Sweet Lies

Visenya found herself in the dining area, captivated by the intriguing artwork adorning the walls, when Lucian emerged from the kitchen.

"These are very interesting pieces," she remarked, gesturing towards the dark and provocative paintings that graced the dining room.

"They belonged to the previous owners," he responded honestly. "You didn't have to come down here. I would have brought your food up to you."

"That's alright... I didn't want to be confined to that room forever. Besides, it might do me good to explore the rest of the place. Perhaps, it will help jog my memory?" She pondered aloud.

That's exactly what Lucian was afraid of. Placing her meal on the dining table, he pulled out a chair for her, and she gracefully seated herself.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" She inquired, her eyes fixed on him as he stood watchfully nearby.

"I'm not particularly hungry," he admitted, his mind still reeling from the events of the past forty-eight hours. All that mattered to him now was attending to her needs; nothing else held any significance.

"Where are the ladies who were in the room with me earlier?" She asked, her voice filled with concern. "I would like to apologize for startling them."

"I've sent them home," he replied.

"Oh, will they be coming back?" She inquired, her eyes searching for reassurance.

He shook his head gently. "No, they were only here to assist us after the incident. But we're perfectly fine now... I can take care of you on my own."

"So, we just live here in this big castle all by ourselves?" She mused, a hint of loneliness in her voice.

Starting today, he thought to himself. "Yes, it will be just the two of us."

"That sounds rather lonely," she murmured, her voice tinged with longing.

"We have each other... that's all we need," he reassured her, his words filled with sincerity.

"What about our families?" Her gaze met his, a million unspoken questions brimming in her eyes.

"There is only us," he declared, his voice steady yet burdened with the weight of his secrets. "I am your family, and you are mine."

The lies were pouring out of him at this point, one after another, burying him deeper and deeper into a hole that he may not be able to climb out of. He reminded himself again and again that he would reveal everything in due time... just not now.

After finishing her meal, she had a desire to stroll around the castle and acquaint herself with her surroundings. Although he felt uneasy about the idea, he couldn't deny her wishes. Therefore, he decided to take her to unexplored parts of the castle, such as the library.

"Do we like to read?" She asked, picking up one of the open books from the table.

"You like to read," he replied.

And she did when she was younger, he recalled. However, he wasn't too sure if it was something she still enjoyed. People change, especially in ten years' time, and he realized he had deprived himself of the opportunity to really get to know her. What a terrible time for him to start... when she didn't even know herself.

"This book sounds interesting," she exclaimed. "It's about a princess who is held captive in a tower by a vicious dragon. Until one day, she is finally rescued by her knight in shining armor."

He swiftly took the book from her hands. "Well, that sounds a bit biased. For all we know, the dragon could be protecting her from shady knights who like to poke their noses in towers they have no business in." He tossed the book back onto the table. "You won't be reading that nonsense."

"Alright then, why don't you pick one?" She suggested.

He scanned through the books on the shelves, searching for one that caught his interest. A faint smile touched his face as he picked up a book, looking over it reminiscently.

"I read this book when I was a boy," he revealed. "It tells the story of a powerful king whose reign ends in misfortune and loneliness. In death, he finds himself at the entrance to the Spirit world, where the gods punish him for his selfishness. He's turned into a genie and forced to serve countless masters until he learns the true meaning of life."

"That sounds fascinating," she chirped. "Will you read it with me?"

He smiled at her adorable innocence. "Sure."

He found a comfortable chair to sit in and pulled another one right beside it. But instead of Visenya sitting in the other chair, she curled up into his lap and rested her head cozily against his shoulder. His body tensed from this unexpected level of intimacy because he wasn't used to it, not just with her, but with anyone.

He could easily adapt to all of this sentimental stuff, to feel her warmth forever within his reach and have her intoxicating scent be the only air he ever breathes, now and always.

He naturally melted into her embrace, finally giving in to that transcendent magnetism that validates his one true desire that he's had for so many years—the desire for her to be the one that belongs to him.

He started reading the story aloud while she nestled herself even further into him. The more he read, the more he got this strange feeling that someone was watching him. From the corner of his eye, he noticed it was Visenya who had her eyes locked on him intently.

"Why are you staring at me?" He asked, curiosity lacing his words.

She shyly bit down on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry. You're just so... handsome."

That wasn't a reply that Lucian was expecting, nor one that he knew how to respond to. His gaze awkwardly shifted back to the book in his hands, resuming his reading without missing a beat.

"Are you blushing?" She playfully interrupted.

"No," he retorted firmly, determined to maintain his composure, his eyes still fixed on the page.

"Yes, you are," she teased as she cupped his chin, drawing his gaze back to meet hers. "Surely, I've told you how handsome you are before, haven't I?"

He couldn't recall a single instance where she had ever complimented his physical appearance, and he never commented on hers either. Their relationship had never called for sappy terms of endearment, mainly because he was a complete asshole who always managed to say the most heartless things to her.

"Yes, of course you have," he lied.

"Not enough, apparently," she murmured, delicately tracing her fingers along his strong jawline. "You truly are a strikingly beautiful man, Lucian."

