The Guarded Princess

LXXXI

The scene of meteor showers raining down across the sky was a scene that could only be seen once every thousand years and just as Lucy had made it visible to those of the Celestial Empire, those who lived on the earth were able to see it as well. Awe shone in their faces as their eyes reflected the beauty of the scene, etching it deep within their mind.

Kouen, who stood on the balcony of his palace, looked up at the sky with a pain struck and poignant expression for he knew that the only one who could make such a scene was Lucy. He blinked his eyes back from the tears as he clutched the wine cup in his hand.

"Happy birthday," he murmured under his breath and smiled. "Lucy."

He closed his eyes and drank the cup. Knowing that she was there somewhere in the world, he was content with that for it meant that she still existed and as long as she existed, he had the chance of seeing her again. He smiled and poured another cup, its lucid and transparency reflecting the meteor shower. He raised it to his lips again and drank it within one gulp as he drowned himself in the pungent aroma of sake. He sat down on the chair with a thud as his eyes scrunched up and he gritted his teeth.

"Lucy...Lucy..." he said as tears began to well up. "Do you not want to see me that bad? Did you really wish to leave me that badly?"

His voice was contorted with anguished sobs as he laid his arm and head on the table, the cup falling from his hand and landing on the marble floor as the rest of the sake spilled from it.

The ruffling of a skirt and a glimpse of white was seen and appearing behind him with a solemn and sorrowful expression was Lucy. Stepping towards him one at a time with a slowness in her movement, she looked at him as her heart was heavy with emotion. Her birthday banquet had long ended back in the Empire and everyone had retired for the night. The meteor showers were meant to rain until dawn and there were only a few hours until it stopped. She had come down to look around and check on how they were doing and seeing that not a single one of them had forgotten her, she couldn't express how happy yet miserable she felt.

Kouen, she looked at him.

How wretched he looked as he laid there on the table, crying his heart out with nothing but anguish and longing. Her heart gave a tumult as she stepped closer to him.

"Lucy...Lucy!" he cried out. "Come out! Just once...just once is fine," he cried, tears spilling from his eyes. "Just let me see you..."

Lucy's lips quivered as she reached out a hand to him but with just inches away, she stopped and hesitated. She had promised herself that she would only watch them from afar for if she were to appear to them, how cruel would it be to leave again? After all, right now, she was the Celestial Empire's Empress and there was still much more that she had to take care of. Her hand dropped back down to her side as she walked around him and stood before the table across from him.

Seeing him in such a state, a tear dropped from her eye.

She continued to watch him as he sat there and cried out for her. She hated herself and her heart was tormented with anger and yearning. They were so close yet, so far. He was right in front of her. Yet, she couldn't touch. The first flower had blossomed. Yet, no one had noticed it. She closed her eyes as the tears streamed down.

The night passed along and she stood there in the same exact spot, tormenting herself while looking at him with longing. He had drunk himself to sleep and his face was flushed but his eyebrows were still furrowed together in anguish, murmuring her name in his sleep. She looked at the number of bottles that he had drunk within those hours before dawn.

Kouen, you drank too much, she said. But, the cause of you drinking is me so I'm the one to blame.

She undid her invisibility spell, the golden light around her disappearing as her body became apparent once more. She stepped towards him and his crimson cape lined with fur appeared in her hands as she placed it over him, protecting him from the cold of the night.