Sorry for the delay in these couple chapters, I was on vacation and there was no wireless internet so I couldn't post them. Gave me some time to make edits though!

V

"Tulio! Thank god," Miguel exclaimed, rushing towards him.

Tulio glared at him and then looked at Tzekel Kan. "Get out," he growled.

Tzekel Kan smiled smugly at Tulio and then left the garden.

"Tulio," Miguel began. "I came down here and he showed up and then-" He was cut off when Tulio suddenly slapped him across the face.

"How could you be so incredibly stupid, Miguel?" Tulio yelled. "What, were you so upset that you decided to have at it with the high priest?"

"Tulio, no!" Miguel cried. "He cornered me, I couldn't fight him off."

"Right, and your shirt happened to conveniently come off," Tulio hissed. He snatched Miguel's shirt off the ground and threw it at him. "Try not to look so easy next time."

Miguel looked at Tulio in disbelief. "Why would you say that?"

"You know, I came down here to apologize and beg you to come back to me," Tulio said angrily as he paced around. "But after this, I see how much you really mean to me." He stopped pacing and glared angrily at him. "Nothing."

Miguel sobbed and looked at the ground. "Tulio, you don't mean that!"

"You're a crybaby!" Tulio yelled. "A no-good wimp. I want NOTHING to do with you!" He turned and stormed off, leaving Miguel alone again.

Miguel choked back tears as he watched Tulio leave, his hurtful words ringing in his ears. Nothing…crybaby…wimp. He shakily pulled his shirt back on and wiped away his tears. He left the garden, knowing where he needed to go.

Thelina was arranging things on the tables in the healing temple. She was humming softly to herself when she heard the curtain rustle behind her. She turned to greet her visitor and gasped. "My lord! Miguel!"

"Thelina," Miguel said sadly, standing there looking lost.

She rushed over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "What happened to you?"

"I didn't know where else to go," he murmured. He let her lead him to a nearby chair where he sat down.

"Your cheek," she observed, gently touching the small bruise that forming on the left side of his face. "Did somebody hit you?"

Miguel nodded sadly. "Tulio."

Thelina's eye widened. "Why?"

Miguel sighed and told her everything that had happened, from finding Tulio and Chel in the temple to the assault in the garden. "I was so stupid," he uttered sadly, flinching when she applied some sort of cream to his cheek. "I shouldn't have let it happened, I should have tried to stop him."

"You were unable to fight him off," Thelina replied, taking a seat next to him. "You couldn't have stopped it, but Lord Tulio should not have hit you." She gently touched his cheek.

"I can't believe he said those things to me," he said. "I really thought he cared about me, but all he wants to do is forget me."

Thelina frowned and put her hand on his shoulder. "I do not wish to forget you, Miguel."

Miguel gave her a small smile. 'Thanks."

Thelina smiled back, and then reached over to embrace him. Little did they know, Chel was watching them from outside the temple.

About ten minutes later Thelina told Miguel he should get some rest. "You can stay here if you like, there are plenty of beds."

"Thanks, but I should go back to the temple. I'm going to have to face Tulio eventually." He quickly hugged her once more and then left the temple. He had no idea what he would say to Tulio when he saw him. He probably won't even want to talk to me, so what does it matter? He hates me.

"I can't believe you did that!" Chels' voice cut through the air.

Miguel stopped walking and looked in the direction her voice came from. He noticed a small hut and crept towards it. He peeked in the window and saw Chel and Tzekel Kan. What are they doing together?

"I was proving a point," Tzekel Kan snapped at Chel.

"You know the plan!" Chel scolded. "I kill Miguel, and you kill Tulio. They're not gods, they'll die easily."

Miguel froze at the statement she just made. They know we're not gods! They're going to kill us!

"You know it's you I want," Chel cooed, putting her arms around the high priest. "Tulio is just a pawn in a game he never should have started."

Miguel backed away from the hut. I have to warn Tulio! He turned and sprinted toward the temple, skidding to a halt once he got inside. "Tulio!"

Tulio was in the corner admiring his gold when he heard Miguel. He glared in his direction. "Why aren't you with your boyfriend?" he sneered.

Miguel winced at his harshness. "Tulio, I just saw Chel with Tzekel Kan. They're planning something terrible."

"Oh really?" Tulio asked sarcastically.

"Tulio, they know we're not gods! They're plotting to kill us! We have to do something."

"Hmm, ok well here's a plan," Tulio said in the same sarcastic tone. "Chel and I will leave El Dorado and go back to Spain while you make out with Tzekel Kan to distract him and prevent him from stopping us."

Miguel just looked at him in disbelief. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Because, Miguel, you'll do anything for attention!" Tulio yelled. "You're jealous because I chose to be with Chel. Making up stories will not make me take you back."

"Tulio," Chel chimed, entering the temple.

Miguel spun around to face her, standing in between her and Tulio. "Don't you dare come any closer!"

Chel stopped in her tracks, looking genuinely shocked. "What?"

"I know what you and Tzekel Kan are up to," Miguel accused. "If you think that you can get away with murder then you're wrong!"

"Stop it, Miguel!" Tulio snapped, pushing him away.

"She said so herself, Tulio," Miguel continued. "She told him you're just a pawn in a game you never should have started."

Tulio glared at him, completely missing the look on Chel's face, which suggested that Miguel was right. "You know, Miguel, you're worse than I thought. Trying to turn me against the woman I love? You're pathetic!"

Miguel looked at Tulio sadly. "I'm trying to protect you."

"I don't need protection!" Tulio exclaimed angrily. "You need to grow up. I want to spend the rest of my life with Chel."

Chel suddenly got an idea, turning towards Tulio and putting her hands on his shoulders. "Tulio I want to be with you forever too…we should get married. Here in the city. It would be beautiful!"

Miguel couldn't believe this. "Tulio, you haven't even known her for a week!"

Tulio ignored him and looked over at Chel thoughtfully. "Yeah, it would be." He suddenly got down on one knee. "Chel, will you marry me?"

If Miguel could have dies right there he would have. He watched Chel smile and say yes, and Tulio bean with genuine happiness. He watched the man he loved stand and glare hatefully at him, and then leave with his wife to be. He was left alone again, and his heart broke for the third time that day.

TBC

I think I'm being a little too meant to Miguel. I wonder if that Tulio is going to come to his senses any time soon…