Blackened Heart

Zander was too distracted to hear the mention of his name, and did not respond. Marucus sat down the logs, and then began taking his armor off, knowing that sitting around a fire in full armor was a foolish idea.

Melina walks to Zander as she sits down next to him as she calls his name. "Lord Zander, are you alright?"

He blinks, looking at her. "Eh? What? Did you want something, lady Melina?"

She looks at him. "O-Oh, I just wanted to see if you were alright, if you are busy I can come back later to check on you." She starts to get up almost about to walk away.

"No, not at all. I'm just thinking, that is all." He motions for her. "Please, sit with me."

She smiles as she comes back and sits down as she looks out at the lake. "This day...it's been a real hit to us all hasn't it...?"

He nods. "Yes... it has." His voice was quiet, calm, almost as if thought still. "Seems all anyone has brought from today is suffering..." He rubbed his eyes. "I wish I knew what was going on..."

"I wish I did too, Zander, might I ask, who is Lord Marucus?" She looks at him as she tilts her head.

He sat, pulling his legs in slightly, lettig his sword and whetstone lay on the ground. He looked out into the black, remembering. "He was once just a boy, like me. We grew up in the same place, had the same lifestyle, everything. But, I always had it that much easier. My family was well known in my country, where as his was subordinate to mine. I suppose, jealousy drove him into trying to outdo me at everything. As a boy, it was normal... but... I think he still resents me. After all, where I am well known all over the world, he is only in our home country. I've out done him again." Zander looked up. "Where as I became a bright burning star, he became another, though a little less lusterous."

He sighed. "And now he is here... I think he still hates me, and my family."

She looks up at the sky. "I see...Is there anyway to change his him? You know, to not have him hate you? Because, he seems like a nice man. You are one too, I am fond of you both." She smiles.

"He is nothing if not a good man... but I do not think anything of what I say will hange his opinion of me." He looks at her, smiling a bit. "I am fond of you, aswell, Melina."

She blushes and smiles, but then remembers Ivy and his relationship with her, as her blush faded. "T-Thank you, lord Zander."

He shook his head. "There is no need to thank me." He looked up. "You should get some sleep."

Marucus pointed his, now unarmored, fingertip at the pile of wood. "Brustis!" The logs immediately caught flame. Marucus sat in front of the fire, tending to it.

She smiles. "I'm not yet tired yet, I think I will stay up for a while, until all this energy is out of my system." She walks back to the camp site as lady Ivy was already asleep in a very thick blanket so she wouldn't have to sleep on the ground. Melina looks at her and chuckles to herself, she had then grabbed her bag as she looks at the dress of her mothers, she had then walked over to the other side of the lake as the moon light was shining on the water. She puts it on. She was alone at the time, she looked up at the moon as she smiles and closes her eyes feeling the calming winds.

Zander took up sharpening his sword once more, as Marucus had decided to fall asleep.

Sooner or later Melina had come back to the camp site as she grabs a blanket and puts it over Marucus so that he wouldn't get cold, she looks at the camp fire as she puts more fire wood into it, she sits and stairs at it.

Zander had fallen asleep, propped against the tree, his hat over his eyes. She was the only one left awake.

She smiled as she was glad everyone could sleep, but how come she couldn't? She signed and threw more fire wood in until a spark had came out and touched Marucus's arm.

Marucus blinked, waking up. He sat up, though made absoultely no motion as if he had been hurt. He looked at her. "Lady Melina? What makes you still not sleep at such a late hour?"

"O-Oh I'm sorry did I wake you?" He saw her in the white silk dress as her hair was down not in the bun anymore as she looks at him across the fire.

He blinked. "Lady Melina...?" He shook his head. "And just when I thought someone could not be any more beautiful..."

She blushes as she shakes her head. "This is my mothers, the dress I came went back for. I just...like waring it on sometimes...I-I'm sorry if I woke you up, I put a blanket on you, so you wouldn't catch cold." She gets up.

He looked at her. "You are most kind, Lady Melina." He stands too. "That dress is beautiful on you."

She blushes slightly. "You are too kind Mi`lord, I was going to take a short walk around the lake, care to join me if your not to tired?"

He shooks his head, smiling. "I would love to accompany you." He steps in beside her.