Thindril was in the bathroom for a good while. If it wasn't for the sound of her steps, Lucien thought that something had happened. He felt lost in this. He wasn't used to have someone so close to him and sometimes all he wanted was to not be a vulnerable, yet he knew that it such thing wasn't possible. After all, Thindril and Azriel were his family now.

He knew he shouldn't had done that.

He would never do it again.

Lucien was certain that he had to keep himself together. Maybe the stress was getting to him, he didn't know anymore. Lucien took a sip of his glass of Tamika wine, that always helped him relax and stared at the window. It was dark already. The stars lit up the sky and everything was quite peaceful, except his thoughts. Chorrol was not like the Imperial City – after a while everyone would be either at home or in the closest inn. The streets were usually empty.

He jumped a bit when he heard the bathroom door open.

"I figured I couldn't spend the night locked in there." She said, her voice was strange. She had been crying.

"Are you feeling better?" Lucien asked.

She nodded in response and sat on the bed.

"Have some wine." He whispered while grabbing another glass and filling it with wine. Thindril grabbed the cup, but her anger didn't let her forgive him for now. She kept thinking about Vicente's warnings, how she should had at least considered them. Vicente did know him better than her – he raised him after all. He probably was there when Azriel was born and when Lucien lost his first love.

First love, just this expression nauseated her.

"I am sure that Azriel meant no harm. He would never do this on purpose." Lucien started.

"It doesn't matter now. I'm not angry at your son, so don't worry about it." Thindril replied staring at glass of wine in her hands, Lucien raised his eyes, surprised.

"You can have the bracelet if you want it." He said softly, touching her hand.

"I will never be able to look at the bracelet again without cringing. How can you even think I want it?" Thindril said, sounding more aggressive than she expected.

"I will take it then." Lucien said after a short pause.

"Good. I don't want to see it ever again." She uttered before drinking up the rest of the wine and laying back on the bed.

An awkward silence rose.

"Are you still thinking about leaving me?" Lucien asked.

Thindril bit her lip. Vicente's words ran through her mind again."No." She finally answered before turning to him. "Just don't disappoint me again."

Lucien cupped her cheek and sighed. "I never knew we could be so destructive... Well, I knew, of course I knew, I just... never felt it before."

She moved away from his touch. "I really want us to work. You're everything I have now, you and the contracts." Thindril whispered. "But this is not acceptable. You're the one who lost control, not me." The elf hissed while looking into his eyes. "Not me." She repeated.

"I am so sorry. It will never happen again." Lucien promised.

"No it won't." She said before sighing and staring at the wall. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind. Maybe it was a mistake to stay with him after what he did, but Thindril was alone and he seemed to love her most of the time and she needed a purpose in her life.

But at the same time the elf could barely stand his eyes looking at her, Lucien never lost his posture, but his eyes almost begged her to forgive him and she simply couldn't do it. Not like this. It was too early for her to do it and it would feel like she forgave him too easily.

"Something changed." Lucien concluded while grabbing her hand. "I am losing you."

"Give me time." Thindril sighed. "I'm not used to this, this is far too unexpected, far too... unusual." She scooped away from him and laid on the bed. The cup that she barely touched a few moments ago was now on her hands. Thindril drank the whole thing, feeling the wine's strong taste in her mouth.

"How can you not be sure about being with me, Thindril?" Lucien asked. "I cannot erase what I did, I could erase your memory, but I do not wish to do so. This was my fault. I am sorry, I deeply regret it and it will not happen again. What else can I do now?"

Thindril shrugged. "There's nothing you can do now." She touched his chin gently. "I don't have a forgiving nature and you don't usually apologize. I guess I... I think I will overcome this with time..." The elf sighed. "Vicente warned me so many times about you, you know. I didn't listen at first but when you grabbed me, all I could see was him warning me about you."

His eyes narrowed as his body grew stiff. "What did he say?"

"At first he just said that you were going to use me and then throw me away like you did to everyone." She told him. "He was pretty persistent about this, it didn't take him long to confess that he was in love with me." The elf sighed. She knew that Lucien was terribly angry about this situation and was doing his best to control himself. This should serve him as a warning and as a test. "Then he started sleeping with Antoinette which was pretty strange. He did try to catch my attention, but he was never successful."

"By Sithis, the bastard..." Lucien muttered. "Vicente warned me he was going to try his luck. I should had listened to him. I cannot even blame him for being sneaky or unfair because me actually told me he was going to do this." Lucien shook his head. "But I suppose that this is alright, as long as you remained loyal to me."

She gave him a weak smile while the time when Vicente kissed her and later the fact that he got away were running through her mind. Killing innocent people never bothered her, but lying to Lucien was just so wrong. She was never able to tell him the truth. How was she even supposed to start such talk? Thindril just thought that if the Black Hand hadn't found out the truth about his escape yet, it meant that the Night Mother and Sithis were keeping this secret as well and that also meant they were on her side.

On a liar's side. Ironic. The thought was strange, but comforting.

"You were always more important to me." She whispered, holding his hand. "Always. Remember that."

He nodded. "Are you still mad at me?"

"Yes. Give me time, please, don't pressure me."

Lucien sighed. "May I touch you?"

Thindril's crimson eyes looked at him. "Okay."

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head, she leaned to his touch, a bit reluctant at first. His sweet, but intoxicating smell made her close her eyes and take a deep breath. Thindril as addicted to this man. She knew it. His reaction to Vicente's attitude wasn't as bad as she expected. Thindril was now actually considering the fact that this was only an one time thing and that he had learned his lesson. The truth was that deep down she was very confused, but Thindril knew that her life wouldn't be better without him and she still liked him. She liked him a lot.

Yes, she was going to stay. For now.