A Resentful Betrayal

Xander did not visit for another two months. Not that it was unexpected but Diane felt lonely. Besides the silence, she could always feel a pair of eyes on her even when no one was around.

By now Diane's morning sickness had intensified and a small bump has formed on her torso. She had decided to remove her corset and encourage the growth of her child whilst enjoying her day to day activities.

As she was about to head into town, a familiar head of silver appeared shimmering in the distance. Oh! Xander... Diane sighed internally as she smiled, straightening her hair and patting the dust off her dress.

As Xander approached, he smiled at her before gently caressing her hair. "It took me longer than expected... but I snuck out to see you..." he said, taking a lock of Diane's hair into his hands before kissing it. 

"... Oh, Xander... That is fine. I'm just so glad you came." Diane smiled as she embraced him, breathing in his scent.

"... ... You smell a little different today." Diane said as she pulled herself off of her lover. 

"Huh? Oh. I was in a rush so I couldn't get ready before visiting you, my love." Xander responded as he turned Diane around, leading her in the direction of her house.

My love...? He must be getting more affectionate. Diane giggled to herself as she thought this making Xander flinch.

As the two entered Diane's home, Diane headed to grab the cup of water when Xander intercepted her. "I'll do it! You just rest. I know you may think you're fine but having a child is surely tiring... Our child..." Xander insisted as he smiled at Diane. 

"O.. oh... of course." Diane replied, face flushing red as she thought of how considerate Xander was being.

Xander sweated nervously as his hand shook. Pouring the powder into the water shouldn't be this hard and yet... The powder was barely mixing in the water and with his shaky hands, the powder was pouring everywhere except the cup.

Xander jumped as he felt Diane pressing her body against his back. He nervously swatted the powder off the table before accidentally tipping the cup of water. 

"Oh dear. Xander... are you alright?" Diane asked as she peeked at his face which seemed coated in sweat.

"I'm... a bit fidgety today... There was a lot of... things going on... Oh! Don't touch that! I'll pick it up!" Xander exclaimed as he fidgeted about. He sat Diane on the bed as he cleared the spilled water and picked up the cup.

***

After talking about their days and how was Diane feeling, Xander fell asleep as he laid in bed. Diane got up feeling thirsty and went to grab a cup of water. She felt around for the cup before noticing the table had a different texture than usual. She shook herself awake as she noticed a glittery substance on the table. It was fine, almost like salt and hard to notice unless you touched it.

Diane took a piece of scrapped paper and dusted the substance onto it, folding the paper before tucking it away so that Xander wouldn't find it. She glanced at Xander's sleeping figure as she felt herself doubting him for a minute. She then rinsed her cup before pouring fresh water into it, downing the water hoping to soothe her parched throat.

***

Xander awoke the next day to find Diane reading a book before noticing that he was up. "Xander! Good morning." Diane said as she shut her book and smiled. Xander smiled as well before realising it was in fact morning. 

"Gasp! Its... morning! I need to go! Why didn't you wake me?" Xander asked in a panic as he threw on his shirt before putting on a cloak.

"I just... thought it'd be nice to spend a little more time together... and... you looked tired as well." Diane replied as she looked up at Xander sadly. 

"... Don't worry. I'll find you again as soon as I can." Xander replied before kissing Diane on the forehead as he threw on the hood of his cloak and left the house, leaving Diane alone once again.

Diane stared at the door before turning to look out the window at her lover as his silhouette faded in the distance. Something seems odd. Even the fact that he stayed overnight. Which he never does... Diane thought to herself before getting out of bed.

She pulled on her yellow dress, a gift Xander gave her the last time he visited her and left for town; remembering to take the packet of fine substance with her.

***

"This..." a man said as he inspected the substance Diane showed him. "...is dust." the man said as he picked a speck of dust out of the fine substance, making Diane laugh nervously, a little annoyed that he needed to point out the fact that her house was dirty. She hadn't the time or energy to clean due to her bouts of nausea and light headedness which kept her in bed most days.

"Actually Miss Diane... this is Perpilianc." the man said as he scrutinised the powder. " A really fine one indeed. It is said only nobles can afford one of this quality." he continued as Diane stared at him intensely. "That is... ... what's that?" Diane replied almost comically as she cocked her head inquisitively.

"It is a type of abortion powder. One such as this is pure and highly effective... Were you trying to get an abortion Miss Diane?" the man asked as he folded the paper and handed it back to Diane. "...! N... NO! I... didn't even know about this... how..." Diane replied, offended by what the apothecary said.

***

Diane walked slowly back to her home, dragging her feet as she stared at the paper in her hand. She walked on deep in thought before bumping into someone. "! I... I'm sorry!" Diane apologized fervently, only to be met with Xander who was just as surprised to see her.

