To Love, Once Again

Chapter 56

The moon shines down onto the darkened city, empty streets with the occasional carriage going by under the light of the tall street lights, lit by the lamp lighters with their long sticks with fire flickering on one end.

After a short meal with Cyd, Grandma Rosie, and Grandpa Robin, Lucien and Sera had left the orphanage. It had taken some time because the womenfolk had hugged and talked, talked and hugged, saying their goodbyes. In contrast, it had taken only a few seconds for Lucien and Grandpa Robin to give each other a firm handshake and grunt goodbye. So the men watched the women, waiting in silence for them to finish their goodbyes.

The two walk side by side down the street lined with shuttered storefronts, closed for the night, Lucien's arm around Sera's waist "for protection, since it was getting dark" he'd said, as he'd drawn her close to him when they first left the gates of the orphanage.

"Where would you like me to take you?"

Walking back towards the forest where Aslan would be waiting, Lucien asks in a low voice, keeping Sera close to his side. After spending time with Sera in the orphanage, Lucien had been battling with himself on what to do.

Concerning their living arrangements.

It was a great internal battle. On one hand, he wanted Sera to continue in her role staying by his side. There was no greater feeling than waking up in the mornings to see her curled up next to him, exuding soft warmth. Too many cold mornings, grasping at the bedsheets, looking for someone that wasn't there would do that to you. In his dreams, they'd lain together, sated and sleepy. Reality would harshly hit him after awakening, seeing her gone.

Except on the other hand, he knew that she wanted to be with their son, too.  The love she had for their son was so new to him. The fact that Sera had even pushed through thorny rosebushes to protect their child completely blew his mind. Loving her meant that he wanted to respect her wishes, more than his own desire.

But he would miss her so much when she was gone...

Lucien didn't know how he would spend the nights with her gone....Probably his eyes would be opened wide in bed, thinking about her, what she would be doing..

Sera hesitates with her answer, knowing it was something Lucien wouldn't like.

"Can I stay with our son?" She adds on,

"I''ll come help you work like before during the day, but I want to spend more time with Leo too.." There was still so much she wanted to learn about that little boy, Sera smiled at the thought of him and his chubby cheeks. His likes and dislikes, what kind of games he liked to play..

Lucien quickly dampens the jealousy that rises up against his own son. He wished he was at the forefront of Sera's mind like that young child was.

Seeing Lucien deep in thought, Sera adds: "You know, talking to Bea, I caught myself thinking of using my body to get what I wanted from you..."

Their footsteps that echo out over the cobblestone street stop when Lucien stops walking, making Sera's steps halt as well.

Taking a deep breath, she continues. "But that would make me a whore, your whore."

If Lucien could go back in time and punch himself in the face, he would. What a fool he'd been, trying to get to Sera's heart through her body.

"Beautiful Sera, how could you ever think you were a whore?"

Lucien kneels on the paved cobblestone of the street, uncaring of whether the wet mud stains his trousers as he looks up at Sera with a sincere expression on his face.