FIRE AND FEAR

Lucien

I stared at the young woman who stood before me with a dumbstruck expression on her face.

I remembered her; she was the girl I had snatched up from the soldiers that night and had brought her to the Manor.

I couldn't explain why I did that, and Yennefer had assured me that I'd only made it easier for Lord Edric.

But Yennefer had said the girl was gone, she'd been sent away.

Normally, I didn't see the girls who were brought in to help dampen the curse. They were sent away before I even got to know they'd been here.

Then why is she still here?

I looked down at her feet and frowned. She was standing on a garden bed, one that was too familiar.

My mother's.

Rage simmered in my chest, and I looked up at her again.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“ What does it look like I am doing?” She asked, a frown gracing her beautiful face.

I raised a brow, quite taken aback. In my entire existence, no one had stood up to me so defiantly, not even Yennefer - well, not like I have met a lot of people.

“Why are you here?” I asked, folding my arms, my gaze trained on her.

She laughed, spreading her arms apart.

“ And how am I supposed to answer that question?

I stared at her, trying to control my irritation. Yet she still intrigued me.

“ If you're thinking that's the way out of here, you're just wasting your time”.

“ And who are you that I should believe you?”

I shrugged, “ Be my guest”.

I turned to leave but stopped suddenly. I turned around and looked at her. If she did climb over the wall, she was going to somehow escape, and she was going to meet the villagers and tell them about me, that is, if she even knew who I was.

I could not afford to let her go. I didn't get to know why she was still here in the first place, and I needed to stop whatever she was going to spread about the Manor.

I hadn't been around the villagers much, but I knew they hated me. Still, I wanted to let her go as well, possibly live her life to the best. The Manor wasn't exactly a nice place to be in.

I was torn between two choices I never knew I had.

“Stop”, I growled.

She froze and stared at me.

“You can't climb over that wall”, I said, my voice becoming menacing.

I stared beneath her; she was still standing on the grave bed.

“ And come down from that flower bed”, I growled.

I took a step forward, and she took one backwards. She tripped, and suddenly I felt myself rushing forward to catch her.

She fell into my arms, her eyes closed as she probably waited for the impact.

She opened them slowly and stared at me, her chest heaving slightly.

I had never once been up this close to a human. Not even Yennefer, who'd stayed by my side as a child, and I wasn’t sure how to react to her warm body pressed to mine.

Her eyes held fear; I could see it. Fear of me, even when she hadn't seen my true nature. Her face was soft and just full of youthful life. It took me all my restraint not to lift a finger and trace it down her cheeks.

I had never had anything to do with a woman, and just holding her sent fire blazing in my braise.

Hell, I shouldn't have cared if she fell anyway.

I frowned and steadied her while she probably regained her senses. Something was stirring in me that felt eerie, like flames - and not just between my legs.

“ It'll be best if you remain here. We'll sort out how you'll leave”.

“ No. I'm leaving now”.

She turned around and headed for a wall. I held back a snarl and approached her.

She asked for it.

I grabbed her and threw her over my shoulders, my hand gripping her firmly. She squirmed and screamed and hit me, but I walked back confidently to the Manor.

If she really wanted to leave that much, she could try another exit, not my mother's grave.

I'd spent time and effort to make that garden a sanctuary for me and for them. I couldn't get to meet them, but Yennefer said they'd have loved me anyway.

“ Let me go, you monster!”

“ You'd be speechless when you see the real monster, young woman”.

As we got to the hallway, I saw Yennefer approach us in her calm demeanor.

I searched her expression quickly; she was so good at not betraying them, which made it harder for me to know what was going on in her mind.

I caught it, a flicker of surprise in her eyes as she looked at me and the young woman who was still attacking me with her fists.

She was gentler when she passed out the other night.

“ What is she doing here?” I growled.

She shuffled past me and opened a door that was next to me. I walked into the room, threw her on the bed, and walked out.

Yennefer quickly locked it and looked at me as she hit the door, and her muffled screams echoed in the hallway.

I looked at Yennefer, my brows furrowing into a frown.

“ You said she'd be gone by now. They always are. Why is she still here?”

“ Lucien, I just discovered that she's quite too young. We can't just send her away like that. It'll be difficult for her to survive”.

“ But she clearly wants to leave.”

Yennefer touched my arms softly. It would have calmed me usually, but this time it irked me.

I could feel the fury and rage I couldn't explain simmer in my chest. I looked at my fingers.

I was shifting again, without my control.

“I'm trying everything I can to end things like this for you, Lucien. You just have to be patient. As soon as she's ready enough, she'll be sent away”, she said softly, her eyes full of concern.

I didn't say anything, I just looked at the door. She'd stopped screaming and banging on the door.

“ I want her out, Yennefer, or else…” I snarled.

Then I quickly walked away from the hallway and Yennefer - scared that she would pick up the fear and worry imprinted on my face.

The very first time something bothered me.