Waiting
By
Anni Re
Lucian paced his cage back and forth, back and forth, each second timed perfectly with his rigid step. This was the first time Lucian ever felt like an animal, caged and pacing like one as well, like a predator, or one desperate to escape.
Never had truer words been said. He was desperate to escape, he stared at the steel bars as of his gaze would force them to deteriorate, by his will make them go away. To be able to escape from his prison in stone and out to leave no stone unturned as he sought her out.
The minutes wore on, for how long he knew not. His world in the daylight hours was also in darkness beneath the earth in this cell, his mind in a fiery turmoil as he waited for the ball of fire to fall from the sky. All that day he thought only of his love and how long it had been since he had last seen her, the last time he might ever see her. He pictured her raven hair, as dark as the midnight in which she lived, her high cheekbones covered with her pale skin. He pictured her eyes, a silvery grey like a rolling fog that covered the mountains in the distance, and some times they were the sharpest shade of blue he had ever seen, like ice shards, or sapphires.
He had waited for hours in a light rain to see those eyes looking down at him from a child's face beside her father as he inspected him like one would judge a breed of dog. He fought his opponents with skill and ferocity not to please Viktor but Sonja, like an infant would do something to gain the undivided attention of his mother, for he wanted to be a source of delight to the little girl.
He stopped, victorious and Viktor turned to speak with his child. Sonja responded, but her eyes were upon him the entire time. For Lucian, who glowed when Sonja even glanced his way, he was euphoric with her full gaze upon him.
That day underground while he was sleeping he sensed eyes upon him. He woke and looked into her eyes. She smiled at him, and the stunned, suddenly nervous look that was no doubt etched onto his face. "Hello Lucian," she said shyly. His name orchestrated by her voice was the loveliest music he had ever heard.
During the day while her family slept Sonja came to Lucian and they talked through the bars that divided their species. Each of the grew up on either side of the steel, both of them longing to be on the other side. One day when they were sixteen they were standing leaning into the bars looking at each other. "Lucian," whispered Sonja. "If I were to ask you something, do you swear that you would do it?"
"Yes," he answered.
Sonja turned towards the cage her face pressed up against the metal. "Kiss me."
Lucian let out a breathy sigh, his eyes falling to the full, red lips that were offered to him. He pressed his forehead to her and tenderly pressed his lips upon hers. Her fingers slowly reached up and laced themselves in his hair and his arms locked around her waist pressing her as close to him as possible. After a moment he pulled away an inch.
"Now I must ask you something."
Sonja waited.
"What would you do if your father knew about this, about…us…" his voice drifted off into silence.
Sonja smiled a small, soft, smile and placed her hand on his cheek, Lucian leaning into it. "I wouldn't care," and she kissed him again.
Lucian uttered a strangled cry pulling out of his memories, his face presses to the bars as if she were there. He sunk down to the ground, his head bowed to his knees, his knuckles white from his grip on the bars. "Sonja…" he whispered brokenly, "Sonja, please."
Night came, once blessed knowing that Sonja was coming to him, now cursed with the prospect she might never come again. The moment he was released he began running to the wall, but stopped himself. He should not torture himself waiting to spy a figure that might not come. So he went to his forge, but he could not work. He constantly stared at the wall warring with himself if he should go up there or not.
Then: "My lord, Viktor!" cried out a voice, "The Lady Sonja has come!"
Lucian nearly collapsed when the gates were thrown open and he saw her. She was more beautiful than she ever was, and her eyes when they looked at him, he knowing that she had sought him out, made a greater effect on him than usual.
When Sonja passed by, flanked by two silver clad strangers whom he just then noticed, he retreated into his forge and slid down a wall his head weakly supported against it, a watery smile leaking from his mouth.
Like usual, he had waited, she had come. "Thank you," he said to no one, "Thank you."
Finis
Review please! Oh almost forgot this is placed during chapter three of the children.