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"Still, you look beautiful," he said near my ear, "and I like the sound of your laughter. It's the first time I've heard you laugh." I wanted to give in. I wanted him to hold me and hear all those sweet things, but no. I couldn't just forget how coldly he had treated me last night. Breaking away from his hold, I crossed my arms, a defiant look on my face. "Did you have fun last night?" "Did you?" he asked, irritating me even further. "You seem so reluctant to sleep in the same bed as me, so I bet you slept comfortably last night." Comfortably? When he was with another woman? "You are cruel," I said and stalked out of the room into my personal room and closed the door. This time he at least came after me. "Hazel, open the door," he said, knocking loudly. I ignored him and decided to dress up without help. "Hazel? I said open the door." Who cares what you say? I thought, slipping out of my nightgown. Looking around for something to do other than open the door, I decided to take a bath, so I Went into my personal bathroom. A hot bath was always prepared every morning. Taking off my towel, I slid into the hot water just as I heard something break. Footsteps ensued. I quickly pressed my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs as Lucian walked in. "What are you doing? How can you just walk in like that?" "You don't leave when I am talking to you," he said flatly. "You can do what you want, so why can't I?" I snapped. He walked closer to the bathtub and stared down at me. I felt so vulnerable. He crouched down and grabbed a strand of my wet hair in his hand. Something about the way he moved scared me. It was different as if something about him changed. "Because you don't have the power to do so," he said. Even his voice terrified me at this moment, but I wasn't going to show it. "What will you do? Beat me? Kill me?" I taunted, trying my best to mask my fear with arrogance. He leaned in close to my face "How about I burn you?"

A shiver went down my spine. The way he said it and the look in his eyes told me he was serious. "Why are you shocked? If I can beat you and kill you then why not burn you?" My throat went dry and I couldn't bring myself to say something. Sighing, he stood up and left without a word. I didn't see him for the rest of the day. He didn't come for breakfast or lunch and when it was time for dinner I asked one of the guards where he was. "His Highness went on a business journey, he won't return until tomorrow," He explained. Even if he was angry, he should have told me. Yet another night I slept alone, but instead of feeling relieved I felt lonely. When I woke up in the morning the first thing that came to my mind was Lucian. Was he still on his journey or had he already arrived? "Has his highness come yet?" I asked the maid while she combed my hair. "No your highness" I sighed in disappointment. What if he was still angry and decided not to come? A knock on the door made me jump out of my chair. Lucian!! Maybe a maid has come to inform his arrival but no one opened the door. Strange. "Come in," I said and the door opened. "Who are you?" I heard the maid ask. I turned my head and gasped. "Lydia!! Ylva!!" I yelled running and hugging them like a little girl "My lady please you shouldn't hug us" Ylva pleaded but I Ignored her. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" "His highness brought us here," Lydia said. Lucian did? "He seems to really care for you" Suddenly I felt bad for fighting with him. "But it's not allowed. How did father allow that?" I asked confused. "We really don't know my lady." I wondered what Lucian did to make father let him take his maids. It's something that is never allowed. Anyways I was very happy that I wasn't alone anymore. Dismissing my maid I sat with Lydia and Ylva and told them everything that happened since I came here. "So you are still a v.i.r.g.i.n?" Ylva asked shocked. "He must be a nice man if he agreed to wait." He is, sometimes. I didn't tell them about the part where he said he would burn me. I was still confused about what he meant by that. When it was time for lunch I went to the dining room expecting Lucian to be waiting there but he wasn't. Was he avoiding me? I just lost my appetite. "Where is his highness?" I asked a guard feeling like a desperate wife asking for her husband all the time. "His highness is in his study and don't want to be disturbed." Ignoring him I went to the study. I opened the door and walked in without knocking. Nobody was inside as I walked in and looked around. My eyes landed on a letter on his desk. Out of curiosity, I opened it but there were only a few words written on it. ‘Watch your back. Death is coming.'

