So, I hope you enjoyed Ch. 4… I know I did!!!! ^__^ Onto chappy 5!! I surprisingly like this chappy! It's not as long as 4 but still good. It shows Sisi and Joseph's relationship (or lack there of). You also get to know Sophie a bit more (whether that's a good thing or not is debatable) Lemme know what you guys think!

Chapter 5

Falling Quickly Out of Love

"Elisabeth? Elisabeth!"

She could hear a voice calling out her name and something cold lying on her forehead. In fear that it was Death coming to take her away, her eyes opened and she shot up into a sitting position. Her wide, terrified, blurry eyes slowly focused upon the figure of her husband sitting next to her on the bed.

"Oh," Elisabeth sighed, relieved. "Joseph!" Her entire being overflowed with joy as she threw herself into his arms.

Taken aback by his wife's spontaneous embrace, he slowly wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, feeling her shaking under her thin bath robe. After a moment, Joseph pulled back, holding Elisabeth's face in his large, warm hands.

"Sisi," he whispered to her. "You're as pale as death! You look as if you've seen as ghost!" He looked deeply into her brown, tear filled eyes, trying with all his might to figure out what had his wife so shaken. They had been dancing and laughing merely moments before she collapsed into his arms, thankfully he had caught her before she hit the marble floor.

"Oh, Joseph," Sisi whispered in a small, trembling voice.

"Ssh," he said softly, stroking her pale face. He didn't know what to do to comfort her. She looked too terrified to sleep. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

"No!" she cried out looking into his eyes in a frenzy. How could she possibly tell him that she had danced with Death at their wedding? That he had been a part of her since she was a child? That he claimed to be Joseph's rival… in winning her love? He would surely think she was mad and divorce her or lock her up in a padded cell.

"No, I … I can't," she swallowed, trying to compose herself. "Please don't …" Sisi failed to find the right words. He was obviously concerned for her. He deserved an answer, however ambiguous it may be. "I just met up with a… an old friend, I suppose… I just wasn't expecting to see him…"

"Is that all?" he asked in a relieved tone. "Sisi, it's alright. I'm here- you have nothing to fear."

He ran his fingers through her curly, brown hair down her back. She shied away from his touch, for the motion reminded her too much of the unpleasant events from that evening. He stared at her for a moment, hurt.

"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" he asked.

"No," she said, flatly. She laid her head back down on the soft pillow and watched Joseph rise from the bed. "Joseph," she said softly. She had not meant to hurt him. "I'm sorry. I just need time to think."

"It's alright," he said with a reassuring smile as he began to shut the door. "I love you."

As soon as she heard the door click, Elisabeth's eyes overflowed with salty tears. This was not the wedding night she had dreamt of. She and her husband were sleeping in different bedrooms. They were not following the traditional routine on wedding nights. And, worst of all, she was too caught up in the fact that her der Tod was real and back in her life. With that fact in her mind, she was unable to truly think of anything else. It wasn't until hours later, that Elisabeth's mind finally found peace and rest.

*******************************************************************************************************************

Elisabeth was awoken by the sound of the door swinging open and the window shade flying up. Rubbing her exhausted eyes, she looked around to see what was happening. Standing at the foot of her bed, hands on hips, dressed all in black, scowling, was Sophie, Joseph's ever so pleasant mother.

"Are you just going to sleep the day away, Elisabeth?" she asked in a cold voice.

Elisabeth turned her pounding head slowly over to the clock on the dresser.

"Its 5 o'clock in the morning," she said through a loud yawn.

"I am aware of the time," Sophie said as she ripped the blankets off of Sisi. Cold air penetrated her skin, causing her to shiver. "It's time to get up. Get clean, dressed, and meet me in the office in 40 minutes." And with that, she walked out the door, slamming it behind her.

35 minutes later, Elisabeth was dressed in jeans and a T- shirt and sitting in an uncomfortably wooden chair across from Joseph's mother.

"That's what you're wearing?" she said, through a mocking smile.

"What's wrong with it?"

With a sigh, she grabbed Sisi's wrist and led her to her closet. After several minutes, Elisabeth was dressed in a navy blue dress suit- the only thing proper for a politician's wife to wear, according to Sophie.

The rest of the morning, Elisabeth learned the rules of the house. Sit up straight, only speak when spoken to, always look presentable when guests are visiting, and always be supportive of her husband. The rules went on and on. Elisabeth felt as if she was attending finishing school in the 19th Century. This wasn't who she was! Joseph had fallen in love with her just the way she was—didn't he?

