What would you call a feeling like this?

Too dark to call love, too painful to call infatuation. When the feelings that roil within you feel like they want to burst out, but all you feel, is the dull, quick throbs of a heartbeat ringing in your ears.

He wanted to eat her whole. Become one body and spirit with her, so that she'll never leave him again.

Lucien keeps kissing her, teeth clicking together as he tastes the sweetness of Sera on his lips. 

There was an old, old legend in Thornmere. That all dwellers of the earth were complete parts. There was no man or woman, only 2 halves of a complete whole. 2 creatures that fit together perfectly to make one. Millennium passed, and these complete creatures became unhappy in their perfection. They grew jealous of others, coveting the qualities they didn't have for themselves.

Then, the first terrible crime broke out. One side of a certain pair took a sword and cut himself free of his mate. He left his what completed him, and tried to fill the jagged hole with other things. But nothing worked. Worse, he felt terrible, his selfishness destroying the perfect happiness he'd never questioned. His mate was long gone. He went on a rampage, using his sword to separate every pair he came across. 

He traveled across every surface of the earth. Over dry deserts, misty forests, the shimmering ocean, in his quest to find his missing half.

Time went on, and his search stayed unfruitful. Instead, they all became what we know as humans, different men and women. They would always feel the emptiness, of missing something vital.

Now, when a couple goes their separate ways, the gossips would click their tongues, sigh, and say, "Another wrong pairing"

Everyone, down to the smallest child, knew that any pair of true lovers will stay together from their first meeting till they're old and grey. 

Were Lucien and Sera right for each other, like the legend?

She didn't know. All she knew was that Lucien, in his way, would make themselves fit. She'd opened herself up to him so he saw her brokenness. He'd cut off pieces of himself to make his broken heart fit hers. 

He softly kisses the new ring of marks that circle around her finger. 

Softly he strokes back a strand of dark amber hair that clings to her cheek, and he whispers in her ear.

"You can't run away anymore."

Knock, knock.

Two sharp raps against the door wakes up Sera from this lucid dream. He loosens his grip from her wrist, and she quickly struggles to get away from Lucien's hold. It wasn't easy, with his leg in between hers and her being practically shoved up the door.

Retreating to the back of the room, her simple maid skirt falls back down from around her waist with her movements. She didn't even know how Lucien did it while he kissed her, but anyone could take a look at her and know they'd done something.

Her hair was mussed, bun barely held up with the white ribbon that hung limply in the snarled brown hair. The prim and proper brown maid's uniform completely wrinkled, the top buttons opened to reveal the collarbones and a slight hint of cleavage.

Lucien looks just fine. His tunic perfect, not a single hair out of place. 

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Another three quick raps.

"Permission to enter, milord" the man's voice comes through the thick wood, muffled.

Lucien swiftly takes a heavy cloak draped over the back of his chair, and throws it over Sera. She can't see anything at all for a moment as the cloak, made for Lucien whose 190cm height and heavily-built frame, completely envelopes Sera. It completely covers her from head to toe, like those kids that go trick-or-treating as ghosts in white sheets on Halloween.

He glances back at Sera to make sure she's covered.

There's only a squirming figure under the dark cloak,  and then her brown head pops out, like a puppy.

Checking her from head to toe, he barks, "Enter"

There's a tiny smirk on his face when he sees her wriggling around. It's gone as quickly as the expression forms on his face, and he turns to watch the door open and another knight strides in, no-nonsense Hilda behind him.

Sera glares at Lucien's back after she finally finds the hole where the head goes out. She'd almost died at the weight of the cloak  suffocating her.

 The knight stands at attention before Lucien, and Hilda gives a deep bow.

Unlike the massive, overwhelming power that Lucien emits, this knight is tall and slender, like a bamboo tree. As like any knight serving under Lucien, he's burly as well, but built more like a sleek cat. The muscles aren't obvious, but you can see from the way he stands, that he's a trained fighter. Sera squints, trying to see his face in the dark room. A thick beard obscures his face, but those green eyes  remind her of someone. 

"I've brought the head of the maids as requested, sir"

Reporting to his king, he sees Sera peeking out at him behind Lucien, and winks at her.

The lightbulb goes off in her head.

That's Icaros! Lucien's most trusted subordinate, her former private guard, and seeing his outfit and the red cape behind him, now the Captain of the Guard.

Icaros would be someone to wink at her in this awkward atmosphere.

Lucien, sitting there, relaxed in his chair. Sera hiding behind him in the King's cloak.

Hilda's lips were pursed as her eyes flitted to her and took in Sera's appearance. She was definitely displeased.

"I see that you've found her, m'Lord" Hilda quips.

"Sire, we located her in the prince's cottage with Bea. I've talked to Bea, and she tells me that they lost track of time. She's extremely apologetic she can't come beg for you forgiveness." 

The mystery was solved. Sera now knew why she'd been called here. 

So it was because she'd lost track of time. She felt terrible that she'd caused trouble for her cohorts on the first day of work. They probably worried when she disappeared after the small outburst in the cafeteria. Hopefully, Portia and Fawn and the other girls were ok. It wasn't too late, she could still rejoin them.

"Luci-". COUGH

Hilda coughs and glares at her.

Whoops. She wasn't Queen anymore. She needed to address Lucien properly.

Ahem. "Sire, I can go back to work. I'll make sure to catch up with what the other girls cleaned today." Sera asks Lucien, making sure the cloak hides her body so that there's no more ammunition for Hilda to snipe at her for.

He raises a big palm.

"No need."

"Milord, I'm sure she can catch up with the rest of the girls today. They've told me she did just fine and-" 

Lucien interrupts Hilda.

"I've changed my mind. She will be my personal maidservant"

"But milord! You've never had a maidservant before! How will she know how to serve you? There is a proper way to go about this sire, now I can just go and find another more experience maid to serve you."

The ever-proper Hilda can barely hide her dismay at this new order. 

Lucien eyes glint at Hilda, and she turns pale.

"Are you questioning me?" He growls.

"No, milord! I will get her trained and ready to serve you by supper this eve!" The grey haired woman veers courses. It was the most expression Sera'd ever seen from this scarecrow-like woman in the short time she'd known her.

"Miss Sera! Come!" She goes to Sera and pulls her, heavy cloak and all, out of the room.

"Pick up your feet. There's not much time!"

Sera nods to Icaros as Hilda drags her out. He gives her a small smile. 

She can feel Lucien's gaze boring into her back until they turn the corner.