The sun, a glorious ball of fire, shrouded the Rocheforts' majestic garden with hues of crimson and magenta, bathing the flowers in its final warm light.
Despite the breathtaking view, Lucian's attention had been captured by another sight. He caught her sneaking into the garden with her back facing him.The sun's last rays caressed her midnight blue hair, giving them a violet sheen.
"My Lady," he called out, stepping out from behind a large bush of flowers.
As she turned toward his voice, he pleaded with his heart to calm down. He was sure that if she noticed what she was doing to him by doing absolutely nothing, she would try to stop it from beating altogether.
"My dear─" she said, quickly composing her smile, "...Gardener."
"It's...it's been a long time," he said, throwing her jab over his shoulder. He craved a sweet reunion, not a taunting, mood-spoiling one. She knew exactly what those words did to him. As if he could ever forget about the gap in their standing.
"Has it?" She stretched her neck to meet his gaze. "How come I haven't noticed?"
"..." This tease... He wanted nothing but to pull her into his arms, but he resisted. His dirty clothes and the sweat clinging to his body made him feel too unworthy of her touch. "How are your studies going?" he asked instead, "You haven't burned down the academy yet, I hope."
She shook her head with laughter. "Not yet, though I'm quite tempted."
He grinned, her laughter making him feel a little bashful. He tucked his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels, "Well, if you ever need any help burning down buildings, I'm your man."
"Thank you, but I'd rather not get involved with more criminals." She took it more seriously than he wanted, her smile fading, "People like you are better suited to work in the gardens, grow the flowers, and make the world a more beautiful place." Her fingers found a rose bud, playing with it, "You have a talent for bringing life to things, even the most hopeless of causes, after all."
Lucian balled his fist behind his back, his smile wavering, "The world is a beautiful place, but sometimes, it needs a bit of trimming. I would gladly get my hands dirty for you."
"Instead of getting your hands dirty," she said, flicking the rose with her pointer, "I believe you should focus more on getting them clean. If the world is such a beautiful place…why are we forced to hide in the shadows like a pair of criminals?"
He took a deep breath, the pressure in his chest building, "Once I make something of myself, we will both be able to walk freely in the sun."
She laughed at his words, "You really believe that? That love can overcome all?"
"No, I don't believe in love. I believe in us."
She scoffed, "My future lies with someone wealthy and powerful, someone who can protect me. There are many other options for the future Duchess, some that don't involve a lowly gardener." Her words were meant to sting, but they fell flat as she wrapped her arms around his torso, sighing against his chest in surrender, "You are such an incurable romantic, it's infuriating."
He squeezed her tightly,, "Only with you."
She used her weight to lean against him, and they tumbled to the ground. She straddled him, their faces only inches apart, "I missed you, so much that I started to hatey ou for it."
"Is that why you were so mean?" he asked with a chuckle.
"No. I was mean because you didn't seem to miss me as much as I did you," she complained, "You're always smiling, like everything is perfect in the world."
"Because when you are around, everything is."
She felt his arousal through his trousers and grinned, as if his reaction gave her the much needed boost to proclaim that he desired her more. "Do you enjoy being beneath me, that much?"
His hands found their way under her dress, "I remember it the other way around."
"..." She pulled at his cheek, "What an insolent little rat."
He smiled, his golden eyes shining with mirth. "What do you think would happen if someone were to find us like this?" he asked, his lips hovering above hers. They never kissed in the open. Their previous encounters had been done in secret, in dark places where no one could discover them.
"They'd accuse you of defiling me, and you'd probably be hung for it."
"And what would happen to you, My Lady?"
"My reputation would be ruined," she said simply, "I'd probably have to marry some old goat who is thrice my age. It'd be a scandal, a stain on Rochefort's name."
"We don't want that, do we? Let's stop here," he said, pulling away, though his body protested. He placed his hands on her waist and gently moved her off his lap, hiding her among the tall hedges.
While he adjusted her clothes, she poked the pitched tent in his trousers, "It's a pity that I can't check if you are still a virgin. I bet you have defiled a few girls during my absence."
"I have not!" he replied indignantly, "I'm saving myself for the woman I love."
She raised an eyebrow, her gaze moving downwards to his groin, then back up to his face, "Really? Are you saying you haven't bedded any women since our last meeting?"
"No, I haven't."
"Are you sure? It's been a year," she pointed out, "I wouldn't blame you if you had found some girl to scratch your itch."
His cheeks turned a shade of pink in frustration, "I can control my urges, unlike some people," he replied, "Once I earn a respectable position, I'll make you mine. I promise. A knight, a count, even a duke. Whatever title I have to attain, I will get it. For us."
She looked away, a shadow falling over her face, doubting his words in silence.
· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·
Every time lady Celine returned for the holidays, it was a happy occasion, a chance for Lucian and her to meet and reconnect.
Everything he did was with the goal of being with her. He had worked himself to the bone, tirelessly, doing everything in his power to rise above his humble beginnings, all for her.
She taught him how to read, and he studied during the night until his eyes hurt. In order to learn how to wield a weapon, he would sneak into the guard's barracks.
All this was with the hope of one day being worthy enough to stand by her side.
His parents had passed away when he was young, leaving him orphaned, alone, and starving. Growing up in the streets, he would sell flowers and whatever else he could get his hands on.
Then, he met her, a little girl who dropped a pile of drawings before him. The daughter of the most powerful man in the dukedom had her allowance taken away, and wouldn't get it back unless she learned the vocabulary of the foreign language she had been studying.
At the tender age of eight, Celine Rochefort had managed to convince Lucian to sell her art, telling him he'd be a fool to turn down the opportunity of selling a painting made by a Rochefort.
It spread quickly through the lower levels of the dukedom. The paintings fetched a pretty penny, and people started to come looking for him, offering him coins, food, anything they could spare in exchange for one of Celine's drawings.
Unfortunately, the duke found out about her scheme and her first stream of income became the family's business. She got back her allowance, but lost a friend in the process.
Her schedule became packed, from the moment she woke up until the time she went to sleep.
Lucian couldn't commit full-time to her estate when he had other plans in mind, and started with trying to make a name for himself as the best gardener.
As his fame grew, and the gardens he took care of became more elaborate and beautiful, the higher class started to take notice.
Eventually, the duke's estate was added to the list of places he had tended to.
And it was there that he had been reunited with Celine.
He had seen her a few times while he worked in the garden, and his heart had leaped every time he had spotted her. She had matured since their last encounter, and had developed an attitude that was very becoming of her.
· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·
A few years later...
"You've never learned etiquette, yet you have become so refined and elegant," she told him, a small smile playing on her lips.
"It is the company I keep. Your grace has rubbed off on me."
"Is that so?" she laughed, "I have been trying to rub on you for years."
He flushed bright red at her innuendo. She had always been a naughty girl, "Celine."
She looked away, her smile disappearing, "Well, it's about time we end this charade, don't you think so? Our acting is great, but we shouldn't abuse our luck."
"Celine…?"
"It's getting annoying," she said, "Practicing my seduction techniques on you was fun, but I'll need to use them on another man soon. You're not actually supposed to believe there's anything between us. How delusional can you be, honestly."
He blinked, unable to comprehend what he had just heard, "Pardon me?"
"You are not the only one with plans for the future," she told him, her words sharp like daggers, "I can't let my father's power and connections go to waste, can I? I have a lot to gain if I marry the right man, and a lot to lose if I marry the wrong one."
"But you said─"
"I lied."
He had spent years dreaming of a future where they were together, and in a few seconds, those dreams had crumbled to dust.
"This must be a joke," he said, forcing a smile on his lips, cupping her face, "Is someone threatening you? Is something forcing you to say these things?"
"No," she pushed him away, standing up and brushing the dirt off her dress, "I've always been a liar. You've always been the idiot that believed everything I told you."
"Celine," he whispered, taking a step closer. God, what was happening to her?
"Guards!" she shouted. "Guards! Help!"
"Celine!" Lucian raised his voice, catching her by the wrist and spinning her around to face him, "Are you out of your mind?!Stop scaring me," he begged, bringing her palm to his cheek, "What's wrong?"
"Touch me again, and I'll have you whipped!" she yanked her hand away, her tone full of disgust and her gaze cold and unfeeling. "Guards!" she called again."Hurry and get this lowlife away from me!"
He flinched, her words feeling like physical blows. Even worse, sounds of hurried footsteps approached them. He would be hanged for touching a noble lady without her consent, but at that moment, he didn't care. He couldn't let her go away.
Getting on his knees, he pleaded, "Celine, please. Don't do this to me." When she turned around and started walking, he latched onto her ankle, "Please, Celine," he whispered her name like a prayer, "I'll do anything for you, anything. Please, tell them it's not what it looks like. Please, ugh-!"
Her shoe came down on his head, her heel digging into his skull, "How dare you call me by my name, you lowly rat! Do you want to frame me for whoring around with a gardener?!"
Two guards hurried over, taking hold of his arms and yanking him up to his feet.
Lucian's golden eyes, now dull and lifeless, stared blankly at Celine, as if seeing her for the first time.
The blood on his forehead had turned his blond hair crimson. The liquid trickled down his face like tears. It was as though his body was bleeding from the same wounds that had been inflicted on his heart, revealing the raw pain that lay within.