Empress of Self-Ruin

Chapter 41: The Other, Lesser Known Kind of Mommy Issues

The sky was still washed with gray when I came out from my mother's mausoleum.

The wind immediately laced my skin, delicate and cold like winter waves on shallow sand and there was a freezing chill in the air that brought crispness to the leaves; bejeweled with frost that crushed underfoot.

My breath rose in visible puffs to join the darkened, cloudy sky as I started walking aimlessly. I accidentally slipped on the slippery pathway—bringing my attention earthward once more. I lifted my eyes after I managed to regain my balance and there he stood.

His hair reminded me of the red carnations back in the room, for in this snow-covered land, he was the wintry bloom.

My eyes widened in disbelief, my lips parted as I stood frozen, staring at the man with a bouquet of roses in his hand.

That was when his eyes followed a breeze carrying snow over and met mine. A smile blossomed at the corner of his lips and he extended his hand out toward me.

I was stunned. He stood there, waiting for me. He held his hand out toward me and said only one name, "Calypso."

As if it was the most natural thing that he would be there, waiting for me.

That he would obviously extend his hand to me just like when we first met.

That I would obviously... grab his hand in return.

And I did.

It was obvious that I would.

If he stood like this in front of me, of course, I would.

If he held out his hand to me now, of course I would grab it. I would grab it with both hands and hold onto him.

I quickened my pace, almost running toward him, not even caring that I stumbled a few times as if gravity was just as capricious as luck; and with my heart in my hand, I reached out to him.

It looked pallid among these snows, my hand, but he took it instantly. Slotted his fingers between mine and squeezed, holding onto it.

"Be careful." He chuckled. "I did promise to always catch you, but let's not make it into a habit, shall we? I don't like seeing you fall."

I ignored his remark and responded with my own question instead. "Why are you here?"

"Why wouldn't I be here?"

"You're supposed to be in the western region."

"Ah, I finished my business earlier and immediately set off here." He leaned down a little to peer closer into my eyes. I didn't have the chance to reply before he spoke again. "But there's some issues on the way and I ended up being late. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it on time."

We began to walk back, hand in hand. Arsen seemed to have dismissed the servants and the knights since I couldn't see them around, so it was just the two of us.

"Why didn't you come inside?"

He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I wanted to, but I saw your uncle entering, and—I was late and it just felt inappropriate of me. I didn't want to disturb your moment."

"Come inside next time," was my reply.

His eyes widened, but he stuttered out, "I... I will."

Arsen's hand was getting warmer in mine. Arsen felt different. He seemed different.

I hadn't put a time limit on us, but if I had, it wouldn't have been more than a few days.

It had been weeks, so I thought we would have reached our limit by now, me and him.