Real Or Fake?

The courtyard was now completely empty with only two people standing next to each other in silence. They didn't say anything nor did they move at all. Tears rolled down Lexia's face as Landal's harsh words repeated in her mind. "How long?" She had no idea how long he had actually felt like that and that destroyed her from the inside. She wasn't as nearly as old as her appearance led her on to be, barely reaching her forties. She was probably one of the youngest Queens in history. She had met Landal when she was only sixteen years old in her hometown in Dracal. It was during a big competition where people gathered there every ten years to show off, fight and entertain the people.

"He wasn't that strong, he almost came in last place."

She was with her family viewing the competition for the first time in her life. His wasn't very handsome nor was he very strong. He was average all around except when it came to the way he carried himself. Despite being weak and fragile compared to everyone else he would go into every fight without hesitation. Each time he would get beaten until he could barely stand but he still got up and fought his next opponent all the same. "That persistence and calmness." It caught her attention like a light that attracted her towards him.

"When I got to know him I learned how he treated everyone equally. He didn't care if you were an Astral beast...or a human. In a place full of greedy scum and poor people that were left to fend for themselves he treated them all equally."

Lexia mumbled that outloud while Xilo listened at her side.

"So many people beat him up that at one point in that competition he became the clown. Whenever someone faced him or saw him they would point and laugh. Giving him zero respect and he took it with a smile, almost like he enjoyed it. It was so weird...someone actually being okay with that."

Xilo had vague memories of a girl he used to know that was sort of similar.

"Yilel....Zelfin...."

"Something was definitely wrong with me at the time because I eventually fell in love with him. Despite how much my family hated it I got closer to him and even managed to eventually confess to him. He was too much an idiot to ever confess himself so I had to do all the work. Boy's are really silly sometimes but I loved him regardless...Now though I find myself standing here wondering...how much of that was real? If he regretted every moment he spent with me, was it all just a trick? Was the love I had for him at one time only one sided and I was just being strung along..."

Lexia's body started to shake as she followed that line of thought more.

"For almost 15 years we were married.....almost half of my life. Is the person he is now the real him?"

She wasn't sick anymore like she was before however she no longer wanted to even stand. She didn't have the energy for anything except tears. Constantly beating herself up she knew that she shouldn't have been putting so much thought into this. "I hate him after all." That statement held true and yet it still hurts to think about. Leaning her body into Xilo she didn't want to stand on her at the moment. Catching her Xilo let her lean on his body as her tears began to wet his shoulder. "Poor girl." In her current state Xilo almost thought of her as a lost child that he had to comfort. Patting her back gently Xilo stared up in the sky as time passed.

After nearly an hour with nothing being said, no one moving or coming near them Lexia finally picked herself back up. Wiping her dried tears off her face she didn't bother fixing anything else. She was a mess but she didn't care, she just wanted to leave this place now. She had come here to try and get Xilo's help and ended up with nothing to show but her make up running down her face. "I don't want to be here any longer." Glancing at Xilo for a brief second Lexia didn't say a thing as she turned around and walked the way they came. Brushing off some of Lexia's loose hair that fell on his shoulder, Xilo moved his stiff shoulders and followed behind her.

"I'll give her some time before I talk with her."

Following her they travelled back through the Castle this time without even trying to hide. A few people passed by them completely ignoring them. Shrugging his shoulders Xilo figured this was Landal's way of telling them to leave. "At least there's no trouble." If someone actually tried to stop them Xilo was a bit worried what Lexia would do. She was pretty unstable at the moment and if she hurt anyone or even worse killed someone then they might be able to leave so easily. Ending up in the hallway they entered from, they opened up the painting and went down the secret passage.

"Still dark."

After getting used to the light again it was a bit difficult to see once more. Holding Lexia's hand this time Xilo made sure he led the way. He didn't need her stumbling and falling while she was off in her own world. After some more walking and a few close falls Xilo brought them to the exit as they were back in town. "Days half over." The sun was almost beginning to set which meant they had been in there for quite a while now. "I wonder what the girls are up to." He had left them all alone and was curious to see what they were up to. Xilo also just had a strong urge to see them again after witnessing Lexia's current state.

"Maybe they can help her, more than me."

If not, at the very least more heads were better than just one.

"Let's get going Lexia, we're almost home."