To Renewal
by the Legendary Armor
It seemed a sacrilege in itself that she was in such a state.
He looked at her with absolute agony in his eyes, but spoke calmly, and he held her closely as she whispered in a haze of delirium; whispered of her people, and her kingdom, and him. Did she even know she was dying? And as this thought entered his mind, he realized…
The crimson would not stop spreading.
The pool of blood would not stop growing.
The haze in her eyes would not recede even just a little.
The princess, the worshipped idealistic ruler was a bloody mess, and here she was—dying on the edge of a battlefield… alone. Alone but for him… and the corpse of the wretched soldier who had dared to lay a hand on his beloved princess, the light of the country—
Alone but for his desperation.
He grasped her hand in his, so tenderly, so gently, though her once snow-white glove was stained in a macabre, yet mesmerizing fashion… red was such a contrast… so startling… even moreso on her shining armor…
…on her gentle face…
"My lady, we should be quick to rejoin the others—"
But her kind eyes spoke of worry—"Not until your wound is healed—"
"You will go nowhere, wretched Princess!"
A spray of blood… a cry of outrage… a whimper of pain…
There was nobody to see their plight. Here, all he could do was hold her, and comfort her, even as he himself fell deep into the trap of darkness. No longer did he wish to fight the venom running through his veins from the poison lances—no longer did he even feel the agony that he staved off to try and take her away from this place…
"…And when we are… are back… at Court… you shall… be my… truest… advisor, and we…"
Even as the false smile formed on his face, even as the tears poured down his face, he whispered back in interruption, "Please, cease your talking. You… must save your strength…"
The sunlight of the day seemed to fade as her eyes grew further dim…
"Please… stay with me… always…" Time slowed to a crawl as she smiled, blood leaking from her mouth in a most horrifying manner. "Please… I… need you…"
The shadow of the day grew even more heavy. There was shouting… there was heavy breathing… a flap of wings… Was the enemy drawing closer? …He did not care. They would both die here—he could not dwell on his failure to her, however, until she passed. His duty now was to comfort her—his cherished—his beloved—
As a serene, azure glow enveloped his dear princess, he too felt his vision fading. Was this the end? Was this their end? Had he truly sinned so?
...And yet even as the sea of darkness began taking his sight, it so suddenly receded as a tingle of regeneration, of light, of the blessed Ashera soared through his very veins. The voice of the orange-haired priest sighed in relief, and he whispered,
"…Thank Ashera… you're both alright now…"
His princess, renewed, smiled at him.
He embraced her tightly, overcome with a mixture of relief, joy and guilt... He would never let this happen again...
He would be her knight, her protector, at any and every cost.
...He would truly be her knight in shining armor...
And remain always by her side.
(end)