Stealing Hearts.

Fifteen.

Text sixteen.

Zara was nervous or that was what she told herself. She was dizzy and she felt sick but, she just told herself it was her nerves about having her dream wedding.

Stacey had said she looked kind of pale but, it was probably wedding jitters.

In all she looked glamorous, elegant in her designer wedding dress. Her hands were coated with henna, her eyes glittering. She was the the embodiment of perfection.

"Ready?" Stace asked her, looking at her from the mirror.

She nods, feeling slightly cold. She tries to stand but gravity seems to be against her.

"Zara?!" Stace said as she steadied her. "What's wrong, are you okay, should I call Lucien?"

"No!!!" She yelled more than necessary. "I am fine, I just need water with salt. I'll be fine. I don't want Lucien to worry."

"Fine but if it gets worse, we're telling Mr. Sinclair."

Stacey left to get her a glass of water. She tried to collect her thought as best as she could, using her mind to fight off whatever was wrong with her.

She was fine, she had drank her coffee and had some pizza and a coke. It all began after she showered. What could possibly be wrong?

She opened her eyes to see a glass of juice in front of her. She gingerly accepted it but paused when she saw the hand it was from.

"How are you?"

"Lonera." She adjusts her hoarse voice. "What are you doing here?”

"I came to check on you for Luci...dad and my only excuse was with a glass of orange juice."

She chuckled but suddenly a wave of dizziness hit her hard she nearly fell.

"Aunt, you all right?" She feigned concern. "Here." She handed her the orange juice.

"No." She pushed it away. "I will be fine, I just…"

"No, it will make you feel better. Now take it, for Lucien's sake." Zara obliged, drinking everything in the glass.

"Better?"

"Yeah, I'll go look for Stacey to tell her I am ready. See you and thank you."

"Yeah, I’ll catch up."

Lonera smirked immediately Zara was out of ear's reach.

"You might be okay now but, later… it will be just me who will be okay." She said to herself.

†******†*****†******†******†
People had began arriving when Stacey and Zara arrived in the temple. These people consisted mostly of close friends and family.

She felt a bit better and now she knew it was just all in her head. She grinned at the people who came to greet her, exchanging pleasantries with them and they congratulated her on tying the knot.

"Zara." She turned around to see Lucien smiling at her.

"Lucien, angel after my heart?" She acknowledged him taking steps towards him.

"Have you met everyone?" He asked as he stared at her with a stare she couldn't decipher.

"Mostly, yes. Why anyone I haven't met?"

"It wounds me that you would get married without me by your side." An all too familiar voice stated. She knew that voice anywhere, after all she knew the voice of her support throughout her childhood. How could she forget the voice of her very own brother?

"Rico." She breath out.

"Come here." He said as he stretched his arms out of her. She ran into his outstretched arms. He pecked her forehead. "I missed you."

She chuckled. "Missed you too." She pulled away slightly. "Took me getting married to get you to show up?"

"Some of us actually have duties but, family is important and for my absence, I wholeheartedly apologize. I had to come when I got a letter saying my baby sister was engaged and to be married within a fortnight or else who would give the would be husband a good brotherly speech on what happens when he messes up."

"Not going to work on me."

"Trust me Lucien, prince or not hurt my sister, death will be a luxury."

"I won't, Rico. You have my word." His gaze moved to Zara's. "She is a treasure, I intend to value for the rest of my days."

"Good." Rico said. "I'll leave you two. See you sister." He pecked her forehead and disappeared into the crowd.

There was silent as both of them contemplated on what to say.

Zara spoke first. "You invited my brother?" She questioned.

"I did." He said as he bobbed his head. "He wasn't easy to find though and I am sorry if I crossed a boundary…"

"Thanks." She stared him dead in the eye, trying to telling him all her emotions by just one look. She hoped she did because she suddenly felt cold, very cold.

"I… I have something to tell you, Zara."

"I am all ears Lucien." She gave him an encouraging smile though inside her, she felt pain but, sadly she couldn't scream. It felt like something was eating her inside and it was slowly moving to the outside. Something was most definitely wrong with her.

"I am listening, Lucy." She still smiled even though feeling were leaving her body, her fingers were becoming numb.

It hurt to talk but she still found itself talking, she was weak but one look from him, she had renewed strength. She knew she however she didn't have much longer.

"Ever since I discovered what I am about to tell you, I have reasoned on how to tell you. I kept hiding behind our friendship but it was always a farce. So, I want to come clean and tell you that when I read you love poems." He paused chuckling to himself. "That when I read you love poems, I meant every word, when I hold you, I don't want to let go, when I got down on one knee, I meant every word I said that day, when I put you on live television, I wanted everyone to know you were off the market, that you belong to me because I am possessive of you and it's because you're the only woman I want, the only woman who balances me, Zara. At some point we were friends but now I just see you as my woman, my partner… my lover."

He paused when he stood two feet from her. "And that's because I love you with everything I am." He breathed out.

She finally understood what the sparkle was, the longing looks, the gazes, the electricity, the emotions, all of it. It wasn't one sided, Lucien loved her, he loved her like she loved him.

She gave him her best smile. "And I love you." He reached out to her but everything had faded to blackness. Everywhere was dark and she fell.

The only she heard before fading was Lucien's worried voice saying. "Zara, don't leave me please." She was far too gone, she was cold and almost dead.