Guards closed in around the lifeless body, blood still glistening around her torn throat. A servant girl, no one of royal birth—yet her death, so violent, so public, unsettled everyone.
Vivienne stood rooted where she had been, surrounded by movement but caught in her own stillness. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came. Her eyes remained locked on the body, unblinking. The world around her spun, yet she stayed suspended in that one haunting moment.
She didn't move. Couldn't move. Her breath was shallow, heart pounding—not out of fear, but confusion. What could've done this? Who could've done this?
"Vivienne!"
Her mother's voice pierced through the fog in her mind like a whip. She turned, slow and startled, just as Lady Alura stormed toward her, her face pinched with panic.
"There you are! I have been searching all over this cursed hall. What happened to your gown? Is that—is that a tear? Have you no sense of dignity? Must you disgrace our name at every public gathering?"
"I—I'm sorry," Vivienne murmured, her gaze still flickering between her mother and the commotion. "It was nothing, I just… I bumped into someone, it tore, I didn't mean—"
"Save your excuses. Let's go. Before you embarrass me further."
Without waiting for protest, Lady Alura seized her daughter's wrist and turned toward the exit.
Vivienne stumbled to keep up, head still turning, still trying to catch one more glimpse of the scene—of the guards, the confusion, the blood. And then—
Her eyes met his.
Lucian stood at the far end of the hall, untouched by the chaos. His expression was unreadable. While the rest of the room trembled and scattered in panic, he was still. Composed. Calm.
Unbothered.
There was no fear in his eyes. No concern. Not even curiosity. Just that same dark, distant awareness, as though he knew exactly what had happened… and perhaps, why.
Vivienne's breath caught in her throat. She looked away, unsure of the strange chill that ran down her spine.
Who is he really?
The question echoed in her chest as her mother dragged her away, out into the colder night.
And deep within the castle, hidden in the whispers of shadows and stone, something had stirred.
Something ancient.
Something hungry.
They finally arrived home. Of course Lady Alura wasn't done with her scolding, she turned to face Vivienne who immediately straightened herself as her mother turned
"You…." Alura started, "do you not know how to behave like a lady ??, out of all the girls present in the party you're the only one with a torn dress—"
"Mother I—" Vivienne tried to speak
"How on earth will you end up in a Man's home?!" Alura continued
"Mother!" The topic was embarrassing for Vivienne
Baron, their father sighed "end this drama at once. Girls !—"
His daughters turn to him
"Upstairs, to your rooms. Be sure to lick your windows and your doors. We all have to be careful after what happened tonight".
Baron's words came calm and heavy, reminding them of the previous event, the death of a person, sending chills through all of them.
"Yes father" Vivienne and Saraphina say in unison as they climb the stairs.
Vivienne was now in her room, flat on her bed as she stared at the ceiling, the thought of that strange man stuck with her, something about this tugged her, it wasn't the fact that he was extremely good looking, it was…..it was something else….. just then she remembered…he saw her mom scolding her and pulling her out like a child …
"Ahh!!" She yelps…burying her face in her pillow "oh Mother !! You shall be the end of me!" ....
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