(June 18th, 2008)

Chapter 5

I landed on my bed, exhausted. Wolt had followed me into my room, taking a seat on my chair, which was near my bed. He twirled around on it, and stopped to look out the window, his back facing me.

I took in a deep breath, placed my arms under my head, and closed my eyes a little.

I had been contemplating on a foreboding question: 'What was Wolt to Roy?' . Were they just friends? Good friends?

"Lord Marth? How long do you think I can stay here?"

His query brought me out of my thoughts, and I turned my head slightly to face him.

"Don't call me that. It's just Marth. And you can stay here as long as you want. You can follow Lilina and I when we leave in a month's time."

Wolt remained quiet, gazing at me for a while. His face then abruptly flinched and he turned away. I sighed, today was going to be an uneventful one.

"Marth? All your friends seem nice."

I scoffed, he had no idea. I kept wondering if it would be appropriate to ask him what I wanted to know. But then again, I was his so-called 'Lord', I guess he wouldn't mind.

"Hey," He straightened his body and answered in a small voice. "Yeah, how was your relationship with Roy?"

Wolt's body slacked and he groaned softly. "What do you mean?"

I smirked and sat up, placing my feet on the floorboards. I cupped my hands together, letting the sneer on my face become even more conspicuous. Despite the fact that he was giving me a sideways glance, I could tell he was blushing.

"You know what I mean."

Wolt raised his hands to the side of his face, and rubbed his cheeks. "We were good friends."

"Oh come on! That's not it at all."

He inhaled, and then let out a sigh. "Well, we were sort of like-"

"Lovers?" I interrupted.

He blinked and shrugged. "If that's what you want to call it," His eyelids lowered, "I would like to say we were. But I doubt he would consider it that. Whenever he needed someone, he would always come to me." He shook his head, but said nothing more.

Well, his response helped me arrive at my solution. Roy and him, by far, were a lot closer than me and Roy.

I felt a pang of jealousy. I loved Roy, but so did Wolt. Maybe he was the reason I couldn't get close to Roy. Maybe that's why, when I told him I cared, he got upset.

I bit my lower lip, "Did you guys ever kiss?"

"...Yes." His voice was trembling. I was about to ask him if he was okay, but Wolt promptly stood.

"I have to be alone for a while..." He immediately left the room, closing the door softly...

--Lilina--

As I walked down the hall, I let my fingers trail on the wall to my right. I was on my way to the bathroom, when I heard someone crying in there.

I stared at the door; I really needed to use it, and someone was crying in that location! I tried for the handle, and to my surprise, it turned. I poked my head in. It was Wolt...

He was sitting on the black toilet seat with his head buried in his arms, which were resting on his legs.

My eyes widened in worry, and I banged on the door. "Wolt, are you alright? I need to use the bathroom."

I saw him cringe as he lifted his head a few inches to look over at me. His eyes, which were now red, widened.

"Crying won't bring Roy back...but..." I trailed off and stared sadly at him. Wolt placed his head back to its former position, and did nothing.

I moved over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder; resting my forehead on his back, I gave him a friendly squeeze. "It'll be alright..."

"No it won't. It won't ever be..." Wolt slowly got up and gently pushed me off him and walked out of the cramped restroom.

I got to my feet and followed after him. "Wolt..." I muttered, watching his back.

At that moment, Marth's cute little head popped out of his room. "What?" He questioned, his head promptly turning to my friend.

"He's crying again..." I explained.

Marth blinked a couple of times before his hand reached out and took hold of the archer's arm. "What's the problem?" I heard my husband ask him as I ran over to them.

Wolt's body faltered, and he fell onto Marth, crying.

--Wolt--

My eyelids slowly started to shut as I heard those two talking amongst themselves. My hands, which were placed on Marth's chest, turned into a fist.

"Lilina...did you talk to Mario?"

"What?" Lilina questioned, her voice filled with anguish. "Oh...oh right. Yes, I did. He wants to see him later, when he's better..."

"Thanks again...Lilina." And with that, Marth drew me into his room.

He situated me on his bed and placed the bed sheets over me, then he smiled sadly.

