Diner gone wrong
1155 Words
Lucien.
She stepped forward, the soft fabric on her gown trailing like mist behind her. Dozens of candles floated mid-air flickering gently. Shadows danced on every surface. Even the air felt aware of her presence.
“you're late little witch.” Lucien said his gaze fixed on her, she looked up meeting his gaze.
“Apparently they had to get me ready for master lucien” he knew she wasn't exactly excited about the new environment.
The dining hall was quiet, only sounds heard were the soft clink of cutlet and the distinct crackle of enchanted flames. He sat at the opposite end of the long Obsidian table, his gaze fixed on her like she was the only thing that existed in the room.
Anara stabbed a piece of meat with her fork but didn't look up. “you stare like I'm going to vanish” she says, feeling his gaze on her.
“well you coming with me is still quite surprising, I thought I'd have to burn down your school to bring you out”
“It's not like I had much of a choice”
“and here you are all dressed up and even having dinner with me without being coerced”she didn't reply, so he continued.
“which brings me to ask, why didn't you run little witch?”
“you're not the only monster I've met”
“No. But I'm the only one that belongs to you "Lucien could tell his remark cut her off guard.
“ But I'm still curious about the other monsters you've met” he said trying to get to know her.
“When I was eight, my mum got me upset so I ran out of the house and ended up in a forest. It was really creepy and I saw something moving around me in circles. It finally stopped, I turned to run and it was staring right at me. I screamed, and he went flying far to the ground, that's when I knew I wasn't normal.”she said and cleared her throat before taking a sip of her wine.
“What exactly are you? And don't start with all this monster s**t” looks like someone has gotten quite demanding, he thought to himself.
“a vampire, a demon and the last of vortigern”
“Is that your bloodline?”
“Yes”
“Why am I here exactly?, why were you trapped and what does it have to do with me?”
“you're here cause you're not safe, I'll answer the rest later”
“So I'm just supposed to sit here, wear the dress, eat the food and not ask why I was dragged into a place of shadows and secrets”
Lucien's jaw ticked. “you weren't dragged here.”
“I didn't come willingly either!”
“you talk like you didn't know they were going to hurt you if I hadn't intervened, you should be grateful little brat”
“I'm no brat. You expect me to play along without telling me anything?”
Lucien’s eyes flared—glowing faintly gold. “you're asking too many questions”
she stood slowly, her chair scraping against the marble tiles. “then give me one answer. What am I to you —a tool, a vessel, a curse breaker?”
He was fast. Very fast. He was standing in front of me.
“You are mine. And in my realm that is the only answer that matters”
Anara's breath caught in her throat, her pulse hammering in her ears. His closeness was intoxicating, was… Terrifying. But she didn't care, she needed answers. He continued.
“Answers are earned. Not demanded.” she scoffs
“answers are earned?”she asks in disbelief, her voice defiant.
“You talk in riddles. You show up in my dreams, you mark me, you drag me into this… castle and expect me to just comply, I deserve answers lucien”
The veins on his forehead glowed faintly. He was angry.
“You want answers?”He said his voice colder now. “prove you can survive the truth first”
“Finish your meal.or don't. But don't test me again” he strode out of the hall without another word, his presence lingering like smoke long after he was gone.
*********
Anara stood frozen, her chest rising and falling in sharp breaths. The warmth had left the room entirely, replaced with a bone-deep chill that clung to her skin like ash. The chandelier above her creaked, as if recovering from holding its breath.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Not from fear.
From rage.
“Bastard,” she whispered. “You think power gives you the right to treat me like a possession?”
Her voice echoed back to her — small in the massive hall. She stormed toward the dining table and slammed her hand down on the plate he’d left untouched, shoving it aside with a clatter.
“I didn’t ask to summon you. I didn’t ask for any of this.”
The doors creaked open behind her.
Eira stepped in silently, hands folded in front of her, veil still drawn over her face.
“You challenged him,” she said softly. “You’re the first to do so in centuries.”
Anara turned, still fuming. “Should I bow next time? Maybe kiss his hand while he throws threats at me?”
Eira didn’t flinch. She walked to the table and gently straighten a goblet that had fallen. “You stirred the fire beneath his control. You don’t know what you woke, Anara. Not truly.”
“all I asked was what I'm needed for, what I am to him! ” Anara snapped.
Eira finally looked at her — eyes cool, unreadable.
“You're the one thing he couldn't control,” she said. “And that terrifies him more than death ever did.”
Anara’s anger faltered just slightly, enough for the weight of the night to settle in.
“Then he should be afraid,” she whispered. “Because I’m done being silent.” and with that she ran back to her room and locked the door behind her ,she jumped on the bed and gripped the pillow tighter as hot tears flowed down her cheeks, she stayed like that covered in her tears till she eventually fell asleep.
********
Lucien.
He stood by the windows. He could feel everything she was feeling. Rage, pain, hurt. How can a person feel so much? He wondered. What troubled him was why and how he let her talk to him that way.
“Why do I feel like apologizing—no!”He stopped himself from thinking further and went to work. But work couldn't stop him from thinking about her and hearing her silent mufflers. But Lucien didn't care, at least he forced himself not to.
- Writer
