For The Second Part Of, "A Line That Should've Never Been Crossed", Mc Decides To Ask Zyglavis To Stay

For the second part of, "A line that should've never been crossed", mc decides to ask Zyglavis to stay in her palace as her guest. Zyglavis is hesitant but ultimately agrees to stay. Few months have pass by and they have been rather well acquainted with each other. His feelings for her has significantly increased. But he fears she will be scared of him and decides to leave.

"A line that should've never been crossed" Part 2

Genre: romance/royalty AU

Warnings: none

A/N: HELLOOO!! I'm going to write one last part for this as the finale. Chapter 3 will be the finale. Zyg is such a fangirl he needs 3 chapters.

The horses' hooves smacked down against the flinty road, their horseshoes steady onto the slippery street.

The rain from earlier had left behind fog that covered the far off stony buildings and the tops of the ones close by, the horizon darkening by the midnight ruling over the entire sky.

The carriage ride was slow and steady, the faint sounds of the reigns and the wheels driving over every uneven part of the road, along with the horses' hooves, like a soft lullaby to your tired head.

You leaned your head against the door of the carriage and closed your eyes, wrapping the cloak around you a little more. The low vibrations helped your tensed nerves relax and a numbing sleepiness crept up on you as the carriage went on, between the sleeping houses with the dark windows.

And suddenly everything jerked. The carriage jumped and you winced, hitting your head against the door, where it had been resting.

The horses made a halt and you heard their shocked neighs, loudly. You sensed a difference in the position of the carriage and pulling the hood of your cloak over your head, you moved to open the door of the carriage.

You stepped outside, along with your guard and it was in fact as you expected. The carriage was tilted unnaturally towards one side. "What happened?!" You rushed to the front, where the coachman stood, inspecting the very visible damage the front left wheel had endured.

"It is severely broken." He said, smoothing out the wrinkles of his suit and turning towards you, before bowing. "I'm afraid, your highness, we have to send someone to deliver a letter to the palace, so they can send another carriage." His eyebrows furrowed in displeasure as he continued and you grew more worried. "It will undoubtedly take us an hour, unfortunately."

"Oh, my..." You breathed, taking in the sight of the broken wheel trapped into a pit in the ground.

Something cold landed on your hand and looking down on it, a droplet was streaming down your skin. Another droplet fell and another and another... Soon enough, soft rain had began to drip from the clouds and you didn't doubt that soon enough, it'd grow even more intense.

You were about to climb back into the tilted carriage to protect yourself from the rain, when a voice, that made every hair on your body rise, approached the carriage.

"Is anyone harmed?"

Your head spun around immediately. You couldn't explain why, but you'd recognise that deep, melodic voice everywhere.

"No, we're all alright. But we can't reach the palace that way." The coachman answered the man's question, the latter listened.

He was dressed in black, just like the last time. But this time around, he lacked a mask, which showed off his whole face and the entirety of his beauty exposed like that, made you forget all about the rain that had started to pick up.

The gentleman turned to you and his expression was formal, his manners quite stiff, but polite as he bowed his head. "I could offer you my carriage and take you to your palace, if that would be aligning with your wishes, your highness."

Your gazes were locked within each other's as he spoke and you almost forgot to breathe.

"That would be very considerate of you. Thank you." You replied and the cold violating your skin didn't bother you as much anymore.

"Allow me..." He said quietly, holding his arm out for you and you laced your hand through it, smiling in gratitude towards him and he led you across the road, towards his own carriage, which was in the colour of ravens' wings, with your guard in tow.

A servant opened the door for you and Zyglavis gripped your hand and helped you into the carriage, before joining you, sitting beside you.

"So are you a nobleman?" You addressed him as soon as the black horses attached to his carriage began moving forward, pulling you along.

He remained silent at first, staring out the window at the foggy flinty road, as more and more water wrinkled the smooth surface of the glass, making it look like it was crying. "Something along those lines." He faced you once again, his presence so close, but his gaze so distant, yet there was a yearning within those deep grey eyes. "Why were you traveling at such a late hour?"

"I was returning from a trip to a neighbouring land and night caught up to us."

"The streets are dangerous past midnight."

Air left your nose into a quiet self deprecating laugh. "The court life is not too safe either."

Zyglavis eyed you from the corner of his eyes as you sighed, turning your attention to the window to your right, watching as the cold droplets of rain splattered the glass and streamed downwards.

The carriage gave you two a small jolt and he cleared his throat, his hands firsted on his lap. "It must be tiring for one in such high position."

