{Trigger warning maybe? If suicide triggers you in the slightest}

Immediately, Axel stepped forward and shoved the smaller male behind him. As a knight, it was his duty to put his own life on the line for the sake of the one he was to protect.

“Ax...el?” Confused at the sudden movement, Fayt looked up at the back of the other’s head in confusion. What was going on?

Not even a second after, the prince felt a heavy weight leaning against him. “Axel?” he repeated softly in concern as the weight grew heavier and heavier.

Everyone around them gasped at the scene, crowding around the injured male.

Still unsure of what had happened, still only able to see the back of his companion, Fayt took a step back, pulling the weight with him and shifted them until he held Axel with his arms rather than his chest. Once he saw what had happened, he froze. An arrow had hit just above the knight's heart. Pools of blood started to stain his uniform.

“No… Axel, speak to me!” the prince demanded as he shook Axel’s shoulders. “I know you aren’t dead, dammit speak to me! Tell me this is a joke...just another one of your pranks...right?” He hadn’t even noticed the wetness against his own cheeks as he desperately screamed.

Softly coughing, the larger male slowly and shakily reached out a hand to caress the other’s cheek. “You know...I always wanted you to cry, though I never imagined it’d be like this.” A small grin grew on his face. However, it was removed quickly as he started violently coughing again.

“This is not the time for this! You’ll be fine...all we have to do is take out the arrow, and treat it and everything will be fine.”

Fighting the rising panic inside of him, Fayt laid his knight down on the ground. He didn’t notice that his mother had left to fetch the family physician, or that his sisters had backed away, afraid and disturbed by the scene.

Moments later, Iris returned with the physician. Intently, she ordered him to assess the situation right away and evaluate how bad it was.

Crouching down, the man placed two fingers at the side of the knight's neck to check his pulse and observed the arrow. Sighing quietly, he looked towards the royals and shook his head. “I’m afraid his pulse is only growing weaker. The arrow was most likely poisoned...there is nothing I can do.”

As he heard those words, something inside of Fayt snapped. He was going to lose Axel? But why? Was this what the curse was capable of doing? Ripping away what was most important from him at the very beginning, just at the snap of someone's fingers? It wasn’t fair. Just moments ago Axel was fine and healthy and...not dying. His eyes weren’t closed, he wasn’t in pain.

Is this what the curse was meant to do? To isolate him, until he would be completely alone? If that was the case…. Fayt looked over towards the arrow that had pierced the one who meant the most to him.

“If that is the case…then I wish to join you…” Softly he whispered and took a deep breath.

Next to him, his mother shook his shoulder lightly. “Fayt dear, let's move away from here...it isn’t safe.” When he wouldn’t budge, she turned him to face her, gasping as she saw that the light had left his eyes. His sky-blue orbs were cold, no longer holding the bright intensity they used to. “Darling…?” She stared at him, eyes full of concern as he brushed her away and moved closer towards the body of his knight.

His knight.

His friend.

His…first and only love.

“No….” Iris started shaking when she realized what had happened. Was this one of the ways madness would consume her son? Driven to the brink of despair… “Wait! Fayt don’t do what I think you’re-”

The sound of her voice was drowned out by the single thought dwelling inside his head, ‘I will join you soon…’

He grabbed the arrow that was stuck into Axel’s chest, and yanked it out, without mercy. The silver tip was coated in a mix of a purple poison and red blood. It made a lovely maroon color. Without hesitation, Fayt plunged the arrow into his own chest and left himself fall atop the body of his beloved. ‘I never...got to tell you my feelings... Though I guess I can tell you when I see you again.’

Fayt closed his eyes, a smile on his face as he embraced the cold darkness that slowly consumed him.