Daughter of the Night [A Twisted Wonderland Fanfic]

Chapter 12

"Wait... please."

Y/N hurried along, trying to speed ahead. She didn't want to face Malleus. She couldn't. She couldn't. She couldn't.

She reached the pavilion in the centre of the garden and leaned back against one of the pillars, listening to the rain as it started to fall. It seemed as though the world could feel her sorrow. The rain felt like a gentle comfort on her hand as she stretched it out beneath the roof, feeling the world as it cried for her broken heart.

"Y/N." She felt the hand of the prince take hers, holding it tight.

Y/N tried to ignore the longing in her heart and the gentle tugs that she felt on her hand. Malleus' warmth snaked beneath her glove, ignoring her attempts to block out all sorts of memories from before. It felt like her heart was throbbing in her chest, pleading for her to let go for once in her life, and pleading for her to ignore everyone who had been causing her pain as of late. 

"We can't do this, Malleus," Y/N whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain falling on the roof of the pavilion. The stars and moon had been blotted out by the dark clouds, and even though there were small lamps in the garden, enchanted to shine through the falling tears of the sky above, it seemed as though the world had gone dark.

"Why?" 

Y/N shut her eyes, trying to block out the comforting shiver that ran through her body as Malleus neared her, knowing that she didn't have the strength or will to pull away from his touch. His arm gently encircled her waist, the bare skin of his hands settling on the small gap in fabric on her waist. Y/N suddenly wished that she had chosen something that covered her skin rather than exposing the sides of her waist. She knew that her fiancé liked the dress on her and often said that it made her shine like a star in the night, but as she felt Malleus' gentle caress on her skin, she wished that she made another choice. 

"You are engaged, Malleus," she said softly. "As am I. We have made promises and -"

She suddenly stopped, her voice cut off by a gasp as she felt Malleus release her hand. Instead, he cupped her cheek, turning her face towards his. His bright green eyes shone in the darkness, the desire behind them somehow glowing. Y/N could remember a time when she loved seeing Malleus stare at her as he was now. As if she was the only thing in the world that mattered to him. But now, all it did was shatter her heart into more pieces than there were stars in the sky. 

"We are alone, darling," Malleus whispered, his thumb stroking Y/N's cheekbone. "There is no one here to tell us that we should not be out here... alone... but together." He leaned closer to Y/N, his breath fanning over her lips. Y/N hated him for doing this to her heart, but as she felt the ghost of his lips, she felt her fight slowly draining from her, washed away by the rain that pounded on the roof above them.

"We can't do this, Malleus," she whimpered. Her hand moved of its own accord, gently caressing Malleus' arm as it rose to cup his hand. She wanted nothing more than the warmth of his skin on hers, and as his hand gripped her waist, she felt her heart leap into her throat. He knew what he was doing to her, and he knew what would happen if they were to be discovered like this. But still, he seemed to have no care in the world. Y/N wished that she could be as careless as Malleus. 

"Just once more, my love. Once more before we are forced to spend a lifetime away from each other." He dared not pull away from Y/N for fear of his heart-shattering. He could already feel the cracks, echoing like broken glass in his ears.