#zexmar

Walking out of the garden, he made his way into the hall and headed into the direction of a certain room. Upon arriving, he knocked a couple of times before pressing his ear against the door. He heard silence. He stepped back and thought about where would the culprit be. What did he need the flowers for? Was it some kind act of vengeance of some kind? As he continued down the hall, he heard that the bath was being used. He narrowed his eyes and grinned. "Maybe I can join him in the hot tub…” Slowly he opened the door to bathing room, letting out the steam. He slipped inside silently and closed the door behind him. He stood still for a moment taking in the heat. Sweat had already began to trickle down his spine and forehead, although he paid no mind to that. His attention was focused on the humming directly across from him. Somewhere in the steam was the culprit that desecrated his garden of roses. Carefully and slowly, he removed his boots to prevent anymore sound and tiptoed his way to the vocal source.   Before him in a tub of red rose petals was the Cloaked Schemer. He was leaning his back against the side of the tub with his head resting on the curved edge. His eyes were closed. Only the soft humming escaped his barely parted lips. Drops of water from perspiration slid down Zexion’s chest and into the water. His hair had been pinned away from his face, a first for the Assassin to see both eyes. Marluxia stood by and watched him for a full five minutes before clearing his throat. Zexion quickly sat up straight and looked to the Assassin’s direction. “Mar-Marluxia, what are you doing here?!” Panic was written all over his face. His eyes quickly surveyed the tub with the floating rose petals. He looked back at Marluxia, who had folded his arms over his chest. He tilted his head and lifted an eyebrow. “What. Have. We Here?” Marluxia felt a smile start forming which he tried to contain. “Marluxia, it is not what you think! I can explain. You see–” “Please, stop before you even begin, Zexion. You’re explanation will be so taxing.” Zexion opened his mouth again to try and speak but Marluxia lifted a finger. “Ah, ah, ah. No. As you have said before, ‘such actions require punishment’, don’t you agree?” Marluxia stepped forward, unfolding his arms. Zexion stood up in retaliation; the water of the large tub still waist high. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m sure you can easily regrow roses in a blink of an eye and replace the ones lost.” Marluxia looked and turned his head to the side, the grin returning to his face. “I would like to punish you, Zexion, in the only way I know how.” He brought his hand to the zipper of his coat and began to slide it down. Slowly. Zexion stood there agape as the Assassin shrugged his coat off his shoulders and onto his the marble floor. “…And,” Zexion began before swallowing air. “…what kind of punishment is that?” Zexion moved back in the water as Marluxia helped himself out of the remainder of his clothes and approached the tub. Marluxia couldn’t tell if Zexion was flustered from the heat or from his exposed body but he didn’t care. Soon enough, the Schemer will be flustered for other reasons. “A kind of punishment that will make you scream my name.”

"Don't patronize me." Marluxia stepped closer to the bar and held them. "Were you not the former King's adviser? Did you not gamble late in the nights? How much are you willing to bet you will not die this evening?" Zexion looked at him and stood up. "Are you implying something?" He chuckled lightly and stepped close to the caged door, just inches from the prime minister's face. "Are you going to set me free, seeing as you hold the strings on the Court?" he whispered, narrowing his eyes slyly. He thought he saw a hidden smile form on Marluxia's face but it was serious to a fault. Marluxia was given authority by the King to rule out what he saw fit or necessary for any ruling, whether it be fair or not. That was just how it all worked. "Clearly you are guilty as charged but I want to know how desperate you are. How much are you willing to bet to be free?" "Bet? This is not a game. Everything. I will give up everything that I am; my title, my home, my riches. Anything to get this mess off my head." "That's silly." Marluxia reached in and grabbed Zexion face, squeezing his cheeks. "Just bet on your heart." He smiled, a smile that spoke volumes. He let go of Zexion's face and turned away. To Marluxia, this was a game. Everyone around him were the pieces and he was the one that watched it play out. He never participated, and most of the time, it always went in his favor. Zexion watched as the prime minster walked off, leaving the