Queen Aveline's voice, soft yet unwavering, broke through his thoughts. "Know that we will all be here for you, Kaelix. And when Eirik wakes, he will be surrounded by love and support."
Her words were like a balm, but they barely reached the hollow ache rooted deep in his chest. The emptiness gnawed at him, a wound too profound to heal. He had sacrificed something irreplaceable, their child, for Eirik's life. His heart ached for the family they would never have, for the little soul he had let go to save the man he loved.
Yet, he stood firm, willing himself to believe that Eirik's survival would be enough. As long as he had Eirik, he could endure the loss, even as grief weighed on him like a shroud.
Kaelix's mind drifted to memories of Eirik: the way he would laugh softly at Kaelix's clumsy attempts to dance, the sparkle in his eyes that always made him feel like he was the only person in the world.
