Ascension Among Lies

Chapter Two

Nydia's P.O.V.

I've never felt more anxious in my entire life, and it didn't occur to me why I was so out of it. One second I'm opposing the marriage, next, I'm seated in my room, staring back at my reflection, the clock itching to strike at six. Unknowingly, I slowly start to pick at the scab around my nails, slowly picking up the pace, until a piece of my flesh peels off and blood begins dripping out. My mind goes dull before a pair of cold hands harshly grab mine, forcing me to stop. My eyes trail up slowly to make out the owner of the hands, and I immediately soften my gaze.

"Elios," I barely manage to whisper out.
"I told you not to do this," He gently brought my fingers towards him, and all the worries that I had, disappear in an instant.

"Why are you here, I thought you would be home?"

"Well, I heard my favorite person was getting betrothed and couldn't hold in my excitement." His eyes were gleaming and I swear for a second I saw little stars illuminating from his light green orbs. They look so washed out from the last time I saw them, almost as if he cried so much, the colour drains out following his happiness. "But seeing you doing this, isn't a good sign. What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I haven't even met him, and I'm already acting like he's a bad person," I say, my voice uneasy. I haven't felt like this in a while. Was it my gut feeling? Elios pulls me into a hug, and I melt.

This is what I longed for. This is what I need. My comfort place. It feels so familiar, but I couldn't make out what it was.

"You know I'll be with you every step of the way right?" I nod. He lets go and starts to dig into his pocket.

"Give me your hand." I obeyed, and he carefully put a bandage on my wound. When he removed his hand, I let out an unpleasant snort. The bandage had the picture of a seductive bunny wearing a maid costume. "Where the hell did you find this?" I say, breaking into a smile.

"I have my ways."

"And those ways are something I don't even want to hear ever again," I state, emphasizing the word ever. I look up at the clock and realize time is almost up. It feels like it didn't even exist.

"Well, I think this is my cue to leave and for you to make your last finishing touches," Elios says, while making his way to the door. Before he leaves, he turns around. "Nydia?" I whirl around in my seat and look at Elios. "Smile more, it's been a while since I've seen it." He closes the door behind him, and a cool breeze washes over me. I look in the mirror.

"Smile more. It's been a while since I've seen it."

Elios's words echo through my head.

I wish I had the energy to.

             ~~~

I was starving. I haven't eaten anything in the past three hours, and it started to hit me hard. Usually, I could go without food for a reasonable amount of time with all the errands I have to run as the subsequent ruler of Asterin, but today, I desperately needed food. I kept wavering looks into the kitchen. The pleasant aroma of food lingered in my nose for too long. I felt a pair of gentle hands grab onto me tightly.

"Are you excited?" My mother says, looking me in the eye. She looks more exuberant of meeting him than I am. I give her a fake nod and a faint smile. Even though there is no opposing this marriage, my parents look at this in a hopeful perspective. I need love and they know it.

My parents hold some sort of hope that this man will shine a light on me and bring me back to who I was. I doubt that, and a little scoff escapes my mouth.
While lost in a trance of thoughts, the door opens to reveal a rather attractive man, and our gaze almost immediately locks with each other. What I didn't realize were the two other people he brought along with him. My parents rush over to them and they all give their profound bows of respect. I slowly walked up towards him, his notable features were even more beautiful up close. He had a strong, well-defined face, along with smooth tanned olive skin that looked so unreal. His raven black hair was slicked back, with a couple of stray hairs falling effortlessly onto his face, exposing his profile. Those eyes are what naturally drew me in the most to him. They are a warm hazel color with a hint of green, almost as if spring is blossoming in his eyes. Our gaze lingers on each other for what seemed like forever, I want to know him deep within. I carefully analyze his movements, there is something about him that gives off a warrior aura combined with a gentleness. I bit my lower lip.