Xellos stared at Lina. "Linda!" He exclaimed, "Linda! What have you DONE?"

"Wha-what have I done? It wasn’t me! I didn’t shoot her!" Lina stuttered, appalled. "Why would I do something as stupid as that? Xellos, you are losing it!"

"Lina…" Xellos sighed sadly. "Oh, Linda, I thought you were infatuated, but I didn’t know how badly!" He hung his head. "It’s my fault, for not noticing earlier…"

"Xellos! It wasn’t me!" Lina yelled in his ear. "I don’t know who, but…"

"Linda, you can stop! I understand! I don’t blame you!"

"Blame me for what???" Lina was getting really annoyed. And Xellos was causing a scene. She was getting dirty looks from half the congregation.

"Linda. I should have known when you said you wouldn’t let this happen . Linda, I understand." Xellos grabbed her in a deep embrace, Lina sputtering all the way.

"I never said that!"

Lina glanced over at Zel, who was staring openmouthed. He turned to gaze at the princess’ prone form, blood staining her satin dress a deep vermilion. He turned back to Lina, horror in his eyes. She cringed.

"Lina, I can’t believe you did that."

Lina looked at him, eyes wide. "Zel, you know, I wouldn’t--"

"How DARE you act so innocent!" Xellos yelled, lunging for the prince but catching himself at the last possible instant. "You…you betrayer! You coward!"

"What are you yelling at ME for??"

Xellos punched him in the face before he was grabbed from behind by a guard. "You know you put her up to this! Don’t play so innocent! It’s not HER fault you made her fall in love with you! It’s not HER fault you talked her into killing the princess! You evil, lying, seducing scum!!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Xellos?"

Xellos turned to the crowd, yelling so he could be heard over the racket of frightened people. "You’ve all seen how he teased her in court! You all know what happened before he kidnapped her! He’s bewitched her with his wiles, you can all see clearly that this is not her fault! It is HIS!" He spun and pointed at Zelgadis, who was looking at him with disgust.

"Go back to your soapbox, preacher. Not everyone here is an impressionable idiot, as you seem to think." He spun, only to run into guards.

"Prince Zelgadis. I’m afraid you have been caught in the act." The empress stepped forward to the angry prince. "I fear you will face punishment for what you did. As will your little counterpart, Linda." She smiled evilly at Lina, who was staring, mouth agape. When had this all spun so entirely? She didn’t know.

"Your highness, I assure you, it was not Linda’s fault. It was all this betrayer, this sadistic monster that caused this tragedy. Your Lordship!" He spun to look at the king. "You agree, don’t you? I beseech you, spare her life, it is not her fault!"

"Of course I understand, Lord Xellos." The king turned and looked at his son. "I am disgusted by your plots, Zelgadis. I hereby denounce you as my son! And you will face full penalty for what you have done."

Zelgadis yanked against the guards. "Father! I didn’t! I never--"

"I will not be swayed! You shall die tomorrow at sunrise, by beheading! It is more than generous in return for you despicable crimes!" The king swirled around, the effect so taken by Xellos ruined by the fact that he stumbled halfway through it. "Take him to the dungeons!"

"NO! Father, I didn’t! Please! I never would do that to Lina!" Zelgadis screamed, forgetting that Lina was Linda in the court. God no! He would never do something like that to anyone, least of all Lina! And his entire country would think he had! "Father, I didn’t! I wouldn’t! PLEASE! Lina, Tell them!"

Xellos glared at Lina. She ignored it. "He never did any of that! We didn’t kill her! Let him go!" She struggled against Xellos’ arms, trying to get to Zelgadis who was rapidly being dragged away. "Please! He didn’t DO anything! Let him go!"

"Linda, please. We understand. You don’t have to live under his control any more! You’re free!" Xellos smiled at her, but hidden in his eyes was a dark threat.

"ZELGADIS!!"

* * *

Lina snuck along the corridor, dressed in her favorite black cat burglar suit and grey boots. She stuck to the shadows, using sleep spell on all the guards until she got to Zelgadis’ cell. Bars were held deep in stone, about a foot apart. He lay in a pile of hay, beaten bloody by the guards, and still beaten from his fight with Xellos. He looked up.

"Lina…" Zelgadis couldn’t even manage the energy to move. He hurt too much. "Lina, get out, They’ll catch you, you’ll get in trouble with Xellos…"

"I’m not going to leave you here!" She said stubbornly. "I’m getting you out!" She readied a fireball…

Only to have it fizzle out. "Wha--"

"The entire area is magic proof. You won’t get me out. There is no possible way." He sighed. I’m going to die at sunrise tomorrow Lina. Get used to it. Xellos will know you came down here, he’ll hurt you."

"Zelgadis, No. There is no way I’m going to give up!" Lina tried to sound brave. But she was shaking inside. Too much was happening. Too many mental barriers had been smashed down, too many thorns had been thrust into her heart. "I’ll get you out!"

"You can’t."

"I will!!"

"You can’t." Zelgadis sighed and turned away, wishing he hadn’t fought do hard against the guards. He hurt to talk. "Just go." He wouldn’t let her see him cry. The only time he could ever remember crying. He shut his eyes.

