Finally here's the update. But it can't all be fluff, Bergerac... thanks for all the reviews,I am glad you like it so much. Please R&R... Atrice

Part 16 - Something is wrong

A door – sounding like the front door - was opened downstairs. Another door inside the house flew up, closed again and quick footsteps ran up the stairs and to Lucille's room. Knocking on the door – Corettas way to knock - and then she entered. She saw Lucille sit on the bed, Erik in front of her, the two people looking towards the door.

"Miss… your parents they just… just came home." Coretta stuttered, looking very nervous. Erik got up and closed the door behind her.

"Lucille, we must leave now." He said to Lucille who still hadn't moved.

"But Artus… I can't just leave him like that…" she said, sounding both worried and uneasy at the same time. And Erik said they had to leave – where to? They couldn't just run away, wouldn't that be very cowardly and stupid?

"You have to!" Erik snapped at her, he was becoming very impatient by now. She got up too and went to where his voice came from, stopping in front of him. She didn't care who he was right now, how strong he was or how much taller and powerful than her he was. Coretta still stood just inside the door, doing nothing but looking nervous.

"I just need to say goodbye, that's all. He fought for me, Erik!" she pushed him away and opened the door, leaving the room and the two other persons alone. Erik looked like he wanted to run after Lucille and bring her back, carry her if that was necessary, but he didn't dare. Not with her parents in the house, and not when her mood was like that. Coretta stood still for a few moments, then went to Lucille's closets, opened them and found a travel case that was easy to carry; placed it on the bed. She began to pack Lucille's clothes. Erik just watched, not sure where to put himself.

Lucille ran down the stairs and bumped into a man just by the bottom of them. She had to get to Artus somehow.

"Lucille… you look like you're in a hurry." Her father said, not sensing anything strange by the moment. Lucille tripped a bit on the spot, thinking about what to say.

"Artus is taking a nap in one of the guest rooms. I promised to wake him, just remembered that." She said quickly and walked quickly past her father towars the guest room containing Artus. Her father looked a bit bewildered, as she opened a door and disappeared behind it. Something was wrong, he suddenly thought. For one thing, Artus usually never took naps during the morning. Secondly… Lucille's clock only rang at full hours, and this was a half one. How did she know that she should wake him now? Something was wrong…

She knelt down next to the bed where Artus lay, felt his face, stroke some hair away from it. He turned the head – looking tired and not well, but alive.

"Lucille?" he asked, his eyesight was very cloudy by the moment.

"Yes, Artus… I just wanted to say goodbye. I am leaving with Erik…" she explained and he suddenly felt much more clear in the head.

"But what about me?" he tried to sit up but she pushed him down again.

"Stay still! You have a wound that needs to heal… what about you? Find another girl, worthy of your love. Artus, you can have any girl you want, it won't be hard." Lucille said with her kind voice, that just wanted everyone to be happy. But was that even possible in the situation?

"Lucille, the only girl I want is you. I fought for you…" Artus whispered with a sad voice.

"It wasn't necessary, if you had just listened to me. I'm not loving you more because you tried to kill the man I actually love. Goodbye, Artus." Lucille got up again, turned her back to him and opened the door to leave. Not looking into her fathers eyes, for she couldn't see, but she felt someone standing there. Someone with a lot of questions.

Erik walked around in Lucille's room, now and then glancing at Coretta, who was already finished with the packing and sat on the bed waiting.

"Maybe you should go and get her?" Coretta suggested.

"Her parents are there, I can't do that. You could." He said quickly, still walking around. Coretta looked anxious again, but Erik didn't care. And how would they get that travel case with them on the horse? The horse… something hit Erik and he stopped his walking. They must have seen the horse outside, knowing that it didn't belong to Artus. They knew…