He slowly breathed in the cold air, pushing the tower window fully to gaze at the darkening sky. His fingers twitched slightly and suddenly he was again struck by the idea of just jumping through that window and running. He looked down the tower at the ramparts of the castle he knew that even he couldn't do it.
"My lord the queen has requested your presence." Said a quiet little maid interrupting his solitary brooding. She was rewarded by a little snarl that made her jump back in surprise. The king then shook his head suddenly as if awakening from a daze.
"Tell her I'll be there in a little while." He told her, his voice cold and haunting, the maid bowed quickly and hurriedly left him alone again in the tower room.
So this is what a gilded cage feels like. He thought bitterly turning away from the window yet still reluctant to go to see his queen. He sighed his mind drifting toward the dying sun as it last rays mingled with the yellow and red across the clouds above. The sight of the intermingling colors suddenly made his heart stop. He could imagine them still his mind eye never forgetting each of their detail his beloved and his true most hated rival. Where could they be know he wondered his breath coming out in gasps as he realized that night would come and they would...
Hot tears spilled down his face as he tried to suppress the image and the growing feeling of hate burning in his chest. God how it still hurt, he moaned. He knew he had no chance of ever getting what he wanted he knew it. He knew his beloved didn't want him that was why he was in this sham of a marriage. The young princess had believed it had been love, but instead all she was, was a substitution. He feed of her need of him, he feed of her love for him, hoping beyond hope that this would be enough, but still his heart ached.
She probably realized by now that he didn't feel the same, she was smarter then he gave her credit for. Yet she still loved him, he felt guilty for doing this to her, he tried to love her, he tried with all his might. He wanted with all his heart to forget the past and start his life anew with her, to love her as she loved him. It was pointless though, as soon as the moon rose, his thoughts turned to the two that had made him suffer. He would bury his face in his pillow tears of love, lose, humiliation and anger taunting him through out the night.
His feet began to move of their own accord moving him out of the room and down the stairs. He caught sight of the castle's north exit left completely unguarded. He sighed slightly knowing the guards had probably left their shift early to get drunk at some bar. He was suddenly caught of guard by an idea. He began to breath excitedly and through the hall toward the northern gate. It was the perfect escape; all he had to do was sneak through and leave. No one would see him go through by himself and he was certain his wife would just suspect something outrageous like a kidnapping of some sort probably waste her money on mercenaries who couldn't tell the difference between up and down. Which would just be easier for him he had always had a leg up with mercenaries, and could deal with them better then his own overzealous wife. He would be free and wouldn't have to worry about hurting her with the knowledge he'd left her yes that was it, it was all so perfect.
Soon his feet raced palace grounds hiding every now and then in the shadows when he suspected someone else might be near. He would find his beloved and forever separate ruby and gold and then he would claim his prize. He liked his lips as he thought about his beloved so strong yet so frail, half naked in the moonlight. How would those lips taste like, how would those thighs feel against his body, he began to shake in anticipation as his mind hungrily conjured up the image of his desire. At last he would get what he truly deserved instead of a mere substitution. His body began to shake in want as he picked upon the door of the northern gate. As the lock finally clicked open he rushed to open the door but froze as he looked beyond it.
The queen stood there, her eyes colder then he'd ever seen them, her face stained with semi-dried tears. His body froze her gaze accusing him.
"I..I..." he began to mumble taking a hesitant step backward as his mind raced to create a convincing lie.
"You were going to leave me." She said her voice cracking ever so slightly, carrying with it a storm of betrayal and sadness.
"I was just going for a walk." He said unconvincingly.
"Liar!" She said falling to her knees trying to stifle the sobs that threatened to come. She then titled her head upward tears streaming in the wind; she looked so frail like a small porcelain doll. "Am I really that repulsive?" She said her thundering with heart. "Is that why you...." She broke of and buried her head in her lap. "Go, if that's what you want just go." She said so quietly he almost didn't hear her. A pain tore in his chest, he didn't love her but still he couldn't just leave her not like this, he couldn't do this to the one person who loved him. A part of him hated her for this just wanting to leave this place, to leave it for the person he truly cared for.
Suddenly the young queen felt herself lifted off the ground by a pair of strong arms. She looked up at her husbands face and began to cry again in a strange sort of victory as he carried her back toward the castle.
"I would never leave you." He whispered her heart began to beat again and tears of joy soon began to stain his shirt.
"I love you." She cried harder pushing her face harder against his chest. "I will always love you Zangulus-sama." Martina whispered but he didn't notice a hint of gold had caught his eye once again. He looked to it only to see a piece of yellow colored cloth in the wind. His mind cursed at him as he moved on trying to push away the thought of his dear Gourry.