Suffering: Part 5

An Imbalance Part 2

The days turned into weeks, into months. Severus did everything he could for the girls to not let it affect them. He would take them to the Manor often, or Lucius would come by when you were purposely out of the house. You had refused to speak to him as it was currently too painful still.

Once he cornered you in the stable at the Manor when you had come to ride Oliver, your differently abled unicorn. "Please," he begged as he walked up to you. It was evident in your face that you weren't going to speak to him. It was a chilly December morning as you were saddling Oliver yourself.

He approached you, his eyes begging to speak to you. You ignored him purposefully trying to inflict pain upon him at this point. If you were unhappy, he might as well be also. In your mind, he had left you. There wasn't a world in which you would beg a man to stay and love you.

You continued ignoring him, with your back to him. "You're being unfair," he spat in irritation. All of his letters, flowers, gifts, everything had been sent back with Teddy, each time.

You tightened the saddle straps, refusing to let his words penetrate the fortress you had built around your heart. The stable was silent except for the soft snorts of Oliver, sensing the tension in the air.

"Unfair?" you finally said, your voice low and controlled, though your hands trembled slightly. "You think I'm being unfair?"

Lucius took a step closer, his frustration evident. "Yes, unfair. You won't even give me a chance to explain, to make things right."

You turned around slowly, meeting his gaze with a steely resolve. "Explain what, exactly? That you left. That you chose your pride over trying to make this work."

He opened his mouth to retort but then closed it, his shoulders sagging as if weighed down by the enormity of his guilt. "I am begging you to let me come back," he pleaded quietly. "I know that now. I was a fool, and I let my arrogance blind me. I miss all of you. I know the girls want me to come home."

The admission hung in the cold air between you, a fragile olive branch extended in desperation. You looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the pain and regret etched into his features. It mirrored the anguish you had been carrying for too long.

"Lucius," you said, your voice softening just a touch, "I'm sorry that you are going through this. I cannot give you an answer that will please you."

You turned back to Oliver, feeling the weight of Lucius's gaze on you as you finished preparing to ride. The silence stretched on, filled with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Finally, with a deep breath, you mounted your unicorn, feeling a strange mix of relief and sorrow.

As you rode away, the crisp morning air biting at your cheeks, you couldn't help but a pang of sadness. Lucius watched you disappear into the distance, a sense of loss settling over him. Yet, within that loss, there was also a spark of hope. He had seen the softening in your eyes, heard the slight change in your tone. Perhaps, there was a slim chance for redemption.

The journey through the forest was serene, with snowflakes gently falling around you, creating a blanket of white that muffled the world. Oliver trotted gracefully through the snow, his presence a comforting constant in your life. The rhythmic motion of his gait and the cold, fresh air gave you a moment of clarity, a chance to reflect on the confrontation with Lucius.

As you rode deeper into the woods, you found yourself thinking back to the days when things were simpler, when love and happiness were not overshadowed by pride and jealousy. The memories were bittersweet, a reminder of what once was and what could still be, if only both hearts were willing to mend.

You reached a clearing, a favorite spot of yours, where the trees opened up to reveal a frozen pond. You dismounted and let Oliver graze nearby, his presence always soothing. Sitting on a fallen log, you looked out over the icy surface, lost in thought.