Bride of the Dark Lord

#59 Broken

"He collapsed in the rain" Ashton said, carrying Regalis's body, along with another soldier, into the tent.

For three days straight, as the rain fell, Regalis remained on his knees there, mourning. He'd not stood up for anything nor anyone. There in the rain, he neither ate nor drank, all he did, was grieve.

Cederic, attempted coercing him to leave the rain, but failed. His reaction to Ashton's pleas, had been worse. And I fear, Regalis may never forgive either I or Ashton.

Ashton, for seeing what he saw, and yet remaining silent about it. Had Ashton said something, perhaps, things could be different.

He placed Regalis on the bed. With his wet hair, wet clothes and boots. He stank.

"Thank you" I said to Ashton. I had been inside here, preparing a broth for fever. For I had known that at any moment soon, Regalis's body would just have to finally break down. No food. Nor water, for three days straight? No mortal body could just keep on functioning smoothly.

I sighed, "and Brayton?" I said.

"Cederic is with him" Ashton answered.

Since Nadia died, no one had been able to separate Brayton from Nadia's body. He clutched it day and night. Holding her securely, like he felt he should've held her, when she lived.

The only second of separation, had been when I had to use healers' magic to preserve her body. Healers, couldn't bring the dead back to life, but we could still make their flesh maintain its look.

The other soldier left the tent. And Ashton and I, moved to start removing Regalis's wet clothes.

"I can hardly feel his magic" Ashton said, as he touched Regalis's bare foot for the first time.

I looked at Ashton. Touching Regalis's skin, without feeling an iota of pain. This was bad!

I knew Regalis's body would weaken. And exhaustion, had a way of weakening Gifts. But, I never thought, his body would break down this badly. To the point, a non-feeder is able to touch his bare skin, on a non-magicless land.

His grief, must've made the whole process of weakening his body, worse than it should ever be.

I touched his forehead. Ready to heal him. When I felt a hand on mine. Regalis's. His eyes were opened slightly.

"Take me back outside" he mumbled.

I shook my head "you're not feeling fine" I said, "your body is hot. You can't go outside".

"Ashton" he mumbled.

His voice, would've gone unheard. If the tent had not been completely silent.

Regalis said to him, "take me back outside, Ashton" and he tried to sit up, but found it too hard to accomplish. "Take me to Nadia" he begged. "I want to see Ian. I want to see Old Mother Aria. Let me yell at Ian, one last time. And pretend to blow up his precious metals, so he could call me, mean" he muttered. Tears in his eyes

Ashton came around, and sat by his side. He took one of Regalis's hands, "as soon as you get better, I promise, you'll see Nadia".

"You promise?" Regalis murmured. His eyes, starting to close back.

"I do" a tear, falling from Ashton's eyes.

And Ashton said, "please, don't use your Gift to heal him. Else, before the day is over, he'll be back in the rain. Heal him like an unGifted healer would. A few days of mourning, only in his bed, would do him much more good".

And he left. Even as I admired him more. He was in pain too. Mourning Nadia's passing. And yet, could still see beyond that, to care for his friend.

The few friends. He had left.