“Vhalla, I am tired,” he reminded her.
“Don’t sleep yet,” she begged again and looked across to the Emperor and Empress. While Vhalla knew they’d never acknowledge it, her presence had saved them from being in the position of calling the shots around their dying son. How she hated her sovereigns. But this wasn’t about her. “Tell your mother about your favorite memory with her. Tell your father what the best thing he taught you was. Tell them how much you love them.”
Vhalla remained as Baldair spoke, cleaning up the blood and helping the clerics shift the prince as he needed. She heard the story of the first time he went riding with his father. She saw the Emperor affectionately put a hand on his son’s shoulder. She bore witness to the Heartbreaker Prince apologizing to his mother for never feeling like settling down with any woman she approved of.
Baldair told them everything a son could say to their parents, and then some. He made confessions. He reminisced. He told them of his love.
But something was still missing.
“Can Aldrik please come, just for a moment?” she asked softly. “He should be here.”
“No,” the Emperor’s voice responded sternly. “The health of the crown prince cannot be risked.”
“Just for a moment, please.” Vhalla looked at the blue-eyed man across from her. She braced herself to go against what she believed, that appealing to his humanity was foolish. “He’s your son. He’s Baldair’s brother. He should be—he needs to be here. Don’t do this to him. Don’t make him live without this moment.”
The Emperor regarded her thoughtfully.
“My Lord Solaris, this isn’t about you or me.” She remembered how adamantly the man had gone against her on principle in the North. “This is only about your sons.”
“Bring Aldrik in,” he commanded suddenly. “But only for a moment.”
Baldair looked at his father in shock, and Vhalla gave a breath of relief. A cleric left and returned soon after with a cautiously stunned Aldrik in tow.
“My prince.” The cleric paused their step a bit away from the bed as Vhalla was about to stand and give him her chair. “Do not go any closer, for your health.”
“Baldair.” Aldrik managed. His voice sounded as though he’d been screaming for hours, even though the man hadn’t said a word.
“Aldrik.” Baldair struggled to sit higher.
“Always the center of attention, aren’t you?”
Vhalla heard the crack of emotion to the crown prince’s voice.
“Annoying little brother, ‘til the end.”
“You are stronger than this,” Aldrik admonished.
“I know,” Baldair wheezed. “I am, aren’t I? Isn’t that what’s frustrating about it all?”
“You don’t lose,” Aldrik insisted.
“Not normally.” Baldair had a tired grin again. “Brother, I never got to finish paying back what I owe to you.”
“You are debt free.” Aldrik shifted his hands awkwardly as though he was trying to keep from fidgeting. “Get better, that’s all I ask.”
“We should go, my prince.” The cleric turned at a nod from the Emperor.
“Aldrik!” Baldair struggled to sit fully upright. The dark haired prince turned and looked at his younger brother. They couldn’t be more different while still needing the same things. “Aldrik, I love you, brother. I always have, even if I’ve been awful about it.”
There was a pregnant silence, one that Vhalla wanted to scream over at the unmoving crown prince. This was a moment that would live with him forever.
“I love you, too, Baldair,” Aldrik managed. It was awkward and forced.
Vhalla’s lips pressed together in a heartbreaking smile under her mask.
And the crown prince was ushered away.
The day turned to night, and Aldrik was not allowed back again. Vhalla tried everything she knew about medicine, from real life experience to what she’d read in books. She tried different ways of positioning him or pacing potions with food. She questioned the clerics on everything. But there was one thing that haunted her the whole day.
“Vhalla, thank you, for staying by my side.” His voice was little more than a breathless whisper. She knew the words were coming. “But I am tired now. I would like to rest.”
“No,” she choked out. Nothing was working. The inevitable truth that she had known from the moment she walked in the door crashed down around her. “You can’t . . . I won’t let you . . .”
“You tried so hard; you always do. You didn’t give up, even when everyone else had.” His hand found its way to her cheek. Vhalla didn’t care that blood smeared along with his touch. “Please, keep trying. Don’t give up. This world needs you, I feel it.”
“Baldair, no.” She was choking on her words again. “Let’s talk—”
“Fine.” He sighed softly, settling into his pillows. “Tell me about your home in the East.”
“It’s so boring, you don’t want to hear that.” Her forced laughter had a sharp edge, almost crazed.