34 Stars and Conversation.

Thousands of stars light up the night sky as dream-filled eyes stare out at the near-endless horizon.

Lucian stands atop the inner wall with Iris by his side. The sound of his breathing and hers, the only noise on this silent night. Gusts of wind kiss his bones as he stands shrouded in the darkness of the night.

Iris's golden eyes look deep into Lucian's mind, understanding the frustrations burning him to his core.

"It was such a happy night. Why did I have to ruin it by getting so angry?"

"I couldn't let go of him making a mistake..."

"A mistake that would've ruined the world I want to build here."

Lucian exhales as his mind clears its conflict.

"It wasn't my fault. It was his. I made a choice to stay here. To finally live for myself. I won't let someone so insignificant ruin that."

Lucian whispers flow into the wind.

"Mmm." Iris whimpers for Lucian's attention.

Lucian plants himself on one knee as he turns to her.

"What is it, girl?"

Iris looks into his eyes deeply, as if she feels a sense of sadness towards him.

She plants her forehead on his, hoping to share her warmth with him.

Lucian takes her affection with a slight semblance of what she means to say.

"I know."

Acknowledging her, he rises back to his feet and continues to stare out at the stars.

"Thank you."

"Thank you for being there when I needed you most."

Iris nods in agreement and snarls with a distaste for the events.

...

Moments pass by as Lucian loses his troubles in the stars.

'This reminds me of the time Layla and I stayed up all night to see the sunrise. It's funny thinking about how angry she was at me for saying I didn't care for them.'

'She was so excited to see it with me. But she fell asleep just before it rose.'

A faint smile grows on Lucian's lips.

"Are you thinking of me?" A voice calls out.

Iris immediately cloaks herself in shadow upon hearing the voice.

Lucian turns to the source of the sound as Layla emerges from the shadows of the gatehouse tower.

"Oh. It's just you." Lucian says, calming his nerves.

"Just me?" Layla replies. Her expression seems to be twisted, and she's exuding a forced cheerfulness.

Lucian doesn't reply. His attention is directed at trying to see through Layla's act.

'Why is she acting like nothing's changed? I just nearly killed someone in front of her, and she's acting as if she doesn't have a care in the world.'

Layla runs her fingers through her hair, pushing it over her ear nervously.

"What's with the act?" Lucian questions.

Layla freezes, showing the fear in her eyes for a brief second.

Before she quickly turns away from Lucian and looks off at the stars.

"They're beautiful. It's like you can see the whole world up here."

Lucian looks back to the stars following her comment.

"Yeah."

A few moments pass by, and the wind picks up again.

"Brrr." Layla shivers, crossing her arms together to warm herself.

'She must be freezing in that dress. It looks thin as paper. Harald really needs to upgrade his wardrobe.'

Lucian sits down behind the parapets to shelter himself from the wind.

"The wind isn't as bad down here."

"Brrr." Layla shivers again, rubbing her arms for warmth, as she sits down next to Lucian.

…

They sit silently for a few minutes. Lucian is unwilling to speak, and Layla is at a loss for what to say.

"I'm still cold." Layla says, breaking the silence.

"It's not that bad." Lucian replies casually.

She looks at Lucian, warm and cozy in his layered cuirass and fur boots.

"Well, I'm cold…" Layla trails off in a whisper.

She moves closer to Lucian, wrapping her arms around his and laying her head on his shoulder.

Causing Lucian's body to lock up from the sudden closeness.

'She's so close...'

Layla looks off in the distance as she curls tighter against him.

"You scare me."

Lucian loses his breath hearing those words.

"You've scared me ever since that night in the alley, all those years ago."

Layla's voice is quiet and solemn. Her words seem to come out without a thought as she speaks what she truly feels.

"You're my first real friend. The only person who never judged me. It's like you could care less how shy I was when we first met. You just thought of me as me. Not the poor girl. Not for my looks. None of it."

"I always felt like you were the only genuinely kind person in the world. Whenever I'm with you, I feel like I'm floating on a cloud with not a care in my mind. Because I know that if something happens, you'll protect me like that night."

Layla stops and takes a breath.

"But."

"This is the second time I've seen the other side of you."

"It scares me."

"It makes me feel as if everything. Every moment that we've spent together was a lie. It's like when danger comes close to you, you become someone else."

Her body quivers against Lucian's as every word leaves her mouth.

"The truth is, I can't tell which one is the real you. I've seen you do bad things, but I know you're only doing them to protect and not to hurt."

"I'm scared to think that I've been living a dream with you and imagining things when I see you like this."

She pulls herself deep into Lucian's chest, her heart feeling as if it could crack at any moment.

"It scares me to death."

She buries her face into his chest, hoping to block out the emotions threatening to rip her apart.

...

Lucian's mind goes blank from her revelation.

Moments pass by as if they are an eternity, as he sits empty and unknowing of how to answer her.

'How do I tell her that they're both me...and that I really couldn't have cared less for her all these years.'

'I care now, but is that enough? Can I even tell her that?'

'The life I've lived here is a lie. I painted my cheeks with the color of someone else. What will she think when I show who I truly am inside. I'm a scared little boy inside with dreams for something beyond what I deserve. Will she understand? Can I really tell her it's all been a lie?'

'I care for her now, but is that real?'

'I feel like it is.'

Lucian wraps his hand around Layla's head, consoling her.

"It's all me, Layla. None of it's a lie. I care about you."

Lucian's words whisper into her ear. A feeling of relief comes from Lucian's chest as a lump of guilt unknowingly forms deeper inside of him.

Layla's arms wrap around him as she hears his voice.

A smile forms on her mouth as he buries herself deeper into his chest.

...

'I wish I could stay like this forever.' -Layla