Axel woke nestled into the blankets on Roxas's bed with Roxas curled up beside him. He silently decided he wanted to begin every day with that experience.

He gently kissed Roxas's blond head, and Roxas's eyelids fluttered open. He stretched a bit and yawned, "Good morning, Axel."

"Good morning," Axel repeated. "Are you ready to speak to Lord Xaldin today?"

"I am," Roxas agreed, "and you, to Saïx?"

Axel's eyes drifted away from Roxas's gaze for a moment, but it snapped back. "Yes."

Roxas threw the covers off and swung his legs over the bed. "I don't think you will have to dress me anymore since you are practically almost free." He opened the doors to his wardrobe, letting his hand caress each carefully-woven toga; he hadn't missed his luxurious clothing during months of training as a gladiator.

He chose a plain one and held it up, his brows knitting. Axel couldn't help but chuckle at Roxas's confusion.

"Are you sure you don't need help? You helped me put on my toga, so it isn't a task for a single person to complete on their own." Axel offered.

"Yes, please." Roxas decided.

Axel leaped out of the bed and helped dress him for the day.

"You should wear your toga as well." Roxas suggested.

Axel reached inside, pulling out the toga from Ansem's wardrobe. "This one looks the least formal for the occasion."

He turned around and Roxas reached to fasten the toga to his body.

"There, now we both look presentable." Roxas smiled.


After sharing a loaf of bread to end their morning hunger, the two traveled to the villa of Lord Xaldin by litter.

Axel had never enjoyed traveling this way, as he disliked the rocking feeling as the slaves carried them down the road. He also felt a bit guilty since he had somewhat avoided the harsher life of a slave by becoming Roxas's lover.

The two arrived a few hours after daybreak, and Roxas knocked apprehensively on the door. To their surprise, Saïx opened it up.

He glared at Axel as he let them in. Axel stopped and Saïx closed the door as Roxas continued down the hall to speak to Lord Xaldin.

"What is it?" Saïx asked coldly.

"I have come to speak to you." Axel stated.

"I haven't the permission from my master," Saïx replied.

"Would you care to ask him?" Axel retorted a bit impatiently.

"What makes you think I want to speak to you at all?" Saïx snapped.

"To mend the broken bridge between us." Axel answered.

At this, Saïx wavered. Then, defeated, he followed Axel and Roxas down the hall to speak to Lord Xaldin.

Lord Xaldin sat in the atrium of his villa, watching the rainwater from the previous night's storm trickle down the center of the atrium and splash into the collection pool below.

"Good day, Lord Xaldin; it is I, Roxas." Roxas bowed to him.

Lord Xaldin stood, approaching Roxas. "Good day to you, I suppose. I haven't seen you since my daughter's death."

"I understand, in fact I came here to speak to you about the reason you haven't seen me since then." Roxas inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. He reopened them and began, "You see, I cared for your daughter very much, but there was another who had stolen my heart. My slave, Axel, we shared a bond that I found to be unbreakable; I found it so unbreakable that I foolishly tossed my duties as Xion's betrothed aside to run away with him.

"Before that, I believe I instilled a sense of false hope inside Xion that we would both be happy together eventually. She so desperately wanted to fall in love naturally, and I blame myself for her not being able to experience that. I am truly sorry for my incompetence; if there is a way I can reconcile with you, then I would be more than willing to do so."

Lord Xaldin drank in his words, mulling over them. "First of all, it was extremely childish of you to ignore the destiny we had set out for you and Xion; however, I understand that you were still a child when we had mapped out your futures. Though it is not uncommon in our society, perhaps we should have considered it a bit more thoroughly. Still, what's done is done, but please do not blame yourself for my daughter's passing."

"I wish to pay my respects to her today, as well." Roxas added.

"You may visit her grave," Lord Xaldin agreed. "But after that, we must discuss ways to compensate for the financial damage your actions caused."

"Of course," Roxas agreed.

"But for now, if that is all, then you may be excused to visit the grave." Lord Xaldin finished.

Roxas glanced at Saïx and remembered, "Oh, and if you'll allow him, Axel would like to speak to Saïx to mend the broken friendship between them."

Lord Xaldin's gaze switched to Saïx, who did not meet the gaze. "Very well, he may speak to Axel."

Roxas nodded in thanks, then headed toward the garden where his betrothed was buried.


Xion's grave, or more accurately, mausoleum, stood in a light-bathed grove adorned with fresh climbing flowers creeping up the pillars. Inside, hanging on the wall above where Xion lay, was a death mask of Xion's peaceful face.

The two knelt down to the grave, but only Roxas spoke, "Xion, if you are listening, I am truly sorry I abandoned you; I should never have given you false hope. You were the most beautiful girl I knew, and I wish you could have fallen in love with someone who loved you and your company as much as I did, and more. You would have made a terrific wife for someone...

"But, enough with what could have been. You deserve happiness, and I am sorry that I did not give it to you. I hope that you are at peace now, and that maybe the gods have granted your wish in the afterlife. I hope that you still have your fighting spirit in you, and that your heart and soul remain alive. Xion, I will always remember you."

A soft breeze blew through the grove, and some petals from the flowers were carried away and littered among Axel and Roxas.

"I think she heard us." Axel smiled.

Roxas stood, wiping a tear away from his eye. "Yes, I think so, too."


They returned to the house where Saïx waited for Axel.

"I should go speak to Lord Xaldin about what I can do to repay the debt I have to him." Roxas decided. "Good luck."

Now Axel and Saïx remained in the hall, surrounded by silence.

Axel cleared his throat. "Saïx, I am terribly sorry for all the trouble I caused. Please forgive me for everything, from the scars you earned trying to find me, to the love I did not return to you when you found me at last. You meant everything to me, and you will always mean something."

Saïx's lips remained tightly shut as he soaked up Axel's apology. "Then...forgive me for the bitterness in my heart. I suppose I should never have acted so coldly to my only friend. Truthfully, I was just as scared as you; I believed you had abandoned me, and that belief only grew until it felt more like the truth. If I were really your friend, I wouldn't have doubted you so easily."

"I forgive you; besides, we are only human. Now, are we friends again?" Axel held out his hand, and Saïx clasped it tightly in agreement.

"What do you plan to do now that it almost seems you are free?" Saïx asked.

"I don't quite know, but I'm sure it'll be an adventure." Axel smiled.

Roxas returned to the hall, ready to leave.

"So what have you and Lord Xaldin decided?" Axel wondered.

"I have decided to become business partners with him," Roxas replied, "since his wealth is draining, I will be his personal merchant and half my earnings will go to him."

"I see; then I shall be a merchant as well, so my earnings can go toward our life together." Axel decided. "When do we start?"

"After the Nemoralia," Roxas answered, "when I turn nineteen, and you turn twenty years old."

"Perhaps we'll both become adults by then," Axel teased.


Translations

- Errare Humanum Est - To err is human