Lina glared. "I’m not going to leave you!" She looked at the bars. "Hm."

"Lina, I told you, there won’t be an opening until the time I’ll be dragged from this chamber to die…" Zelgadis refused to look and watch her leave. It would hurt too much.

Lina was very glad she had such a lithe frame. She pushed through the bars in no time and knelt next to Zelgadis’ head, stroking his violet hair.

Zelgadis tensed up, Making every muscle scream with pain. "Lina, you have to get out. Xellos will be furious with you."

"I won’t leave. Here, I brought this.." She pulled a first aide packet from her shirt and started cleaning his wounds. "I hadn’t thought they’d patch you up."

"Lina, I said--"

"I told you, I’m not leaving. Now quiet, you’ll hurt yourself. Shhhh," She whispered. "Don’t move. It’ll all be okay. You’ll see."

Zelgadis glared at the ceiling. "Okay? Nothing will be okay, Lina. I’m going to be killed, and you’ll be left with that bastard. You know how you said we don’t live in fairy tales? Well, you were right. The hero never gets the girl, and I will never have a happy ending." He didn’t realize he was crying until the salt stung his cheek.

"Everything will be fine, Zelgadis." Lina said softly, resting Zelgadis’ head on her lap and stroking his hair slowly. "I promise."

"I…"

Softly, hesitantly, as if she wasn’t used to it, Lina started to sing. A lullaby. Gods damn it, It was a fucking lullaby. She was trying to get him to calm down. Calm down? About this? How…

But, they only had that night. Why not? Why not let everything be okay while they could? It was all anyone could really ask for.

So Zel fell asleep in Lina’s lap, for the first time actually peaceful. And Lina soon dozed off, too, hand resting on his forehead.

* * *

Lina and Zel awoke to a clambering company of guards. Zelgadis tried to leap to his feet and immediately regretted it, every cell of his body alive with agony. He fell to Lina’s waiting arms.

"Zel! Zel, they’re coming!" She hissed urgently.

"Get out."

"What?"

"Get out." Zelgadis glared at her. "I said get out."

"No! I won’t!" Lina planted her feet firmly on the ground and Held him tight. "I’m not going to leave you!!"

"Lina get out now before I kill you myself!" Zelgadis all but yelled at her, shoving ayay and collapsing in a corner. "Get out, Lina. If you died, I would never forgive myself. Get out. Get out!" he said, pushing her feebly through the bars. "Lina, please. For me. Do it for me."

Lina paused, looking into his eyes. "F..for you, Zelgadis," She said quietly, slipping Through the halls on her way to her quarters. Zelgadis sighed leaned against the wall.

* * *

Lina poked at her breakfast. Quarter hour till sunrise. Quarter hour. Quarter hour.

"I would enjoy knowing where you were all night, Lina, my pet." Xellos smiled a canine grin at her. "Let me guess. Off with loverboy?" He glared.

"Yes." She said woodenly. She just stared at her plate. He moved and slapped her. She just sat and stared in the direction her head had been pushed. He slapped her gain. Complete lack of reaction. Xellos glowered.

"Perhaps you would like to see the execution?" He suggested maliciously. "The death of the prince?" He smiled.

"No."

"Well, that! Lets go so we can get a good seat!"

* * *

Lina sat in the front row and stared at the guillotine standing in the middle of the arena. She refused to let her heart loose. If she did, it would shatter into a million pieces.

I am not alive. Not any more.

Suddenly she caught a flash of violet hair. They were dragging, kicking, and shoving Zelgadis up to the stage that had been erected. He looked as emotionless and she was. They both stared as the test melon was sliced into two perfect pieces with the blade. Zelgadis risked a glance her way.

Lina felt the world drop from beneath her. She couldn’t bear it. She couldn’t. She pulled her heart further within herself and stared apathetically at the prince. Wanting with all her heart to cry but not allowing herself the luxury. She turned away.

Zelgadis was forced to his knees and his neck was put in the half circle in the wood. He looked at the ground for a moment, and then seemed to pull his last strength from unknown reservoirs.

"LINA!" Lina’s head snapped up to look at Zelgadis staring at her with eyes fit to break the heart of the demons of hell. "LINA! I LOVE YOU!" He screamed, managing to put every ounce of emotion into it. Lina stood immediately, wanting to die herself. She reached out a shaking hand to him.

"I love you! I LOVE YOU ZELGADIS!"

"DON’T FORGET ME!!"

"NEVER!! I--" But she didn’t get to finish her sentence. The blade sliced down, cutting immediately through Zelgadis’ neck. Lina watched in horror as blood stained the front of her dress. She stood there, expressionless, mouth agape.

"Come, love, I’m getting tired of this. Shall we go?" Xellos asked cheerfully.

Something snapped. Something snapped that should never snap.

She dropped sobbing to the ground, a crying, fallen form in the dust. She couldn’t think any more. She couldn’t hurt any more. She couldn’t feel any more."

Xellos pokes her with his staff, and frowned. "Damn it. I was worried this might happen. She lost her mind." He glared at the crowd, gone silent and stricken from the outburst. "Well? She’s not there any more. Someone drag her up to her rooms." He snarled. "She’s of no use to me any more, dammit." He stalked away.