dungeons, leaving him in the dark with that cryptic message. Bet on his own heart? Zexion stood in the center of the court like some kind of animal of new discovery. Members of all Houses were there, seated and packed like sausages. The trial had lasted hours and the judge returned from his fourth break. Zexion was running out of logical things to say to defend himself on the assassination on the King's wife. Marluxia stepped forward on the stand and cleared his throat. "I will be questioning the criminal this time." Numerous gasps were heard around the courtroom. Even Zexion was surprised. He was suddenly playing a part in his own games. Zexion watched him, the way the light emphasized the masculine features on his face. He didn't know how many times he thought how handsome he was, but he knew flattery will not help him win. Marluxia stepped around the stand and walked towards Zexion, just keeping his distance by a couple of feet. He placed his hands in his pockets and began to slowly pace to and fro before Zexion. "Did you kill the Queen?" "No. I was framed." "All the evidence points at you? How are you going to prove that it wasn't you? How much are you willing to bet to be set free?" Again this strange questions comes up and Zexion stared at him confused. Marluxia was staring back, expecting a certain answer to exit his mouth. Zexion thought about it, wondering what he wanted. How much was he willing to bet was different from how much he was willing to give. Swearing on his life would do him no good. "I bet on my heart! Review the evidence. I did not kill her! If still you see fit that I am the criminal, then cut my heart of my body. Give me a slow and painful death! I welcome it!" The audience gasped once again. Executions were always quick, a simple pistol shot to the head. But cutting one's heart from the body with no way to soothe the procedure was undeniably brave. Zexion just knew there had to be something the court missed looking for in the evidence. Marluxia walked closer to Zexion and leaned down close to his ear. "Good answer." Pulling out a pistol from within his pockets and faced it towards the King. The king stood up and before any reaction could occur, Marluxia pulled the trigger, hitting the King between the eyes. The entire court started screaming. Zexion was shocked at the sudden turn of events. "What the hell is going on?!" Marluxia cut off Zexion's binds. "May I sweep you off your feet?" "Why did you shoot the King!?" "Because it was he who framed you." Everything went by so fast in the courtroom, Zexion didn't realize he was dragged out and into the hall. Marluxia touched his chin and smiled. "Stay here, while I calm the Court down." Zexion stayed put, trying to gather what happened. The King had framed him for killing the Queen and the prime minister just shot him dead in the courtroom. Marluxia returned to Zexion. "I ruled you innocent with my authority, after providing fruitful evidence that you ARE innocent...although there is an uproar as to who will become the new King." Zexion look at Marluxia, who happened to be really close to him. "Why did you make me go through all that. That was months of torturous interrogations when all this time you had the evidence to prove me innocent! You could have set me free in less than a day!" Zexion stepped forward and grabbed Marluxia's clothes, and attempted to lift him up. "I was whipped, clubbed, chained, and asked the same question over and over and YOU had the power to end it all! Why did you make me go through all that, Marluxia!?" Marluxia held his hands. There was a sense of gentleness from them. "You were once the King's adviser, no?" The grip around his collar tightened. "Why do you keep asking the same questions?" Marluxia moved forward and pressed his forehead again Zexion. He closed his eyes. "I apologize for letting that happened to you, but I needed to know if you were strong enough, Your Majesty." Zexion's eyes widened. "What...did you say?" He released Marluxia's clothes. Marluxia's eyes remained closed. "Must you forget. A King's adviser takes the place of King when he is...incapacitated." "You're right. I...am king now." This was all so sudden for Zexion. He knew the role of the king well, being his adviser for so many years. Marluxia opened his eyes and and stepped back giving enough space between them for him to get down on one knee. He placed a hand over his heart. "Sire, what will you have me do now?" Zexion thought about it and grinned. "Maybe I will have you promoted to King's adviser?" Marluxia looked up at him with a smirk. "You would have me?" Zexion squatted down before the minister and grabbed his tie. "How much are you willing to bet, first?"