Crystal Shards: Malady

Chapter 2: Burnout

 Unable to sleep, Elliot is walking down the castle hallway, having left Annabelle back in the room. His hands rest in his pockets and he stops at a large window, looking out to the courtyard below. Guards do their normal patrol, a couple of them conversing casually on the job. Elliot turns his attention to the full moon overhead.

"You're still here?" He hears a voice call out. He looks over to once again see Artemis, now dressed in a blank tank top and a pair of worn out jeans. He turns to face her.

"Until morning, yeah," He responds. She sighs and pulls a cigarette from her pocket, as well as a lighter.

"You've only just shown up again and I'm already tired of seeing you," She comments as she lights her cigarette. Nevertheless, she approaches him and they both turn to look outside. "A little late to be up and about in the castle,"

"I could say the same for you,"

"You don't have any right to say anything about me," She rudely returns, Elliot doing his best to ignore her callous attitude. "So, you blew it with my sister,"

"I'd rather not talk about Echo," Elliot is quick to shut the topic down, Artemis exhaling smoke.

"I bet you don't. Coward," She laughs a bit. "Whatever, Echo is a bitch anyway,"

"Watch it," Elliot speaks up.

"Or what?" This time she exhales smoke in his direction, making him cough. "You won't do shit about it," Unseen to her, he clenches his fist for a moment, but forces himself to let it go. "Nothing, that's right,"

"I notice you don't wear your wedding ring," Elliot points out, his comment blindsiding her.

"Yeah well... I wouldn't want to lose it," She comes up with, but it's obviously just the first excuse that came to mind.

"Right," Elliot simply replies. Her expression quickly reflects that of her inner fury.

"Don't judge me,"

"I'm not judging you. I just feel sorry for you," Elliot admits.

"What is there to be sorry for? I'm married to a king. I'm rich. I have everything anybody could ever ask for," She boasts, but Elliot sees right through this farce.

"You have nothing, not even love," He turns his back to her. "You don't love Val and you know that for a fact. You don't wear his ring because you're ashamed of yourself for marrying him. It's obvious enough from how you react whenever it comes up," Elliot begins to walk off. "I should be getting back to my room. Nice talking to you," For once, Artemis locks up. She is completely unsure on what to say, having someone finally put her in her place. She has no venomous comeback, no mean spirited gesture, nothing.

"Yeah well...!" She tries to say something, anything, but stops. "...It was nice to see you, Elliot," He stops upon hearing those words, perhaps in shock that she is capable of saying something without malice. Instantaneously however, Elliot's body surges with pain once again, his chest tightening. He groans and winces, dropping to his knees. "Elliot?" Artemis hurries over to him, seeing him starting to sweat and breath heavily. "Hey! What's going on?!" Unable to speak, Elliot lets out a suppressed yelp, gritting his teeth. "Say something you asshole!" She orders. The pain begins to subside, much sooner than before. He slumps over, leaning against her chest. Rather than strike him however, she goes still.

"Sorry... I-,"

"It's okay," She cuts him off. They sit in silence for a few minutes until he attempts to stand, stumbling and catching himself by placing his hand on the wall. She stands up as well, but brings him back towards her. "Come on, my room is right down the hall," Elliot doesn't protest and walks with her help. She opens the door to the room she is staying in and helps him inside. He sits down on the foot of the bed, slumping down a bit and taking a few breaths. "So, what the fuck just happened?"