As Marth rode on his horse, he couldn't help but feel a little unsettled. Still, he rode his horse, excited to tell Cadea the great news about marriage. Marth had already prepared for it. Everything was already accounted for. He bought the ring. He picked up flowers. He already knew when and where he would tell his beloved princess and how he would ask for her hand in marriage. What he didn't know is that he never would have the chance to.
That was it.
Marth had lied to his best friend.
I mean, sure they weren't as close as they had been in the past. But Marth couldn't bring himself to tell Link the truth. The honest truth. So instead of causing drama, he lied straight through his teeth.
"No Link. I have absolutely no feelings for anyone at all"
Link raised an eyebrow as Robin, Shulk and Toon Link all looked at Marth in disbelief. They hadn't known Marth to lie, he mostly told the truth in every available situation. Other than the situations that would get him in deep trouble with the villains, like Bowser or Ganondorf. Seeing Marth's cold glance, Link backed off and frowned a bit.
"How are we going to stop the rumors from going around then?" Link questioned quietly. The way he was acting reminded Marth vaguely of a small child that was seen getting caught taking a cookie or a piece of candy. Part of Marth was wondering why Link seemed to act guilty when it was himself who should feel bad.
"This has happened before" Marth commented, still looking at Link with the same expression. "With me and Samus.." Marth paused. "And Ike.."
"So what do they play you for?" Link questioned, already getting ready to go off on a spree, ready to threaten each person who reported this. "I know you're not a player or a cheater, and I know that they know that you aren't one either"
"I guess we just have to wait for it to go, for it to die out again." Marth shrugged. "Guess I can't talk or be seen with her if we don't want their suspicions to be confirmed"
"I'm wondering how they exactly got those photos in the first place" Peach added, just wanting to be apart of the conversation. "I mean, Master Hand normally keeps this place on top lockdown"
"Maybe the security levels are at an all time low because of an update?" Robin questioned, afraid to look at Marth in the eye's. "You did say that several times a year during the brawl tournament when it was close to the end"
"This has nothing to do with that" Marth coldly responded, probably still irked about the video between him and Shulk. An awkward silence then filled the hall. None were used to seeing Marth so..angry.
"Well..I should probably go clear this up with everyone than. Tell them not to believe the news" Link finally quietly announced, walking away from the group. Toon Link looked up at Marth, guilt and fear was felt by everyone.
"Uh..I think I should-"
"Don't even think about leaving" Marth sternly announced, a forced grin was on his face. "Why don't we go back to my room guys?" He out his hands on Shulk and Robin's arms, still grinning. "Princess. Have a wonderful day" Marth addressed to the mushroom princess. "We will have to see if that plan works"
If Toon Link thought that Robin was scary, Marth was a whole nother level. Toon Link gulped fearfully as he watched his onl potential savior, Princess Peach, turn around and enter her room again.
"Why don't you come as well Toon Link?" Marth asked, pretending to not be bothered. "Seeing as is you are apart of this as well"
"I know you would appreciate my appearance at this-" Toon Link noticed Marth's glare. "Actually sure. i'll come ok?"
"I don't think you really had much of a choice" Shulk mumbled under his breath.
Roy and Ike looked down at their phones in surprise. Ike immediately slapped the phone out of Roy's hands and let out a cry of anger. Ike slammed his phone down on the floor and stepped on it with his heel. Sheik raised her eyebrow, watching Ike throw what looked like a temper tantrum.
"What's gotten into you Ike?" Sheik questioned with a smirk. "Stub your toe on the wall again?"
"I'm in no mood for jokes. We've just made a terrible mistake" Ike sighed.
"What exactly happened for you to smash your phone on the floor?" Sheik asked again, eyeing the broken phone on the floor. "There's a lot of things I would do before breaking it."
"Yeah. But my phone is the reason i'm mad'' Ike explained. "Roy and I have messed up...I'm surprised you haven't seen it yet"
"Seen what?" Sheik questioned, all playfulness was now gone from her voice.
"The thing about M-"
"Ike you dolt!" Roy whispered angrily in Ike's ear, covering his mouth with his hand. "If she doesn't find out then that's one person less to have to worry about finding out!"
