Florence

After my mini breakdown in the mausoleum I tried my best to sober up and make myself look like I hadn't just been crying. She, of course, noticed and asked if I wanted to talk about it. I didn't really know what to say. I felt the need to explain myself but the conflicted with what dad had written in his letter.

Ultimately I decided to shake my head and ask to be driven to the hotel. I could tell by the way she pressed her lips into a thin line that she wanted to press further but instead of any words there was a turn of a key and the roar of an engine.

We drove in silence, the distant roll of thick dark clouds distracting me for while. Though it was summer it was still humid and there was a promise of a thunderstorm tonight. It took my mind off a few things knowing I'd have the possible comfort of rain tonight.

It didn't take us too long to reach the hotel and as I hopped out the car we silently said our goodbyes. It didn't feel awkward or tense, only... like a half goodbye.

As soon as my eyes landed on the hotel entrance I could practically feel the tense atmosphere leaking from inside. The new guards seemed to multiply in numbers as they swarmed the place, flowing in and out of both the main doors and the side entrances.

Reluctantly I approached the doors. Inside wasn't as bad as I though, at first.

People everywhere seemed to be in a panic. People ran left to right, guards passed me with an extra thud with every step, employees tried to calm the guests but was this kind of environment it was hard to ground anyone!

People crowded around in one particular area, all trying to get into the middle. I was instantly drawn to crowd- for whatever crazy reason- and tried to peek over the sea of heads who we were all surrounding. I caught a glimpse, on tiny, singular glimpse of a head of tied up auburn hair and the curly strands of ink black abyss and instantly recognised them purely off the top of their heads.

"Remus! Rian!" I called out over the bustling crowd in hopes they'd hear me over the loud frenzy that was this mass grouping. It only took two words for them to start heading towards me, the crowd moving like a hive mind to avoid bumping into them. It only took a few seconds for the crowd to part and the two to stand directly infront of me with matching distressed looks.

"Florence.." they both breathed out in unison, their tense shoulders dropping. "W-What happened? Everyone's panicking in here!" I observed, quickly taking my eyes off theirs and throwing my gaze elsewhere. "Word got out Eurus is leaving. Shit hit the fan pretty quick." Rian responded, a tired tone resonating off of him.

My heart dropped into my stomach. Eurus was leaving. He didn't want to sign the peace treaty and now he's going to leave without another word. It hurt me just thinking about him leaving without saying goodbye.

"The council is trying to convince him to stay but they can't even get him to leave his room, the fucking idiot." Rian grumbled.

"His guards won't leave their posts at his door. You're the only person left who might be able to talk to him." Remus sighed. Judging by the look on his face I could tell he wanted to say more but the time and place were wrong. I felt... icky inside thinking about how I left him. How I left both of them.

"Please, Florence. I know you're mad at us but you're our only option." Rian pleaded, showing me another side to him. A side I didn't realise existed with him.

His words resonated within my head as I tried to make sense of it. What made them think I was their last option? It was baffling to me. But this was serious and if I really was their last option it not only meant I could convince him to stay but I could make him think twice about the treaty.

Maybe I didn't need the documents. The documents.

I looked down and realised I still had them in my clutched hands. Panic replaced confusion as I reminded myself who I was with. The very people dad said never to let their hands on them and here I was, basically waving it in their face.

Before I could think of an excuse to leave and hide these I was suddenly being dragged to an elevator. I watched as people scrambled their way over here just as the doors slid closed. And just like that I was stuck between the two of them.

We stood silent and unlike the scenario in the car this one was awkward. I could tell there was a conversation to be had about the festival, but right now there was something more important on our minds. Eurus.

The elevator dinged and we got off on and headed straight for Eurus' room, the guards instantly becoming alert. I noticed with as much dread as my body could possibly generate that among the councilmen trying to reason with Eurus was Neil.

We approached slowly, all eyes turning our way as we stopped a few feet short of the first guard. Neil, naturally, was the first to approach. His face only turns beet-red when he laid eyes on me. "H-Hold on a second! What the hell are you doing here?!" He barked, taking a step closer. The man was instantly blocked from my vision as Remus and Rian stepped in-front off me.

"Step aside." Remus growled. The switch from hearing his normal gentle voice to this daunting and almost threatening one sent shivers through my body.

Neil started spewing out words but that was put to an end when Rian not-so-gently pushed him to the side. "Move, crone."

My smile was too big to cover up as I passed my stupid grandfather and towards the door. The councilmen stepped back as one of Eurus' guards dealt with them, surprisingly leaving the door unoccupied. Remus and Rian both started shouting loudly and started calling out for him. There was no answer.

"Wait- guys," I called out, the two instantly ceasing. "I think he's sick of people banging on his door." I offered. Rian rolled his eyes. I ignored him and rose my arm, gently tapping a curled fist against the door. There was no answer.

"Eurus? We came to just... clear things up," I tried stupidly. It was worth a shot. There wasn't an answer.

"Please, Eurus we just want to talk." No answer.

I tried other various, hopeful lures but there was no sign of movement from inside. No one was going to answer the door, this plan was going to fail.

"Please don't leave." I tried finally. If this didn't work I felt that nothing would. Everything felt eerily silent as I waited for a response but nothing came. Whatever hopeful lick of flame still inside me died when my eyes still met the door and not Eurus.