A shiver went down my spine. The way he said it and the look in his eyes told me he was serious. "Why are you shocked? If I can beat you and kill you then why not burn you?" My throat went dry and I couldn't bring myself to say something. Sighing, he stood up and left without a word. I didn't see him for the rest of the day. He didn't come for breakfast or lunch and when it was time for dinner I asked one of the guards where he was. "His Highness went on a business journey, he won't return until tomorrow," He explained. Even if he was angry, he should have told me. Yet another night I slept alone, but instead of feeling relieved I felt lonely. When I woke up in the morning the first thing that came to my mind was Lucian. Was he still on his journey or had he already arrived? "Has his highness come yet?" I asked the maid while she combed my hair. "No your highness" I sighed in disappointment. What if he was still angry and decided not to come? A knock on the door made me jump out of my chair. Lucian!! Maybe a maid has come to inform his arrival but no one opened the door. Strange. "Come in," I said and the door opened. "Who are you?" I heard the maid ask. I turned my head and gasped. "Lydia!! Ylva!!" I yelled running and hugging them like a little girl "My lady please you shouldn't hug us" Ylva pleaded but I Ignored her. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" "His highness brought us here," Lydia said. Lucian did? "He seems to really care for you" Suddenly I felt bad for fighting with him. "But it's not allowed. How did father allow that?" I asked confused. "We really don't know my lady." I wondered what Lucian did to make father let him take his maids. It's something that is never allowed. Anyways I was very happy that I wasn't alone anymore. Dismissing my maid I sat with Lydia and Ylva and told them everything that happened since I came here. "So you are still a v.i.r.g.i.n?" Ylva asked shocked. "He must be a nice man if he agreed to wait." He is, sometimes. I didn't tell them about the part where he said he would burn me. I was still confused about what he meant by that. When it was time for lunch I went to the dining room expecting Lucian to be waiting there but he wasn't. Was he avoiding me? I just lost my appetite. "Where is his highness?" I asked a guard feeling like a desperate wife asking for her husband all the time. "His highness is in his study and don't want to be disturbed." Ignoring him I went to the study. I opened the door and walked in without knocking. Nobody was inside as I walked in and looked around. My eyes landed on a letter on his desk. Out of curiosity, I opened it but there were only a few words written on it. ‘Watch your back. Death is coming.'

Watch you back. Death is coming. Is this note written with blood? Oh, God. "What are you doing here?" suddenly Lucian was in the study. "What is this note?" I asked. "It's nothing," he said taking it from me and putting it back. "Is someone threatening you or is it a joke?" I asked worried. "Did you like my present?" he asked before I could ask any further questions. "Yes, but why? I thought you were angry with me" I said. "I was and I still am," he said leading the way to the dining room "sit down and let's eat." I did as he said. He had that aura that signaled danger again. He sat opposite me and when our eyes met I could see flames in them, they weren't calm. Something was definitely different about him, maybe there is something to the rumors. "How did you bring Lydia and Ylva?" I really wanted to know. Palace maids are never supposed to leave the palace since they can spill secrets of the palace. Once you enter the palace there is no way out, so he couldn't have bought them. He looked up from his plate and stared at me for a while. "I told the king…. That I would kill you otherwise," he said calmly. I choked on my food. Coughing and breathing for air my hand grabbed the glass of water. Drinking the water slowly I could finally breathe. Lucian studied Hazel and waited to see the fear in her eyes even though he hoped she wouldn't fear him but to his disappointment she did. She looked scared and confused. He was already pissed that she just two days ago thought that he would kill her or beat her just because she didn't listen to him and now she looked at him as if he really would kill her. Maybe he was wrong when he thought she would be different. He didn't even know why he went through all trouble to bring her maids. " I said that because it was the only way to bring them. You don't really think I would kill you, do you?" he said trying hard to control his anger and frustration. "Then why did you say that you would burn me?" she asked. "Because that's what you think about me. You think I am a beast who beats and kills people then you would think that I can burn them as well right?" he said standing up from his seat and hitting