"So he knows?" Viviane asked.
Lilliana nodded and moved aside and Eris stepped out.
And they both were sure that they saw Viviane breathe a sigh of relief.
"Did you just-
"Look, I'm sorry but I couldn't hide it from him." Viviane said and moved aside as well revealing Kallias. Lilliana and Eris looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Why did you tell him?" Lilliana asked her.
"I can ask you the same thing." Viviane said
"Because it was my plan." Lilliana replied.
Viviane sputtered.
Lilliana still had her eyebrow raised and her sharp eyes directed at the girl.
"Tell me." She pressed Viviane.
But Viviane was racking her mind for an answer.
"She told me because I asked her about it-
And as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Lilliana glared at Viviane, only doubting the girl.
"I didn't tell him anything before he asked me about it. So I don't know who told him that you would plan, it could've been him." The last sentence gestured towards Eris.
"Why would-
Eris had begun and was interrupted by Lilliana.
"He didn't do it, Viviane." She said.
Eris's heart bloomed with happiness at her trusting him.
"I knew you would scheme, so I asked her, knowing that you would tell her." Kallias spoke.
He was correct, even if they fought, Lilliana would tell Viviane about all of her plans and schemes. So Kallias's hunch was very good and that was great however, anxiety tore him up from inside because Eris knew her very well. There was something that Lilliana wasn't going to tell them, something that she would pull off at the end and cause them all to almost die in shock. He wanted to keep that from happening but he didn't even have any idea of what it could be. He just needed to keep his eyes open.
"Even though I truly believe that your scheme is risky and difficult, tell me what can I do to help you?" Kallias said.
"I just need to get in." She said.
"You? Isn't Eris going to go with you?" Viviane asked.
"No he won't" Lilliana said.
He knew that she would go alone but he wanted to still help her.
"That's not fair with you." Eris said, his voice harshly low.
Lilliana seemed to be considering it, before she spoke.
"Fine, you can come with me till the border." She said.
The three looked skeptical.
"How will you get in?"
Lilliana looked for something in her pocket before bringing out a sheet of paper, scribbled with ink and dropping it onto the table.
"This is a sheet full of information provided to me, courtesy of Cecile, and we will be using it to get in." She said and the name Cecile caused Eris to sputter as the poor boy almost fell to the ground.
"Cecile?" He asked.
"Yes, that Cecile, now let me tell you what it says." She said, and cleared her throat.
"Beron has not taken the past few events that occurred here lightly, and he has been considering taking back Eris's title as the 'soon to be heir' and also stripping him of all titles and completely removing him from the family. In his place, Felix will be made the heir and will also be coronated in three days, which ultimately means that he will be high lord of the autumn court. Secondly, Zane will have his area of administration taken from him as he was caught as a supposed traitor, however due to lack of proper evidence, his punishment has been shortened. Sirius, who has had the least of participation has not been punished at all and neither has Yen. However Magnus Vanserra will be executed due to his treachery and this will take place after the coronation." Lilliana finished reading the letter out loud. Viviane and Kallias were quiet but Eris was very silent, he kept looking at the ground.
When he looked up, there were tears lining his eyes.
"That's not fair." He said.
It wasn't fair, he didn't mind not becoming the heir even if that was all he had trained in his life for, he wouldn't mind giving it up to Zane, or Sirius but Felix was someone who didn't know how serious things could get, he was immature and took everything to heart. And that was unfit, that was dangerous for someone who would be given that much power. If anything could be said then Felix was the exact copy of Beron. He didn't believe that Zane should have his land taken away or his position. But the one thing that bothered him the most was the fact that Magnus who truly had the least participation in their plan was the one getting executed. All the poor boy wanted was a smooth life and now he wasn't even going to live.
"I know." She said quietly.
Eris stood up and left the room, mainly because none of it made sense. Why did someone always have to die. The image of Isabella falling to the ground had never left his mind and now to learn that someone would have to die because of his stupid decisions was quite despicable. It made him want to die. He still remembered how she had fallen to the ground with that damned arrow impaling her, he remembered Zane's scream, how painful it had been, he remembered wanting to die instead of her. And it made him think of her, and then Magnus, he must be in so much pain. They all had been his responsibility and he had let them all down.
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Lilliana walked in the room, to find Eris looking out the balcony, the sun was rising and cast different hues of colors all over the place. The sun's presence never mattered since it was so cold but right now it did, since she got to watch the sunrise with him.
He was leaning against it, hands on the balcony, looking at the city beneath him, eyes yearning for something beyond. The amber of his eyes shined so brightly, the orange sky and his eyes seemed to be colliding, fighting to see who was the brightest. The orange of the sky hitting his face at all the perfect points, casting a tan over his pale skin. She imagined how his eyes would look in the rain. She believed they would stand out, his eyelashes would look perfect. His hair would get matted to his face and the raindrops would slide down his face. It was almost as if she could see the image as a painting; a painting she would frame and hang in her room.
She wished to walk in the rain with him. But she didn't think that she would get to experience it so it only remained a wish.
But if she could, just one time live like that; carefree. She would run in every rainstorm. With him.
Lilliana placed her hands on the balcony and looked at Eris.
He turned to look at her.
And the if she could only paint his face in that moment, she would stop time and do it. She wanted to see that look on his face all the time, she wanted to see his eyes soften everytime he looked at her. If only she could get to experience that for the rest of her life.