"There's... Hypocrisy everywhere..." You spoke in a low tone, which made you wonder why you were speaking at all to begin with. What drew you to him? What made your lips part into this swan cry? "Caprices that desire fulfilment, requested by people who don't care about the weight of their actions."

"The weight of their actions..." He echoed and his gaze darkened ever so slightly.

You nodded, turning to look at him, sitting there on your left. "So what brings you here so late?"

"I dislike traveling during the day." He said, blinking away the sudden darkness from his features.

"The heat can be tiring, indeed." You agreed and then none of you spoke again.

Muffled noise of rain and horseshoes came from outside and soon enough, your castle appeared in the distance, looming before the horizon and its high tops piercing through the fog that seemed to suffocate everything close to the ground.

The imposing gates opened and the carriage continued inside, until it finally stopped before the grand, marble staircase.

You stepped out, but something pushed you from within towards the carriage painted into the colour or night, as if some god of death drove it. "Pardon me!"

Zyglavis stared at you, his eyes so deep and dark maybe he was the god of death after all.

You swallowed thickly and tried to collect your thoughts, but also not look away from his beautiful gaze. It felt as if your entire existence depended on those eyes. As if by averting your gaze, the cord of your lifespan would snap and Zyglavis would carry your soul away in his carriage. "It's dangerous to keep traveling in this weather. Please, do come inside. Spend the night."

Zyglavis pursed his lips and looked off to the side. He didn't speak, his desire dueling with his logic over the final decision.

You stared at him, hope flickering within your ribcage, invincible to the icy rain that soaked your clothes and skin.

Zyglavis took a deep breath and hopped off the carriage himself, giving you a bow. "After you, miss."

You two moved for the inside of the palace, sheltering yourselves from the rain and as you walked forth, servants surrounded you like vultures, offering their services.

You directed Zyglavis and yourself to a large room with sofas in deep red of blood and wine and a fire crackling in the fireplace, right in the middle of the spacious room.

The servants took your cloaks and filled two classes of liquor for you to warm your throats.

You held your own glass and extended the other towards your guest, which he accepted gracefully, his fingers cold as they brushed yours.

The flames of the fusses of the chandelier carried no warmth, the only light slipping into the room was from the fireplace, which crawled across the carpet of deep red and golden details.

You watched quietly as the gentleman took a small sip from his liquor and then you asked him, your voice smooth and just a little above the crackling of the burning logs thrown into the fireplace. "Is its taste to your liking?"

"Yes, I must admit." He answered, his deep voice sending a sweet shiver down your spine. "It's of excellent quality."

You drank some as well, its warmth sliding down your throat and setting your insides alight. It tasted slightly of cherry and then rest was flames.

Zyglavis' eyebrows furrowed a little, but aside from that, his face remained stilled and dignified, the light of the fire worshiping his porcelain complexion and every bone of his face, which shaped his skin so attractively.

There was something alluring in him, something which pulled you to him like a puppet and as if that invisible string was made of steel.

You rose from the sofa and walked around the one he was sitting, as to not be abrupt with your manners. You swayed around his sofa, your dress moving with you and you went to stand beside the piano in the room, setting your delicate glass of liquor there. You wandered around the instrument, your fingers stroking the wood of it as your eyes devoured his head from behind.

His ponytail was tied quite loosely with a black ribbon and it fell over his right shoulder.

"Had it not been for you, I'd still be stranded in the cold." You said, your movements languid as you completed a circle around the piano and approach his sofa from the right side, the warmth of the flame almost hurting from this distance. You sat down and set your hands on your lap, turning to gaze at Zyglavis to your left. "Thank you."

"There's really no need." He said and took another sip from his glass, which was still almost full.

"I'd have caught a cold without you. I must thank you. It's what I judge correct."

Zyglavis' eyes met yours and you felt as if your breath was stolen, your mind falling into a trance and reliving the ball, where you had first met him.

"May I ask you something?" You breathed out the words, your lips barely responding as he stared at them and then back at you.

He nodded, the fire flickering in his eyes as if they were gems thrown into the fire, but still cold somehow.

"Why did you leave that night?" You asked. You still had that rose on your boudoir. It had began to wither by now, but you forbade everyone from replacing it. You swore you'd never see this man again and kept it as his only reminder. You feared that without it, you'd wake up one day to realize he was merely the creation of a dream or a hallucination. But there he was...

Zyglavis remained wordless at your question and got up, going to stand before the window and peering up at the dark and starless sky through the deep crimson curtains. He looked like a raven, chased away from a leafless tree branch.