"Roy. You uploaded the picture to Smashmedia. I'm pretty sure everyone will eventually find out sooner or later" Ike groaned, taking Roy's hand off his mouth.
"What video?" Sheik asked, trying to figure out what the two boys were talking about.
"That's none of you business at the moment" Roy quickly responded before grabbing and pulling Ike's arm along with him while he ran.
"Uh..so I guess i'll see you later Sheik?" Ike called, already down the hall from Roy's pushing.
"NO he will not see you later!" Roy yelled back before turning to Ike. "Ike, when will you understand that she probably isn't one who should be trusted with a secret like this."
"I think you're the one that couldn't be trusted Roy" Ike cooly replied.
"It was an accident!" Roy protested.
"Whatever it was we should probably go clear it up with Marth" Ike muttered, he now was dragging Roy's arm and leading him to their room.
"But he's going to kill me if he finds out!" Roy whined, pulling away from Ike's grasp like a child.
"Exactly. But i'm apart of this too. He'll kill both of us" Ike responded, opening the door to their room.
In their shared room stood Robin, Shulk and Toon Link for some reason. All of them were looking up at Marth with pity in their eyes as the Hero-King seemed to be giving them a lecture. As the door opened, all of them except for Marth acknowledge their presence. Shulk and Toon Link looked at them with wide eyes, almost begging them to leave while they still could. Still, Ike led Roy further into the room and shut the door behind them.
There was no turning back now.
"Roy. Ike. How nice of you to join us" Marth smiled, turning to the two males.
"Uh..nice to see you too Marth" Roy muttered, looking up at the blue haired prince.
"We came here to tell you something" Ike announced. "Something I think you should hear.."
"What is it Ike?" Marth asked, looking at the tallest sword fighter in the room.
"We accidentally might of posted a picture of you.." Roy started, looking over at Marth to see his reaction. "And Zelda..together and the press got a hold of it.." The red haired boy trailed off watching as Marth walked toward him still smiling.
Shulk, Robin and Toon Link watched in blind fear. They weren't sure what was happening here. Marth had led them to his room but proceeded to do nothing but stand there..and look at them with disappointment in his eyes. Ike got tense, he wasn't sure what his friend was planning to do. Marth to Ike was very unpredictable even though the mercenary knew the prince very well, he still did things that surprised him.
"That's great friend" Marth smiled and put his arm on Roy's shoulder. "Thank you all for trying to help me in this situation. You guy's can leave, i'll handle this myself"
"That's...it?" Shulk questioned from the side.
"What do you mean Shulk?" Marth questioned, feigning innocence. Deep down the prince knew that they were expecting a rage from him, but he was a prince before he was a fighter. And prince's had to stay calm.
"I mean." Shulk exalled a breath of air, now knowing how to explain. "I'm so used to everyone on Bionis getting so..upset all the time. You should see Dunban when he's angry!" Shulk raised his hands in confusion. "For you it makes no sense it-"
Shulk stopped mid sentence, looking intently at something before frowning. The engineer quickly walked closer to the prince and grabbed something off Marth's cape. "Is that a cardioid transmitter?" The homs teen questioned to himself.
"A cardi what now?" Roy asked, looking at Shulk.
"I'm sorry" Shulk shook his head. "I think it's known as a Microphone here"
"A microphone?" Ike repeated.
Robin gasped. "That means that-"
"Someone's been listening to all of your conversations Marth" Shulk finished, nodding over to the prince.
Marth stayed silent as his face quickly paled. "S-someone has been.." The prince stumbled back, gripping his hand on the nearby counter.
"Wait..wait.." Roy shook his head. "I'm confused.."
"Of course you would be Roy" Ike rolled his eyes.
"And what are you looking at!?" Roy yelled, looking down at Toon Link, who had remained unusually silent this whole time.
"Now that I think about it..you have been pretty quiet Toon Link" Shulk spoke.
"Is that a bad thing?" Toon Link questioned, firmly looking up at the elders in the room. "I mean it's not just everyday you get in trouble for looking out for someone"
"I understand that you were trying to look out for Link, but we are trying to look out for Marth" Ike replied.
"And eavesdropping is a bad thing. Especially on people in their rooms" Robin finished.