I turned to face Rian and Remus to tell them that this was a waste of time but just as my lips parted the door mechanics beeped and the door flung open.

I was expecting Eurus but instead another stocky male stood in the doorway. He had presumably dyed red hair and a pair of defining sleek glasses resting high on his face. There were a few distinguished freckled pronouncing the layout of his face which lead my eyes to his expression. He didn't look happy, surprised or mad. He looked... tired?

"Eurus Meade is busy-" he stopped mid sentence when he took his eyes off of me and pinned them on the two guys behind me. "We need to talk to him." Rian gritted out, seemingly already annoyed.

It took this man a while for him to register who he was facing but when he did his eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"You're- you can't- this is highly unprofessional!" He managed to get out. He turned a weird shade of red but not out of anger. Maybe embarrassment?

"I-I would like to see Eurus." I claimed pathetically. His eyes shot down and by the way he was looking at me I would've guessed he was staring at an ant. "You're... Florence?" He wondered aloud as the cogs in his brain circled around. He knew me?

"Y-Yeah that's me," I stuttered out. All of a sudden I felt the many burning gazes of everyone around me. "I came to talk to him."

The man's eyes lingered on mine for awhile. He was clearly thinking but the silence he allowed was killing me on the inside.

"What makes you think he'll listen to you? He won't even listen to me!" He remarked with a slight huff. That sentence alone told me he wasn't just a guard but someone who Eurus' considered close. I made a mental note of that.

"I've been told I was a last option." I answered truthfully. I had no evidence that Eurus would even hear me out- let alone even see me! My argument clearly wasn't holding up as the man's lips quirked down as a sign of a frown. I didn't actually have a definite answer to give him! "I mean, is it even considered a dire circumstance if there isn't a last resort?" I joked.

My head fell slightly as I myself digested what I had said. Did I just crack a fucking joke? It was supposed to be just a thought! I didn't mean to actually say it.

I expected him to just shut the door and ignore my pathetic comment but instead he opened the door wider with a small smile. "I guess you are a last resort."

I instinctively clutched the envelope to my chest as the cool room air brushed past my knees and slightly bristled my hair. "I'm allowing him in." He stated. Before any arguments could take place I was yanked into the room and the door slammed shut.

I stood frozen in place as he walked around me and into the room. I noticed that curtains had been drawn and there was virtually no light. The room's temperature was colder than normal and was completely silent. There was no noise, no activity, no light. It looked like an unoccupied room.

"He's in the next room." The guy noted, his voice going down a few octaves. "I'm Samson, by the way. Eurie's friend."

I held my eyes curiously up to his as he covered his mouth. Eurie? It was a cute nickname.

"Uh- anyways, he's pretty fragile. He used to talk about you a lot but after the festival he kinda had a..." whatever he wanted to say he stopped himself.

"O-Ok." I stuttered out, my knuckles curling around the sides of the envelope. I didn't have a clue on what I was going to say to him, I was just kind of hoping he would carry the conversation but I had no idea he was fragile.

I cautiously turned and headed for the room he pointed to, my shaking head resting on the doorknob. As I turned the brass knob I felt a head on my shoulder, making me jolt back and jump.

"Florence, I can tell you're a good person but if you hurt him more," he started and all of a sudden his nice demeanour vanished. I knew he was threatening me but I didn't feel scared. It wasn't that he wasn't scary, hell no! It was because I would never rationally hurt him. Firstly, because I didn't have it in me to hurt someone and secondly, because it was nice having him around, even if he confused me.

I rested my hand over his and looked him dead in the eye. "I won't hurt Eurus. You can trust me." I boldly stated as I tried shoving every ounce of my confidence into my words. Although the last few words were a bit shaky I managed to convince him enough to not finish his idle threat and let his hand fall away.

I faced back to the closed door and just like the every bit of confidence I had was stripped away. Touching the doorknob felt like holding an ice cube for too long. I desperately wanted to let go but I couldn't. I had to talk to him- to convince him not to leave.

My thoughts were reeled back in by the reminder of the letter. Dad worked with dragon-shifters almost all his life and he still didn't trust them up until the day he died. I was clutching the very thing I couldn't let them get their hands on.

Could I even trust them?

Doubts began to swim around in my head as my grip loosened and fell away from the door. Would he even listen to me? There was no way he would. Why did he even approach me in the first place? Question after question piled up and just like that my mind was sent into a dark place. One where I could drown in my own thoughts.

"This was a bad idea." I whispered. A unsettling feeling stabbed itself into my gut as I took a step back. "He won't listen to me- I can't do this-"

Was he trying to get these documents the entire time? Was this a trap?

"Woah, woah- just wait a sec, Florence!"

Why was he even here? Does he even care about the lives of others? Did any of them?

"Samson this is stupid."

Did he care about anything? Did he even consider the treaty?

Did he care about me?

Before I could even begin running out the hotel room the door I was frozen infront of shot open and a very disheveled Eurus towered over me. His hair was a mess, he had horrible scratch marks slashed across his chest and neck and bloodshot eyes. This... this wasn't the man at the festival. What the hell happened to him?

"Florence."

Eh, I was supposed to include the confrontation scene in this chapter but I figured it was already being drawn out too much! I hope you all enjoyed regardless!

I'm actually excited for the next few scenes between Florence and Eurus.

Thoughts and predictions are always welcomed!