"I have a big crush on you." *** He pulled sharply against the chains as they rattled, causing him to wince. "You used me! You never cared for me! You used my feelings for you against me and yet here you are, saying you trusted me? That's not how this should go."
He laughed deeply, reaching down to brush her hair back. “I have a big crush on you too.” *** She simply watched as he threw his fit, her face impossible to read. When he finished, she spoke again, her voice still low. “I used you for what? To get myself into prison? What exactly did I have to gain from that? You’re the reason I ended up in there, sire. Every whipping, every cut and every punch lies on your shoulders.”
She grinned, leaning into his touch slowly. *** "You used me to advance yourself and your little rebellion," he said sharply, "and when I tried to help you, you left anyways and got shot. They told me you were dead." His bright green eyes seemed fiercely intense as he stared at her. "How is this my fault?"
He watched her thoughtfully before his face grew worried again. He didn’t comment on it, though, pulling her close again. *** “You were never trying to help me,” she replied, her gaze severe upon his face. “You let me into your room and made an accusation based on prejudice and hate. I left and I got captured. Three months pass, and you left me to be tortured. Three months of interrogation and isolation and you relaxed in your silken bed chambers. You have no right to claim innocence.”
She frowned slightly. "What?" *** "I was trying to help you with every chance I got!" he said harshly. "I warned you before the raid so your family could get out, I rescued you from the dungeon and gave you bandages for your wounds! The day you left, I wanted to ask you if it was all a lie.. if you were simply using me. But you left, despite me warning you and telling you not to go. I watched you get shot from the balcony and I heard as the guard told my father that you had died." His words were poisonous yet strangely melancholy. "I never rescued you because I thought you were gone for good."
“Just got back to thinking,” he said quietly. “It’s poisonous.” *** “I wasn’t,” she replied quietly. “I was still very much around. If what you say is true, there is still a problem; I had never given you any reason to doubt me, and your doubt led to my imprisonment.”
She nodded slowly. "It'll be okay." *** He looked pained. "I know," he said quietly. "I've had time to think on it. I have blamed myself for ypir death despite having nothing but words. And now I blame myself once again, but rather for your torment."
“I hope you’re right.” *** She sighed, leaning her head back. “They asked me where my home was. Where the other Nomads were. Your own father would come down to hit me over and over again. I think he thought I was the one who was most likely to break and he wanted all the information directly.”
She nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. *** He looked up in surprise, his eyes widening. "My father?"
He sighed, closing his eyes to hope for sleep that he felt probably wouldn’t come. *** She didn’t look over at him, her head tilted back to look up at the ceiling. “Yeah. Your father.”
After about ten minutes, his body finally relaxed and he drifted off. * * * Her voice sounded so tired. Gone was the girl who danced with him in the streets that afternoon. Gone was the girl who had curled up next to him and rubbed his back. Gone was the girl who had kissed him, lips soft and sweet against his. "Nothing you could do or say would ever be enough," she replied. "But we live with it and we move on."
She had drifted off, holding him. *** He observed her before shaking his head, looking back down with a small frown. "Do with me what you will, Clara." While his loss was not as extreme as hers, something within him had diminished as well. A bit of his spark and excitement for adventure and the unknown.
(Zoop?) * * * She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck slowly. "I don't want you dead. I don't want you tortured. If what you say is true, then you were a victim here as well. But you have to understand... I can't let you go back. Not yet."
He was gone the next morning. *** “Give us a day;” she said quietly. “We’re leaving tomorrow. We’ll let you go and you’ll never see me again. It’ll be like I really died.”
She was awake, folding the blanket with a small frown. *** He looked over at her hesitantly. "I.. I don't want that."
He had left her a small note, written in his small print. * * * She looked over at him, frowning slightly. "Don't you?"
She picked it up curiously, reading it. *** He looked extremely unsure of himself, his gaze upset. "I loved you, Clara. Having you gone the first time was hard enough."
"Hello~ I'm sorry I had to leave while you slept, but I figured that it was probably best to return home before anyone noticed that I hadn't returned last night. You looked so peaceful and lovely; I didn't want to disturb you. Will you come to the castle today? I'd love to see you. xx Charlie" * * * Something adjacent to shock crossed her features and she waved her hands as if asking for a time-out. "Wait, wait. You loved me?"