I wanted to say something, but Marth wiped the tears that were still flowing down my cheek, and then laid a finger on my lips. "It's okay, you don't have to explain. But..." He fell forward and landed on me, "I don't understand this..."

I watched him lift his head from the bed sheets, his face fairly close to mine. "Understand what?" I asked.

Marth slowly picked himself up, and looked at the door. "Feeling. I've only known you for such a short time. But you still remind me of him."

I kept silent, still wondering what he was talking about. But he just shook his head and murmured, "You should get some sleep."

And along with that remark, he instantly exited his room...

--Lilina--

A few days later...I'm still thinking...

I was laying on the, fairly expensive dark brown couch, in the living room, curled up in a ball.

I was thinking, of course I was. Wolt seemed to be doing fine. Until sometimes in the evening, he would go outside. That was when Marth would usually follow him, and then they would come back in an hour's time, laughing about something ridiculous.

I...I was happy for them, though.

--Daisy--

"Um, hello? Good afternoon."

I turned my head; there he was, Wolt. He opened the screen door leading out here, holding a large cookie.

Over the course of the week he had been here, we had tried to befriend him. It was sorta our way of making it up to Roy...

But still, part of us making it up to Roy was to warn Wolt about Marth's--

Hey, wait a minute...

Hey, that was my cookie! I composed myself, and then let my smile slip. "Wolt, before you get too close to Marth, I think we must tell you something..."

His emerald eyes got a little larger, "What do you need to say?"

The cool, autumn breeze passed through the compound as I turned and rested my crossed arms on the wooden banister. I took a deep breath, "You're just like a repeat of Roy, Wolt. I suggest you don't get too close to Marth."

"Why?" He moved up to us, still chomping on the cookie in his hands.

The sun began peeking through the clouds, causing me to shield my eyes. "He was the cause of Roy's death, you know. But I suppose your little Marth didn't tell you that. You've only been here for about a week. You see, he was the one who, let's say, 'drove Roy over the edge'. He was so happy about it when Roy tried to take his life the first time around. But when that failed, he did more things."

...Hm, sometimes I stretched the truth. But still, as long as it will all turn out for the better...

"You're lying. Marth would never do something like that to him."

"No Wolt. It's true," Peach responded, holding both of her hands together. "It was Marth. He doesn't know how to love. And I wouldn't want someone as cute as you to get hurt by him."

The corniness of her statement made me want to barf.

"B-but, why would he do something like that?"

"He's...kinda sadistic. He couldn't stand Roy, really. At first, he liked him. But after he found out what he had done, he began to resent him."

Wolt took a step back and shook his head, his face turning crimson. "What? How could he do that? When I learned what Roy had done, I still loved him."

"Eh?" Peach and I both were taken by surprise. He totally said that without hesitating.

"Did he...did Marth make Roy kill himself?"

I blinked and then closed my eyes. "Well, he made Roy hurt himself. And he also made him feel bad, which contributed to him committing suicide." I felt Peach nudge my side, so I opened my eyes a little. "Where are you going? I'm not done with what I have to tell you!"

I watched as Wolt went through the door he had come out of, stomping his way into the kitchen.

--Wolt--

I could not believe this. Marth was the one who made my Roy commit suicide?

My Roy...

"Where is he?" I muttered, taking myself up the long flights of stairs that lead up to the second floor.

On my way up, I passed both Popo and Ness, discussing the effects of violence on television. I trudged a few more feet, stopping at his door, which was at the end of the hallway. Marth was always in his room around this time of day.

I was about to knock on it when it opened, and he stepped out. Marth was a bit startled when he saw me standing there.

"Hello..." I raised my hands up and forced him back inside, closing the door with my right foot. "Wolt! What are you doing?"

I moved away some and rested my back on the door. "Um, I'm sorry. But I wanted to ask you some things...about Roy." He said nothing, so I continued. "When you found about all the things Roy had done before he got here, how did you treat him afterwards?"

"Why ask this all of a sudden?"

"Please, just answer my question. Did you ever hurt him?"

"Did someone say something...?"

