𝐎𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐞𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐

𝐓𝐖: 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞

.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡futile love+..｡*ﾟ+

It was a cold, rainy night when me and Claude discovered the infidelity of the two lover. 

I, who was worried for Anastacius since he had just left on his carriage in the midst of a cold slippery road, had requested a fast mana portal for myself to use. When the request was accepted, I quickly was grasped away into the royal palace. I staggered slightly, and was pushed into the arms of the blonde man. 

"Andra, are you alright?" the so blonde asked me worridly as he grasped me tightly in his arms. worried diamond eyes were staring at me intensly. I smiled warmly at Claude. 

"Oh, don't worry Claude. I was just worried for Anastacius because he seems so out of things these days."

That was quite certaintly true. Sometimes, even at the presence of myself, Anastacius would stare, souless into somewhere far away in the horizan. Even when talking about the matters that he would find pleasent, he would somewhat remain silent with a slightly guilty expression on his beautiful face. When asked about the problem, he would just sigh, and smile slightly. He would always hurry along, saying that he had no time today. 

Even I was starting to be suspicious of his eccentric behavior in those recent times.

"By the way Claude, are you getting along well with Penelope lately?" I asked, hoping the latter would smile in those gloomy times. Instead, his face was slightly darkened. 

Penelope has now been my friend for some time now. She was an ambitious lady with big plans for the future. Although we might not be the same age, she was an interesting individual to talk with, and she was quite warm and kind even to strangers like myself. She and Claude was also getting ready for engagement persee the request of the count, but she herself had rejected that so plan, exclaiming that she needs time to get ready. I understood her, as engagement sounded quite a tiring experience lately. 

"I don't know where she is.." Claude replied, hints of worry evident on his voice. The rain was hitting the windowsills harder now, and the maids were seen closing windows and draping flowy curtain on the individual windows. 

"How about we look for those together? Who knows, maybe they are studying together, remember that time at the Count's estate?" I tried to, at least, make a joking comment, but it only made Claud's expression worse. 

Could it be..?

𝗡𝗼. 𝗜𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲.𝗜𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗲..

"Let us hurry" I said, my voice slightly trembling. Claude, who noticed the sign, said nothing but give me a huge hug. Wrapped around his arms in a comforting gaze, I felt slightly better. "I'm sure that that's not the case Andra..it will be alright." 

But all those month..all those years of the whipering love..

Were they all false?

.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡

The soft sound of tapping feet could be heard on the silent hallway. Me and Claude was heading over to Anastacius's room. I could still rethink of the nostagia that room gave me. When we were young, we would go to his room, and read interesting novels that he purchased. Those were the good old memories. 

But now, the hallway was eerie and silent, and I can't help but imagine astrocius scenes as they flashed across my thoughts. Claude held my hand tightly, as he himself also looked stoic.