~.✧ Austora ✧.~ [COMPLETE]

~.✧ twenty ✧.~

A/N If you can, totally listen to this song before, after, or while reading this chapter because the chorus literally fits so perfectly and it's been added to my go-to playlist because it's so sweet and sad ToT Anyway, enjoy... if you can heh

Over the course of the next couple days, I never left Larklind's side. Servants and my family brought me food that I barely ate and tried to talk to me, comfort me. They took all different approaches; sometimes they spoke quietly, reassuring me that everything would be okay. Sometimes they asked me question after question, thinking it might help me process through this but only making me tired. Sometimes they said nothing at all. Asria often did this, showing up and just sitting with me without saying a word. I found that I liked this kind of comfort the most. Because instead of lying to me in saying that it would be okay or trying to make me get past the pain, she was simply there. She didn't pressure me or coddle me. She was just there. And that's exactly what I needed right now.

But even with all their visits, I felt very lonely without Larklind. I missed him so much, more than I realized I could miss anyone. Though my worst fear was that he would never wake up, never come back to me, my second worst fear was nearly as powerful as the first.

What if he did wake up and everything went back to the way it was? What if he was still distant and things were still ruined between us?

I didn't think after admitting to both Asria and myself that I loved him that I could go back to the way we'd left things. I was terrified what would happen if he left me by choice. It was nearly a scarier thought than if he left this world without one.

I was sure it was somewhere around midday by the movement in the basement. The less wounded soldiers still residing here were awake and being attended to by healers. They ate and drank and had their medications readministered or applied, and some who were about to get released with smaller wounds laughed and teased with the others. But I was in my own world, muffled and broken off from the rest of the basement, the rest of the castle. It was only Larklind and me and occasionally a visitor that was courageous enough to approach my dissociated state.

The next guests who dared to approach me ended up being two people that I didn't realize I missed until they were in front of me.

"Hey, Saidy," Ezalie said gently as she reached out to take my hand in hers. Gentry stood behind her with two more stools for them to sit on. She positioned one on my left and one on my right. Ezalie sat on the one on my right, adjusting her skirts. "I hope it's okay that we're here," she said as Gentry took the other seat.

I swallowed before nodding. "Yeah... It's okay."

Though Ezalie didn't look entirely convinced, she turned her gaze to Larklind, her eyes filled with sympathy. "How's he doing?"

I shrugged, my voice small as I answered, "Not much change. But his next inspection is tonight so... we'll see."

"Has he woken up at all?" Gentry inquired.