The world went suddenly still around Lucian and the only thing he could hear was his name echoing through the silence. He wasn't sure if he heard it right or if it was all in his head. How could she know his name? His real name.
Slowly he turned around, his heart beating erratically inside his chest. Hazel still held onto his arm and her eyes swirled with so many emotions and unanswered questions. Lucian had his own unanswered questions. Who was this woman and how did she know his name?
"My name is Alexander." Lucian tried to correct her but she shook her head. She didn't believe him.
"No...no…" a tear fell down her cheek "you are Lucian...my husband."
Husband? Lucian laughed nervously.
"Alright, it's enough." He said pulling his arm away and turning around to leave but Hazel stopped him again by suddenly wrapping her arm around his waist from behind.
Lucian froze in place shocked by her action. "Please don't leave me again." she cried. "I know it's you, why did you save me otherwise? Why did you kiss me?"
Why? The question lingered in the air and as he couldn't figure out why he acted that way he slowly became angry.
"You know I have been waiting for you. I prayed everyday that you would come back so don't tell me you didn't come back for me."
Lucian felt suddenly strange. All this time he had wanted to come back here and even though he convinced himself that it was because he wanted revenge deep down he knew there was something else. Something he was afraid to discover and this woman...she terrified him.
Tearing himself forcefully away from her "Listen, I am not your husband and I know nothing of what you are talking about. I would have helped anyone in your situation but if you don't want any help you are free to go. "
Hazel looked at him more closely as if trying to figure him out. "I don't know why you are doing this but you are hurting me. Please stop."
The way she begged him to stop making his heart ache. He shook his head getting angrier for the way she made him feel. She was nothing to him, he didn't care about her. Turning his back he left without a word.
On his way back to the room his anger only increased and by the time he reached the room he was boiling over. Grabbing a chair he threw it across the room and then he took his anger out on every single piece of furniture.
When there was nothing else to break he sat down on the floor feeling defeated. He had been angry before but never this much and he was not the type to break or throw things. Seeing this side of himself appalled him. What was happening to him? Why was acting this way.
Jade suddenly barged into the room and was about to say something when she lay eyes on the mess he made. She drew in a sharp breath "Not again."
Clearly Alexander liked to make a mess as well.
"Your highness...what happened this time?" She asked.
When he didn't reply she ordered some maids to clean up. Meanwhile Lucian calmed down and tried to figure out how things turned this way. He felt though he knew nothing and understood nothing and he was too tired to try and figure it out on his own, so when everyone left he summoned Julian.
Julian appeared just like that, out of thin air. "Your highness." He bowed deeply.
Lucian wasn't sure what to ask him and he didn't trust him either.
"Julian?"
"Yes your highness?"
"Is it possible for someone to see through my disguise?"
"No Your Highness. Even I can't see through...unless you want me to."
Lucian thought for a moment. Could it be that without knowing he had wanted her to see him? And even if she saw the real him, how could she know him when he didn't know her? She had even called him her husband.
"Is something wrong?" Julian asked.
"Was I married?" Lucian asked wondering why he even asked such a question.
He would know if he was married but he felt as if some pieces of his memory were gone. Not that Julian could help him. The royal army belonged to the king so they didn't know much about what went on in the castle. Besides every prince married at least four or five times so it would be difficult to keep track of all the women.
Julian frowned. "You don't remember?" He seemed to think for awhile. "I know you married once. She was a princess from Maebeth."
He was married?! How could he not remember?
"Did...did she also...die?"
Julian gazed down. "I am sorry, Your Highness"
Lucian suddenly felt a lump in his throat. Even though he couldn't remember her but the thought of her dying in the hands of his brother made him furious.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Julian looked guilty. "I didn't know you cared for her."
Lucian couldn't blame him. Not many princes cared about their wives or mistresses. But Lucian did. Even if he didn't remember her his heart felt heavy. Too heavy that he had a hard time breathing.
"Are you alright, Your Highness." Julian looked concerned.
"I want to be alone." His voice was resolute.
Julian retreated without a word then disappeared.
Lucian lay down on the bed holding his chest. What was this pain he was feeling and why couldn't he remember his wife? Everytime he tried to remember his head throbbed so painfully it made his eyes water, until he gave up and went to sleep.
That night he had a dream, about her, his wife. She was walking around their garden in a beautiful white dress and with the smile of an angel. Walking among the flowers she looked like a flower herself, a white rose, pure and beautiful. Suddenly she turned to him, the smile gone from her face, replaced by a look of sadness.
She reached her hand toward him. "Don't leave me, Lucian." Her voice was the saddest sound he had ever heard.
Lucian's hand reached for hers but her fingers slipped through his and suddenly she was falling.
"No! No!" Lucian woke up his heart pounding inside his chest and sweat dripping from his forehead. He looked around. He was still in bed, but the dream had felt so real. He
could still feel the touch of her hand.
His wife, he must have loved her but then why couldn't he remember her. He couldn't even remember her face from the dream.
"Your highness." Jade was already in the room gazing at him with a look of concern.
"What is it now?" Lucian didn't want to deal with anyone at this moment.
She hesitated for a while then began with her tattling.
"Can you believe it? The maid that I was about to punish disappeared. They have been looking for her the whole night but they didn't find her anywhere."
Lucian had almost forgotten about her. She had said that she was his wife but his wife was dead and he felt guilty for even worrying about this maid when he should avenge his dead wife.
Lucian decided to forget about her and focus on his revenge but even as the day went by and he sat in front of his brother all he could think about was her. She was still in that cold place and had spent the whole night and the morning after without any food. She must be hungry and freezing he thought slightly worried but then shook his head.
This time he was determined not to care. He continued his day listening to his brother's nonsense until the sun went down, then he went back to his room and went to bed as quickly as he could. As he lay down he realized that he hadn't done anything productive the whole day, he didn't even think once about his revenge, then what was he thinking about?
In the back of his mind, she was still there trying to swim to the surface. What has this woman done to him? Maybe she was a witch because she had truly bewitched him. What Lucian couldn't understand is why she would put herself in such danger. She knew that defying his brother would mean death. She probably had some tricks under her sleeves he thought therefore he shouldn't care.
*********
My stomach growled once again but more than the hunger the cold was killing me. My toes and fingers went almost numb. I shivered as I waited and waited for Lucian to come.
I knew he would come just as I knew he was my husband. Everything couldn't have been a coincidence. The way he smelled, that spicy scent I could never forget and the way he made me feel, but when I became certain that he was Lucian was when he had saved me.
Lucian had told me once that he could control fire and when he saved me suddenly all the lights were gone, and of all the places he brought me here. A hidden place in our garden. I remembered that it was dark inside the room at first but then suddenly the candles were lit. It reminded me of the time he saved me from those men who tried to rape me. He had burned them alive. A frightening sight indeed but what made me confused was why he was denying that it was him?
I couldn't think further as my teeth began to chatter because of the cold and more parts of my body became numb. Was Lucian really going to let me die here? My face hardened and I couldn't focus anymore because of the pain. Everything became a blur then…. suddenly I heard the creaking sound of the door opening.
Lucian. I tried to lift my head to look but I couldn't.
"Hazel!"
I heard footsteps rushing toward me then suddenly Lucian scooped me into his arms. His body was so warm against my cold one that I almost sighed in relief.
"Hazel!"
It had been such a long time I heard him call my name. It warmed me up from the inside.
"I am so sorry." His voice was thick with guilt and worry. He pulled me even closer and wrapped me in a blanket. I closed my eyes relieved that I was safe now and then there was no pain anymore, no worry only darkness and I wasn't scared anymore.