bookpower Chapter 42 The Ice began to Crack
Chapter 42 The Ice began to Crack
Over the next few days, little talks became their routine.
Fianna found herself seeking him out in the mornings, sometimes in the library, sometimes in the garden.
Caspian was always quiet at first, his answers short and hesitant, but she noticed he slowly began to open up.
She learned that he liked drawing, though he always tried to hide his sketches.
Once, when he had stepped away, she caught a glimpse of a rough drawing of the Redmond estate's garden.
The lines were messy, and she couldn't help but smile at the detail he had put into the flowers and trees.
"What else do you like to draw?" she asked later, trying to sound casual.
Caspian shrugged,"Just... places. Things I see." Caspian replied.
"Have you drawn people?"
He hesitated before shaking his head.
"No. They're... harder." He said.
Fianna didn't push, sensing it was a sensitive topic.
Instead, she shared little bits about herself—how she loved listening to music, especially when she felt overwhelmed, and how she sometimes imagined herself as the protagonist of the songs she played.
"What kind of music?" Caspian asked one day, surprising her with the question.
She blinked, then smiled.
"All kinds, really. But I like songs that tell stories—like ballads. They make me feel like I'm part of something bigger."
Caspian nodded, his expression thoughtful.
"That sounds nice."
It was a small moment, but to Fianna, it felt monumental.
She realized that Caspian wasn't just quiet or timid; he was someone who had built walls around himself, and for the first time, she felt like she was peeking through a crack in those walls.
Their little talks became the highlight of her days, and though she didn't say it aloud, she began to look forward to seeing him, to hearing his soft voice and catching the rare glimpses of his faint smiles.
For someone who had spent most of her life in silence, Fianna found a new kind of comfort in the company of the boy with the white hair and sad eyes.
As the days turned into the second week of Caspian's stay, Fianna realized that their once-awkward silences had evolved into something entirely different.
Where before there had been hesitation and discomfort, there was now an unspoken understanding.
The boy who had once clutched his book like a shield now seemed at ease in her presence, though his quiet nature remained.
Fianna found herself drawn to his subtle gentleness.
Caspian didn't talk much, but when he did, his words were careful and meaningful, as if he put great thought into everything he said.
She began to notice the little things about him—the way his lips curled slightly when he was engrossed in a book, the way he'd tilt his head in thought, and how he sometimes fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve when he was unsure.
.
It was the twelfth day.
"You don't have to prove anything to anyone," she told him one evening as they sat by the fireplace. "You're enough just as you are."
Caspian looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise.
"You really think so?" He asked.
"I know so," she said firmly.
Her words seemed to linger in the air, wrapping around them like a warm blanket.
By the fourteenth day, their connection had grown into something undeniable.
Fianna found herself smiling more, her usual loneliness replaced by the quiet joy of having someone who understood her.
Caspian, too, seemed lighter, the weight he carried less visible in his softened demeanor.
On the last evening before his family was due to return, Fianna and Caspian sat on the balcony overlooking the garden.
"I'm going to miss this," Fianna admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Caspian glanced at her.
"Miss what?" He asked.
"This," she said, gesturing to the space between them. "You."
Caspian looked down, his hands clenching into fists.
"I'll miss you too," he said after a long pause.
Fianna hesitated, then reached out, her fingers brushing against his.
It was a small gesture, but it felt monumental.
Caspian looked up at her, his crimson eyes filled with something she couldn't quite name.
"Do you promise we'll see each other again?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"I promise," Caspian said, his voice steady.
Fianna smiled, her heart feeling both heavy and full at the same time.
She didn't know what the future held, but for the first time, she felt like she wasn't alone.
And that was enough.
.
Fianna jolted awake, her chest heaving as tears streaked down her face.
Her hands clutched at the blanket, trembling as sobs wracked her small frame.
She sat upright in her bed, but the room felt heavy, suffocating.
She wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand, her breath hitching.
The tears wouldn't stop, spilling freely as an aching emptiness clawed at her heart.
But why? Why was she crying?