Sebastian Bear (complete)

FORTY-TWO

FORTY-TWO

Two weeks went by and the Elders refused to see him. Sebastian spent most of his days pacing those marble halls, begging the young receptionist to reason with them. She had tried the first day but by the fourth, he was asked to wait outside. He obeyed after a rather large security officer escorted him out the door. He would show up every day if he had to. They had to understand that he wasn't going away. He remained there, unmoving from the time the gates opened to the minute they slammed shut at the base of Monument Hill. He closed out his day with his parents. They had offered soothing words at first but they had grown increasingly silent. His mother encouraged him to eat and he forced as much food as he possibly could without losing it. He slept light but enough to keep his busy brain focused enough during the day. Never had he felt so absolutely fruitless in his labors. Not even in those ten long years in Tres Manor did he feel so ridiculously helpless.

"Are you always here?" Krake appeared the way he usually did, suddenly and without warning.

"Where else would I be?" Sebastian asked dully. He couldn't bring himself to smile, his mind was too fuzzy. Krake didn't respond but held out one of those familiar letters, Madeline's loopy cursive decorating its front.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"She's doing okay," Krake admitted softly. "She's not happy but she's getting along with Lucian enough. They've developed a certain acceptance of each other that you would be proud of."

"Right," Sebastian nodded. "He's being good to her?"

"As good as Lucian can be," Krake smiled. He leaned back on the stone bench they both occupied, his legs spread out in front of him lazily. Birds chirped overhead, trees swayed in the wind. It would've been a perfect day.

"What do you write about in those letters?" Krake asked casually. Sebastian glanced down at the folded piece of paper. He hadn't ripped it open to read because it was one of the few things that brought him joy the last couple weeks. He would read it alone after Krake disappeared into thin air. He would read in a dozen times, listening for some comfort in Madeline's attempt at making him feel better with her casualty.

"She just tells me about her day," he explained. "She talked about Lucian and what they did. She's been cleaning my old room up. Lucian found her some white paint and she claims it helped brighten..." Sebastian paused as he found himself smiling at her attempt to improve her situation.

"Love is a weird thing," Krake offered sympathetically.

"I guess it is," Seb agreed before his demigod friend disappeared into thin air just as he predicted.

Hours passed and the gates were closing. He had read the letter four separate times. Madeline had been back to the lake with Lucian. The second trip had been a lot less chaotic than the first. She had yet to properly use a Lumisphere and admitted that she hoped she never had to. Lucian continued his lecturing but she had gotten fairly good at tuning him out when necessary. He had only disappeared once for 24 hours. She had tried not to worry and go on with her day. Krake had kept her company off and on through his little exodus. Lucian had shown up at dinner the second night with no explanation and no apologies. 

She had said she loved him and missed him. She spent a full paragraph explaining the crude drawing of a seaside paradise she'd etched along the stained boards that covered her window. She told Sebastian they would most definitely have to go back to the beach as soon as they could. She missed the sound of the water and the sun. She really missed the sun. He made a mental note to take her there as soon as possible. She ended the letter with a sad quip about her family and how she hoped that they were doing okay with her being away. She hated to think that Ethan was scared or that Maggie felt guilty. She seemed hopeful and Sebastian clung to that with all his might.