I had begun getting frustrated, why won't he just answer me? Or was what Daisy said true?

"Please, Marth." I sighed, he was becoming angry and so was I. And that wasn't a good thing.

He simply sighed and tilted his head back, mumbling to himself.

My eyes narrowed, "It is true then. You were the one who made Roy hurt himself!"

Marth ceased his rant and gave me a thoughtful look, "I'm not sure..." He responded in an almost inaudible voice. "I was mean to him, I did pressure him to bring up all those memories again. But I loved Roy..."

Loved...?

"Did he love you back?"

Marth avoided my eyes and gazed at his desk, "I am not too sure about that. He did allow me to kiss him a couple of times..." I then noticed after he said that, his eyes flashed. "Yeah, that's right. And I want him back. I need him..."

"What...?" I breathed out, but he didn't register my words. He just continued on with his little speech. "Did he ever mention me?"

Marth shook his head, "He mentioned Lilina and his father..." And with that, he just went into a reverie.

Did Roy forget about me? When he left Pherae behind, did he also leave behind his memory of me? Or did Marth make him forget everything about his former friend? His lover?

I slid to the ground. This wasn't fair, I lived such a happy life because of him. I thought I was important to Roy, but if he could easily forget about me, although we were friends for such a long time...what was I to him?

What's the meaning of me living now? I got to my feet, flung the door open and rushed out of his room.

What's the point of life if the one you love didn't care...?

"Wolt? Hey, wait!" Marth yelled, coming after me. I halted and shut my eyes. "Did I say something?" He asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. Marth proceeded to pulling me back, allowing me to lean against his chest. "What's the matter?"

"He forgot all about me."

"Who? Roy?"

I nodded slowly, "I guess he liked you more. Maybe I was just an annoying brat to him."

Marth rested his chin on the top of my head and wrapped his arms around me, "No, that's not it. He didn't like me more...I never asked him about anyone else."

'He was the cause of Roy's death, you know. But I suppose your little Marth didn't tell you that...'

I could feel Marth grinning, "You know what? You cry too much. You're such a baby." He slid his head down and set his chin on my left shoulder. Marth tilted his face away from mine, so now our cheeks were touching. "I remember, Roy cried so much too." He chuckled.

'He's...sadistic. He couldn't stand Roy, really. At first, he liked him. But after he found out what he had done, he began to resent him.'

"Master...did you make Roy hurt himself?"

"Shut up, I told you not to call me that..."

My eyes widened.

That phrase...

"I did hurt Roy, plenty of times. But I loved him. How many times do I need to say that?"

'You see, he was the one who, let's say, 'drove Roy over the edge...'

'Yeah, that's right. And I want him back. I need him...'

'Do you care about me...'

--Marth--

Wolt was acting weird, after I had told him to shut up, he did shut up. He seemed to be thinking of something...

"Wolt..." He turned his head sharply at the mention of his name. "Why are you acting like this?"

I was right, this kid did cry too much. There were tears in his eyes, "I want him back." He fell to his knees, slamming his fists on the ground. "I want him back...I want to see him again. But the only way to do that..."

'No, never. This black nothingness has no end, no beginning. You'll never see me again...'

"That wouldn't really solve anything." I kneeled down next to him.

"Marth...?"

Wolt's adorable voice penetrated my thoughts, making me look into his eyes.

They were not only filled with tears, but something else. I couldn't put my finger on it...

"Do you ever feel lonely...?"

That really did it, I knew...this scene was like some sort of deja vu...

The first time I kissed Roy went precisely like this. Wolt did behave too much like him...they were like brothers...

Maybe he could make up for the emptiness in my heart...the one that Roy had filled when he was around...

I moved my face nearer to Wolt's and before he could ask me anything else, I covered his mouth with my own, while pulling him closer to me...

It was a firm, loving embrace that was overflowed with sorrow and desire...I didn't want to let him go. My judgment was clouded over with passion...and no thought of whether this was right or wrong ever crossed my mind...

--Lilina--

My fingers scratched the wooden staircase as I witnessed the scene unfold in front of me.

What...

Marth, why are you doing these things to me?