Chapter 123: THEIR FIRST FIGHT
Lumina did not stop moving until her lungs burned, each breath ragged. She clutched Stella’s arm so tightly her fingers ached, letting her drag her through the corridors as the echo of their hurried footsteps bounced off.
The fabric of her gown twisted around her legs, catching at her ankles, but she stumbled onward, refusing to let go.
"Please, slow down, my lady!" Stella begged between breaths, but Lumina only shook her head, her heart thundering too loud to hear reason.
By the time they reached Ashen’s chambers, Lumina’s legs trembled from the strain.
Stella guided her hand to the familiar doorframe, but Lumina pushed the door open before stumbling inside, breathless, her hair damp and clinging to her cheeks, her grip on Stella’s arm the only thing keeping her upright.
"Ashen!" She screamed out.
He turned just as she fell forward, and without hesitation, he caught her. His arms closed around her, helping to steady her trembling frame.
"Why did you leave the chamber?" He asked worriedly.
Lumina ignored the question, her hands already flying to his shoulders, his arms, searching desperately for any sign of injury.
Her breath stopped as she touched his face, her fingers brushing over his jaw as though he might disappear if she didn’t confirm he was real.
"Ashen," she whispered, "did they... did she hurt you?"
He caught her wrists, lowering them. "No... The King intervened before it could go any further."
It was as if something inside her snapped. She smacked him across his cheek.
The servants froze where they stood, their eyes wide, at her sudden attack.
"I told you," Lumina’s voice rose, shaking, "to control your anger!"
Shen shut his eyes, also shocked, "My.. MY lady.." Ero’s voice trembled also.
Ashen eyes fluttered open and swept across the servants, and for a long moment, he simply stood there, silent, until one by one they lowered their heads and withdrew.
Then, without a word, he bent down, sweeping Lumina into his arms despite her struggling.
"Put me down!" she yelled, hitting his chest with both fists. "Ashen! Put me down!"
But he ignored him and carried her to the inner chamber, past curious stares. She twisted and kicked, her voice breaking as she ordered him to let her go, but he never slowed.
Only when they reached their private chambers did he put her down before shutting the door behind him with a loud thud.
Then Ashen turned toward hers.
"Lumina... I should be mad at you. Why did you leave the chamber when you are not even in good health?"
Lumina sat up, glaring at him through a veil of tears. "Why should I not ask you the same? Why did you go looking for trouble, Ashen? You know very well they have been trying every means to pull you down!"
His fists clenched at this. "He hurt my wife and you expect me to just let that go?"
"Yes!" she shouted, standing on the bed. "Let it go! How did you even know the one who abducted me? I never told you anything!"
Ashen’s eyes burned with restrained fury. "Lumina, don’t play with me. I know you wouldn’t say a word, but I am not a fool."
"Yes, you’re right!" she snapped. "That is why I never said anything. Because you act before thinking, Ashen! How have you even survived this long if this is how you handle everything?"
For a moment, her words seemed to pierce through him.
"Survive?" he said slowly, almost incredulously. "I have survived so well before you arrived. But now I need to protect you."
"I can protect myself!" Lumina shouted, her voice shaking.
"I have been doing it since my mother’s death ten years ago. I will continue to do it without your intervention."
His chest rose and fell heavily, as though he had been struck. "But I cannot just stand aside and watch..."
"You don’t have to watch!" she screamed, tears spilling down her cheeks now. "Do your thing and let me do mine! I am not a child! Stop ruining my plans!"
This time her words hit him so deep. Ashen went still, staring at her as though she had just struck him harder than before.
"Plans?" His voice had gone soft, dangerous. "That is what this is to you?"
"Yes!" she cried, her throat burning. "I have worked too hard to let you ruin everything. If you fall, I fall. I need you to hold your place for the plan!"
For a long time, he said nothing, just looked at her, his face blank. When he finally spoke, his voice was broken.
"Lumina... are you being serious right now? Is that all I am to you? A piece on a board for your plan?" He was more than stunned, he never took her for the one who has that high ambition.
"What high position do you even want?" His voice cracked slightly, betraying the hurt under the anger. "Isn’t being here with me enough?"
"Ashen," she whispered harshly, "don’t start with this. We both know this marriage lasts only two years. Time is ticking, and I will not waste those two years playing house with you."
He staggered back a step now at a loss for words. "I thought," he said slowly, painfully, "that we were beginning to understand each other."
"Understand?" She broke into a bitter laugh. "You almost destroyed everything I built by striking the Crown Prince. Do you think I got on the King’s good side for fun? Do you think I endured all this pain for no reason?" she fired at him.
"The good side you are talking about?" Ashen said hoarsely. "I put you there."
She shook her head, almost pitying him. "Oh please... You think I would hurt the queen only to treat her for fun... You only played the right game telling the king to make me a physician.."
Ashen stared at her, a muscle in his jaw twitching. "What?"
"Yes... You heard... I knew one way Al the other I would be made to work as a physician... I had purposely treated the queen to gain trust from you and the king."
"You... you tricked me," Ashen whispered.
"I have lived that way my whole life," Lumina said fiercely, "It is the only way forward. Don’t you dare think I came here for fun!"
Ashen’s expression broke into something that looked almost like a laugh, a sound so hollow it chilled the air. "Wow."
"Yes," she whispered, wiping her tears, her voice shaking. "Mess with my plan one more time and you won’t find it funny."
"Excuse me?" Ashen let out as his eyes narrowed.
"You heard me... I don’t have much time... so whatever plans I have must work."
Ashen scoffed at this ruffling his hair in frustration.
"Thanks for reminding me," Ashen said finally, "That I can never have anyone who cares about me, I can’t ever get that care from my own wife."
"I never forced you to care!" Lumina snapped. "Stella... come get me.."
"No," Ashen cut her off. "I should be the one to leave."
He turned away, his shoulders rigid, and began to walk toward the door.
"Ashen..." She tried to reach out, her hand trembling, but he was already gone, the door closing hard behind him as the slamming of the door echoed in her ear.
For a moment she just stood there, frozen, her hand still stretched toward the space he had left. Then her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground.
The taste of blood filled her mouth, trailing down her chin as the poison inside her flared violently in response to her grief.