"Look. I'm sorry" Toon Link muttered, looking down at the floor. "But I can't take sides here. Look Marth, you're one of the coolest adult fighters and I respect you and all that stuff. But when it comes to Link." The cartoon counterpart looked up at the 'adults'. "I just can't have that. Okay? He's like my brother. And brothers look out for each other"
"So are you saying that you're the one who put that microchip thing on Marth's clothes?" Roy asked, still confused as to who did what.
"No." Toon Link raised an eyebrow at them. "Are you serious? I don't even know where to find stuff like that"
"But do you know who did it?"
The men in the room all looked over at Shulk.
"No" Toon Link quietly confirmed.
"You sure about th-"
"Yes" Toon Link interrupted. "I don't know who tracked Marth"
Ike turned to look at Marth but paused when he noticed that Marth was gone.
"Uh guy's..I think we should kind of acknowledge the fact that-"
"Holy bionis!" Shulk exclaimed. "Marth's gone"
Marth frowned. Something wasn't right. The dreaded feeling washed over him again as his horse neighed in protest and refused to go any further past the castle's shrubs. Marth got off his horse and looked forward.
Was that-
On the grass laid two soldiers. Marth quickly ran towards them and felt his finger to their necks.
No pulse.
Gulping back the guilt, Marth ran into the castle. If this had happened to the soldiers, who knew how many were killed this time? Cadea and his sister were upstairs when he left. Were they harmed? Did they leave?
Marth quickly ran up the stairs of the castle and to the area he last had seen his betrothed.
"CADEA" He shouted, his voice echoing through the castle.
"M-marth..?"
Marth's eyes widened as he turned around quickly. On the floor layed Cadea, who was sitting up holding a wound in her stomach. Marth fell to the ground as he tripped on his own feet trying to get to his love as soon as possible.
"Marth" Caeda breathlessly said, a smile coming to her face.
"Caeda" Marth responded. "It's going to be ok. Everything will be fine"
"Marth..I-i'm sorry" Caeda whispered.
"No..save your strength" Marth fierously responded. "Your going to be ok"
"Marth..if I die-"
"Don't speak like that Cadea!" Marth choked, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
Cadea smiled sadly. "Marth. Before I die I would like to feel you one last time."
Marth sat next to Cadea, holding her close and kissing her on the cheek. "Cadea. I love you"
"I love you too, my hero" Cadea responded.
Feeling Cadea's grip weaken from his hand, Marth pulled out the ring from his pocket. Desperately trying to do anything that would keep her attention and keep her from 'falling asleep'. To keep her from leaving him.
"That's why I wanted to make it official Cadea" Marth shakily held the ring out for her to see. "C-cadea, will you marry me?"
Tears fell from Cadea's eyes. She gently nudged his hand back to his chest shaking her head. "Marth. If I had more time then of course, I would love to marry you."
Marth looked back, unable to keep from crying.
"But it's clear that whoever you are supposed to end up isn't me" Cadea continued.
"C-cadea.."
"Give that ring to your wife" Cadea smiled softly. "I know one day you will find love again"
"Cadea..please don't leave me" Marth gasped. "I don't have anyone else!"
"Marth, one day we will meet again" Cadea softly said, her eye's growing tired. "I promise it"
"P-promise?"
"Yes Marth..I promise"
Cadea slightly sat up and kissed Marth one last time before gasping and going limp in Marths' arms.
"Cadea?" Marth questioned, he gently shook her. "Cadea!?" The shaking got a bit more violent. "CADEA! NO"
Marth freely sobbed into his hands. Ever since that day he had blamed himself.
"Marth?" Zelda opened the door to the library. "You've been standing there for the past three minutes. Are you ok?"
"Oh- Zelda.." Marth paused, looking at Zelda. He honestly wasn't sure how he walked over to Zelda in the first place. "Yeah. I'm fine"
"Your eye's say something other than your mouth" Zelda noticed. "Marth I know you aren't fine. What's wrong?"
"Zelda.." Marth paused. Looking around. "I have something to tell you"
"What exactly is that?" Zelda questioned.
"I think we should go inside" Marth whispered.
"Is it important or can it wa-"
"It can't wait"
It was now or never. Marth had to do this and finish this once and for all.