It started as a tickle in the back of your throat. And you brushed it off as just that. A tickle, one that would go away, or turn into a small cough and then go away. Either way, you ignored it. And it did eventually turn into a small cough. Then, weeks later, a big one. You still ignored it though. Even after it started to take a very grievous affect on your health.

Such as now.

You had been coughing for almost two hours straight, with small breaks here and there that would last only a few short minutes. It was so bad that you were doubled over on the floor next to your bed. Your vision was blurred, and speckled with black spots. Every attempt you made to get a breath only seemed to push you farther from it.

The shaking arms that had been supporting you for so long finally gave out, forcing you to lie on your side. Doing this seemed to ease the coughing a bit, though the relief didn't last long.

Light bled into the room as the doors were opened from the outside. Zethrid's silhouette came into view, you would be able to recognize her ears anywhere, in any condition. The slack and uninterested look on her face quickly changed when she saw the condition you were in.

Her figure started to blur, as she rushed to you.

Your vision finally gave out.

You grit you teeth, looking at the medical report you had been given. There was a foreign organism growing in your lungs. And after coughing up some flower petals, it was obvious to everyone what was going on.

The Hanahaki disease.

An outbreak was currently ravishing the Empire, leaving about a third of the population on their death beds. Those who had the flowers removed always seemed...different afterwards. It was known that removing the plant removed the feelings of love with them, but this just seemed different. And now you think you know why.

It hurt.

So very badly.

Not just the plant that was tearing up your insides, but the fact that you now knew that he didn't love you back. You knew long ago, when you first started to have feelings for the prince, that the chance of him ever seeing you the same way was almost as likely as a person surviving a super nova. Nearly unheard of, but still possible.

But now, now that you knew he would never feel for you, it just-Hurt.

After going through something like this, it was no surprise why people acted weird. You would never want to feel this pain again.

And you never would.

Your carnations were being removed in a few vargas.

And you had asked for the druids to remove your emotions while they were at it.