.one.

Her slender fingers raked through the sand underneath her, catching a handful in her palm. She watched as the dark brown grains slipped through her closed fist. Like time, the sand slipped through her fingers without her being able to stop it or slow its course. As she laid beside a sparkling blue ocean of the Australian coast where the waves battered her fragile body and the sun painted her flesh gold, streaking the long strands of her dark hair, along her face, with tinges of bright golden yellow she heaved a sigh. All of that which was before her was for her to enjoy, as was what her husband told her in loving words. But as she grew to understand, nothing was hers after all. It was all his--he had so coldly thrown those words in her face more than once before. But she couldn't say she wasn't accustomed to that. 

The sound of children's laughter rang out through her ears, pulling her away from her thoughts. She stirred where she sat, opening her closed dark brown eyes. When she closed her eyes, she could imagine that she was anywhere but there. She could imagine that she wasn't in Camelot, which was what had become of Australia after her husband was done with it. He had so ruthlessly taken over the country after living a life in the ranks of organized crime and clawing his way up to the top. As she thought about it, she had always been blissfully ignorant to the whole thing. She should have seen the signs. How he was somehow always able to get her expensive presents and how he had started carrying a gun around ever since they were fifteen. He said it was for protection, since he couldn't trust anyone. And she believed him because she trusted him. She never entertained the thought that her beloved, who had been so hurt by the world, would in turn become a terrible human being. 

Two small and happy looking four year-olds sank into the sand behind her, pulling and tugging at her arms playfully. They were so young and so innocent, unsuspecting that their mother was miserable and that their father was a monster.

"Play with us mommy, play with us!" The little girl yelled, a bright smile on her face. Her long brunette hair had been styled into two space buns and she wore a baby pink one piece suit encrusted with jewels. Even their children had to have the best things in life, as her husband proudly put it. He always acted as though buying them presents were a good replacement for not having their father around. He hardly saw them, was always out on a patrol or some kind of important meeting. He was like a stranger to his own kids.

A wave crashed over them as the day was slowly drifting into afternoon, and with it came the rise of the tide. Just behind them, not even ten feet off, the little girl's father instantly stood from where he was sitting. His eyes checking to see if they were alright. They were. Though she almost wanted to scoff at his concern. Where was that concern when the children went says without seeing their father and they asked her when he was coming home? He clearly did not love them enough if he was willing to leave them like that for so long. He was more preoccupied with his Camelot, his dream of being a king. His dream of having all the money and all the power.

The twenty-two year old blonde sat down again, the heels of his leather booted feet dug into the sand as he motioned the little girl to distance herself from the rising tide.

"Come, Kristy." He said to her, his voice deep and full of authority. The girl ran toward him, chubby legs carried her as fast as they could carry her, arms open wide to meet her father in a warm embrace. He grinned at the sight of her and he scooped her up into his arms.

Suddenly, a handful of sand crashed into the back of his head, taking him by surprise. The sudden movement had sent his guards flinching and their hands reached for their guns. But they quickly relaxed when they saw who had been the one to throw a ball of sand at their king. The King turned, grabbing the boy by the arms, and slinging him over his shoulder playfully.

"How come you never play with mommy?" Kristian asked, blue eyes staring into his father's own, giggling.

It was an innocent enough question. Children had a way of saying things that were never supposed to be said aloud. It was like the old saying declared: drunks and children always tell the truth. Luke knew his wife Katherine had heard the question asked by their son. Still she did not move--didn't even flinch--seemingly lost in her thoughts. Resentful of their happiness when she was so miserable. Resentful of him.

"Come...Katherine." Luke called to her, the smile that had graced his face just moments earlier had dwindled. That was because the smile he wore for his children was merely a mask, shielding the cold interior underneath. They were too young to see past him and he was able to fool him easily. But not Katherine, and he knew it. Which was why it was pretty rare that he'd smile at her or that they were on good terms.

He stood again, suddenly ready to leave when she blatantly ignored him. His patience was always short--with his guards, his soldiers, and even with his own wife. He towered over the two children, who grabbed onto him to hang from his legs, making it difficult for him to actually walk along the sand. A gleam of sweat trickled down the center of his chest to his abdomen. He pulled the towel he carried from around his neck and wiped it away. The sight would have been enough to send a swarm of butterflies into anyone's stomach. But Katherine was too miserable to find any solace in her husband's good looks.

"Katherine!" He called again, this time a bit louder and with evident annoyance at her disobedience. She had heard him. He knew she heard him. But it was her away of undermining him at every turn. Her way of proving he wasn't all-powerful and that he couldn't always boss people around the way he liked to do. At least, not as powerful as he thought he was. She wanted to prove that the one thing he wanted most, he would never have: her love. Not anymore.

-

first re-written chapter for this story.

the first couple of chapters were super long and then the last ones were pretty short. and that is one of the things that most bothered me. so i'm going to make all chapters about the same length. 

i'm also going to add more details to the story. i felt like i only mentioned a few things briefly about luke's past. but what i really wanted to do was to go into detail. so i'm going to re-write the chapters with that in mind. 

i hope you all like what i'll be doing with the story. thank you loads for reading.

-clary