A/N: As usual, I would recommend to put the video on loop.

Each step forward on the dark tiled floor echoed around the room while your breathing seemed to be only an instrument to propel you forward. The portraits on the walls seemed to watch the scene with undying attention, their eyes following your every move. Some doubted your advance, claiming you to be a foolish child, while others encouraged you to their fullest. A bet began over who would live and who would die. Even the small detailed animals in the pictures of breathtaking landscapes turned their heads to look at you. Deer stopped eating the fresh grass, fish froze in the streams and birds hovered in the sky, so that they could all watch the unfolding scene. It was as if you had turned into the painting and they had become the viewers. You were watched from all sides by silent spectators, who were as still as the ground beneath your feet.

Regulus's brown orbs only slowly realized the threat before him. Lucian shouted at you to stop, but his voice didn't seem to reach your ears. Only the ticking of your heartbeat reached your ears, as well as the heartbeat of your opponent. You could almost imagine the grandfather clock in the corner, its pendulum ticking away the seconds before you reached the enemy before you. The minute hand moved, landing on the twelve. Despite the fact that this clock was nonexistent, you could almost hear the ringing sound go throughout the room, as the clock struck the next hour.

Five feet, four feet, then three feet were left before you thrust your sword forward into the turning man. Shock ran through his eyes, as the sword penetrated through his flesh. Life left his face slowly, as crimson blood dripped down his lips and onto the floor below. His eyes scanned over your face before a smirk graced his lips and he fell to the floor in a pile of ashes due to the flames on the sword having scorched his skin to near nothingness. At first you didn't understand the smirk that painted his features, but feeling a pain in your left shoulder, you turned your head slowly and saw the source. The ice sword was lodged in your skin, but you quickly removed it, seeing the frost start to spread on your skin. Pulling it out in a fluid motion, you threw it across the room while you felt blood escape from the wound. Hearing your name being called, you looked over at Lucian while your eyelids seemed to droop.

A small smile became apparent on your features before you felt your knees give way. Lucian forced his legs to work, allowing him to move forward. Catching you, you felt your head rest against his chest and out of the corner of your eye you saw the mask a few feet from you. You grew dizzier as the seconds passed, having lost too much blood for your own good. The purple-eyed male tried to keep you awake, to keep you from falling asleep, but your (e/c) eyes wouldn't remain open. Before you lost consciousness, you felt the soft fabric of Lucian's shirt before it got stained by your blood.

You didn't feel any pain when your eyes closed, rather it felt like you had fallen off of a cliff and the wind was now blowing past you in a gentle way. Soon your back collided with water, though no impact was felt, as the water splashed around you, sending droplets of crystal like substance into the air. Sinking into the depths of the surface, you felt the welcoming substance wrap around your form like silk. Even as you went deeper into the depths, the light never faded, but remained constant until your eyes closed.

Lucian tried to wake you up, as he held your limp form in his arms. Utilizing the last of his strength, he picked up the mask and took you through a portal. He could only manage to open one to the entrance hall of the castle. Standing by the stairs, he gazed upon a scene he thought he could only hope for. Before him were thirty mages from outside. They surrounded the remaining council members and their children, which totaled to nine individuals. When he appeared, they turned their heads in his direction. He would have healed you, but he didn't have the strength to do so. Calling out to them, he ordered for medical assistance immediately. Their eyes flashed over to your unconscious form and soon one of them left the circle. Rushing over to your form, she went to take your form from Lucian, but he kept his arms on you. She told him that he would have to let go, for her to take care of you properly.

He didn't want to let you go; you were his and he didn't want anyone else to hold your fragile form. Reluctantly, he let the woman take you and lay you on the crimson red rug, as she held her hands above your injuries. The next moments seemed to last forever, as he watched your wounds being repaired. Combing his right fingers through his hair, he watched worriedly. If you died, what would he do? Once again he would have failed; he would lose the last person who held any importance to him.

"Please live for me, ____," he muttered while his eyes remained focused on your form.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amidst the deep waters, you felt something warm touch your hands at times while occasionally you gripped something soft in your hands. It wasn't until you distinguished the soft texture as real and not merely a creation of your mind. Gripping at the fabric more, you tried to open your eyes. Trying to jolt yourself forward, you found your action successful, as bright light greeted your (e/c) eyes. Due to the color of the light you were being greeted with, you assumed it to be mid-afternoon. When you tried to get up, you brought your right hand to your head. Your head hurt horribly and you suddenly remembered what happened before you went unconscious. At first you thought yourself dead, but found your surroundings to be quite real, though where were you? The room you were in was completely foreign to you.