You rose from your seat as well and approaches him, but still stood at a certain distance from him. You wanted to touch his back, feel his oddly alluring cold again and yet... Something tugged him away from you.

He sighed heavily, focusing on his faint reflection in the glass with narrowed eyes. "I keep making the same mistake. I always say I won't come close to you and now look at me..."

You furrowed your eyebrows, his words like an ancient riddle. "I don't understand... Why do you keep pulling away?"

Zyglavis turned around and his body had such grace and elegance, you sucked in a breath. His eyes lowered to your lips, your chin, your neck and then your pulse, decorated with pearls. His feet moved and he came to stand in front of you. His gaze on your neck was intense and there was an intense desire in it. Almost like hunger. He blinked and stepped away again, just as you were about to reach for him.

Your hand remained in the air, your fingers empty and warm, lacking his cold.

"I admire you. The way you're fair. How you're so kind." He breathed in deeply and walked to the piano, setting his glass beside yours. "But this time, I must really go."

"And this time..." You hushed. You'll really never return... Is what you wanted to say, but your words suffocated and died in your throat, never meeting his ears, nor the atmosphere.

He cleared his throat and walked passed you, his dark presence like a cool breeze, even though warmth filled the room. "Tomorrow night I'll be leaving."

You clasped your hands before your crotch and lowered your gaze to his boots as they left the room.

The sun began to set behind the mountains, the bright sunlight from before turning into a tragic gold that started dying, withering, like the rose you kept on your boudoir.

You stared down at the empty hallway, as the sky was bleeding behind you. Your guest had not come out of his room all day. He only opened the door for some servants to bring him breakfast and that was it.

You walked away from the window, your heels sinking into the blood red carpet draped across the dark brown floorboards. You found his room and raised your hand, a motion too alike with the one you attempted yesterday, only to have him pull away.

You knocked and his footsteps approaching the door gave you goosbumps, your heart almost stopping when his door opened and your eyes met.

He bowed and you bowed back.

"Good evening." You spoke, his beauty poisonous, promising it'd kill you and you'll like it.

"Good evening."

"You... Didn't come out of your bedchamber at all today." You swallowed thickly. You assumed he was avoiding you, but as if by a spell, you followed his trail, hoping that this time, the raven wouldn't fly away.

He nodded and reassured you. "My health is fine. Tonight, I'll be departing."

Your stomach dropped and your eyebrows formed a crease between them. Just like the night at the ball, he turned away from you and this time, you placed your hand above his, which gripped the doorknob. "Zyglavis, wait."

"Again...?"

You breathed in deeply and took a step closer to him, his scent intoxicating your senses and driving your logic further astray. "Please... Stay. Just for another day."

His pale fingers gave the doorknob a squeeze and you sensed it, with your hand atop of his. Your fingers touched his again and the soft coldness of his hand felt like something forbidden. Something you shouldn't be touching right now.

"One day?"

"One day."

Silence.

Then his hand shifted and still without facing you, his knuckles traced your own and his fingertips caressed your skin.

You tried to close your hand around his hand, hold him close, but he pulled away like the cold wind. You couldn't touch a raven's wings. "Will you meet me at the bottom of the staircase at the entrance tonight?"

"I will. I vow that." He stepped back inside his room and the dark wooden door began to close.

"Thank you for meeting me here." You said and bowed, smiling softly.

"You shouldn't thank me. We need to break away afterwards." He said, his tone stern and unwavering, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand.

You pursed your lips and tightened your cloak around you when a cold breeze blew, some hair of Zyglavis' pintail swaying. "Shall we walk about the gardens?"

His eyebrows lowered slightly, the decision he made obviously the wrong one. "We shall."

You walked down the path leading to the tall bushes forming a labyrinth. The dark green leaves appeared black beneath the sky's midnight gown and not a single cricket could be heard. Quietness and stillness ruled over everything, as if all had come to a peaceful, but bitter end.

"Won't you talk to me at all?" You spoke and your tongue was like a silver blade cutting through the silence.

"I'm afraid if we converse any more, something terrible is bound to happen."

You made a halt and faced him, his eyes seas of darkness and regret. Between the bushes you were all alone and titles held no meaning other than lies and hypocrisy. "How could you ever possess me danger?"

"In more ways than you think."

"Tell me one!" You begged, as if clutching the robes of the god of death, begging for one more chance at life. "Tell me why you pull away!" You said and your breath alone was too loud for this place dipped in darkness, like a lair for the darkest secrets and most unredeemable regrets.

