Tomorrow would be Luka's 1st birthday, and Cleo's death anniversary. Lucia tossed and turned in bed, overwhelmed with worry for her brother. The past year had passed in a whirlwind. The 3 months of mourning were difficult for everyone. Mytica in the entirety despaired and cried for their good queen. However, as people began to move on, the reality of it all finally seemed to hit Magnus.
Sure, he talked a bit more and seemed perfectly normal to all the people that don't know him. But Lucia knew him. She could tell that he was constantly in pain from the emotionless expression he plastered onto his face. She doesn't remember the last time she had saw him smile. Now, an impenetrable mask was always there. He didn't return to Limeros when he and Cleo originally planned to. Therefore, she didn't dare go, not when he was like this.
Thinking about Magnus and Cleo, well, Lucia knew that sleep would likely not come to her this night. Slipping a robe over her night clothes, Lucia set out to roam the Auranian castle.
Lucia didn't realize that she was outside Magnus's room until she raised her hand to knock. She hesitated.
Would Magnus be asleep?
The ludicrous thought left her mind as suddenly as it came. Ever since Cleo had passed, there wasn't a single day where Lucia could not find a trace of half-moons under his eyes. It was not yet midnight.
She knocked.
A heartbeat later, the door swung open to reveal her brother on the other side.
Lucia almost leapt straight into his arms. Almost.
But she couldn't prevent her heart from shattering.
He looked at her lacking emotion, the usual expression he plastered onto his face. But, his eyes were red-rimmed, and the tear streaks had not been wiped clean off of his face.
"Magnus?" Lucia started.
"Yes?" He hissed out, barely a whisper.
"I came to check on you. If you need anything?"
"That's unnecessary. Though I appreciate the concern." He moved as if to shut the door.
"Magnus! Please! May I come in?" Lucia stopped the door from shutting with her air magic. He glared at her.
"If you were going to barge in either way, why did you even bother to knock?"
She ignored him and forced herself into the King's room.
The gasp of surprise was impossible to keep in.
The room looked almost exactly the same as what it was just under two years ago when she last came in. It just felt, too familiar.
Lucia immediately started searching the room. Cleo's wardrobe still stood full of clothes, her vanity was polished and there were two pillows on the bed.
Lucia could feel Magnus's glare on her back as she searched. It was only when she reached out for a leather-bound sketchbook that sat on top of the vanity. Did Magnus stop her, his eyes wide.
"Give it to me!" She commanded.
"No."
"Magnus..."
"No."
It was obvious from the way he was reacting that the book must contain the very contents of his heart and soul.
She took it from him with her air magic and prevented him from stopping her.
The first page had a sketch of Cleo, smiling up at her. So realistic that it almost made Lucia's heart stop. She truly missed her friend.
However, it wasn't the only one. Page to page was filled with portraits of Cleo, capturing her beauty and fire with such intensity that Lucia felt like she was in a dream.
There was only one sketch that wasn't Cleo by herself.
She lay in a bed, cradling a newborn Luka in her arms. Both she and Magnus were gazing down at him lovingly.
The rest of the book was empty.
Tears sprung to her eyes as she closed the sketchbook. The significance of it to her brother was evident.
The sketch showcasing their family?
Not only was it the first moment he shared with both his son and wife, but also the last. Cleo passed only minutes after giving birth to Luka.
She looked up at him. Silent tears were steadily rolling down his face.
This time, she didn't even try to stop herself from embracing him.
And he, who has been hiding away from everyone in the past year, finally, finally broke down in front of her.
He was always at breaking point these days, Lucia, Jonas and Felix knew that. But Lucia literally begged the Goddess to allow her to see through his masks for once. They both needed it.
"You know, we all miss her." She told him.
"I don't miss her. It's torture living without her. Every day, every night. I...I think...I think I'm just, doing it all for Luka."
"No, Magnus. You love him, but you need to start living for yourself."
He scoffed at that, let go of her, dried his tears and sat down on the bed.
"You don't understand, do you?"
He was trying to change the subject, mentioning Alexius on purpose. Lucia admitted to it anyways.
"I suppose not. Considering I was naive and stupid enough to get pregnant at 17 with a guy I just met and claimed to love. I don't really regret Lyssa though, except, well, she's causing complications for me to marry...you know what I mean."
"You know that's not why Jonas rejected you."
"Well, he has issues of his own."