AN: This is my first fanfic. I'm sorry if it's not very good. I'm certainly going to continue it as soon as I have free time to do so, because surely that cannot be the ending. x
You walked hastily across the vast space towards where the moonlight poured through a large window and onto her bed.
She had been crying out for you in her sleep, having nightmares again. A part of you thought she could sense your betrayal and you had shivered though the air was warm.
You softly shook the young girl awake, sighing at the loss of hearing her cries.
Innocence and misplaced trust were sketched across a soft face that you held loosely between your hands. You lightly placed a kiss to her forehead and she wrapped her small arms around your nightgown.
When your vision began to blur, you didn't understand why there were tears threatening to fall from your eyes. You tried to convince yourself back then, much like you do now, that your sudden display of emotion had been brought on by the thought of your upcoming victory and you ignored the dull ache in your heart.
When you pulled away from her, she looked up at you with the light of a thousand suns dancing in her eyes.
You intended to soothe her by touching her arm, but you hesitated, both of you silently knowing that your touches were too gentle for there to be any sincerity behind them.
She had looked up at you and smiled weakly, a deep sadness pushing away the twinkle in her eyes. As if she had known that you would rather hurt her than console her, she let her expression give way to a frown and slowly reclined back onto her pillow, letting her eyes drift shut. Your presence had seemed to comfort her, having seen no reason to fear you yet.
But that was just like her to trust the wrong people. Another mistake to have added to her rapidly expanding list.
You remember sighing beside her, watching her sleep for long minutes before brushing a lock of hair from her face so that you could have one last look before the rose on her cheeks would be drained forever.
Ambivalence washed over your skin and for a moment you had almost felt guilt, as if you were the one who had destroyed a life.
You swallowed whatever feelings you had that night before getting up from the girl's bed and retreating back to your own. No more thinking. You had already made your decision, just like she had made hers.
The next day, the huntsman was to bring you her heart, dripping with broken promises and good intentions. Surely you would feel better then.