Forced Marriage: Thirteenth Wife
Don't Cry

Roxanne still doesn't have the energy to do anything about that rough kiss. He even struggled to breathe because his body was too weak. But when one by one the drops of water hit his skin, followed by the unnatural trembling of his burly body, Roxanne felt he was even stronger than Eris now.

"I don't want to" Eris raved on her lips. "I don't want to lose you. I don't want to."

Why would he be raving like that when Roxanne is fine? Is it because she doesn't want Roxanne to forget for a moment about her condition?

But what can Roxanne do? He tried hard to remember and not like himself.

"Eris—"

"I don't want to, Roxanne." Eris clasped her hand, continuing to cry helplessly. "I don't want to."

When Roxanne was confused by the meaning of the words, Eris fully understood what she was messing with.

Eris did not concoct on Roxanne but herself.

The feeling came again. Awareness is coming again. He had Eris kill Roxanne like Nernia so that the chaos before their eyes would not happen.

Eris knows this. The arrival of Askala has become a signal that the trial will take place. Elios will ask his wife to come back so he can kill her and if Eris wants to oppose that, then Eris will have to ask for a rule change in Narendra that never happened before.

It was a hell for Eris who even chose to throw away his wife and his own eyes to keep the rules firm. It was impossible for him to break the rules just for Roxanne's sake, but his heart also said it was impossible to hand Roxanne over to Elios.

"Kill him" whispered the demon that had been residing in him all this time. "You still love him even if you kill him, right? Like Nernia. That way he won't be tortured by Elios. You killed him to protect him. Because you love her."

Eris grimaced in pain. Refuse to trouble that whisper. But the more he refused, the greater the pain in his soul.

"Eris—"

"I don't want to." Eris clutched the woman's body. "I don't want to lose anymore."

But suddenly, in the darkness that he saw, Eris actually found the devil in the form of Askala was shouting at him.

"You're traitorous!"

"I don't," Eris raved about losing control. "I did not betray. I'm keeping Arkas the best I can. I swear."

"I SAID NO!"

Roxanne flinched getting snapped for no apparent reason. Since everything was only in Eris's head, Roxanne certainly did not hear it. What Roxanne saw was just Eris talking to herself, shivering to herself, saying no and not for what.

"I didn't. I said no" said Eris amid her cries. "I did not betray. I'm not."

Roxanne did not know what was going on but slowly she reached out, clutching Eris' back which was so sturdy but fragile.

"I'm here" whispered Roxanne. "Calm down. I'm right here."

Eris shook her head. "I'm not a traitor." He still said the same thing. "I didn't leave Arkas. I swear. I swear. I don't laugh at my wife's death. I'm not a traitor."

"Eris—"

"I love you." Eris clasped Roxanne's clothes firmly and sobbed. "I love Nernia. I swear I love you. You and Roxanne, I really love you both."

"Eris, calm yourself—"

"I can't." Eris was already unconscious about Roxanne even though she was hugging him. "I can't let Roxanne go to your place. That's too, honey. Too far. I can't reach you if it's that far."

Don't know why, but Roxanne bit Eris on the shoulder, so strong that she groaned. And when she felt that pain, Roxanne made sure her entire energy was hugging Eris without any rest.

"I'm not going to Nernia's place" whispered Roxanne. "will not. I don't want to. Stop crying and look at me, you idiot."

The trembling in Eris' body suddenly faded and increasingly disappeared. The man touched Roxanne's face, as if that was the way he saw her.

"Roxanne's."

"Yes." Yeah." Roxanne nodded. "It's me, yours, so don't cry."

Eris came back crying, but this time with a sigh of relief.

*