with a hideous monster like this." 2

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From Missrealitybites:

It's sad that Rowena is very insecure and she self sabotaged everything.