To Love, Once Again

Chapter 17

What would you call a feeling like this?

Too dark to call love, too painful to call infatuation. When the feelings that roil within you feel like they want to burst out, but all you feel, is the dull, quick throbs of a heartbeat ringing in your ears.

He wanted to eat her whole. Become one body and spirit with her, so that she'll never leave him again.

Lucien keeps kissing her, teeth clicking together as he tastes the sweetness of Sera on his lips.

There was an old, old legend in Thornmere. That all dwellers of the earth were complete parts. There was no man or woman, only 2 halves of a complete whole. 2 creatures that fit together perfectly to make one. Millennium passed, and these complete creatures became unhappy in their perfection. They grew jealous of others, coveting the qualities they didn't have for themselves.

Then, the first terrible crime broke out. One side of a certain pair took a sword and cut himself free of his mate. He left his what completed him, and tried to fill the jagged hole with other things. But nothing worked. Worse, he felt terrible, his selfishness destroying the perfect happiness he'd never questioned. His mate was long gone. He went on a rampage, using his sword to separate every pair he came across.

He traveled across every surface of the earth. Over dry deserts, misty forests, the shimmering ocean, in his quest to find his missing half.

Time went on, and his search stayed unfruitful. Instead, they all became what we know as humans, different men and women. They would always feel the emptiness, of missing something vital.

Now, when a couple goes their separate ways, the gossips would click their tongues, sigh, and say, "Another wrong pairing"

Everyone, down to the smallest child, knew that any pair of true lovers will stay together from their first meeting till they're old and grey.

Were Lucien and Sera right for each other, like the legend?

She didn't know. All she knew was that Lucien, in his way, would make themselves fit. She'd opened herself up to him so he saw her brokenness. He'd cut off pieces of himself to make his broken heart fit hers.

He softly kisses the new ring of marks that circle around her finger.

Softly he strokes back a strand of dark amber hair that clings to her cheek, and he whispers in her ear.

"You can't run away anymore."

Knock, knock.

Two sharp raps against the door wakes up Sera from this lucid dream. He loosens his grip from her wrist, and she quickly struggles to get away from Lucien's hold. It wasn't easy, with his leg in between hers and her being practically shoved up the door.

Retreating to the back of the room, her simple maid skirt falls back down from around her waist with her movements. She didn't even know how Lucien did it while he kissed her, but anyone could take a look at her and know they'd done something.

Her hair was mussed, bun barely held up with the white ribbon that hung limply in the snarled brown hair. The prim and proper brown maid's uniform completely wrinkled, the top buttons opened to reveal the collarbones and a slight hint of cleavage.

Lucien looks just fine. His tunic perfect, not a single hair out of place.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Another three quick raps.

"Permission to enter, milord" the man's voice comes through the thick wood, muffled.

Lucien swiftly takes a heavy cloak draped over the back of his chair, and throws it over Sera. She can't see anything at all for a moment as the cloak, made for Lucien whose 190cm height and heavily-built frame, completely envelopes Sera. It completely covers her from head to toe, like those kids that go trick-or-treating as ghosts in white sheets on Halloween.