Hey guys, here's a prompt I got on tumblr a while ago- what was supposed to be a 'drabble'; alas, although i tried to keep it short, it still ended up to be like 600 words *sigh* Word limits never sit well with me lol Hope you like it, and thanks for the prompt, Anon!

Anonymous: rivamika drabble, please! - broken engagement, unrequited love.

He stood across from her in the center of the grand hall, humoring her with a discussion that spoke of everything and nothing all at once- and although the room seemed to be bathed in a near royal bronze, the sheer size of the establishment only seemed to emphasize the emptiness of its halls and the glassiness of her gaze. He knew it was only a matter of time before they spoke about the topic at hand; she could only stall for so long, and the hold on his feigned ignorance was slipping away with each passing second.

The minute he'd seen her, he immediately knew that something was wrong- that something was simply off about her- and in that moment he had noticed that the ring was no longer on her finger, but more importantly, that the scarf was no longer wound around her neck. It was the first time he had seen her throat so exposed, and with careful precision he took note of its alabaster shine and the soft curve at its base. It was bare and delicate, like her, and suddenly he knew all that he needed to know.

At first glance she looked as she normally did, sleek and refined, almost detached within her cool demeanor, and had he been anyone else he would have been fooled. He knew, however, that she was valiantly trying to forget; attempting to erase memories of wedding bands and scarlet cloth- of green eyes that looked adoringly into icy blue, but never towards the stormy grey that had watched him for so long. They both knew her attempt was futile.

She chuckled lightly as their idle chatter came to an end, shoulders relaxed and her smile still in place. In the eyes of those surrounding her, she seemed poised, elegant, aloof- unaffected by everything that unfolded behind those heavy mahogany doors. She was a perfect actress, after all. But to those who knew her, they could tell that her spine was a little too stiff, that her smile was just a little too bright, as if she believed it could somehow outshine the sadness in her eyes. He knew better, though, that the gleam in those orbs was gone and that her smile was just as empty as these halls. For a moment nothing was said, a brief silence before his impending inquisition, and then he spoke.

"You broke off the engagement." Not a question, but a statement. She stiffened subtly, caught off guard by his forward approach, and then forcibly relaxed.

"I did." Her answer was as steady as her stance, but even he could see the flash of pain in her gaze. He continued, unbothered by her short response.

"You left him." With her. He saw her visibly swallow. Her voice wavered the slightest as she replied,

"I did." This time, he spoke in a softer voice, one that held both power and support.

"You loved him." Finally, the facade splintered, and the smile crumbled from her face.

This time, her shoulders shook and a silent sob escaped her lips. "I did."

"Then why?" This time a question, although he already knew the answer- he'd known the answer for far too long.

"I want him to be happy." So I let him go. Something seemed to suddenly break within her, and he watched in helpless silence as those six little words shattered her. Because he will never be happy with me.

There was no speaking after that, he simply took her into his arms and let her weep. He offered no words of comfort, no false hopes or floral language, for he knew the pain of loving- of watching but never truly touching, of yearning but never being desired in return- of the bittersweet experience that plagued one for so long. He glanced down at the broken girl before him, that familiar feeling burning darkly in his chest.

After all, he had spent years doing the same.

Unrequited love sucks, doesn't it? ;_;

Well, there it is, rivamika with hints of ereannie. Hmm, I may or may not continue this, i'm still debating...

Hope you enjoyed that short and not-so-sweet drabble ^_^ Reviews are welcome!