She seemed very small today. She wasn't the force of energy and charisma. She wasn't opinionated or sarcastic. She looked sullen and sad. Matthias took her hands across the table, warming her smaller hands in his own larger ones. His finger passed over her engagement ring and he looked down at it. Considering it for a long moment, at last, he looked back up at her.

"I have something to tell you,"

"Yes, your letter said that." Matthias said gently. He gave her a beseeching look. What had happened? Had someone died? No, if someone had died he would have been informed of it. Had she gotten into trouble at school? He had connections, he would fix this. Bad marks, perhaps? Her brother was ill maybe? A million things, and he really wanted her to spit it out.

"Something has happened."

"Theo," he sighed, "Love, you're being terribly cryptic. Tell me what's on your mind so that I may better remedy your troubles."


i'll be sure to stay wary of you
love to save the pain of once my flame and twice my burn