Longing for your smile
As the sun rises, Celine wakes up and quickly runs over to the kitchen as she asks her mother where Lucian is.
"Mother! Where's Lucian?" she asked.
"Sweetie, Listen carefully. Lucian needs to go back home to where he lives."Her mother replied in a calm and gentle voice as she hugged her to comfort her daughter having an uneasy feeling all.
"Don't worry sweetie, he'll visit you when he has time" she quickly cheer the sobbing face of her daughter and make her understand why he left.
Celine nodded and smile warmly gazing at her mother's eyes, as she take a bath in the wooden bathtub.
Celine sat in the tub of water, as her mother gently washed her white-silver hair. Emilia filled the battered mug with water and gently poured the water over her daughter's head.
"Mother," said the little girl.
"Yes, sweetie." Being attentive, her mother asked.
"What is it, Celine?"
"He won't forget me, right? He promised me that he won't forget me and I won't forget him as well." She murmured while glancing at the bathwater.
"Yes, he won't forget you, so don't be sad and he left a note before he left," she replied
"Really! Where did he put it, mother?"
Celine's dejected face turn lively, knowing Lucian left a note for her .she quickly asked her mother where he placed it.
" He left it on your desk, you didn't see it?"
"No, I didn't! I quickly leave the room, to see him, but I guess he already left last night."
Celine quickly runs over to her room and immediately wears a dress as she opens the note in excitement.
Lucian's letter:
Dear Celine, I greet you a good morning. I am writing this letter to let you know that life without you is not the same, I will miss you a lot and I realized that life without you is lonely and it was you who keep me alive and cheerful.
I will cherish the bracelet you gifted to me and will love it with all my heart.
I wished to stay with you longer but I need to leave before they'll know my whereabouts. I'll promise that I'll write a letter to you every weekend, also please take care of yourself and your family.
You and I will meet again, so please wait for me and be safe.
To Yours truly: Lucian
Celine smiled in relief while hugging his letter joyfully as she promised to never forget him in her life.
A month has passed, and as spring has come to an end, the summer breeze welcomes the AVANDOR empire.
The two continued to write and exchange letters as a way to know each other's lives.
Celine continued to help her parents, meanwhile, Lucian lived in the easthern part of the Pedalion empire, Lydra. In his uncle's estate, he trained to become a swords master as well learning politics, the empire's history, Aristocracy, Nobility, and much more.
2 weeks has passed, and the two continued to exchange letters as she had received his letter in the afternoon. Celine jumped in excitement as she read his letter happily.
Lucian's letter
Dear Celine, I greet you a good day, I hope you had a lovely day today, and I'm doing well but I still miss you so much.
I've been thinking about you since the day I left, I thought that I would get used to your absence from my life, but every day has been harder for me.
The 20th day of June is your birthday, right?
It's a shame that I can't come to your birthday, but I'll give you something special as my present to you.
So please don't get mad and take care of yourself.
To yours truly: Lucian ;)
Reading his letter made her happy and sad at the same time because he can't come to her birthday, but Celine comprehend his reasons as she write a letter in response.
Celine's letter
Dear Lucian, I understand if you can't come to my birthday this June and your first gift to me will be the best thing I ever had for a friend.
I will cherish it with all my heart, during the day I often find myself talking about you, with my family and also I missed you so much. Every time that I think of you my day is filled with nothing but joy and pride to have you as a friend and I hope that I could meet you sooner, always remember that I will love you as always so please don't get hurt and be safe.
To yours truly; Celine
Celine's heart is innocent as he thought of him as a friend even though her feelings for him are uncertain, she wants to cling to these uncertain feelings of her.
3 days before her birthday.
Lucian sent the present to his loyal knight Conan, as he write a birthday letter to her.
Conan's reaction to seeing his highness, Lucian in a good mood made him chuckle in secret as he wait for his highness's letter to Celine.
As he wait, a sudden report was delivered from his highness spy, Kiara. As his highness advisor Eugene, gasped in dismay, Conan quickly warn him as he got closer and murmur.
"Is this about the weekly reports of the empress?" he murmured.
"Yes, it is and it seems that her Majesty has finally made her move !" He whispered.
"Well, you can give it to him later, let him finish his letter to Celine. Seeing him in a good mood is nice, his highness has always been cautious, with everyone except to us his subordinates." He murmured.
The two of them waited as he finally finished writing a birthday letter to Celine, Lucian wrapped the gift himself as he carefully handed it to Conan.
Lucian's expression turn cold as he gaze up at his knight and threatened him with a grim.
"Please deliver it on time, and take care of that present. If you lost it or whatever, don't ever think of coming back, understand?" He stated as he never left his gaze to him.
Conan left with his hands trembling, Lucian who was sitting behind the desk .glanced at his advisor and let a dry chuckle, expecting that his stepmother the empress has finally made a move.
Eugene sighed seeing that all curtains were closed, leaving no room for light to enter. "Your highness" Eugene called with a sigh, Gazing at Lucian whose face was covered with parchment.
"This is the weekly reports of the spy you sent to the empress, your highness," he reported.
"I guess she's finally taking a move, isn't she?" He commented.
Eugene bit his lower lip secretly as he handed the report to Lucian.
As he checked the reports sent by her spy, Lucian's lips curved and make a smirk as he chuckled devilishly and sighed.
"So she's planning to make his son the crown Prince?" he asked.
"Yes, your highness."
" I guess they're taking advantage of the emperor's illness, to think she'll make her son who doesn't have royal blood! How bold of her," he commented.
"But your highness, Ezikiel doesn't have any interest over the throne!"
" Does he? even if he doesn't have any interest, that woman will do everything to take the throne!"
"So what, will be your move your highness?" He asked.
"Don't worry, I have gathered a lot of evidence to trampled her and lose her crown."
" It just takes time and the war between Pedalion and Avandor, when will that begin?"
" Next month in the first week of July" he stated.
" I want you to send someone to keep an eye on Celine and its family." He commented. His expression is solemn and cold as he's eyes made his advisor nervous.
" Yes, I'll send someone right away to protect her, your highness! " He replied.
Lucian sat upright as he grabbed the head of a bloodied person who attempted to poison him earlier. The assassin who's gradually losing their consciousness begged for his mercy, but Lucian didn't care about it at all as he become more pissed.
"And finish this shit, he almost ruined my mood lately, and I don't want to get stained," he commented while burning the reports on the candle.
"Yes, your highness."Eugene winced in distress while looking at the bloodying assassin as he tug the injured assassin and leave the office silently.
As he closed the door, Eugene toss the assassin at the guard knights and ordered them.
"Dispose of this pest immediately, I don't want to waste my time." He ordered.
Lucian who was staring at the matching bracelet, sighed as he thought of the time he spent with her.
"I want to see her right now, I want to see her sweet smile ." He thought.
Meanwhile, at Celine's house, Celine who was washing the dishes heard a knock at the front door. The girl paused as she opens the door nonchalantly, but she halted, as she looked up and saw unwanted guests accompanied by bandits.