*I'M NOT PLAYING YOU*

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There is one pain I often feel, which you will never know. It is caused by the absence of you.- Author

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The faint beating of a heart could clearly be heard in the room as the two men didn't make a single sound.

Lucas quickly went to the bed and checked on Lisa to see she was really alive!. He didn't know how to react to this.

He was sure that she had died but it seemed like that wasn't the case anymore.

"Theodore." He called his right hand who was also bewildered by this revelation.

"Your Highness."

"Do you know anything about a witch coming back from the dead?." It wasn't that Lucas wasn't happy that Lisa was back, it was that he felt something was wrong here. There was a crucial reason as to why she came back. A reason they needed to know soon.

"I haven't heard of that your Highness, but I'll go and gather information about it." Theodore bowed his head and swiftly turned to leave the room but paused upon hearing Lucas speak.

"What did you want to report earlier." Lucas asked, his eyes not leaving the beautiful flower that slept on the bed.

"The council are on their way." He relayed the message and a corner of Lucas's lips curled up.

'Finally.'

Having no other thing to say, Theodore left the room and Lucas proceeded to what he had been doing. He soaked the cloth in water to clean the blood and carefullyly placed it on her forehead.

"I failed to protect you today little deer." He whispered to the sleeping Lisa and gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears.

"I promise to never hurt you again like I had done today."

***

Lisa's eyes felt blurry as they opened. Her long lashes fluttered as she tried to adjust to the brightness that emitted from the room.

At first glance, she was greeted by the ceiling which confused her as she tried to figure out where she was.

Coming to a conclusion, she figured that she was at the palace but was it real?. She thought to herself.

The last thing she remembered was dying in that cold forest and skeleton creatures chasing her. Lucas wasn't there...

Lucas? Was he the one that brought her back?.

She moved slightly, trying to stand up but the pain that erupted from her stomach forced her to lay back down.

"Mm..." She groaned in pain. All the joints in her body ached and the worst was her leg which she thought could fall off any second!.

Sensing someone by her side, she turned to see Lucas lying on the bed with a peaceful expression. She wondered how long he had been here because she hadn't noticed him at all.

The strands of his baby hair were on his face and she moved her hand to remove it but stopped before placing it back. As if sensing she was awake, he spoke.

"You're awake." He opened his eyes and Lisa noted the drowiness that surrounded them.

Had he stayed awake just for her?.

She opened her mouth to talk but her sore throat beat her to it. She pointed at the water on the table and he diligently carried to her.

After drinking, she handed the empty glass back to him before replying

"That you can see." She answered back in obvious annoyance in her voice which made Lucas narrow his eyes at her.

He looked at her keenly, trying to notice any discomforts or side effects and fortunately, there was none so far.

Lucas was very sure that she had come back to life but the question was how?. And the fact that she was angry, he was fully aware that will be her reaction.

What he did was for a reason. A reason he wasn't going to tell her yet. He still needed to figure out some things and he had an idea that she been a witch was just part of what she truly was.

"How do you feel huh? You have once again saved me Mr GUARDIAN." She clapped her hands sarcastically as her eyes hardened in anger.

"It is my jo-" He responded but she cut him off immediately.

"I know, I'm your job which you can't just wait to ship off." She glared at him and he frowned. Obviously displeased by her character.

"I care for you Lisa. Not for the job but for you alone." He gazed at her to see her expression sway but it returned back and she looked angrier than before.

"You just shut up! I'm not a plaything for you to dump and get back easily! I have feelings you know!. Do you know the pains I passed through just by been in that forest?. The horrors that tormented me?" Tears glistened in her eyes and she bit her lips to prevent herself from crying.

Lucas's frown deepened as he didn't know how to comfort her. She seemed upset and he had to choose the right words to say.

"I-i am sorry."Lucas whispered and Lisa momentarily stopped crying for a second. She turned to him and saw how he looked at her. His eyes seemed nervous and she instantly knew that those three words wasn't something he said everyday.

"I'm not playing you Lisa. You have to believe me." He pleaded and Lisa almost forgot her anger, if not that the memory was still fresh in her mind.

'It is better if you hate me, it will make my job easier.'

She instantly decided to reject his apology but one look at his face and her decision wavered. He looked so hopeful making her immediately forgot how to use her mouth.

"I don't forgive you, but I will consider your apology." She huffed and averted her gaze from him not noticing the smirk of triumph that appeared on his face.

"Of course milady." He spoke and she rolled her eyes tiredly.

Been angry with him was going to be one hell of a job.