Life Series, Empires, and Hermitcraft Oneshots

Last Words (LittleDog)

Series: 3rd Life

Plot: Ren, on his red life, is fatally wounded after a battle with the Sand People, so he shares his last moments with Martyn

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"We got the king! Retreat!"

Martyn wasn't sure who yelled the command out, but the weight of the words didn't hit him until the arrows whizzing past his face came to a halt, the Sand People following the orders and backing away. The rest of the Red Army, oblivious to the statement and believing they had just won, pushed the desert people away from Dogwarts as the right-hand man turned around at a gruesome sight.

There lied Ren, two arrows pierced through his armor and into his chest and his gut. Some other wounds bled through his clothing, but none of them were as bad as the projectiles that had forced him to collapse onto the ground. Martyn dropped his weapon as he dashed to his king, kneeling beside him and picking up his head a little ways from the grass and dirt.

"My liege!" The blonde cried, his left hand subconsciously patting the wounds, fully aware that there was no way to stop the bleeding but refusing to believe it.

"M... Martyn?" Ren called out, suddenly struggling to keep himself focused. "I'm sorry... I find... its a little... hard to see, me laddie... is it just you...?"

"Y-yes, it's just me," Martyn answered, desperately trying to stay composed, "the others are still pushing our enemies away. Don't apologize for anything, my lord, you're hurt, you're in shock, but it'll be okay, we'll-"

"Martyn," Ren interrupted, "I... I know what death is like... this isn't just hurt... you don't need to lie to me..."

"Nononono don't say that my liege, do not speak like that," Martyn begged, "we'll get you help, as soon as the others are back w-we'll patch you up and... and you'll be good as new by tomorrow!"

The effort he made to hold back his tears was like putting a piece of tape over a large crack in the wall. Ren closed his eyes for a moment and smiled, reaching to hold the hand Martyn had pressed over his chest. Their fingers quickly interlocked.

"Whatever you wish to believe then..." he said, "...but, just... in the case I don't-"

Ren stopped to have a coughing fit, some droplets of blood flying out of his mouth before he could continue.

"-how... how do you feel about... being the next... in line...?"

"To- to the throne?!" Martyn asked. "My lord, you can't-!"

"Please... let us skip the formalities for once... call me what you used to call me..." he said.

"...Ren..." the blonde was able to squeak out before bursting into a ball of tears, the drops leaving water stains into Ren's clothes, but the dog could care less. When he was finally able to speak again, he did. "You can't... you can't do this! Not to me! Not to Dogwarts!"

"I... don't think... I have a choice... now..." Ren said, the blood pouring out of his mouth making it harder for him to speak by the minute. "I trust... you'll take care... of them..."

"I-I will...I promise..." Martyn choked out.

"Love you..."

"...I love you too, Ren."

With that, Martyn felt Ren's hand release from its grip on his own, sending Martyn into another powerful cry, this one much worse than the last. When the rest of the Red Kingdom arrived in cheerful spirit, believing they had won the battle, they were already far too late. The Red King was dead, and in his place was his one true love, his right-hand man, with a broken heart and hardly any tears left to cry with.