"Guilty."

Bang. Bang. Bang.

I flinched with each crack of the mallet against the wood. And that was it. Nothing could be done. Everything was packaged and sealed.

"Fye. It's time to go." Sakura said softly, placing her hand on my shoulder.

But I was still numb. I don't believe I could've moved even if I wanted too. My mind was in a million and two places, anywhere but in that awful courtroom really.

"Fye, come on." Syaoran whispered, pulling on my arm gently, but firmly in an effort to make me stand. I provided little resistance, so he led me out the door, back to our temporary house.

I could feel Kurogane's eyes on my back the entire time.

One which one of our little group, no family, wouldn't be residing in after tomorrow.

When we got home, I moved like a zombie to my small bedroom, which seemed all too large after the day's events. I collapsed on my bed, asleep before my head hit the pillow.

~X~

I stood at the very front of the large crowd that had assembled to watch the execution live instead of on television.

How cruel?

Don't they understand how hard it is too say goodbye without all of these vultures watching like hawks for the first sign of weakness.

But I refused to give in even as the orator announced the charges.

"The subject is charged with assault and battery, murder of the first degree, mass murder and assassination. Subject was found guilty of all charges."

Neither I nor my companions could argue the ruling on these charges, even though we all wanted too desperately.

"The accused stands guilty of the murder of the great and esteemed Ashura-ou along with the murder of several of the members of his court and his country."

It was only done in self-defense and after years of abuse disguised as love.

"The penalty for these aforementioned crimes shall be death." He finished, rolling up his scroll and folding up his glasses.

I could only stare out at the crowd as the noose was lowered and tightened, my breath leaving little by little along with it. My eyes slid shut, not wanting to see everything fold out before me.

"Look at me, Fye." Kurogane said from where he was standing, just a little ways away.

I shook my head no.

"Fye, please." He begged, his voice cracking for the first time ever since I'd known him.

I began muttering quiet prayers to whatever Gods did exist to help in the next life. To have them do what I can't.

"Fye." He practically whispered, pouring all of his pain and heartbreak into one word.

I looked.

The platform dropped.

And I heard the crack as his neck snapped, extinguishing his life in one of the most painful ways possible and taking my heart along with it, in a country other than my own.

A country named Valeria.

It almost seemed fitting that my heart would be born and slaughtered in the same place, along with the one I loved.