~Darkstalker
Once they had gotten Clearsight into the cave, Darkstalker started feeling guilty and like an idiot. Why did he make that stupid enchantment in the first place? I just barely remembered doing it. He had done it closer to the top of the scroll in the invisible ink. He felt like he had made the worst mistake in the history of Pyrrhia.
After Clearsight fell asleep, Darkstalker started pacing recklessly. He had to think of something. But he specifically made it so then there was no cure, even with animus magic. Maybe he could somehow prevent it from taking hold? Give him another month to think of something rather than a week. He tried to use his foresight to see if that would help any—no, it wouldn't even work. He cursed under his breath.
"If you keep on pacing, you're going to wake her up again." Indigo pointed out. "And we still need to re-bandage that wound of hers."
"Indigo, how about you gather some actual bandages?" Fathom suggested. Indigo flicked her tail and muttered something, but started heading out anyway. Fathom walked over to his bag and pulled out a tiny wooden sculpture of a bird, and handed it to Darkstalker. "It might not be the best time to give this to you, but I made it back at the Summer Palace for you." He said. "It's a raven. I'm sorry if it doesn't look right—they don't fly around the sea much. I made a deer for Clearsight."
Darkstalker stopped pacing to receive the gift. He tuned it around in his talons, examining it. "It looks pretty accurate to me." He remarked. "Thanks." He looked over at Clearsight. She looked peaceful sleeping in the corner of the cave. But all Darkstalker could see was the day when she lay in that corner, but wasn't sleeping. The day that he knew could change everything. "Do you think she'll be in pain? I feel so bad for her…and it's all my fault. It's all my fault. Why you're still here, why she's heading towards death, why Indigo seems to hate me even more. It's my fault. Everything."
"Think about it, though." Fathom said. He sat beside Darkstalker, who sat as well. "She's the strongest seer in the entire continent. If she saw a way around it, she would've done so. She would've struggled if she hadn't known the consequences of struggling. She would've tried to escape if she hadn't known the consequences of trying to escape. Clearsight knew that this would happen, and even so she went in willingly. I believe that one way or another, everyone will get through this okay."
"But Clearsight won't be okay." Darkstalker replied. "She'll be dead. Clearsight isn't the traitor here, it's me. She doesn't deserve to be treated how traitors are, when she's done nothing wrong. Indigo is right; the only crime she ever committed…was falling in love with me."
"Can you hear yourself, Darkstalker?" Fathom asked. "You two knew you would love each other before you even met. You fell in love with each other before you even knew who the other one was. Clearsight knew what could happen, and she went into it willingly. She did what she believed was right because she knew. She knew what things would be like. She would've done who knows what if she didn't know what that would mean. She's always done what was best for her friends, family, and Pyrrhia."
Darkstalker guessed that was true. He still couldn't bury the guilt inside of him, though. No matter how hard anyone tried, he would still feel guilty for what he did that brought them here.
…
Indigo came back with bandages and some ointment that Darkstalker only assumed was stolen. She carefully moved Clearsight so then the wounded shoulder was upwards. Thankfully, the blood had stopped flowing as thickly, and was now reduced to a thin trickle in one or two spots. Indigo carefully wrapped the bandages around the wound, then tied it off.
"The ointment can be applied whenever." Indigo explained. She smirked a little. "The dragon suggested to put a little bit on it while you're changing the bandage. I thought it might help a little."
"Thanks for the thought." Darkstalker replied. He walked over to Clearsight as Indigo went to Fathom, and started talking to him quietly. Darkstalker brushed his wing with Clearsight's, and the small movement made her wake up. "I'm sorry, my love." He whispered to her. "I was so stupid. This is all my fault, isn't it?"
"A little, you scavenger brain." Clearsight muttered back. "But I knew it would happen. You just need to make sure to listen to anything Fathom or Indigo suggests. There may not be a future with me in it, and there may not be a future where you're not king, but there are futures where you are happy, and so is everyone else. But none of those futures start peacefully. Darkstalker, you need to promise me that in a week, when I die and you go to Vigilance for revenge, you have to bring Fathom and Indigo. She'll kill you if you're alone, but she knows that if she kills Fathom or Indigo with you around, there'll be trouble."
Darkstalker laid beside her. She didn't protest or move. He wasn't sure if she had the strength to protest or move. Darkstalker closed his eyes, and with Clearsight by his side he fell asleep as the sun rose.