Eleanora heard the door open and turned to see who it was. The room was only lit by a small candle beside her bed. The intruder was but a shadow.
"What are you doing out of bed?" The shadow asked.
"Elbert, is that you?" The hope in her voice broke Eliwood's heart.
"No mother, it is your son, Eliwood. You were dreaming again." The tone of his voice was always so gentle, like his fathers.
He helped to lay her back down in bed. Her eyes were wet with tears and Eliwood knew she had been crying. There had been a lot of that lately.
She reached her hand up to wipe his forming tears. He held her cold hand against his cheek seeking some sort of comfort.
"I need you." Eliwood whispered. He knelt beside her bed holding her hands in his.
It was useless. She could hear but there was never the proper response. She would just stare off as if she was in another world.
He leaned in and kissed her cheek before he left the room in defeat. Marcus was waiting outside.
"Milord, Rebecca is inquiring about what to tell Roy. He won't stop asking to see her." There was a long pause. Marcus looked grieved to have bothered Eliwood. "I'm sorry I shouldn't concern yo-."
" Why?" Eliwood interrupted.
Marcus stood silent.
"Why did she choose me knowing this would be her fate? I tried everything to save her! She knew!" Eliwood slammed his fist against the wall.
"I should've known. I was selfish."
Marcus put his hand on Eliwood's shoulder. Marcus was not a man of words but his touch made a difference. He became sort of a father figure since Elbert passed.
"Thank you, Marcus. I lost it for a second. You've always been there."
Marcus nodded. "I plan to until I die."
"Tell Rebecca I'll see to her soon."
Eliwood made his way down the narrow halls. His world seemed cold and dark ever since Ninian grew ill and now her death plunged him into the abyss. He wasn't sure he could ever pull himself out.
He took a deep breath before opening their room. There she lay in their bed white as a ghost. Even death had not betrayed her beauty. No one would have known she was dying by looking at her. Even Eliwood didn't know until she collapsed while out playing with Roy. It didn't take long after that. She was slowly dying from the inside.
He knelt beside the bed and took her hand in his.
He remembered being angry at her when he first found out. It was a dark time in his life. Anger consumed him and he lashed out at anyone who tried to help, even his mother. Seeing his behavior sent Eleanora into a downward spiral and now she couldn't leave her room. It was his fault.
"I'm sorry I did this to you. All the pain you must have went through and I never knew. You always had a smile on your face. That must have been hard. You were a great mother to Roy, the best. He has a great heart because of you. He knows how to love and he cares for others more than himself."
He ran his hands through her hair. "I don't know how I'm going to do without you. You were my joy, my happiness, my everything, but I owe it to you to live on. For our son."
