The Savior and The Song

Chapter 31~ Just Relax

Aug 9, 2039, 7:54:04 AM

Melody's POV

It seemed as though Markus had read all of Carl's letters a million times, and yet he was still holed up in his office, reading the letters yet again. It made sense, Carl was Markus's whole world before the night of the retrospective and now he was gone. I understood how much Markus was hurting. I wasn't doing too well myself, moping around the compound.

"Alright, I've had enough of your moping. We're going on a girls day, and you are going to feel fucking great by the end of it, so help me rA9," North said, finally fed up with me.

"North, I really don't-"

"You're going. End of story." I ended up going, I had no energy to fight her.

"There are three phases to this day. Phase 1: GoKarts," North said as we entered the arena.

"Doesn't this seem kinda intense?" I asked.

"Yes. But it's the opposite intensity to what your feeling now so maybe you'll balance out." Leave it North to know just what I needed. Within two races, I was already feeling back to normal. North and I had each won a race and both times we were neck and neck.

"One more for the tiebreaker?" I asked.

"You're going down, Lupine."

"Bring it Cardinal." We got back in our Karts and we were off. After zooming around the track a few times, I just barely beat North and she was so butthurt about it.

"Why are you so good at everything?" She complained as we left.

"I dunno," I shrugged.

"Ok, phase 2: the movies," She said, ignoring me.

"Did you have something in mind?"

"No. This is your day, so you pick." We ended up seeing a live-action remake of a renaissance Disney movie because Disney always made me feel better.

"I still can't believe you chose a kid's movie," North grumbled as we left the theater.

"Don't pull that shit, you were just as into the movie as I was. I watched you," I smirked and she deadpanned.

"Why was it so entertaining though?" She whined and I laughed.

"Because it's Disney. That's why. So what's phase 3 of your masterplan to make me feel better?"

"Phase 3: shopping and some food for you."

"GoKarts, a movie, and shopping. Damn North, you're keeping me busy today."

"You can't say you're not having fun or not feeling better," She pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. Thank you for this," I said.

"No problem. Now do you wanna eat now or later?"

"Let's grab something I can eat while we walk around," I decided. Hours later, we had picked up a few things, but only three bags for each of us.

"Feel any better?" North asked, wary that I might revert into my numb state.

"Yeah, I am. Thanks again for today."

"It's the least I could do. I mean, after all you've done for my people and even now when you have a Kingdom to run. It's a lot, and with Carl dying, someone needed to give you a break."

"I still appreciate it."

"You can pay me back by dragging Markus out of his funk. You're the only one who can."

"Was this whole day just so I'd help Markus deal with his pain so he could get back to work?" I accused playfully.

"In part," She said vaguely before walking off.

"North!" I called after her, rooted to my spot. Bitch. I shook my head and with a snap of my fingers, my stuff had been put away and I was off to my husband's office. I found him in the same spot, the same position as when I left him this morning.

"You haven't moved, have you, baby?" I said quietly, sitting on his desk in front of him, lifting his chin with my finger and forcing him to look at me.

"I just... there's so much he talked to you about that I had no idea about. Like how he wanted us to spend a day seeing who could take care of him better as some sort of challenge, or how he wanted you to stay with him a few days after he got me for the human contact."

"I forgot about that. That sound like Carl though, trying to elicit some response from everybody, regardless of who or what they were," I chuckled.

"I just wish he'd told me about all this. Did you know that he never spoke about you to me? I even found all the books you sent him and I asked him about them once since they weren't the genre he usually read. He just gave me one of his sly smiles and said that they were written by an old friend who he'd like me to meet one day."

"He probably thought he couldn't talk about me. When my family told him what we were, he was sworn to secrecy, and my mother even spelled him to be unable to tell anyone what we were. But if he wanted he could have said more than he did. But I don't think he ever really understood what the spell did," I said, remembering that day.

"He wrote about me all the time to you. And it's so obvious when we started bonding. He truly wanted nothing more than for us to meet, didn't he?" Markus asked.

"And now look at us. Married," I said, running my fingers through his short hair.

"I thought I was happy before that he was at our wedding. But now..."

"It brings a whole new meaning to the already meaningful day," I finished. "I think the only reason he wanted us to meet was so that he could play matchmaker."

"And he tried the night of the retrospective. He pawned me off to you, Markus chuckled.

"I think he knew something we didn't before we even met, and our meeting only confirmed whatever idea he had."

"I think your right," Markus agreed.

"Do you think you'll be ok at the funeral tomorrow?" I asked, my voice gentle.

"Yeah. Leo called me after you left and said Carl left me half of everything he had. He also asked me to give the eulogy."

"Want me to help you write it?"

"Please."

"Ok. We'll get through this Markus. Together," I promised, and I was going to try my damndest to come through for my hurting husband.

"I know we will. Because I already feel so much better, and we've just started."

"Don't be scared to lean on me, Markus. I won't ever let you fall. I love you," I told him, kissing his forehead. He sighed into the contact before looking into my eyes.

"I love you too. More than anything."