𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐊'𝐒 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 .°* | wmmap.

━━ chapter XLIII.

"if you're gonna break my heart
this is a good start"

.

" FOR LOVE ― i will handle your sins , " in the aftermath of a rendezvous , glass - like voice recites the words in an absent manner . " and for justice ? " underneath the sheen fabric that covers her skin , slender hands stray leisurely across the curve of her waist , and by the sneaky precision that is obvious on his movements ―penelope can tell claude's attention is nowhere close the poetry she was reading to him . she gives him an unamused look , " are you even listening ? "

claude doesn't pay mind to her words , and instead sighs onto her lap , freeing his hand to elevate it up her hair , twirling a strand betwixt fingers as he drawls out the next part . " and for justice , i will show you mine . " he gives her one of those lazy smirks , pleased with himself . penelope closes the book , placing it carefully on the table next to her bedpost .

claude ― she found to her surprise , in the last week ― was surprisingly clingy . and in spite of his indifferent demeanor , he had many ways of passively demanding attention ; if left alone , liken the impression he gave , he would sulk ( albeit , he would never admit to it ) for hours . thus as advised by emily , penelope made a point to pay close attention to the indirect hints from the emperor . which resulted in him being in a surprisingly amiable ( as amiable as he could get , that is ) mood the whole week . but it also meant him randomly pulling her off her work , like right now . and to her own surprise , she found that she didn't mind it .. much .

a feathery touch on her lips broke her trance , and she looked down to see claude staring at her intently . good heavens , his eyes , was her first thought . " athanasia told me you're good at piano , " he chimed , absently playing with her hair . penelope didn't speak , and simply nodded in response . claude paused , diverting his gaze to the strand of nearly red hair in his fingers . there was so much he did not know about her , he often thought to himself . and every time he found something , she'd look at him with those secretive eyes and he'd find himself musing if he ever will know her completely or not .

penelope was not diana , she was not an open book . and despite all his desire to break that wall that she had around herself , he couldn't help but think .. did her walls extend to her previous lover as well ? or did he manage to unfold a side of her that was unknown to him ? the thought alone made his blood boil . there were times he often thought , what if the intimacy he had grown so oddly habitual to was all but physical ? what if it was a farce created out of the need for adaptation ? he remembered full well , promising to forgive one betrayal of hers .

but could he ? ; you shouldn't get used to her ―his mind often warned him , a survival instinct that he had acquired over years ― you shouldn't grow so accustomed to something that isn't yours to begin with . something handed to you over nothing but a sense of duty . just a little longer .. the selfish voice in the back of his head replied every single time , just for one more day , let me pretend .

and what better than this beautiful illusion ? skin against skin , limbs entangled , her voice reading him in peace . gods above , how was he not to be lured into the falsehood if it was so tempting ?

" by the way , i've wanted to tell you this .. " quiet voice tugs him back from his reverie , and with a hum , he looks up at her . she looks hesitant , chin raised in the same defensive manner that she made when she wasn't sure of herself . " i will be leaving in three days for the birder inspection . i've promised to take care of the defense barrier issue before the moon approaches and i don't want to disappoint them , " claude didn't reply right away , and instead released the strand of hair from his hands ― sitting up from her lap .

" i'll go with you . " he stated , making penelope frown immediately . " but why ? " she asked , straightening in her seat . claude gave her a skeptical glance , causally reaching for the robe that was thrown to the corner of the bed , half hanging over the edge . " why not ? " he quipped back casually , shrugging the robe on his shoulders , eyes averted .

he could practically feel her cold glare on the back of his head , but her voice was composed as ever as she argued back , trying to reason with him , " because it is my work , claude . it is me who has proposed the changes and taking you with me would simply cause the mage guild to think i am using you as my shield to shy away from taking responsibility for any possible failure . "

he turned to look at her , jaw locked . and there it was , the indecipherable marine eyes , collected , calculate mask slipping back on her features bit by bit . he could practically pinpoint the way her walls pulled themselves back up around her , as the woman that was grinning and reading poetry to him dissipated within mere seconds right in front of his eyes . and it enraged him more than anything . is that how much you hate it ? being shielded by me ?

" why ? do you have someone else waiting to accidentally stumble on you there ? " he snapped at her , venomous glare fixated on her . " a similar accident to the one we had not too long ago , perhaps ? someone who wouldn't like my presence around you . "

she looked hurt , and had his judgement not been clouded by the pent up insecurity of all this time , the constant doubt in himself , he might've felt regretful on seeing that expression on her face . but he had lost far too many pieces of himself in past , and an incomplete being like himself was not capable of trusting completely .

" i have an early day ahead , " with a shake exhale , she said ― her eyes cast down .

" i will take my leave . blessings and glory upon the sun of empire . " she bowed , tying the robe across her waist and leaving his chambers almost immediately . he made no attempt to stop her , either . his eyes long lingering on the door after she left .

claude didn't get much sleep that night , and the next morning , he was greeted by penelope's personal made cowering before him .

" b-blessings and glory upon the sun of the empire , her highness has asked me to inform you that ― due to some urgent reasons , she had to leave for the borders before originally planned . "

..

AIGHT LADS AND LASSES THE DRAMA STARTS HERE ! BUCKLE UP AND GRAB YOUR POPCORN !