He was falling, plunging into a black abyss that surrounded him on all sides. There was nothing below him to stop or catch him, and there was nothing above him to grab ahold of. Even though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. There was only the stomach-flipping sensation of falling, one that caused his heart to leap to his throat. Although he knew that there was no one to catch him, he instinctively reached up for something, someone-

And opened his eyes to find Ruby leaning over him with a concerned and wistful expression. Startled, Marcus jerked against the rock-hard floor beneath him, whacking his head painfully. He groaned and closed his eyes again, lifting his hand and rubbing his forehead gingerly. His heart was still pounding in his chest, but at least he was awake now. It had only been a dream, not some twisted reality. 

"Are you all right?" Ruby asked quietly, her voice hesitant and worried. Marcus opened his eyes again and saw that she had leaned back, but she was still looking at him with her anxious green eyes. 

Marcus waved his hand dismissively, shoving himself into a sitting position. "I'm fine," he told her with a soft smile. Though he figured she probably didn't believe him, he didn't want to worry her more by telling her the truth. He knew how horrible that was, but he didn't even want to hear the truth himself. 

Taking a few deep breaths, the king looked about him briefly. Falte was on his side a few paces away, his back to them. He was silent, which was more common now, but Marcus knew that the adviser was asleep. Though it was hardly ever light in the dungeon, it was dark enough for Marcus to understand that it was either the middle of the night, or early in the morning. 

"What about you?" Marcus asked, looking back at his wife again. "Are you..." He trailed off, suddenly realizing that this was the first time he had actually taken a close look at Ruby since they had been thrown in the dungeon. Just the thought of that, the fact that he'd been focusing on himself more than his wife, made him want to scream at himself and feel sick at the same time. Ruby looked exhausted, but not just physically. She looked mentally and emotionally exhausted, like she had finally reached her limit of feeling or thinking. She was thinner than before, and she looked defeated - something that Marcus never would have imagined her looking like. She hadn't shown a real smile, Marcus realized, in far too long. 

Ruby was watching him expectantly, waiting for him to finish his question. She obviously didn't realize that Marcus now understood that he'd been selfish - that he hadn't been a proper husband. He hadn't been caring for her, he hadn't been there for her. 

"Come here," Marcus told her softly, opening his arms and gesturing her forward. 

At first, Ruby just stared at him. But after a few moments, she looked down at his open arms and her eyes filled with tears. Her subtle, quiet demeanor crashed down like a wall, and she scooted forward until she was fitted perfectly against Marcus's chest. With her head buried in the crook of his shoulder, she clung to him like she used to when they were first married. 

Marcus tried to find words to encourage her, but what could he say? Everything's going to be all right? How could he say that when he didn't even know if they were going to live to see the next few years? How could he say that to her when they had lost everything?

So, he remained silent and stroked her head, running his fingers through her hair, in the comforting way that he knew she liked. For a while she was crying into his shoulder without saying anything to him, but eventually she was silent as she held him like a lifeline. Marcus closed his eyes and rested his chin on her head, and for a moment...

Reality fell away, and it was just the two of them, together until the end.

~

It took almost an hour for Marcus to realize that Ruby had fallen asleep in his arms, but even when he did notice, he still didn't move. He didn't want to wake her up - he understood that sleeping was, most of the time, the only sense of peace that they were blessed to have. However, when nightmares plagued his mind, which was beginning to happen more often, Marcus had the strong urge to somehow silence his brain. 

Thirty minutes after Marcus's right leg fell asleep, Falte grunted and rolled over with a wince. Slowly, he sat up and gingerly rolled his shoulders, which were obviously stiff from the floor. When he found his glasses and set them on his nose, he caught Marcus's eye and looked down at Ruby. 

"Is she okay?" he asked in a soft tone, his eyebrows turning up slightly in worry for his queen and friend.

"She's all right," Marcus replied quietly. "She's actually... um, asleep." He smiled somewhat sheepishly at the adviser, who made a sound of acknowledgement and smiled a bit too. 

"Are you okay?" asked Falte after a moment of quiet. 

Marcus's smile became a bit more sincere and grateful, but a moment later, it slipped away from his face again. "I... I'm not really sure anymore," he sighed, fighting to keep his voice from shaking. "I don't even know how to describe this, but I... I hate it. I don't know what to do, especially when..."

How was he supposed to say this? The Dark Magic toying around inside him was like nothing he'd ever felt before, and he couldn't begin to describe the urges to angrily attack anything near him because of his pain, like a wild animal that felt threatened. He knew that it was so, so wrong and not human to even think that way; but it was happening more and more. And every time they heard the sounds of people falling underneath the torturous hands of the Darks, Marcus wanted to rip off the heads of everyone in the castle so they'd shut up. 

Falte was watching him patiently, not making any move to pressure him into speaking. This was the only reason that Marcus managed to explain everything to the librarian. 

When the king was finished, Falte's expression was not what Marcus had been expecting. The adviser didn't look terrified of his king, nor did he look started that such a thing was happening; instead, he looked sympathetic and remorseful. His eyes screamed that he wanted so badly to help, but his expression said that he knew there was nothing he could do. 

Smiling softly, Falte shook his head slightly. "You're stronger than you know, Marcus. You'll make it through this." 

"It hasn't even been five months, Falte," Marcus snapped, the uncontrollable anger suddenly rising in his chest. Before he spoke again, Marcus shoved it down and took a deep breath, shaking his head down at the floor in front of him. "It hasn't even been five months, and I'm already losing it." 

"You're not going to get anywhere with that attitude, that's for sure," Falte said firmly, but Marcus knew that the adviser was only trying to help. "You can't give up, Marcus. I know you - it's not like you to give up so easily. Why suddenly surrender now? I know... I know there's not much left to fight for. But what you really should be fighting for is, not your kingdom, but your family." He gestured to Ruby, who was still folded in Marcus's arms. 

Marcus blew out a long sigh, resting his chin on Ruby's head again. After a few moments of silence, a wistful smile crawled onto his face. "I suppose you're right." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he could feel Falte smiling reassuringly at him. 

"Just keep doing your best, Marcus," Falte told him quietly. "It's the best you can do right now, especially for her. As independent and as strong as she is, she needs you right now." 

"So don't you dare lock yourself into that mopey, defeated part of your mind," Ruby said abruptly into his shoulder, immediately after lifting her head and looking him square in the eyes. 

A playful smile reached Marcus's lips, and he raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Yes ma'am," he said obediently, and Ruby rolled her eyes but smiled lovingly at him. A genuine smile, one that Marcus wanted to steal away in his mind forever. 

Carefully, Marcus cupped Ruby's face and pulled her closer to him, closing his eyes and gently kissing her forehead. 

No matter what happened... 

Marcus would always fight for Ruby.

~

Sorry this chapter is kind of short, I'm kinda trying to put in some extra things so I don't jump directly to ACTION-

But don't worry, the action is coming soon. 

I CAN'T WAIT-

This chapter was mostly for short laughs and sweetness between the king and queen.

I LOVE THEM

They're so cute-

WHOLESOME-

MMPH-

Anyways, thanks for reading!! 

Love y'all!!

P3ac3!!!~~~~