A GIRL CALLED LUNA

8| A Web of Lies, A Heart of Stone

 Noah, fueled by Eleanor's venomous whispers, remained blinded by anger and resentment towards Luna. Though he felt a flicker of unease about his actions, he pushed those feelings aside, clinging to the fabricated narrative of Luna's manipulation and ambition. He continued to distance himself from her, treating her with icy indifference. Luna, meanwhile, observed his behavior with a mix of sadness and annoyance. She knew Noah was being manipulated but understood that his pride and stubbornness were preventing him from seeing the truth. She decided to focus on herself, her work, and her family, choosing to ignore his toxic behavior. One evening, as the castle was abuzz with the preparations for a grand ball, Noah found himself drawn to the gardens. He was restless, his mind churning with a strange mix of anger and longing. He saw Luna tending to her small garden patch, her face illuminated by the soft moonlight. He approached her, his tone laced with a biting sarcasm. "Busy as ever, I see. I thought you peasants were supposed to be lazy." Luna looked up, her eyes meeting his with a calm, steady gaze. "I'm not a peasant, Noah," she said, correcting him. "And I'm not here to entertain you." "Oh, really?" Noah sneered. "Then what are you doing here, tending to your little patch of weeds?" Luna held his gaze, her voice unwavering. "I find peace in tending to these flowers, Noah. Unlike some people, I don't need grand balls and fancy titles to find happiness." Noah scoffed, his anger flaring. "You're just jealous, Luna. You're just a simple peasant, you'll never understand what it's like to be a part of the world I live in." Luna sighed, her patience wearing thin. "I don't need to understand your world, Noah. I have my own world, my own values. And I'm perfectly happy with that." "You're just pretending," Noah said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're just trying to hide your ambition, your desire for power." "I'm not pretending, Noah," Luna said, her voice rising in frustration. "I'm just tired of your accusations, your insults, your manipulations." "Manipulations?" Noah laughed, a bitter, mocking sound. "You're the one who's been manipulating me, making me believe you were something you're not." "I've done nothing of the sort," Luna said, her voice shaking with anger. "You're the one who chooses to believe Eleanor's lies, the one who chooses to see me as the villain." Noah turned away, his anger reaching a boiling point. He couldn't stand to hear her defend herself, to see her defiance. He had been convinced that she was the manipulator, the one who was playing him for her own gain. "Just leave me alone, Luna," he said, his voice cold and sharp. "I'm tired of your lies, your games." Luna watched him walk away, her heart heavy with disappointment. She had tried to reason with him, to show him the truth, but he was too blinded by anger and manipulation. She understood that he had been hurt, that he was angry, but his refusal to see beyond the lies and manipulation was heartbreaking. She knew that he wouldn't find peace or happiness until he faced the truth and learned to see beyond the web of lies that had ensnared him. As Luna continued to tend her flowers, she knew that she had done all she could. She had tried to connect with him, to show him her true self, but he chose to remain trapped in his own self-made prison of anger and resentment. And as the moonlight bathed the garden in a silver glow, Luna realized that she was alone in this fight. She had to find her own way, her own path, even if it meant leaving Noah behind in the darkness of his own making.