Keir lay in bed, alone and regretful, swishing the sleeping elixir in his hands. He laughed dryly as he remembered Lucas's distraught look as he stood outside Keir's room, the two princes having so much to say, but not being able to deny the reality that faced them now. Neither of them could deny that the safest option was to let each other go, no matter how much it wounded them both. Keir hoped that with Lucas wed and him returning back to his own kingdom, the witch's wrath will be appeased, giving him enough time to figure out how to destroy her. 

And if he did? Keir could only laugh bitterly. Even if he could somehow defeat her, Lucas could never be his. Everything was against them, and yet the two still struggled defiantly to stay together. The tether that bound them was wearing thin, and they both knew that it would snap tomorrow. Unable to bear seeing Lucas's distraught face, he had closed the door quickly, leaning his head against the dark wood as he wept silently. He did not know that Lucas did the same as he lingered in front of the door, wishing that they could be two different people in a different world, a world that pushed them together instead of pulling them apart. 

Popping open the glass bottle with his teeth, spitting the cork onto the ground, Keir drained its bitter contents in one gulp. The liquid coated his mouth as it trickled down his throat, warming his body from the inside out. As soon as he swallowed the liquid, he felt his mind calm and the tightness in his chest leave him. Surprised at the quick calmative effects, Keir settled himself underneath the blankets, letting the potion flow through his veins and unknot his tensed muscles. He felt calm, calmer than he has ever felt before, and his lightness let him slip into an effortless slumber soon after, the shadows claiming him. 

~~~

Lucas stood at the altar, crisp black suit hugging his muscular form as the smell of white flowers filled the room. Large white stone walls spiralled up into the air of the grand building, stained glass windows casting pastel shapes on the sparkling marble floors. The large hall was full to the brim, nobles dressed in their finest attire crammed into the seats on either side of the aisle, even more standing high up in the raised wings overlooking the room. The royal wedding hall had been sectioned off by palace guards, temporary fencing being set up to push back the throngs of commoners that hoped for a glance of the new royal couple. The organ behind them pounded out music, the warm tune only sounding harsh in Lucas's ear. 

Lucas stared at Keir, who stood to his side alongside a row of seven dwarves, who were all dressed in different colours, a most curious sight to the many guests that cast them curious glances, giggling as each of the dwarves almost bounced up and down on their tiny heels in excitement. Some of the young ladies in the front row blushed as they cast flirtatious glances at Keir, who did not notice their stares, his eyes calmly staring at the tops of his polished shoes as he only actively tried to ignore one pair of heated eyes. 

Lucas was surprised to see Keir's skin glowing and refreshed, none of the darkness under his eyes from the past night evident at all, as if he was completely at peace with what was happening. Keir's bright face was a blow to the chest, Lucas wishing that his body would betray something of the inner turmoil that he himself was experiencing, the man instead looking calmer than ever. Lucas, on the other hand, was barely holding it together. His eyes were bloodshot, dark circles covered with thick layers of cosmetics the maids had carefully slathered on this morning when he waltzed into the dressing room a complete mess, much to everyone's shock. 

"Look at me," Lucas pleaded silently, begging Keir to spare him a glance. "Don't ignore me. Look at me." Keir did not move, not even when the large doors of the hall opened, everyone gasping as Rose stepped inside, arm linked with her father's. Lucas tore his eyes from Keir as the wedding march began, Lucas's eyes growing sad as the sense of impending doom inside him flourished with every step she took. 

"How beautiful!" a spectator gasped, Rose's exquisite dress brushing past them. "She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen!"

Lucas could not help but look at Keir again, the man far more beautiful than his betrothed that was walking down the aisle. 

Look at me.

Lucas felt Rose step beside him, but did not turn to her. 

Look at me.

Lucas's heart jumped as Keir's body turned towards them, heart thumping expectantly as his head tilted upwards. Lucas's spirits fell as the blue eyes did not meet his, but blankly looked past him at his sister. Giving her a small smile, Keir's eyes dropped to the ground again.

Look at me.

"Lucas?" Rose whispered, clearing her throat quietly. Flinching, Lucas finally turned to his bride, her cheeks rosy as she smiled up at him innocently, unadulterated bliss radiating off her. Lucas felt small, helpless and utterly defeated as his lips mumbled their vows, the next few moments a blur as he suddenly felt Rose's lips on his, a chorus of claps and cheers erupting from the onlookers. 

"We're married, my love," Rose whispered to him, tears in her eyes as she took his hand in hers. Rose, her hand leading him down the aisle, as people threw flower petals at them as the walked past, Lucas could not fight the urge to look behind him, his eyes widening as he met a pair of startling blue ones gazing at him sadly, his expression heartbreaking. 

Don't look at me like that.

