She saw it, the blood when he coughed, the weakness in him and the tears came before she could stop them as she climbed into his arms and clung to him like her life depended on it not his, her hand covering his that was resting on her stomach, she sounded heart broken as she rested her head on his chest and spoke the words she needed to say and he needed to hear, "I love you." She was refusing to accept he was dying, he couldn't die, he wasn't allowed to die, it just wasn't meant to work like that him leaving her behind.
She was willing him to get better, to not leave her face the world alone without him. "Please fight. I need you, you have to fight, we're warriors you and I, we said we'd die in battle didn't we? Remember? A death worthy of remembrance, you said that, you said it so keep your promise and fight. Please. For me." She curled herself around him when he coaxed her to lay down and her tears wet his neck where she'd pushed her face there, "I can't live without you." There were more tears, he comforted her as best he could but she knew he was dying and he couldn't fight anymore though she couldn't accept it, he'd been there for most of her life, how was she meant to live without him? Without knowing he was still loving her even if they were force to be apart? What if he moved on without her? No, she just couldn't let him go.
He went to sleep with her in his arms and she watched his breathing, listening to his weak heartbeat and softly stroking her fingers over the tattoo on his neck. But the sleepless nights had caught up with her too and being held by him, warm and feeling safe she fell asleep with her head on his chest and his one arm around her back, the other still wrapped loosely in her hair. And when their bedroom door opened it startled her awake some time later, his heart wasn't beating anymore. She refused to believe it and didn't move, clinging to him tightly and hoping her force of will would bring him back but she was sobbing like a child for the man who's soul she was bound too.