The gentleman sighed and raised a hand, which met your cheek. "If I told you... You'd run away yourself." His fingers fell lower, tracing your soft skin and touched the pulse on your neck, his jaw clenching visibly. "So let me hide. Let me have just this one night."

"You could have more." You whispered, your plea evident in your tone.

"No. No, I couldn't." His blackly gloved fingers parted from your skin and his cold remained unchanging, like a signature on the bottom of a letter, sealed securely and carrying dreary secrets. "It is a secret I shall bear and you shall not the burden."

"At least offer me some time..."

He simply stared at you and then offered you his hand.

You accepted. You accepted the raven's wing and allowed him to bring you up into the empty sky.

But he kept you on the ground. He walked by your side and didn't allow you to look down at your shadows.

"But why?" You'd ask.

He'd never respond. You wandered around the silent gardens with the bloody red roses for an hour, the two of you with laced hands, like porcelain figurines on a music box, playing music from deceased musicians and notes from those who suffered from heartbreak.

He brought you back at the bottom of the staircase, where he met with you and his hand slipped away from your own. "Good night." He bowed and grace was a word that'd describe each and every movement of his as he bid you farewell.

You bowed and watched him go. A tall and strong figure that feared something you didn't know. A figure surrounded in mystery and questions no one will ever know the answers to.

Three months passed like the cold wind of night passes through the trees, taking away their leaves and burying them beneath the snow.

You two would meet at night in the gardens, you'd talk, yet he'd fall silent once again when you'd asked him to stay longer.

And aside from his arm, he didn't let you get too close, something pulling him back. Maybe the same cord of steel was tied to him as well, but was dragging him away.

Your heart was beating in a steady pace as you wandered down the empty halls like a lost soul. You held a candelabra in hand, the flames of the fuses leaving a trail of thin smoke behind, as you moved around the palace's eerie silence.

The knuckles of your fingers knocked on the door and you listened closely for the footsteps that would make you shiver. But none came...

It wasn't proper, but you turned the handle on your own and stepped inside. His bedchamber was empty and the bed untouched.

The only sign of residence was the desk. A quill with a black feather was dipped in black ink and a notebook was open on the desk.

A word caught your attention and the cord of steel he had around your throat tugged you forward. You knew this was improper, but he always said your relationship was forbidden too, when it felt so good.

You walked up to the desk with slow hesitant footsteps and you focused on the word. Your name.

You set the candelabra aside, the fire showing you more of his neat and calligraphic handwriting. Your eyes ran over the sentence your name was in and your lips formed the words you read silently.

(Name) is as beautiful as she's been described.

Your eyes opened widely and you read more, holding onto every curve and line of the black ink he used.

But I must not let myself get carried away. I may be captivated by her, but I must remember what I am, which stands in between everything growing from this. If only I hadn't lost control and went to that ball. If only...

Your breath hitched upon hearing footsteps approaching from down the hallway. They sounded heavy and steady and your heart beat that much loudly in your chest.

You looked around you desperately, reality finally bringing you back to your senses. You were in Zyglavis' bedchambers and reading something that was apparently as important as the bones were to be flesh.

But it was so enticing... So... So forbidden, like what he claimed he was.

You braced yourself and your breath vanished, upon his arrival, his tall and dark figure looming at the doorway.

"Your highness." He breathed.

You bowed. "Forgive me for entering univited." Your skin shivered as he moved closer, his footsteps like the heavy melody of an instrument, singing about doom and regrets. "Zyglavis..."

The gentleman stared deeply into your eyes, as if he already knew everything that wrapped your brain with the web of desperation. "You read it?"

You nodded slowly, guilt making you lower your head.

His cold fingers curled beneath your chin and he lifted your head upwards. "If you want to know more, look at me, not the floor."

"Will you tell me?" You asked, hope in your voice, which cut sharply through the darkness of your expression. "Will you finally tell me?"

His knuckles traced a cold path down your neck like the first night and he took a deep breath, upon reaching your pulse with his eyes. "I'll tell you what I must. The rest I will lock them away."

"Why...?"

His knuckles moved to your collarbones and your heart raced, the secrets heavy and unmoving, like an iron gate not letting you reach the raven in its cage. "I've told you before, but I admire you. You're fair and kind." He hushed and continued, when you touched his wrist. "And allow me to say that you're a beautiful woman." His hand fell away and your eyes narrowed, your lips pursing in bitterness. "But I must stay away. For your own good."

