Tethered Hearts

Visenya stood in the near distance, silently observing Lucian as he stood solemnly over his brother's grave. The weather seemed to reflect her own emotions, with its dreary skies and relentless rainfall that drenched them to the core.

Clasping an old, tarnished pocket watch in his hand, Lucian traced his thumb over the dragon etched into its weathered exterior. With a heavy heart, he delicately placed the watch on top of Mason's gravestone, his anguish palpable as he whispered the words, "I'm sorry."

Mason's burial marked the final piece of Lucian's ancestral resting place. With his task complete, all that remained was to bid his brother a final farewell. Reluctant to let go, Lucian lingered at the graveside, and in that moment, Visenya was thankful for the rain that concealed the tears streaming down her face.

Lucian ultimately pulled himself away, trudging towards Visenya as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He looked upon that grief-stricken face of hers, noting the empathy in her tearful eyes and her apologetic heart that she wore so candidly on her sleeve.

"Let's go home," his tone so well composed, yet his eyes shared a different story.

If only everyone could see this side of the formidable dragon, they might see someone who had every reason to set this world ablaze but consciously chose against it. She often pondered what she would have done if this had happened to her instead, and the answer is nothing short of losing her mind.

Visenya expected it to be like any other day once they arrived back at the castle. She would follow him up to his chambers, take his clothes out for a wash, then return to his room where they would forget about all of the bad blood between them... for a little while, anyway. However, there hadn't been any discord as of late.

Even the way they looked at one another had drastically changed. She realized this as he slowly slipped her out of her wet dress, losing himself somewhere deep in those big, spellbinding eyes of hers. She shivered as his fingers brushed against her sun-kissed, velvety skin, igniting an impulse that only he could produce.

His gaze fell back to the collar he had placed around her neck all those months ago, a glint of remorse unveiled in his eyes. She could see a slight disinclination in him as he leaned towards his desk and pulled out a small key from the top drawer.

He slid the key into the lock of her collar, and with a swift turn of his wrist, the chain hit the ground with a resounding clank. Her hand instinctively caressed the area of her neck where that damn collar had rested for far too long. Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed up at him in awe, her heart truly blissful that he might actually be turning over a new leaf.

"Lie down on the bed," he instructed.

She complied, gracefully positioning herself on his bed while he undressed. Her eyes roamed over every inch of his beautiful body, but she was surprised to see that his member was not erect at all, a rarity for a highly-sexed man like Lucian.

He strode to the foot of the bed, moving with deliberate slowness as he crawled his way up towards her. His big, strong hands glided up her smooth, silky legs until they rested on her thighs. He gently parted her legs, wrapping them snugly around his waist. Then, he lowered himself on top of her, resting his head against her beating heart.

She had never been this close to him before, not since that heavy make-out session they had when they were younger. Even when they had sex, it had never felt as intimate as this did. Uncertain of how to react, she simply lay there, her arms resting at her sides.

Then, suddenly, she gasped as a rush of profound grief and desolation washed over her, enveloping her like a dark cloud of despair. Tears welled up in her eyes, her lips trembled, and her breathing became erratic as Lucian opened his link, baring his heart and soul to her.

Never before had he allowed himself to be so vulnerable. Instead, he had always concealed his true emotions beneath a facade of harshness and indifference, fearing that he would appear weak if he ever revealed his innermost self to the world.

She raised her hands to his head, hovering for a moment, unsure whether to seize the opportunity to comfort him in his obvious time of need. 'Fuck it,' she thought to herself, and quickly gave in to her instincts. With tenderness, she ran her fingers through his damp hair, and to her surprise, he instantly melted into her touch.

She pondered what else she could possibly do or say to bring him solace. In that profoundly solemn and sensitive moment, she resorted to the only thing that came to mind... she sang to him.

Her voice, delightfully beautiful, was like a heavenly and hypnotic melody. It seemed as if she were a little songbird sent from the gods, soothing his tormented soul with her sweet lullaby and nurturing touch. He clung to her a bit tighter, fearful that if he let go, she would slip right through his fingers. In return, she cradled him in her bosom, and together, they succumbed to sleep, finding solace in each other's arms.