the table with his fist which made her jump from her seat and stare at him in shock and fear. He hated that look in her eyes so he strode out of the room not wanting to see her anymore. Inside his study, he stared at the note. Watch you back death is coming. No one would dare play such jokes with him except his brothers. Taking the note he went straight to his brothers quarter. Walking through the halls his brother's guards looked at him with fear and hatred, but that didn't affect him as much as Hazel's fear of him did. Strange he was used to being feared but his wife's fear made him angry. The young maids stared at him with excitement. He could hear their giggles and whispers. "He is so tall, so handsome." "His hair is so beautiful, so are his eyes." "But he is mine." "You wish." "Yes, I wish I worked for him. I would work all day in the kitchen and all night in his bedroom." And then they giggled. What they didn't know is that he could hear everything they were saying. Reaching the main hall two guards blocked his way. "Your highness, how can we help you?" they asked politely. "How about moving out of my way" "We can't your highness. We are not allowed to let anyone in" "Then tell the crown prince to come out and talk to me or I will get in no matter what." They looked at each other " I am sorry your highness." "So am I," he said and before they could think he elbowed one in the stomach and kneed him in the face. The other one tried to swing at him but dodging the swing he went behind him grabbing his neck he hit the guards head on the wall. Leaving the guards on the ground he went on to find his brother. He was not in his study. He grabbed a maid walking through the hall by the arm. "Where is Pierre?" he hissed. "His highness is sleeping in his chamber," she said scared. Letting go of her he made his way to the chamber and swung the door open when he found his brother having fun with a woman. "What the…." His brother began to yell but stopped when he saw it was Lucian. The half-n.a.k.e.d woman brought the sheets up to cover herself. "Oh brother what a pleasant surprise," Pierre said with a fake tone "You just came on time, how about we share this beautiful lady?" he said caressing the woman's cheek. Her eyes traveled up his body to his face and she gave him an approving smile. "That's kind of you but this is not so kind," Lucian said holding up the note. Pierre got up from the bed to take a closer look at the note. "What makes you think I wrote this?" Pierre asked. "If it's not you then you should know which one of your brothers wrote this" "And your brothers too" he corrected " I know that no one of them would play such a joke, we are not kids anymore Lucian" "You better be sure" Lucian threatened. "It seems you have yet another foe" his brother smirked.

I sat on the bed waiting for Lucian to come after eating dinner without him yet another night. There was a lot of things we needed to talk about but I didn't want to fight with him again. Because that's what you think about me. You think I am a beast who beats and kills people then you would think that I can burn them as well right? His voice echoed in my head. I never thought of him as a beast I just thought that he was different. He looked hurt before walking out of the dining room as if he didn't want to see me again and I wondered if he really wouldn't come. Would I have to sleep alone again? I didn't even get the chance to thank him for bringing Lydia and Ylva. I decided not to sleep alone and go look for him. I looked everywhere but couldn't find him. Where could he be? "Do you know where I can find his highness?" I asked a guard. "He is in the barn, her highness." I made my way to the barn where I found Lucian feeding his horse. It was dark inside and the only light came from the full moon. As if sensing my presence he looked around until his eyes landed on me. "I was looking for you" I said walking closer to him. "Why?" he asked clapping his horse. "It's just that we have been fighting a lot lately and we never spend time together…I never see you these days and I just…I just.." "You just what?" he said taking a step closer. "I just want to spend time with you" "Why?" "What do you mean by why?" I said frustrated at his questions. Grabbing my arm he pulled me closer. "Why means why? Why do you want to spend time with me? Do you like me? Do you miss me? Do you want me? You're not scared anymore? That I might kill you, beat you or burn you?" I could hear the hurt in his voice. "Yes, you scare me sometimes but you treat me well too." He didn't seem satisfied with my answer but his eyes softened and he let go of my arm " It's late you should go to sleep, I will stay here for a while" he finally said. "I will stay with you" I insisted. He opened his mouth to protest but said nothing turning his attention to his horse. I sat down on a haystack nearby