Denial.

Lexie and yourself leave the throne room, walking about through the castle, moving between all the random elite guards covering the hallways. "You're not seriously thinking about going through with that, right?" Lexie eventually breaks the silence.

"I mean..." you rub your forehead, your brain pulsing with thoughts "I either fight him or try to convince the Syndicate army to allow Edmin to be king." you shake your head, looking at the ground as you walk "Both options...ugh. I mean, I'd love to fight Rixx and I know I'd win...I...I just know I would..." you hesitate, "But if something were to happen, say I lost...I couldn't allow him to take control of the Syndicate. No way in hell. It's just a lose lose situation for me, I win and nothing changes, I still need to convince the Syndicate or I lose and...well, yeah...." you let out a puff of air.

"I also don't think the Syndicate will approve of those choices." Lexie replies "Although, maybe we just march the army back north? Take back our city? Most of the people won't care that the King was taken out, as long as someone we trust gets back into power."

"Yeah but...to wage war in our own city? Think of all the casualties that could happen. They could just slaughter the entire city once they see us coming." you shake your head, still looking into the ground "I couldn't allow that, not all these innocent people..."

"I..." Lexie hesitates briefly, not wanting to stick up for the man she's about to mention "I don't think Rixx would do that." Lexie begins "He seems to actually care about civilians almost, like you."

"He's nothing like me." you glare back at Lexie.

"Calm down!" she growls back "Geez, pull the stick out of your ass." She laughs at you "Think about it, you don't like to slaughter innocent people and neither does he and if they don't bare arms and defend their city you allow them to be safe. You also don't allow warriors to..." she clears her throat "Claim the enemy as their prize. Which, I'm speaking from experience here, a certain other Commander acts the same way."

"Lexie, I know..." you roll your eyes "It's just..." you stutter out.

"I know you're not going to like me saying this, but from the stories I've heard and the actions I've witnessed just yesterday..." Lexie begins "You and Rixx are a lot more similar to each other then I think you understand." she let's out a small chuckle "To be honest, it's pretty crazy how similar you two are."

"I'm nothing like that monster." you stop in your tracks, looking back at Lexie.

"Darien..." she tilts her head, looking at you.

You scrunch your eyebrows at her, staying silent.

Her head tilts even more, the expression on her face holding strong.

After just staring at each other for what was probably only thirty seconds, "Okay, fine." you crack under the pressure of Lexie "Maybe a little."

"What if we go find him?" She begins "Go talk to Rixx. I bet he would understand, he would help us out maybe? I think he would be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel." her head nodding up and down as she loves her plan.

"Psh.." you groan "I don't feel like talking to him again."

"Well, then I'll do..." she stops, thinking briefly "Wait, again?" she questions you.

"Uhh, well, ya see..." you stumble "Last night, after you fell asleep. I just couldn't sleep, my mind was racing, I was just staring at the ceiling, so I got up to get some fresh air outside. I uhh, ran into him and we had some words."

"Some words?" she pries.

You take a deep breath, not wanting to tell her anything really "I uhh, I told him after this was all over I was going to kill him." you bring your hand up, scratching the side of your ear.

Lexie laughs while shaking her head "Seriously?!" she laughs again, wrapping her arms around your bicep as she pulls you down the hallway some more "You men are so stupid sometimes. Why is it always.." she does her best to imitate a male's voice, trying to sound all gruff and gritty "I am the strongest or I have the biggest dick!" she laughs again, getting another eye roll and smile from you. She then turns back into her very chipper self "And if we're being honest here Darien," she pauses just briefly, another huge grin going on her face "I don't know if you'd win in either of those categories. He is really strong and...for all I know, his cock matches his body. Big, strong and long."

"LEXIE!" you shout at her, stepping in front of her to face her "What the hell?!"

She is just hysterical at this point, laughing constantly while playfully touching your body "You know you loooove me!" she teases, holding her hand up, that little purple amethyst sparkling just briefly "You choose meeeeee!" she sings. "You choose meeee! You looove meeee!!!"

"Yeah well, maybe I"m about to unchoose you for that." you shake your head, holding Lexie by her arms, keeping her from bouncing around happily.

"Nope! Can't do that! Stuck with me for life now!" she leans forward, giving your lips three little pecks. She then backs away and tilts her head, her eyes looking behind you just briefly before connecting with yours once more.

"Just what I want in the morning..." you shake your head, still holding Lexie in place "Talk with Edmin, he's a piece of shit and now, all I have in my mind at the moment is Commander Rixx's fucking cock." you yell a little louder as you continue your glare at her.

Lexie's whole body starts to bunch down a little bit in your arms, her cheeks are bunching up a ton as she's trying her best to hold in the laughter that wants to escape so bad.

"What?" you glare back at her, anger in your voice.

You just see Lexie's eyes shift to your eye once more, connecting with somebody behind you. Air exits her nose in pulses as she's still trying her best to hold back her laughter, tiny bits escaping her lips.

You just swallow hard as you feel your cheeks going a little flush.

"I'm sorry..." she mouths the words to you quickly before she clasps her lips shut again, holding her laughter in.

With a groan, "He's right behind me...isn't he?"