Lucas sat in his quiet study, surrounded by tall bookshelves and heavy curtains that dimmed the moonlight. Papers lay scattered across the desk, and his pen moved slowly across the lines. His face remained expressionless, as though weariness could no longer pierce his cold features.
The door opened, and Louie entered with hesitant steps, speaking in a half-jesting tone:
— "brother … it really is time to leave."
Lucas didn't raise his head, answering in a low, calm voice:
— "Go on ahead… I'll stay a little longer."
Louie approached and sat across from him, studying his friend who sat as motionless as a statue. After a pause, he asked:
— "Lucas… what are you doing?"
Lucas slowly lifted his eyes, his gaze cold, his voice stripped of any unease:
— "Have you gone blind? I'm writing."
Louie shook his head.
— "No… I mean, what are you doing with your life?"
The pen froze. Lucas looked at his friend with a deep, silent stare, then leaned back against the chair.
Louie spoke with a heavy tone:
— "I didn't want to interfere between you and Viola… but things are getting worse every day. Viola barely eats since that day… and you drown yourself in this silence. And me… I grow weaker watching the two of you like this."
Lucas pressed his lips together, tossed the pen onto the desk, and rested his arm on the chair. His voice was calm yet sharp:
— "And what exactly do you want me to do now?"
Louie replied with contained frustration:
— "I don't know… do something. You can't go on like this. Look at the two of you."
Lucas lowered his gaze to the papers and spoke slowly:
— "I don't know either… I don't understand why I can't let her go and she's feelings the same too… and I despise myself for letting things reach this point of complication between us."
Louie dropped his head to the ground, silence settling between them.
Lucas sighed, then said:
— "Tell me, Louie… if you were in my place, what would you do? Didn't you once tell me there's someone in your heart from long ago? What if you were forced to marry another woman? Would you abandon the one you love so easily?"
Louie's eyes widened as he looked at Lucas, his face flushing red. He quickly turned his head away, ruffling his hair in agitation:
— "Ugh… why bring that up now?"
Lucas gave a cold, silent smile, then returned slowly to his writing as if nothing had happened.
But Louie's mind couldn't escape. Suddenly, her image appeared… that girl with long, serene hair, her gentle smile, and luminous eyes. His chest tightened violently. It was Violet… Lucas's sister.
Damn it… how had he never thought of this before? Her image clung to him, and in that moment he finally understood what his friend felt. He muttered inwardly: Damn it… I… I can't do it either.
His thoughts spun chaotically, like cold water had been poured over him. Words collided in his head: Had he only imagined himself more rational than Lucas? That if he were in Lucas's place, he would act with greater wisdom? No… no, he couldn't. If they forced him away from her, he would do anything to remain close. He could never surrender so easily either. And yet…
He covered his face with his hand for a moment, whispering to himself:
Damn it… I never realized I was just as powerless as he is.
He looked back at Lucas, who continued to write calmly, his expression unshaken. That cold, dignified presence only weighed heavier on Louie's heart. He cleared his throat and spoke in a low voice:
— "You're right… your situation is difficult. I don't blame you, Lucas. But.… if my love would only hurt her more, and I was already married… perhaps I would surrender to reality. Perhaps our love is impossible."
Lucas stopped writing, lifted his head slowly, his eyes fixed and unwavering. His voice was cold:
— "As for me… I don't have the courage to surrender. At least not yet."
Louie's heart trembled, but he gave a sad smile and said:
— "Perhaps I understand you now… but if you think about it… don't you see that giving your wife a chance might be the answer?"
Lucas replied:
— "What nonsense. Are you really that kind of man? Does it seem that easy to you?"
Louie spoke quickly:
— "I'm not saying force yourself to love her, but at least… try to accept her as your wife and live with your fate. Don't forget your marriage was contractual, sudden, without either of you being considered. Perhaps she too… is living the same struggle. Isn't it wiser to give her a chance, Lucas? Maybe it will help you both."
Lucas's thoughts blurred. Suddenly, he remembered Irene's sharp words that night: "Stop pretending you're the only one forced into this marriage."
He shut his mouth in silence, but his eyes shifted slowly, as if conceding to the memory.
Louie stood abruptly, his voice firm:
— "Listen carefully, Lucas… the Crown Prince hasn't formally proposed to Viola yet. But if he does… I want you to stop seeing her. If you won't… I'll have to intervene myself."
Silence. Lucas remained seated, cold, his face unchanged. This was the first explicit threat from his closest friend, yet he uttered not a single word.
Inside, Louie's heart ached that he had been driven to say such things, but his patience had reached its end.
As he turned to leave, he opened the door and breathed deeply before saying at last:
— "That's all. I'm sorry, Lucas. Good night."
He left with heavy steps, while Lucas stayed alone, seated in silence, surrounded by papers and shadows… but burning inside with flames of despair. His depression grew heavier with each passing day.
That night, he did not return to the palace. He remained in that office, alone, with nowhere left to go—realizing now that even his loyal friend Louie was slipping away.
---
Irene had just finished carefully arranging all her belongings. She leaned slightly over the small wooden chest to ensure everything was in its proper place, then closed the lid slowly, as though shutting another chapter of her temporary life.
Sally, watching her with sparkling eyes, said:
— "Ah, I'm truly excited to see the south! I've heard from the servants it's the most beautiful place in the kingdom."
Irene smiled faintly, but didn't share the same enthusiasm. Inwardly, her thoughts swirled. The trip to the south was not a mere pleasure for her; it was a step that could prove useful. If the place they were headed lay close to the Eiscardian border, it might offer her an opportunity she hadn't expected.
She broke her thoughts with a hesitant tone:
— "Should I send another letter to Fantine?… I don't know how long we'll stay there, and perhaps she'll send something while I'm away."
Sally pressed her hand to her chest with a little gasp:
— "Oh my! I didn't think of that! But… I heard the storms are fierce along the road. Your first letter may not even have reached her. The crossings will likely be closed."
Irene answered calmly:
— "It's fine… I'll write another letter before I leave."
Sally nodded eagerly, speaking quickly:
— "It will take a long time if you write it under your name. Even if you pay more… I'll write it under mine. I'll tell them I'm heading south and make it sound natural. You can trust me, my lady."
Irene fell silent for a moment, studying Sally as though weighing her sincerity and determination, then said softly:
— "Let me write the letter… instead."
Sally smiled with relief and eagerness, as though she'd found a chance to prove herself:
— "As you wish then!"
Irene sat and wrote the letter quietly, then handed it to Sally, saying:
— "Even if this letter never reaches her… at least we tried to do something."
Sally accepted it with both hands as if it were a treasure, her voice sincere:
— "I'll pray it reaches her safely."
In that moment, a small joy filled Sally's heart. She had finally been able to help Irene in a real way, after failing so many times before.
She personally delivered the letter. And though it was simple, it gave her a deep sense of fulfillment. She closed her eyes briefly, silently wishing it would reach Fantine's hands safely… as though sending her prayer to the heavens.
______
🥲 Even i feel Sorry for our luk and his bestfriend
Anyways guys now you know louie secret love 🤭 did i surprise you or not?
i didn't want to say her name cuz it's Abit early but ...it's a gift for you for being patient while i was adding a lot of things and important details to the main story it's was so hard and took me days of thinking and writing but it's was worth it you will love it I'm sure 🤍