where I could still see him and talk to him. "Thank you for bringing my maids" I said but got no response. I tried to come up with something to talk about while my eyes studied him in the darkness. He looked different as if he belonged to the darkness or was part of it. "Do you want to go for a ride?" he suddenly asked. "Yes" I said excited but we were wearing our royal clothes. As if reading my thoughts "there is knitwear right there" he said pointing to the corner of the barn. I saw nothing because it was too dark but walking closer I saw them. How could he see them from far away? Or maybe he already knew they were there. I turned around to ask where I would change but walked almost into his chest. "You scared me. Don't sneak on people like that" "I am sorry. I just thought you would need help getting out of your dress" he said. "You don't expect me to change here?" "Why not? No one is here and it's dark" he smirked. It was true. I couldn't see him clearly. "I can manage myself" "Alright, just call for me if you need help" he said and left. I looked around to see that he wasn't nearby and began to undress, but yes it was really hard to untangle the ropes on the back of my dress and my arms began to hurt. "Are you sure you don't need help?" Lucian's voice came from behind as he walked closer. "Let me help you" he said and started to untie the back of my dress without waiting for a reply. Now and then his hand would touch my bare skin while untying " I will wait for you outside" he said when he was done. The clothes were a bit too big for me but it didn't bother me. Lucian was waiting outside with his horse when I came out of the barn. "Is there any particular place you want to go" he asked. "Anywhere is fine" I said. He helped me up on the horse and we rode off in the night. I have never felt so free before. We went to the market and walked among common people and I was so fascinated by the whole thing because I had never been to a market before and never walked among common people. Then we rode into the woods. "What are we doing here?" I asked. "I want to show you something" he said and after a while, we came to a place in the woods where many small yellow lights were flying over the whole place. "What is this?" I asked while Lucian helped me down. "It's fireflies. Do you know why they glow?" "No" "It's to attract mates or prey" wow I never knew these things existed. "They are beautiful" I said. "Not as much as you are" he said walking right behind me. I stopped and turned around. Our eyes met and like every time I look into his eyes I felt a force pulling me toward him, making me forget everything else. I wondered if he knew what kind of effect his eyes had on me. "Your eyes are burning" I whispered when I could finally speak. He grabbed the back of my head and pulled my face close to his. I could feel his warm breath on my face and butterflies in my stomach. "Not only are my eyes burning, my whole body is burning with need Hazel" he says as his gaze travels down to my lips. I open my mouth to fill my lungs with air and my ears gets flooded by the pounding sound of my heart. He slowly leans in and presses his lips on mine. The touch is soft and gentle but as soon as our lips touch he pushes me away and takes two long steps back.

What just happened? Only a taste of her lips and he could feel his demon wanting to come out. He only felt like that when he was really angry, then his demon would come out to punish whoever enraged him. As time went he had learned to control his anger and keep the demon in check. It has been a long time since his demon wanted to come out so why now? Take her! She is yours. She belongs to you. The voice inside his head commanded. "Is something wrong?" Hazel asked confused as she walked closer to him. "Don't come close!" he almost yelled wrapping his arms around his body. He could see hurt in her eyes but he didn't want to hurt her like the time he set his brother on fire. Everytime his demon wanted out he did bad things. Hazel turned around and started to walk away. She was probably angry which he could understand but how could he explain. He couldn't even go after her he needed to calm his demon down first. Tears filled my eyes as I walked away. It was my first kiss and he was acting as if it was disgusting. If he didn't like it he could at least hide it. He didn't have to be so rude. I didn't know where I was going but I didn't care. As I walked further into the woods it became darker and darker, feeling scared I turned around to walk back but couldn't find the way. God I was lost and it was dark. I yelled Lucians name several times but got no answer. Always being a sheltered child and never being alone I was petrified and started to panic. Running around in the woods I tried to find my way back without any success. Tired I sat next to a tree. Where is Lucian now when I needed him?