Bent But Not Broken

Ten

Soon Nyxia had to wear high heels to practice dancing. She got why, she'd have to dance with them at the ball, but the heels caused her more injury than good.

The first time she put a pair on, she fell flat on her face. Good thing Kalix didn't see that particular humiliation.

Fortunately, after that, she mastered the art of wearing heels quickly.

It was actually quite simple.

Once, Asael came by, but she didn't see him, she had thrown herself into her lessions with a relentless stubbornness. She didn't want to disappoint Kalix, didn't want to shame him.

Nyxia wanted to make him proud.

Even if that meant killing her ankles with all of the practice.

---
later
---

"Kalix!" She screeched. This was the first time she saw him since that one dance practice, and she had words for him.

He looked up at her from where he was inspecting a rose and smiled innocently. "Yes, Nyxia?" He looked too innocent. Her eyes narrowed.

At this point, she didn't really think of him as a prince. She never saw the princely side to him, so she had no qualms about jabbing him in the chest with her finger.

"Those books you gave me are highly improper, and they're just been laying around? What if a kid found them?" She demanded.

Because of those books, she found out what people liked to do in bedrooms.

And on walls.

And floors.

And tables.

Her cheeks flushed. She'd never look at the furniture the same again.

"There are no kids around here, my lady. I think it's perfectly safe to own those books. What did you think though? Were they highly....educational?"

Nyxia shot Kalix a look that said his commentary wasn't funny. "In more ways than one." She answered dryly.

He snickered.

"No, but seriously. That can't be all that love is, right?" Nyxia asked. She was suddenly uncertain. What if that was all it was? Just... physical attraction and words? And small sweet action like getting flowers or going on dates?

"No, what you read about it is a part of it, certainly. But I don't think anyone could quite figure out how to adequately express love in a book. Its in the small things, like knowing what they like to eat the best, or what they do on day-to-day basis, or whether if they're upset or not."

Nyxia nodded.

"It's also having arguments, and learning how to get through them together, and being mad at one another sometimes. That is inescapable, which is why communication is so important."

She peered at him, suspicion on her face as she studied him a moment.

"You know a lot about love." Nyxia accused him. "Have you been in love before?'

Kalix merely shook his head, adverting his eyes. "No, but I've watched my parents. They were in love, and I picked up a lot from them."

Nyxia nodded. It made perfect sense, and something in her relaxed when Kalix said he's never been in love. Perhaps she was just possesive because he was her first friend.

Then something hit her.

"Wait, you said were in love. Did something happen?"

Perhaps their love faded. Perhaps all love faded. Nyxia thought that was rather depressing. She would have liked to think that something good in this world could last.

Kalix nodded, eyes shadowed in pain. "A few years ago, my mom got sick and died."

Nyxia's heart twinged in sympathy. "Oh...I'm sorry for your loss, Kalix. You must have really loved her."

"I did. She was amazing." Kalix answered quietly. Nyxia studied him for a moment, eyes distant, clearly lost in the past. She took that as a hint to leave him be.

Quietly, Nyxia turned and left.