Crimson Eyes ~ Sequel to: The Valkyrie, An Obi-Wan Story (completed)

Chapter 38: Liars and sinners

The moment I entered my room I let out a content sigh, closing my eyes momentarily to try and relive the past few hours. My whole body felt aloft, as if it was flying amidst the clouds. A relief filled me that almost made me giddy with excitement.

I wasn't going to be locked up again. There would be more missions and more adventures for me to go on. I could finally help there where I was needed the most. Save those clones before they even had the chance to get hurt in the first place, instead of healing the wounds already inflicted. I would be free.

But that wasn't what made those butterflies appear in my belly, wasn't what knotted my stomach into impossible angles. It was the phantom touch still left by those damned lips, those damned hands.

Sighing as I leaned my palms on the desk, I looked into my mirror and noted my dishevelled hair and the makeup smothered all over my face. There were even some stray twigs embedded in the braids. The dark coal now ran down in short lines, making my eyes pop out even more.

But it was the smile that was new to me. A smile I hadn't seen in months, a hopeful one that was growing still. Even though the purpose of the kiss was for something else entirely, my heart had practically melted into hot pools. For how could it not, when his hands had roved up my entire body, exploring more than had been necessary in that moment.

How could it not when we had danced in that forest, when that bond had suddenly sparked back to life again with no explanation. Was it our love returning? Or was it some trick of the mind, a faint echo of what it once was?

I couldn't decide what it was. Couldn't allow myself to even think for a moment that what we had could have returned. I just needed... I needed to see him again, ask him if he felt the same. If he was just as lost as I was at this moment. If he couldn't even think straight, just like I couldn't form one coherent thought. But that'd mean making myself vulnerable again. It'd mean that he could reject me like before, that he could walk away yet again and leave me behind.

With a huff I released my hair, letting it fall down in massive waves down my back and plucked out the leaves and feathers. For a moment the fear managed to crawl into my heart. Still, it was driven out by that stubborn hope that blossomed. The last remains of the warmth of him, of his velvet voice ringing my ears. A smile grew again.

Damn it all, I still trusted him. Even more so, I loved him, against my own better judgement.

"So, when are you going to tell him?" Arthas made me jump in fright the moment he spoke up. My gaze flew to him in the mirror, to the way he was casually leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a smirk plastered on his face. His eyes were hidden by the shadows dancing over his features.

Rolling my eyes, my mouth was set in a thin line as I continued to comb through my hair with my fingers. Unease filled my stomach as I battled against the thoughts that made their way into my mind. "Tell him what, Arthas?"

"You know what." I could barely see his mouth pull into a smile.

Maul. A pang of fear ran through my limbs as I stilled. I'd forgotten all together what had happened. What I was hiding, still. The simple truth that would ruin everything. "Soon." My voice trembled, lips quivering, as I then continued combing.

"Sure." Arthas pushed himself off the wall as he snickered, disbelief soaking his voice. It had me clenching my jaw in frustration. "You want to know what I believe?" I only huffed, dropping my arms and letting my nails dig into the wood of the cabinet as I bit the inside of my cheeks. "I know you will keep that secret from him for as long as you are able to. The knowledge will eat you up from the inside, until you have no choice but to tell him and then, then it will already be too late."