Hi, all! Sorry for the delay in this posting, I was on vacation where there was no wireless internet service so I couldn't get online. But here is chapter 4!

IV

Miguel felt a hand brush against his forehead. What is Tulio doing? If he's trying to wake me up, he succeeded. He opened his eyes…to find none other than Tzekel Kan standing above him. "Baah!" he shrieked, leaping from the bed.

"Good morning, my Lord?" Tzekel Kan asked in confusion, staring at the bewildered man.

"What are you doing here? Where's Tulio?" Miguel sputtered, walking off to look for his partner.

"You seemed ill at the feast last night. I came to make sure you were well again," Tzekel Kan explained, following behind Miguel. "Lord Tulio didn't seem to think it was a good idea to wake you and check before he left, apparently."

"Left?" Miguel asked, turning to face the high priest.

"On a hike through the forest," Tzekel Kan stated nonchalantly. "He didn't tell you?"

Miguel turned away and swallowed bitterly. "No."

"To get supplies and such, I presume," Tzekel Kan continued. "He went with the woman and several others." He watched with glee as Miguel's expression changed to one of anger.

"I'm going for a walk," Miguel grumbled, leaving the high priest alone and most pleased.

Tzekel Kan smiled and laughed to himself once Miguel was out of earshot. "It won't be long now until you're mine."

Miguel walked briskly down the stairs, holding back tears. Damn you, Tulio! Damn you and your lies! You don't care about me at all! He stopped walking when he found himself in front of a building he hadn't been in yet. He curiously stepped inside, looking around and finding several cots, some of which had people in them. There was a lady walking around with bowls and other things. "Hi," he said politely.

The woman gasped and almost dropped the bowl she was holding. "My Lord! You surprised me." She quickly bowed and then smiled.

Miguel smiled back. "Um, where am I?"

"My Lord, this is the healing temple," the woman explained. "I am Thelina, the healer."

"Oh," Miguel responded, now understanding the reason for all the beds. "It's nice to meet you."

Thelina blushed a little and then went back to working on a small boy. "My newest patient."

Miguel looked at the little boy, who appeared to have a broken arm. "What happened?"

"I fell down," the boy answered.

"Down a flight of stairs," Thelina added as she began to wrap the boy's arm.

"Lord Miguel, will you tell me a story?" the boy asked suddenly.

Miguel was a little shocked at the request, but he smiled. "Of course," he said, pulling up a chair and sitting next to the bed. "Well, once upon a time there was this knight, and he was riding through the woods on his horse when he came upon a giant castle. A huge, scary dragon and a couple of angry giants surrounded this castle. The knight was about to run away when he heard a lady calling for help from the top of the tallest tower. She was a princess, and he knew he had to save her. So he fought the dragon and the giants until he defeated them all, and then he ran to the top of the tower and found the princess. She was so beautiful that he fell in love her immediately, but he was afraid that she wouldn't love him back because he wasn't a prince. But she did love him, very much, and they rode off on the knights horse to go back to her kingdom where they lived happily ever after."

Thelina had finished wrapping the boy's arm and stood back to watch. The boy was now droopy eyed, and he let out a big yawn. "Thank you," he yawned before falling asleep.

Thelina smiled at Miguel. "I should keep you around as my storyteller."

Miguel smiled and covered the boy with the blanket on his bed. "I like telling stories."

Thelina approached him and sat down in a chair nearby. "My Lord-"

"Miguel, please," Miguel suggested with a small smile.

Thelina blushed once more. "Ok…Miguel. I saw you at the feast last night, sitting alone. I sensed that something was troubling you. Are you missing someone that you love?"

Miguel was quiet for a moment. "Someone I love who doesn't love me back."

Thelina frowned and scooted closer to him. "Go on."

"We've been together since we were kids," Miguel continued. "We were always on an adventure of some sort. Then we found this place…he found someone else to spend all him time with while he made promises to me that he couldn't keep."

Thelina looked at him for a moment. "Lord Tulio?"

Miguel nodded. "I thought he cared about me. Everything he's told me is a lie."

Thelina frowned once again. "My L-I mean, Miguel." She opened her arms towards him. "May I? I believe you need it."

Miguel smiled a little as she embraced him and he hugged her as well. Finally, someone who cares. "Thank you for listening."

The curtain at the front of the temple flew open suddenly and two men rushed in carrying another. "Lady Thelina!" one of them yelled.

Thelina and Miguel quickly broke off their embrace. Thelina jumped up and rushed over to the bed they had placed the man on. "What's happened to him?"

"He was in the woods," the other man explained. "He was eating berries off of a bush when he started to scream. He fell down and began to shake."

Thelina frowned and nodded in understanding. "The berries are poisonous, he must be treated immediately."

Miguel watched as she told the two men specifically what to get for her. "Will he live?" he asked after the two men rushed out.

"It is too soon to tell," Thelina answered. "I can make an antidote but it depends on how many berries he ate." She looked at Miguel with a serious expression on her face. "Miguel, you must never eat the berries in the forest or drink their juices. They are not like the berries we grow in the city."