Sitting up slowly in the white sheets that had a gold trim, you leaned against the gold bed frame. The soft pillows cushioned your back while you saw that the bed was rather elegant, since the structure was comprised of elaborate golden leaf spirals. Analyzing the room, you saw four large paned windows, which were covered with crème colored lace curtains followed by thick chocolate brown taffeta curtains. White walls with delicate gold details surrounded the perimeter while four Ionic columns with golden trim were in the room as well. Reddish-brown tile covered the floor while a red, black and gold rug rested on the floor. Cherry-wood nightstands had gold and crème colored lamps on top while vases of white and red flowers decorated the room in various places. Small pictures highlighted the walls, as the smell of various potpourris filled the space.

Getting out of the bed, you went to walk forward only to almost fall. Regaining your balance, you utilized the wall and furniture as supports while you got used to your legs once again. Looking over yourself, you found yourself wearing crème colored pajama pants with a matching shirt. Not being able to find any slippers or shoes for that matter, you saw another door in the room, assuming it to be the bathroom, though at the moment you were more curious as to where you were. Opening what you presumed to be the exit of the room, you looked out at a hall, which was quite familiar. It was the same hallway that Lucian had chased you down, when he lost his patience with you. So you were in the castle. Now that you knew your location, you maneuvered around the hallways at what felt like a snail's pace. Eventually you heard voices up ahead in the entrance hall. Reaching the left staircase, you glanced down to see an individual, who made your heart skip a beat. Wearing a simple purple peasant shirt with black pants and his typical riding boots, he hadn't noticed you yet, but the mages he was talking to had. With a simple movement of their heads, they dismissed themselves and exited the castle. Making your way down the stairs quietly, you managed to walk up beside him without his notice.

"So what did I miss?" you questioned, trying to sound as casual as possible.

There was no answer immediately. Instead Lucian turned slowly to look down at your form before his lips parted in surprise and relief. Giving him a small smile, you felt him quickly pull you into his arms. His left arm wrapped around your waist while his right hand pressed against the back of your head. Muttering an 'ow', you felt something wet hit the top of your head. Was he crying?

"Lucian ..."

"Be quiet; don't ask any questions just let me hold you," he stated in a slightly angry tone.

Sighing, you obliged his request or rather demand before you felt him pull away from you. If he was crying, there was no evidence of it on his face now. His right fingers tilted your chin upwards, as his left hand traced over the faint marks on your face. So you did receive scars from when Regulus ripped the mask from your face. Somehow you already knew that when you felt the mask pulled from your face, you would have permanent markings there.

His eyes searched your own before he stated, "This is the second time that you had me worry to an unacceptable point. Do you enjoy tormenting me?"

Of course, you knew he was serious, but you couldn't help but chuckle and reply, "It would seem so, but that's payback for almost letting Regulus kill you."

Wearing an unreadable expression, he glanced away from you before creating some distance between you two. When he looked back at you, you felt a tinge of fear course through your veins. Maybe you shouldn't have said that. Laughing nervously and scratching the back of your neck awkwardly, you went to apologize, but you were never given the chance. Soon you felt yourself forced back against one of the Corinthian columns while Lucian cupped your face with his right hand. Gasping in surprise, his left hand pressed against your right shoulder, as he pressed his lips to yours. Your eyes widened in surprise and you couldn't really move your arms due to the way Lucian was pressing you up against the pillar. He wouldn't let you have any dominance in this situation, as he was both pissed off at you as well as greatly pleased by your presence. His lips trailed from your lips to your collarbone, causing shivers to run up your spine, while both his hands pressed against your hips slowly working their way up your skin.

Pressing his lips once more against your own, he bit your bottom lip, causing you to part your lips. Forcing his tongue into your mouth, he pressed your own tongue to the bottom of your mouth. You were about to place your hands on his shoulders, but he gripped them while still working on your mouth and pinned them above your head with his right hand. By now your face was a bright crimson red, as his lips moved back to your neck before stopping right above your chest. Pulling himself away, he placed his left fingers under your chin while regaining his breath.

"If you ever cause me such worry again, I'll have something fitting in store for you. Do you understand me, ____?"

"Yeah," you uttered, still at loss for breath.

Moving his lips to your right ear, he whispered, "Good because I will never let you leave my side ever again; you're too precious to lose, my pet."