~~~

In all her bliss, Rose did not notice Lucas's mood, her happiness radiating off her like a bubble that cast out all negativity. 

"What a beautiful couple, truly a picture of such happiness," a noblewoman gushed, Rose giggling as she thanked the guest gratefully, the woman moving to the side as the next well-wisher in the never ending queue stepped forward. Rose was the only one truly speaking, Lucas merely mirroring her words half-heartedly as he searched around the room, trying to find Keir amongst the crowd. He was not there. 

Rose suddenly cried out happily beside him, and her sudden movement made him turn to her. 

"My friends! How happy I am to see you again," Rose cried, bending down to grasp the tiny hands of the dwarves that swaddled around her, the tops of their heads barely brushing her waist. 

"You are as beautiful as always, Snow," the dwarves sniffled, rubbing their wet eyes as they gazed up at the pretty girl they had come to love in the forest. Turning to Lucas, one of the dwarves - Tuesday, he remembered - bowed to him deeply, his short stature halving as he bent down. 

"Thank you for saving our dearest Snow."

"The pleasure is mine," Lucas replied automatically, his flat tone making the dwarf blink at the cold reply.

"Oh, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and, of course, Sunday," Rose said, naming all of the dwarves, who blushed as they heard their names called by her sweet tongue. "You must meet my brother! He is most precious to me, I would be so happy if you could meet him. Lucas, have you seen Keir anywhere?"

"No," Lucas said, disentangling his arm from Rose's as he cleared his throat. "But I will look for him now." Rose had barely nodded before he ducked off, one of the dwarves staring at him with narrowed eyes. 

Stepping towards a server boy, who stumbled as Lucas neared him, he asked the young man if he had seen Keir anywhere, the boy nodding and pointing to the back patio of the palace. Lucas thanked him, briskly walking outside, barely paying heed to the various comments the reception guests threw at him as he walked past. 

Unlike the inside of the castle, which was packed to the brim with noble men, women and children, the back patio and garden was nearly empty, with a few couples utilising the seclusion to giggle to each other and sneak in discrete touches under the cover of the night. Lucas scanned his surroundings, before spotting Keir on the far side, partially hidden by tall, sculpted bushes. As Lucas's legs carried him towards his new brother-in-law, the realisation hitting Lucas like a sack of ice, he watched Keir quickly down a flask of red liquid, the a drop of red escaping from the side of his lips and down his chin, the same shade as his ruby lips. Almost immediately, the darkness in Keir's eyes disappeared, a soothed smile forming on his lips. 

"Keir," Lucas called, but the prince did not hear him, taking a step back behind the bushes. Frowning, Lucas rounded the corner, the sight before him making him want to hurl. Lucas watched as Keir's lips pressed against someone else's. Keir's face was obscured by a flurry of red hair, Finnian stepping onto his toes to kiss the taller man, whose eyes looked glazed before they closed at the touch. Lucas froze as Finnian pulled back, wrapped his arms around Keir as he rested his chin on his shoulder, giving Lucas a menacing smile. Green eyes stared into him, rounded pupils turning sharp like a serpent's. 

"It seems that we have an unwanted guest in out midst," Finnian chuckled, Keir turning. 

"Lucas?" Keir said, cloudy eyes clearing for a moment as redness seeped from his parted lips. "What is ha-" Keir started, confused as to why Finnian's arms were around him. Finnian grinned, forcing a kiss onto Keir's lips again, Keir's eyes growing hazy once again.  Lucas could not form words as he took in Keir's suddenly tranquil face, Finnian's arm still wrapped around him like a noose. 

"What did you do to him?" Lucas asked, his voice low as he finally willed himself to step forward, Finnian laughing as he too stepped back, pulling Keir with him. Keir did not fight him, merely giving Lucas that blank smile that made him feel sick to the stomach. 

"Taking back what is rightfully mine," Finnian cackled, his voice morphing into one that was not a man's, but a woman's. A witch's. "Farewell, prince." Lucas cried out Keir's name as he lunged forward frantically, his fingers just scraping onto the front of his shirt before they were repelled back with some hidden force, a large, metallic circle forming behind his lover. Lucas watched in horror as Finnian's face melted, skin-coloured ooze dripping onto the ground and sizzling like acid as the youthful, boyish face turned into that of a beautiful woman, sharp features alight with glee as Keir's body slumped into her arms. Lucas screamed as the witch stepped backwards into the metallic portal, disappearing in a mass of silver and glass. 

Rushing forward again, Lucas reached towards the mercury-like wall, only to scream as his hand burned with the contact. His hand flew back covered in red welts that smoked and burned. And with that, the portal closed, leaving Lucas on the ground, hand blistered and bleeding, Keir disappearing to a place he could not follow.