Angst and shounen-ai, probably a bit gothic as well… too much Poe!
Major angst warning… death abounds.
Set towards the end of the manga… another alternative ending in the style of “The Price of Victory”.
Daryoon paced outside the chamber. The healers had been in there for hours behind closed doors, refusing admittance to everyone. An hour or so ago Jaswant had been sent for but the assassin-turned-bodyguard had emerged utterly silent, refusing to speak to all. Daryoon continued to pace, of course they’d find a cure, an antidote to the poison, it was just taking time, that was all. It would just take time… But perhaps, perhaps if he had been faster in his response… perhaps if he hadn’t been so quick to cut the assassin down…
The doors opened. The healers filed out, heads bowed. It took all of Daryoon’s self-control not to push past them into the room beyond.
“Daryoon?” he heard his name called faintly.
He sighed in relief, of course an antidote had been found. Daryoon made his way over to the bed where Narsus was lying and perched himself on the edge.
“You’re looking well.” He lied.
“Am I?”
“Well, better than before…”
“Daryoon… there’s something I have to tell you…”
Daryoon frowned, worried by Narsus’ serious expression. “If it’s to do with those spies, it’s alright, Quishward has the situation under control.”
“No.”
“Elam made it back from the Lucitanian camp last night. There’s not a scratch on him.”
“I’m glad but that’s not –“
“The Prince is a little shaken but –“
“Daryoon!”
Silence fell as Daryoon tried to look at almost anything but Narsus. He fidgeted uncomfortably.
“Daryoon.” Narsus broke the silence.
Daryoon looked up at him. Truthfully, Narsus didn’t look any better than before, in fact he was looking worse than when the poisoned arrow had first struck him. Daryoon was startled to feel a cold had laid over his. Narsus’ hands were now as white as his face. Those luminous green eyes though sunken in were regarding him calmly. Daryoon looked away again, his thoughts caving in on themselves. He didn’t look up, he couldn’t.
“Narsus, I…”
“Don’t say it.”
Daryoon looked up finally, to behold the saddest expression he had ever seen.
“Please, Daryoon. I don’t want to go into the darkness thinking about all that could have been, all the time I wasted…”
Now Narsus looked away, blinking back tears.
“But…” Daryoon began, denying the inevitable.
“There is no time left, not for me.” Narsus said quietly.
“No! There must be!”
“There is no antidote, no cure, I’m…”
Daryoon scowed suddenly “No!” he said forcefully.
“I’m dieing and nothing you can say will change that.”
And this time is was Daryoon who wept. “It’s almost as if… as long as…”
“As long as no one says it you can pretend it isn’t real.”
Narsus reached out a slender, cold hand to brush away Daryoon’s tears and found himself drawn into a tender embrace. And for a moment, a single perfect moment they remained like that as the shadows deepened around them. Then Narsus drew back from Daryoon’s embrace… and Daryoon rose and left the room without a word. As the doors closed behind him came an almost silence whisper “I love you.” Almost unheard and neither could tell from whom it had come.
*sniff*
I don’t know why I write this stuff sometimes… perhaps I’m making up for my very silly multi-series cross-over…
Anyway, I’m sure on some level some serious angsting does me good, though why I’m writing this three days before my birthday…
Narsus (6/11/01)