"Diane! I was just about to visit you... What are you doing out? You should be resting!" Xander asked as he looked at Diane, taking in her outfit and the paper she was clenching in her hand. 

"... I see you're wearing the dress I gifted you. Did you go out to get some herbs from the apothecary?" Xander asked as he smiled at Diane, placing his arm around her waist as he led her back to her house.

Diane did not talk much that day as she stared blankly at her lover. "I was actually shocked when you said you were pregnant... I... wasn't ready to be a parent... what with all the fuss in the palace... Plus the burden it would bring you... But now I..." Xander said before Diane cut him mid-sentence.

"So that's why you did that?!" Diane about screamed as she glared at Xander. 

"Huh? D-did what?" Xander replied confused as he stood to approach her. 

"Don't come near me! You monster! I can't believe I ever loved you!" Diane screamed as tears spilled from her eyes. Xander reached out to grab her only for her to toss whatever she could grasp at him.

"Diane! What... what's going on? Why are you so upset? Did I do something wrong?" Xander asked as he shielded himself from the pots and pans that his lover was throwing at him. 

"You should know full well what you did! I HATE YOU! GET OUT!" Diane screamed as she threw a knife at Xander, slicing the skin of his cheek.

Xander touched the broken skin of his cheek as he stared at the blood that started oozing out of it. That was the first time anyone ever managed to hurt him. "Ah... X... Xander... I'm... sorry... N... no... I mean..." Diane said, flustered as her eyes bulged in fear at the sight of hurting her lover.

"Diane... it's alright... Just tell me what's going on... Why are you acting this way?" Xander asked as he finally reached Diane, embracing her trembling body. She said nothing and leaned into his embrace. How ironic... that I would feel so comfortable in the embrace of the one who tried to hurt his own child.

***

Night came and Diane got up from the bed, staring at the person she no longer knew. She clenched at her chest as her free hand mindlessly grabbed onto a knife. Diane flinched as the thought of actually hurting him plagued her mind. She quickly moved away from the knife as she gathered her necessities as softly and as swiftly as possible.

Diane sneakily opened the door as she glanced at Xander one last time as he laid in bed, oblivious to what he had caused. She gritted her teeth as the tears flowed down her cheeks.

She then started running, running as fast as she could; feeling the pelting of the cool night air on her face as her lungs constricted. She gasped for air as she felt as if her heart had been ripped apart; not from the exhaustion of running, but from the heartache of her lover's betrayal.

Diane ran and ran, covering her torso with her free hand until she reached a clearing in a nearby forest. She fell to her knees as she broke from the thought of her situation, screaming "Why?!" over and over again unknowingly attracting a beast lurking within the forest.

***

Xander lay awake on the bed as he stared at the door his lover ran out of. His heart stung at the thought of her running off. But perhaps it is for the better... He thought as he opened the door staring out into the distance. A shadowy figure moved in the horizons, catching his eyes as he swiftly grabbed his sword, chasing after it.

"You there! Halt!" Xander yelled as he threw a dagger at the figure. The dagger bounced off as a magic circle formed in front of the location where he threw his dagger. Magic...? But... Xander pulled himself out of his thoughts as the magician began to return the assault, injuring his arm before it headed towards the other direction. The same direction Diane ran in.

Xander's eyes bulged as he feared that the magician was after his lover. He followed swiftly before the magician stopped, pointing towards a clearing where he saw Diane. Face to face with a beast. He clicked his tongue as he glared at the magician before he rushed after his lover, defending her from the beast.

"Xander!" Diane exclaimed as Xander parried off the claw of the beast, confused as to why he was here. 

"Now is not the time! Leave!" Xander yelled as he pushed the beast back, wincing from the pain in his arm.

Diane looked helplessly at her lover before running away from the scene. Torn between the fact that she did not want to leave him and that she needed to leave him. She knelt as she said a quick prayer before taking in her lover's valiant sight. She then stood and ran deeper into the forest, wiping off the tears from her eyes.

A sudden light surrounded Xander as he felt his exhaustion depleting and his wound beginning to heal. He defeated the beast as he glanced around him, searching for the magician, but he was nowhere to be found. Xander touched the place where his wound used to be whilst staring at the forest, thinking of his lover.

This was healing magic... So it must be her... But why would she... If she wanted to leave me so badly...? Xander thought to himself as he stood to leave, before a thud came from the distance. He raised his sword against the nape of the person who knelt on the ground as he saw the magician that was cloaked in black staring up at him.

"... Consider yourself spared. But know that if we meet next. Your life is at an end." Xander said to the magician as he sheathed his sword, walking past the man. The magician said nothing and touched his nape which had bled slightly when the King held his sword against it. He bit his bottom lip before teleporting back to the castle to inform his mistress about what had happened.