"No..." he muttered, his voice barely audible, as he felt himself succumbing to the tender caress of her touch. "You're beautiful."

As he gazed into her longing eyes, he saw everything he had ever desired reflected back at him. She leaned in closer, her eyes fluttering shut in a silent invitation for him to kiss her, and he couldn't resist the overwhelming urge. In that moment, he knew he could have her right then and there, and she would willingly surrender herself to him.

He could sense her whirlwind of emotions, urging him to take what was rightfully his. Her body practically screamed for him, begging him to give in... but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"It's getting late, you should get some sleep," his words swooped in, abruptly killing the mood. He closed the book and gently lifted her off his lap, leaving her standing there with knitted brows, confused by his obvious rebuff.

"I'm not really tired," she protested.

"Well, you still need your rest," he said with authority. "So, come along, and I'll take you to bed... for sleep, of course."

She huffed in frustration. "Of course..."

He guided her back up the stairs to his room and lovingly tucked her into his bed. Then, he settled into his chair, intending to watch over her until he fell asleep.

She sat up in bed, trying to make sense of their peculiar arrangement, "Aren't you going to sleep in the bed next to me?"

"I'm going to sleep right here," he said softly.

"Why?" Her tone raised, unveiling her discontent.

"Because I toss and turn in my sleep, and I don't want to disturb you," he explained, his words carrying a hint of remorse.

As he uttered those words, he could see the hurt materialize on her face, a painful sight that pierced his heart. She slowly lied back down in the bed, deliberately facing away from him, as to not show the dejection he had caused her. The weight of his actions pressed heavily upon him, and he couldn't bear the thought of hurting her any further. Heaven knows he's hurt her enough already. But in his mind, this act of self-imposed distance was for her own good. Deep down, he knew that if she ever remembered who he really was, she wouldn't want him anywhere near her.

Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened in the middle of the night by Visenya snuggling into his lap. Strong feelings of fear and angst emanated from her, as she eagerly lifted her hand up his shirt and placed it against his chest.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as her hand touched his marking, finding instant comfort in their link. He considered carrying her back to bed, but sensed that something had unsettled her... perhaps a nightmare. And so, he allowed her to sleep there in his arms, just this once.

The next morning, he awoke alone in his chair, not giving it much thought at first. But as his gaze fell upon the empty bed beside him, a sense of unease crept over him. He called out to Visenya, searching every corner of his chambers and frantically combing through the castle rooms, but she was nowhere to be found. With urgency in his heart, he dashed through the front doors, shouting her name at the top of his lungs.

"Here I am," she replied, her voice sweet and delicate.

He rushed around the corner to find her walking out from the orchards, carrying a small sack in her hands. She was smiling when she saw him, but it soon faded when she noticed the angry look on his face as he stalked towards her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" His voice thundered with outrage, causing her to flinch at its sharpness. "You can't just wander off like that without telling me! What were you thinking?!"

"I'm sorry..." Her voice quivered, and her tearful eyes lowered to the ground, making him feel like a complete prick.

"Hey... don't cry." He pulled her close, and she willingly fell into his arms. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. I was just worried, and I didn't know where you were."

"You were right to be upset," she rationalized as she looked at him. "I should have woken you up, but I wanted to surprise you with breakfast. I cooked us eggs, ham, and flapjacks, but what I really wanted was some grapes. That's why I ventured out here in the first place."

"We can't grow grapes in this soil," he informed her.

She raised an eyebrow and reached into her sack, pulling out a bunch of grapes. "Then what do you call this?" She asked, showing him the luscious fruits she had picked.

He stared at the grapes in disbelief, taking a small vine in his hand and examining it closely. He wondered if this was some kind of illusion. "Where did you get these?"

"Out in the orchards," she replied with a radiant smile. "There are grapevines everywhere... which is a bit odd because I didn't notice them at first. But I just had to have them, and suddenly, they appeared right before my eyes. I must have overlooked them... strange, huh?”

"Yes... very strange," he murmured, his gaze fixated on the orchards, which now was also a vineyard somehow. He couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and intrigue.

"Wait a minute," he snapped out of his daze. "Did you say you cooked?"

"Mhm," she replied with a smile.

"You remember how to cook?" He inquired.

Her eyebrows furrowed in realization, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "I guess I do... that's a good thing, isn't it?"

While it was a positive development for her, it spelled trouble for him. With each memory that Visenya regained, his perfect little life with her came crashing down. Nevertheless, he forced a smile, determined to continue playing the role of the supportive mate, eagerly anticipating her memories' return.

She gently took him by the hand, guiding him back inside so they could share a delightful breakfast together. Her smile radiated brighter than any sunny day he had ever witnessed, and her hair flowed majestically in the wind, accentuating her sublime beauty.

He observed the adoration pouring out from her big, beautiful eyes, and the weight of guilt crashed upon him even harder. He was well aware that he didn't deserve such admiration, but he couldn't resist savoring every moment of it.

As they walked back inside, he stole one last glance at the orchards. Strange and unexplainable events were unfolding, but he chose not to dwell on them for now. As long as Visenya was happy, the sun could rise in the west and set in the east for all he cared.