The servant placed his key into the lock and opened the door. The room was dark, but it was very elegant and quiet. There was a desk full of drawers and a vanity, a table with two chairs, and the bed was large with the softest pillows you can find. Zelgadis entered the room and laid his bag on the floor. The servant bowed and told Zelgadis not to hesitate if he was in need of anything. He left and Zelgadis sat down in the chair that was facing the window of his room. He was happy to be in such a comfortable room, but he didn=t think that he would be getting much more sleep tonight. After his walk in the garden, the rest of the day was just a blur. Was he alright? Had he lost his mind? He had actually hugged Amelia. He had held her before when he had to carry her or shield her, but all of those times were in emergencies when he had to act fast. He wasn=t sure if he had avoided telling Amelia anything, or if he had told her everything. He couldn=t stay here long. Sooner or later, he=d slip up and make a fool of himself. But....she almost cried earlier today. No. That didn=t mean a thing. He is one of Amelia=s friends. She would have cried if she thought that any of her friends didn=t like her. He wasn=t different. He had just been gone the longest. Zelgadis held out his hand and quietly whispered, AFireball.@ A tiny ball of fire formed over his palm. He used it to light the lamp in his room. The soft light grew until it illuminated the whole room. He fell back onto the bed and rested upon one of the pillows. He interlocked his hands and placed them over his chest. He couldn=t sleep now. AI=ll have to try and leave either tomorrow or the next day. I can=t wait here too long.@ He closed he eyes and let loose his self-frustration with a long sigh. But then something hit him. What would he do when he left? Of course he would search for his cure, but now...now it hardly seemed worth it. He had waited so long to see Amelia. He had hoped that his feelings would fade over time, but they grew. And now that he had come to see her, he wasn=t sure if he could bear leaving her again. If he left, he may never see her again. Suddenly he opened his eyes, sat up, and pounded his fist into the bed several times. What was he thinking!? She couldn=t have feelings for him. And even if she did, nothing could ever come of it. She was the princess of the most holy kingdom in the world, and he was a demon. He wasn=t even worthy to be in her presence. There was only one option, and that was to leave. He could even just disappear without her knowing. It would break whatever heart he had, but that was coming no matter what he did. He never should have given her that hug. It only set him up for a deeper wound. He should never touch anyone. He would try and find some way to escape this place before too long. As long as he remained here, he would only feel more torment. It would hurt even more to leave, but that would fade. He was a rock, after all. And a rock feels no pain*. He stretched his arms out and let out a large yawn. Sleep was finally catching up with him. He removed his cape, shoes, and shirt. Maybe he would find a way to leave tomorrow. He rested his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. Why did things have to be so difficult? Why did she have to be a princess? Why did he have to be a demon? It didn=t really matter. This would all be over with soon. He would forget about her, and he would grow hard and cold once again. Only fitting that the inside should match the outside for him. He found some sick sense of comfort in this, and sleep overtook him.

*I am a Rock by Simon and Garfunkel