Tears of Raven

68

Zed's eyes had grown as sharp as winter ice, cutting through Raven's slender figure in the hope that she would be impressed by the amount of thunders shooting back at her.

"If you take back what you said, I promise I won't be mad."

It didn't sound like a threat, but the step he took, erasing any space between them made it look an awful lot like it.

"I'm not afraid of you. I've never been. You can drop the act and stop trying to scare me, it doesn't work Zephyro. I won't swallow what I said because it's true. We will talk like two civil people and you will tell me what is it that bothers you and you will not freak out if I cross you. it doesn't mean that I don't care for you, if I go against your word. Now, tell me why, you won't look at your siblings?"

"I look at them plenty. Just seconds before, I glared Lena right in the eyes."

Raven looked at him as to say: nice try, jackass, it doesn't work with me and Zed almost rolled his eyes at Raven.

"You look but you don't see them." And Raven told him about Zelda, how she had nightmares after nightmares of them not caring for her. How she stood hidden four hours and no one came and find her. That his younger brother was doing his job, taking care of his younger sister. That Lena despised him because he never let her touch her mother's things but had no trouble lend it to Raven. That the mess that had created was just a big misunderstanding but Zed was not having any of it.

"She never wanted to have anything to do with my mother's clothes. They were never close" His crystal eyes landed on Raven with a powerful magnetic force. "You... I wouldn't refuse anything to you. And I thought, since Lena didn't seem interested maybe you will. Zelda is too little anyway and I don't think they are the kind of clothes Zyaire would wear." He meant it as a joke but Raven was not playing.

"She's not your mother, Zed. It's theirs too. And Zelda doesn't remember anything about her, she's patiently waiting for you to man up and talk about the amazing woman she was. But no one waits forever and sooner or later she will grow up and resent you, just like the others do."

"They don't need me to tell them. They know."

Zed turned placing his hands on both side of the table leaning in ad if he was heavy.

"Except they don't. They told me you and your mother were closer. That she spent more time with you, so it's obvious you have the most memories."

Raven wanted to touch his shoulder but he was so tensed she thought he would snap.

"I won't. Please don't ever think I will snap at you, Ravenna. It kills me that you'd think that." He begged through the bond.

He wasn't the prince, Raven repeated as her palm closed around his arm and she massaged it gently. Zed closed his eyes as if he was focusing on her fingers solely, trying to forget everything else. That's what he missed most, being touch tenderly.

"I miss you every second you're not with me, little lynx. I'm just glad you don't feel this longing that tears me apart from the inside out, every moment of the day I can't feel your physical touch on me. It's a blessing really."

"I don't understand, you're so sweet with me. Why can't you do the same with your siblings?"

Zed's found Raven and pinned her in place with a glacial look.

"It's different with you. I can't help it. Every fiber of my being screams bloody murder every time I rise my voice ever so slightly. I can't get mad at you, I can't even look at you if not with tenderness. My entire being melts when your glare sets upon me, Ravenna. It drives me insane the sole thought of bringing ache to your heart. You've been through so much already. They have it easy compared to you."