By the end of the day, Elisabeth hadn't seen her husband at all. She was exhausted from the day spent with her mother- in- law and was ready to burst into tears. She had gotten barely any sleep the night before and was being forced to be someone she wasn't- a good housewife and dutiful partner to a politician.

Finally, that night, Elisabeth found her husband in his office. She knocked on the door, remembering one of the rules.

Joseph looked up from some paper work. "Yes?" he asked.

Elisabeth opened the door and smiled at him.

"Sisi!" he said, jumping up from his seat and coming over to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "How was your day?" he asked leading her to a chair in front of his desk.

"Well," she began, unsure if she should continue. Joseph sat opposite her, on a leather chair behind his oak desk. His chair squeaked as his leaned back into it. "I spent the day with your mother."

"Oh yes!" he said with a wide smile. "How did it go?"

"Oh Joseph!" Elisabeth cried. "It was horrible! She talks to me as if I am a child and is just so insulting. She has all these rules and I just can't stand-"

"Joseph…"

Elisabeth froze. She slowly turned, only to see Sophie standing in the door.

"Mother!" Joseph said, jumping up and planting a kiss on her cheek- the same as he had done to Sisi. "Sisi was just telling me about your day together."

"Yes, so I heard." Sophie sent a piercing glare in Elisabeth's direction. "Well she certainly wasn't my first choice, but she will learn… in time. I'm going to bed. I will see you tomorrow." And with that she turned on her heel and walked away.

Elisabeth simply stared after her. Not her first choice? Did she mean what Elisabeth thought she meant? Elisabeth turned around to face her husband who had returned to his place behind his desk.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked blatantly.

"What?" Joseph asked, looking at her, confused.

"What your mother just said to me? You did hear her, right? She just insulted me! And you allowed her to do it! You didn't stand up for me or anything!"

"Now, Sisi-"

"No!" she cried as she stood up. "I was with that woman all day! I did everything she said and she still had the nerve to insult me, and you just stood by and let her!"

"Elisabeth," Joseph said, leaning forward in his chair. "That 'woman' is my mother you are talking about and I want you to respect –"

"Well maybe you should've married her instead of me!" And with that Elisabeth turned and slammed the door behind her.

*******************************************************************************************************************

Over the next several months, Elisabeth spent everyday with Sophie, learning how to be the proper wife for a politician. Not wishing to be insulted again, Elisabeth did all she could to please her mother- in- law, and yet she always seemed to find a way to fail. Whether it was at dinner parties, public appearances, rallies- Elisabeth found something to forget or mess up. This was not the life she had signed up for. She wanted to run barefoot in a meadow or go swimming in the lake, travel, try new things, fly away- not sit up straight, smile for all of the country to see, stand behind her husband, be lost in his shadow. She was slowly losing the admiration and love she once had for Joseph. He seemed to be more in love with the government and his mother than his own wife.

One day she decided to take a cab out to the countryside and go hiking. Nature was the only one who wouldn't judge her. She trekked for several hours through the forest only to come to the very top of a mountain. She stared down onto the small village that resided at the base of the great natural sky scraper. She sat at the edge of the ravine, her legs dangling over the edge.

"I need to put an end to this," she whispered to herself. "I can't continue to pretend to be something I'm not. They can't treat me as if I'm simply an intricate ornament for his arm. Public appearances seem to be the only reason for him to be around me. He doesn't love me…" She put her face in her hands, trying with all her might, not to cry. She wouldn't waist tears on such pathetic beings as Joseph or Sophie.

She looked down at her dangling feet. It was a long way down. She wondered how long she would fall. It wouldn't be quick and it wouldn't be painless but, at least, she would be free from all the rules.

"It's true. The only way to truly be free is through me…" a cold voice said from behind her.

Elisabeth jumped and quickly crawled away from the edge of the mountain. As she pushed herself up onto two feet, she looked around her.

"Der Tod?" she called out.

Not a sound answered her. Elisabeth shook her head. The wind must have made her hear things. But it sounded so much like…

"No," Elisabeth said, confidently. "No. I won't rely on anyone. Not even you!" she shouted to the empty air around her. "No one owns me or my life, but me! I'll be free only through me."

And with that, she hitched up her backpack and made her way back through the woods, her back turned on the man dressed all in black, watching her walk away.

"So you won't rely on anyone?" he said, a wicked smile placed on his perfect face. "Well," he said as he turned to walk away. "We'll see how long that lasts."

*******************************************************************************************************************