"How do you know that's going to do me any good?!" You asked, a desperate plea. "Why don't you let me know of what's stopping you?"

He took a step back, staring at you with an expression of suppressed desire. "You're going to be scared if you know and that's the last thing I can bear. Knowing I frightened you."

You took a step closer, your heels clicking against the floor, like the last heartbeats of a heart. "Is there poison on your lips?"

"No."

"Then why...?" You stood in from of him and touched the raven's wings, careful not to hurt the feathers. "Why can't you stay?"

He remained silent, as the wind opened the window and the cold blew out the flames of your candelabra.

"Why must you keep me in the dark?" You placed a palm on his chest, your shoulders shaking from the cold.

"I'm afraid I cannot warm you, my touch is too cold for that." He said and once again moved away from you, the raven had flown away to another branch.

"Maybe I like the cold." You said, turning to face him, his body unbothered by the cold air of the midnight. "Maybe I prefer it over the boiling touches of the capricious and the greedy ones'."

"You have no way of knowing the danger you're subjecting yourself to."

You sighed heavily. "Just for this moment, pretend we're the only two people alive. Just for now let me taste your lips. Let me have one kiss."

"I'd give you all of me, if only we had more moments. If only I had more warmth to offer you."

A single tear filled your eye and streamed down your cheek and that made him sigh.

He bit his lip and came to you. He wiped away your tear with his thumb and looked down at you, raw emotion finally visible on his face. "You have no idea of knowing how much I crave you."

"Then why must you deny me?" You asked, a heartbroken whisper.

He swallowed thickly and his Adam's apple moved above the collar of his suit. "You're making it so hard to do so. You're making it so hard to control myself from just..."

"Just...?"

His beautiful grey eyes fell lower and found your pulse. "Taste you."

Your eyes widened, your breath hitched. "Zyglavis..."

He pursed his lips, but did not look at you. He couldn't bear to face you anymore. He was a creature thirsty for blood and in a human's eyes, he was nothing but someone molded for malice and not love.

The wind screamed as it turned the room to a cold hell and Zyglavis moved backwards, regret more painful than before stabbing him as he moved away from you.

"... You're a vampire." You whispered.

His fists tightened beside his hips and his usual proud posture had crumbled under the weight of shame.

You leaped into his arms and his shoulders jolted in shock.

You didn't care about the cold wind, but instead you wanted more, which you sought into his embrace. "I'm not frightened."

"No..." He touched your arms, wanting to gently push you away, but you held tighter onto him, looking him in the eyes, which were as dark and deep as death.

"Don't push me away, please. No more!"

"(Name)-"

"Let me stay by your side." You pleaded, just like someone on a deathbed would beg for one more day. "Just for one night..."

With a heavy heart, he granted that. He let you have one night and he kissed you, his lips cold, yet sweet and as you closed your eyes, you thought you'd died, but you didn't mind. Not when he'd take you.

But the next night brought misfortune... You read over his letter and the heavy sounds of the hands of the clock were echoing inside your sternum, as if the sound was emanating from your chest.

He didn't meet you in person, he couldn't bear it. Instead, he wrote his bitter passion on a paper, before the raven flew away.

"I couldn't stay longer. I'd be too dangerous for you. As long as I stayed by your side, a part of me would always hope you'd be mine one day and I cannot risk your safety like that, when there's such an impulse boiling within me, begging to be set free. Thank you for allowing me close to you for so long. Thank you for giving me a chance to love you from so close. Pretend I never existed. I was only a nightmare."

Tears ruined your perfect face, sobs breaking your sternum like glass. "No, Zyglavis, you were a dark and forbidden dream. A dream I wish was a reality. A dream I'll make into a wish for my nightly lullabies. A dream about a raven I never caught."

He didn't take his diary with him. Maybe he left it behind on purpose as a keepsake, because this time around, he'd really never return. The god of death left you there for eternity. A lonely eternity.

"I'd write him a letter, but I don't know where he lives. I don't know where he went. So I'll just to whisper my feelings to the wind." You whispered, your sobs mixing with the wind and the sounds of the clock, which counted your broken heartbeats.

So I made a moodboard for each of the zodiac gods...

Day 5 - Scorpio

feeling called out today

credit: _ADWills

REBLOG IF IT'S OKAY FOR ME TO BOTHER YOU IF YOU'RE MY MUTUAL

i love when you're so obsessed about The Character that you actually post about them Less than other characters because every time you draft up a post you're like "oh god. they're gonna know. they're all gonna know i'm obsessed with The Character. and that i'm thinking of them 24/7."