Running away
1136 Words
Third person.
Two days after the prophecy.
Lucien stood beside his sleek black car.
Darius approached, arms folded, gaze sharp. “You’re really leaving.”
Lucien didn’t meet his eyes. “It’s necessary. There are...things I need to sort out.”
Darius raised a brow. “Things or feelings?”
Lucien stayed silent.
“You’ve barely looked at her since the seer gave her little prophecy. So you’re running now?”
“I’m protecting her.”
“Does she know that?”
Lucien turned sharply, his voice low. “She doesn’t need to know. Just keep her safe while I’m gone.”
Darius narrowed his eyes. “You should tell her yourself.”
“What difference would it make?”
Darius stepped forward. “We both know what difference it would make. Don’t start playing with her again. She deserves better.”
Lucien’s jaw tightened. “Just make sure nothing happens to her. If anything does… I won’t forgive you darius” and with that he left.
Anara.
My brows knitted as I walked the long hallway, my bare feet silent against the cool tiles. The morning was unusually quiet—too quiet. I hadn’t seen Lucien at breakfast. In fact, i hadn’t seen him in days. Every time i asked, i was met with vague answers: He’s busy. He’s in a meeting. He left early.
But today… i felt it.
Something was off.
As i stepped into the main lounge, i spotted Darius seated on the armrest of a couch, talking quietly with Silas. The moment they noticed me, their conversation fell flat.
My heart sank. “Where is he?”
Darius stood slowly, guilt written all over his face. “Anara…”
“Where is Lucien?” i repeated, stepping closer.
“He had urgent business to take care of,” Darius said carefully. “He left this morning.”
I froze. “He left?” my voice sounded foreign to my own ears. “Without saying anything?”
“He asked me to look after you while he’s away.”
I blinked. My mind scrambled for meaning, for logic. He left? Just like that? “So I’m something to be… handed off?”
“No,” Darius said gently, “It’s not like that. He just—he has things to figure out.”
“Things,” i echoed bitterly.
Silas stood too, rubbing the back of his neck. “He didn’t want to make it harder for either of you. You know how Lucien is.”
I did. And yet, it still stung. After all we’d been through… the dance, the compliment, the way he’d looked at me like i was the only one in the room—he just left?
No goodbye. No explanation.
“did he mention when he'll be back?”
“not exactly.. Maybe few days, maybe longer”
“I see,” i murmured, backing away.
“Anara—” Darius began.
But i turned, leaving the room before my emotions cracked through my voice.
Back in my chambers, i sank onto the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the floor. I told myself it didn’t matter. That it wasn’t supposed to matter.
And yet it did.
I laid down without changing, pulling the blanket over my chest as if it could shield me from the sharp ache crawling into my ribs.
I probably sound like I'm overreacting, but I'm not. Lucien doesn't have any work, he ran away. He left cause he probably felt inconvenienced or something. That's what he does.
Nothing stopped him from telling me he'd be leaving, he just didn't want to. It's probably not that deep right? Of course.
I don't even know how to explain or express what I feel right now. He's so unpredictable and he literally doesn't care how it bothers me.
I'd literally be fine if he straight up tells me he hates my guts or something, it'll hurt yeah, but I'll get over it. Instead of him acting like a f*****g child! One minute he cares the next he's so unbothered.
I feel so angry at myself for thinking about this too much, but I'm only human.
He left.
Without a word.
And the worst part?
I missed him already.
*********
A soft knock pulled me from sleep. My body felt heavier than usual, weighed down by thoughts I could no longer afford to carry.
“Anara,” Darius’s voice called gently as the door creaked open. “You missed lunch… again.”
I blinked away the haze. He stood at the door with a tray, always the kind one. “You need to eat,” he added, crossing the room.
I sat up slowly. “Thanks,” I mumbled, taking the tray. My appetite still hadn't returned, but I forced myself to take a few bites.
Darius watched me closely. “You feeling any better?”
I swallowed, not just the food, but the question too. Then I nodded. “Yeah. I’ve decided I’m done trying to figure him out.”
His brow lifted slightly. “Lucien?”
I shrugged like the name didn’t ache in my chest. “He can disappear for all I care. I’m tired of walking on eggshells around someone who never explains himself.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, then smiled softly. “That’s fair.”
“I want to leave the manor for a bit,” I said, setting the tray down. “Maybe walk around town. Just… breathe somewhere that isn’t this place.”
But Darius shook his head immediately. “You know I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?” I asked, annoyance rising in my throat. “I’m not a prisoner here.”
“No, you’re not. But with Lucien gone, things are tense. You wandering off alone won’t help.”
I stood anyway, brushing past him to the window, pressing my hand against the cool glass. “I’m not helpless, Darius. I’m not some fragile thing that needs to be tucked away while the world moves on.”
“You’re not fragile,” he said, stepping closer. “But you matter to him more than you think. If anything happened to you…”
“I’ll be fine,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince.
Darius sighed behind me. “Just give it another day or two. When he’s back, maybe he—”
“I’m not waiting for him,” I snapped, turning to face him. “And I'm not taking no for an answer this time.”
He looked at me like he finally saw the shift in me. Something stronger. Something tired.
“Alright,” he said softly. “But promise me you’ll be smart.”
“I always am.”
- Writer