"How are you feeling?" She asked,the tone of her voice was low and soft.
"Not okay." He murmured, now looking at the horizon again.
She nodded.
Sometimes shared silence also can be comforting. She wanted it to be comforting, for both of them. Talking was important considering their situation but she would never get to live this again. And she wanted no regrets.
So they kept staring at the horizon, as the sun rose, and the sky shifted from an orange to a blue-gray. And then snow began to fall.
The first snow of the season. The snowflakes fell, and it seemed so beautiful as if the snowflakes were contemporary dancers, making their impact on their stage; the sky. Their movements beautiful and soft, as one dropped onto his hair. She stretched her hand out for one to fall, he placed his hand beside her and it was almost magical as two snowflakes landed on their palms.
She looked at him, and he looked at her.
Lilliana was sure she just had a mini heart attack. A soft smile was on his face, as he looked at her, his cheeks and nose were red.
Somehow she wanted to cry. Even though she should smile back, tears made their way to her eyes. The whole thing was so surreal and so special that it was so heartwarming. But it was sad at the same time. Thinking of the fact that this was the last time this could every happen was heartaching.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
"They say that watching the first snowfall with someone you likes means that their love will last long." He said his voice cracking at the end.
Another tear rolled down her cheek.
She wanted it to last long. She wanted them to last long.
"Please." He whispered as he stepped closer towards her. His hair sprinkled with white.
She tried to stop the tears from falling, one after the other, mimicking the snowflakes.
"Please." It was a plea. A plea for her to change her plan so they could last.
She wanted to change it. She desperately wanted to change it.
She stepped forward. They were almost hugging. A snowflake landed on his eyes lash.
Another tear fell.
His hand was then on her cheek, cupping it. Tears rolling down his cheek as well.
"Please." He murmured, she placed arms around him. Her forehead touched his. The tips of their noses touching.
Another tear fell.
"Please." He whispered.
But only tears fell.
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They quickly moved, the four of them making sure to be fast so they could reach the border by sundown.
Kallias and Viviane had been glancing at them again. And again.
Worry had been gnawing on his insides since the moment they had left the palace. He could feel that something was wrong. But he didnt, no, he couldn't cause her more pain by asking anything about her plan. He trusted her about it and that was enough. Even if he had no idea about how she would get in after crossing the border, he trusted her methods. He hated that he could only take her to the border. He wanted to reason but she seemed fazed and tired.
He only wished that witnessing the first snowfall with her meant that she would come back and that they would be together.
He could see the border, the huge tree marking it, he had climbed that tree once and went to the top of it, he was able to see the whole of the autumn and winter court. Looking on the left side, enabled him to view the autumn court and the right side; the winter court.
He wanted to show it to her.
They walked towards it. Kallias and Viviane remained in the trees and he did step to go with them. But Lilliana placed a hand on his wrist.
He raised his brow.
She gestured for him to follow her.
He did but curiosity bothered him.
"Lilliana, what-
She dragged him almost quickly as if she was in a rush or was about to miss a train.
They stood on the border, the line of it, the tree's long branches hovering over them.
"What's wrong?" He asked, concern etched on his face.
Suddenly there were footsteps.
And there appeared Felix and Beron accompanied by no other than Cecile.
Eris's eyes widened in panic and he grabbed her hand, in hopes of winnowing out.
But she-
She punched his stomach, he felt the air being knocked out of his stomach. He doubled over.
"Lilliana." He wheezed.
She looked at Felix and sighed as if she was relieved to meet him.
"What are you doing here? And with him? How interesting that we found you." Felix said.
He tried to stand over but it was as if his air supply was being cut off. He felt sluggish. And then he saw her hand behind her back, moving.
Was she-
"Felix." She said.
"What are you doing here? Do you want to die?"
She sighed again, and cast an almost disapproving look at Eris. He wasn't sure what was going on.
"No, I wanted to apologise to you,-
She was interrupted while she almost talked to him in a pleasant voice.
"And why should we accept the apology?" Beron asked, his voice ragged and proud.
Why was she doing this?
She moved her hand and he was picked
up from the ground. She brought him infront of them.
"I came bearing gifts. You can have him and I can have you." She said to felix, emphasizing on the you.
This wasn't happening. It would be better as a dream or maybe this was a joke.
"You can have me?" Felix asked, his expression amused.
"Of course, I was supposed to marry the heir, but now the heir has changed so it is only fit that I marry you." She said.
Even if he trusted her, this hurt alot.
Felix chuckled.
Beron looked proud and then looked down to cast him a distasteful look.
"I can divorce him of course and then you can marry me." She said, a smile on her face.
His heart was aching.
It was shattering.
He trusted her, yes but this-
This was killing him.
"I'm fine with that, but I do have a condition." Felix replied, his expression smug.
Lilliana's brow rose in curiosity.
"I will kill him." He said.
He wished that she had even once winced, or shown a change in her expression.
"Please." He whispered, looking at her.
She did not bother looking even once at him.
"Please." Eris pleaded.
Dying would be better than this, the pain of being stabbed would be better than the pain, the ache he felt; not because she was slowing his heart rate or the fact that she punched him. But his heart was aching because of what she was doing.
She only smirked at Felix and nodded her head.
Please.
He saw her get into his carriage and then he couldn't see anymore.
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Why am I the one who's crying?