Miguel nodded and looked at the man, who was heaving and shaking and looked like he might die at any second. "I should go see if Tulio is back." He looked at Thelina once more before leaving the small temple. He made his way back to his and Tulio's temple, all the while thinking to himself. I know Tulio let me down again, but I just love him too much. I have to talk to him and tell him how I really feel. He approached the temple entrance and he heard Tulio and Chel talking inside.

"I want you to come to Spain with me and Miguel," Tulio said.

Miguel raised an eyebrow. Oh so now he's including me in his plans again?

"Mostly me," Tulio continued. "Especially me…only me…forget Miguel."

Miguel gasped. Had Tulio really just said that? Forget Miguel?

Chel giggled. "Only if that's what you want, then I do too."

Miguel couldn't believe his ears. Is this really happening? He rushed into the temple, determined to find out what Tulio meant. He stopped when Tulio and Chel locked lips, sealing the deal. His heart broke into a million pieces at the moment.

Tulio happened to look over Chel's shoulder and saw Miguel just standing there. He quickly broke away from Chel. "Miguel!" he exclaimed in shock.

Miguel shook his head, tears building up in his eyes. He turned and rushed out of the temple.

"Miguel, wait!" Tulio called out, running after his partner. He left Chel standing there, feeling rather accomplished with herself.

Miguel ran down the stairs, tears rolling down his cheeks. He heard Tulio yelling after him, but he kept on running. He was halfway down when Tulio finally caught up to him.

"Miguel, stop, please!" Tulio begged, reaching out and grabbing Miguel's arm.

Miguel roughly shook him off and turned to face him. "Why? So you can humiliate me some more?"

"Miguel-"

"No, Tulio, I've had enough!" Miguel snapped. "I'm sick of you lying to me, you betrayed me!" He furiously wiped away the tears that were already falling. "Damn it, I trusted you."

"Miguel," Tulio began sadly, reaching out for his partner again.

"Don't touch me," Miguel snapped. "You can go back to Spain, you can forget me, but I'm staying here."

"You don't mean that!" Tulio exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, I do," Miguel replied bitterly.

"I said I didn't want to lose you. I mean that, Miguel!"

Miguel shook his head. "I'm done, Tulio." He turned and walked down the stairs.

"Miguel!" Tulio pleaded. "Don't do this, please!" Tell him you love him! He couldn't form the words he wanted to say, so all he could do was sit down on the stairs and watch his partner walk away from him. It's over…it's really over. After everything we've been through, I screwed it all up.

"Tulio, honey?" Chel asked, appearing by his side.

"I can't do anything right," Tulio said in a guilty tone. "I messed up and I can't fix it this time. I can't believe it…I lost him." He looked sadly up at Chel. "We've been partners since we were ten. All I've done was hurt him but he just kept forgiving me. But I went too far this time."

Chel knelt down and put her hand on his shoulder. "He just needs to calm down. Let him be for a while."

Tulio swallowed hard and nodded. His heart sank as he watched Miguel disappear around a bend. I'm so sorry, Miguel. I'm such an idiot to think that something like this wouldn't hurt you. I'd do anything to take it back. He hardly realized that Chel had pulled him to his feet and was coaxing him back up to the temple.

Miguel came upon what appeared to be a small garden in a spot of the city that nobody currently occupied. He stumbled over a rock and fell to the grassy ground, not bothering to get back up. He began to sob, curling into a tight ball. His chest hurt from what he assumed was heartbreak. He eventually slowly sat up and wiped at his tears. He was starting to get really warm, so he pulled is shirt off in an attempt to cool down. He buried his face in the fabric and cried lightly. "Why, Tulio? Why did you have to say that? Why did you have to pick her over me? She doesn't love you like I do."

"He doesn't deserve you," a voice suggested.

Miguel jumped up, startled, whirling around to see who snuck up on him. "Tzekel Kan."

The high priest stepped casually into the garden. "Lord Tulio doesn't seem to understand the importance of love," he said. "He doesn't deserve your love."

Miguel backed away from him. "What are you talking about?"

"You should be with someone who will care for you all the time…someone like me." Tzekel Kan grinned coyly. "I want you, right now."

Miguel was utterly shocked, and he continued to back away. He was suddenly aware that he didn't have his shirt on, and he got extremely nervous. He backed into a wall, unable to go any further. Who puts a wall in a garden? "Don't," he said nervously.

"I won't hurt you," Tzekel Kan promised. He pounced forward and pinned Miguel to the wall.

"No!" Miguel cried. He struggled to get loose, but the high priest was stronger. He froze when Tzekel Kan's mouth crashed against his own. Tears fell as he tried to fight him off.

"Lord Tulio cannot love you like I can," Tzekel Kan growled, forcefully kissing Miguel once more.

"Stop," Miguel cried uselessly. He pushed his hands against Tzekel Kan's chest in an attempt to get him off.

"What the hell?" a voice exclaimed, causing Tzekel Kan to stop assaulting Miguel and turn to see the intruder.

Miguel pushed the high priest away and looked in the direction of the voice as well. "Tulio!"

Tulio stood by the edge of the garden. His arms were crossed and he was staring at Miguel furiously.

TBC