A Demon's History: Lotus Thorns

Chapter Eight: Two Lonely Hearts

As Lleon reached his thousands, he learned to lead each meeting with authority. This was a noticeable change, and it made the other rulers nervous. However, he did not pay them any mind because he was busy strategizing and working out kinks in his plan.

During one meeting, he had decided to speak about his plans to invade an Angel realm kingdom. That was until he was interrupted by the sound of the scraping of the building's heavy doors. He tried not to look up at the sound of heels echoing off the walls, but he could not help it.

She had shorter hair that was styled in a complex manner, and she did not wear the shawl that she used to wear. The maturity of her appearance seemed to catch a few of them off guard. How could they not get distracted by the less modest look she dawned? Even more noticeable was the lack of insecurity she once had, and the strange, eye-shaped crown that hovered just above her head. As she sat down, her ashen blue eyes stared him down with the same authority he presented, and by the stars was he taken aback.

Anahera Madeleine Clément.

"Why are you here?" he asked after the minutes crawled by.

"It does not matter."

He scoffed at this response. He did not continue talking about his plans and the meeting moved on. Lleon always thought himself superior to most, but here she was, challenging him. Someone worthy of challenging that superiority. It excited him even more. Despite this new development, he did not back down from his plans. Not at all. He continued to prepare for the invasion because, in the end, he wanted her to beg him for mercy. He wanted to see something in her cold, pitiless eyes. He wanted her to pay for the hurt she caused him all those years ago.

After the meeting, he approached her. She had been on the balcony located on the second floor he did not even know existed. She did not even turn to look at him, instead staring at the sky. This was just like a scene in that book they used to read.

She stared at the sky as he stood beside her, the wind blew gently through her hair. The pirate cherished her as if she was the only thing of value on his ship. He loved her, by the stars, he loved her.

Except - he didn't love her.

Lleon pulled out a cigarette, but it was quickly snatched away by her.

"Don't do that around me." She warned. Lleon scoffed but did not try again. They stood in silence once more. Eventually, he decided to speak.

"You know, I used to dream of you accepting me into your life. Now I dream of ending it." Lleon said as he looked at her.

"I did accept you, Victoir." Anahera looked back at him. "However, you let yourself become too convinced that I was the bad guy in the situation. I am not the villain in your story. So...Je jouerai à ton jeu."

He went to say something, but she was already gone. That was possibly the first conversation they had without trying to tear each other down in an aggressive manner. Truthfully, he did not think of her as the villain. He was the villain, and she was the cause.

Lleon spent most of his time watching her. He could not do such a task without looking suspicious in her realm, so he gathered information when they were in meetings. He learned she went out daily to help the people in her kingdom, that she had a dog named Choux that she confided in, that she wrote two books of her research, and that she spent time with Avery Blossom.

Avery.

He was an ally to her and he could not hate him more. The main factor was his closeness to her. He was her suitor, after all. How he looked at her with such adoring eyes. That Avery kissed her cheek and the back of her hand.

As he made his way through the hallway, he overheard Avery and Anahera conversing.

"How does it feel to be back?" Avery asked.

"Alright, I suppose. I did not realize he would be in charge."

"Did you see his face when you came back though?" he asked before he chuckled a bit. "You carry yourself as a true leader. A queen."

"You think so?"

"I do. A queen will need a king someday, and I will be here for when that day arrives."

Lleon did not hear Anahera's response to that, but he still disliked-No-despised the idea. Despite that, he stayed quiet when he rounded the corner, making brief eye contact with Anahera. She was still as deadpanned as ever.

Lleon went out to smoke on the balcony, thinking about what he wanted to eat when he got back. Not even a few minutes later, he found himself not alone anymore. When he heard her heels behind him, he put his cigarette out. She would have done it for him anyway. Anahera stood beside him, placing her hands on the railing.

"Something is different about you," Lleon murmured, doing the same. "What is it?"

"Why would you care?"

"I don't, but it has been a few twenty-three thousand years. I think anyone would be curious."

She still did not answer and it became obvious that she was not in a talking mood, but that just made him want to ask why she came up in the first place. It could not have been to enjoy each other's presence, because they did not enjoy each other's presence at all. He looked down at their hands side by side. His hands looked so much rougher than hers. He was much rougher than her. He always was. Perhaps that was why he refused to believe she ever wanted him. That she would ever accept the person he was. Yet, he knew that she did not. Not anymore. Not when he treated her without any respect in their adolescence. Besides, he was a killer; he was a brute.

Lleon refocused his gaze on the sky. He strangely enjoyed the bitter quietness. Instinctively, he looked over at her when she finally moved. She went back inside without a word. He knew he had to go back as well, but he did not want to. The truth was that she was not the only one who was worn down from the arguing. He became weary after years of facing her toneless expression from across the table. Her lonely heart that only he felt because that was something she feared the most. Never death, never the Demons that surrounded her, but loneliness.

She was not alone in that feeling.

Even when they were children, they knew how lonely they were when they were not together. She grew up without her parents around, he grew up with his parents not caring, and they both grew up too quickly. They were both expected to do great things but in different ways. It was unfortunate. Meeting her was the most unfortunate thing to happen to him.