Chapter 56: Such A Loss

Elaine did not leave her son's side for two hours. She nursed him until his fever broke. She let out a sigh of relief when it broke. "My darling." She whispered as he slept peacefully. She kissed his forehead before she left the room. Allowing the maids to undress and dress him in a clean nightgown. She walked out into the corridor and found her husband asleep in the chair. She smiled a little and knelt down in front of him. "Darling?" She reached up and cupped his cheek.

He twitched in his sleep and he slowly woke up. "Elaine?" He smiled when he saw her smile. "He's all right."

She nodded wildly. "Yes." Resting her forehead on his hands. "Did you see the children?" Raising her head and smiling at him.

"They're fine. But, there is an epidemic, Elaine. Half the town has this illness. A quarter of your knights have fallen ill from it." He placed a hand on top of her own. "Galahad was one of the first to fall ill."

"What of the others? Are they well?" She stood up and sat in his lap.

Gwaine wrapped his arms around his wife and held her close. "Two deaths. Both of them were old."

Elaine rested her cheek on his shoulder. She felt so small in his arms. "Oh no. I will have to send a message to Vortigern. He cannot come here."

He nodded and held her tightly. "You need to sleep." His hand rubbing her back in gentle circles.

"I don't want to leave Galahad." She chuckled nervously and sat up straight. "But you're right. I need to sleep. But first, I want to see Anne and Owain." She stood up. "Could you send the message to Vortigern?"

"I will." He stood up with him and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Go to the children and then go to bed."

"Yes dear." She chuckled and held onto him tightly. "Right, Matilda is with Galahad. She will come to me if anything changes."

Gwaine stepped back and cupped her cheeks. "Stop worrying and go to our children. They are probably worried about their big brother."

Elaine nodded and looked up at him. "I best go." Gwaine bent his head down and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her once more before he let go of her. She walked away from him and he watched her leave. In all his years that he had been married to her, he had never seen her so terrified. She had faced men invading her country but she had never been faced with a severely sick child. He turned on his heel and went to Elaine's study to write the note to Vortigern. He hoped Vortigern would not mind. The man would not risk his son's life.

Elaine rubbed her eyes as she walked into the bedchamber, where Anne and Owain were sleeping. The maid was asleep by the fire. She gave a small smile when Matilda twitched awake. "Go to bed. I'll stay with them."

"I only just fell asleep." She chuckled. "The fire makes me sleepy."

Elaine smiled. "I understand. I'll stay tonight. Go to bed." Giving Matilda a smile as the woman moved into the side room, where Matilda slept when she was caring for the children. Elaine moved to her daughter's bed and found her fast asleep. She pulled the covers up to shield her from the cold. Anne was still sleeping with her thumb in her mouth. Elaine chuckled as it made Anne look much younger and very innocent. The Queen bent down and kissed Anne's forehead. She stood up and moved to Owain's bed, where she found something very different. "Owain?" She pressed her hand on his forehead. He was boiling hot. "No! Matilda!" She shouted for the maid, who came in rushing. "Get Anne out and fetch Declan."

"Yes, your Grace." She rushed to Anne's bed, lifted the girl up and left the room.

Owain shivered in his bed as Elaine pulled the bedcovers off the ill boy. "No. No! Guards!" She screamed. Two burst into the room with swords drawn. "Send for Sir Gwaine."

"Yes, your Grace." They bowed and left the room in a hurry.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she sat at his feet and rubbed them to try and get them warm. "Come on, darling. Come on, my baby." Fast footsteps came towards the room. She turned to see Declan rushing in. "I'm not leaving. He's weak. I'm not leaving him." Declan nodded silently and began to work on helping the boy. Elaine kept her eyes on Owain, who seemed to be getting worse.

"Elaine?" Gwaine was here.

Elaine abandoned her son to rush into her husband's arms. "He's dying. We're losing him." She sobbed loudly in his arms before turning to look at Declan, who was pressing a cold cloth on the boy's head. "He's not going to make it, is he?"

Declan stood up straight and shook his head. "No, your Grace. He will not last the night. Spend his last moments with him."

Gwaine led Elaine to the bed and urged her to sit on the edge, close to Owain. "Thank you, Declan." The physician nodded and stood to the side. He didn't want to leave the couple when the boy died. It would be hard for the Queen. She was a strong woman but sensitive towards her children. Gwaine sat on the opposite side of the bed. Both he and Elaine held Owain's hands.

"He can't go." Elaine sniffed. She could barely speak. She did not take her eyes off her son. "He's just a boy. My boy. Our little boy. We didn't even know he was ill."

"It was my fault. I should made sure he was well. I asked him and he said he was fine." A tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm so sorry, Elaine."

She shook her head. "No. Don't blame yourself." She gave a sniff and let the tears fall down her cheeks. She reached up and brushed his hair away from his forehead. Owain had the same hair as his father; dark and it grew quickly. "He was going to have a haircut tomorrow." She took slow breaths. "I was having second thoughts. I love his hair like it is. It's like yours."

Gwaine chuckled as he wiped away a tear. "He's my mini me."

She chuckled a little but she stopped when Owain shifted in his sleep. "Shhh... Shhh... Shhh, my darling."

"Mama..." Owain croaked as he woke up. "Mama..."

Elaine's lower lip trembled. "Mama's here." She moved and lay down next to him. "You go to sleep. I'll see you soon." She stroked his hair and hummed a lullaby as he drifted back to sleep. He shivered in Elaine's arms and held Gwaine's hand tightly. "I think he knows."

Gwaine nodded. "Yes. I think so too." He lifted Owain's hand and kissed the small boy's hand. Owain had always been a fragile boy. He was ill very often, due to his early birth and small stature. "Your parents will look after him in heaven."

She nodded and stroked his cheek. He was pale and thin. Well, paler and thinner than usual. "I knew this would happen." They stayed with their son for three hours until he died in his sleep. Elaine wept hard when Declan announced he was gone. The parents could not let go of him. They did not want to.

"Your Grace, Sir Gwaine. Prince Owain needs to be moved to the chapel of rest." Declan stood next to Gwaine, so he could face Elaine, who was just staring at Owain. She was still lying next to him and stroking her son's hair.

"Of course." Elaine nodded and climbed off the bed, she sat back down. "My darling. I love you so much. You mean everything to me." She bent down and kissed his cold forehead. A tear fell from her cheek and landed on his forehead. She wiped it away quickly before standing up. She watched as Gwaine said goodbye to their son. The young Queen tried to remain strong but the tears fell quick down her cheeks. "No mother should lose her child." She whispered to Gwaine as he led her out of the room.

"I know." Gwaine nodded and held her closely. She was not going to recover from this loss very soon.

A/N: So so so so sorry for that and for the late update.

Response from chapter 55:

Moon Fox: I know. :(