Chapter Text
His Imperial Majesty Emperor - Lars Rorschach was on his way to his chamber after a long council session. His beloved must be awaiting his return in that place. No, actually she is not really the one waiting. She's most likely still in a coma while he is the one longing for the moment she opens her eyes again.
It has been weeks since that fateful day. The Daphnephoria. The day of the Descendance Ritual.
Despite him sending her away to protect her, she still found her way back to the ritual site, ready to sacrifice herself... together with him. They confronted the Silver Knight and with her bravery, she stopped the Silver Knight in his tracks and convinced him to give up on Godheim. Since then, the Glacial Butterflies have gradually disappeared and the clear blue sky could be seen once again.
It should have been a happily-ever-after-ending, if not for that one incident.
A devotee of the Silver Knight was boiling with rage by the disappearance of his leader. He assumed the Emperor's fiance was the one who defeated his leader, for he had seen the Silver Knight evaporate into thin air after speaking with her. Blinded by rage, he took up his bow and shot an arrow at her. His desperate attempt to avenge the Silver Knight didn't miss her vitals.
In that fleeting moment when a sense of relief washed over the Emperor and the Archmage, the arrow plunged deep into her chest. The Emperor quickly caught her before she fell down but he was already too late. Blood spilled out from her wound and her lips as she coughed uncontrollably. Horrified, he immediately called for the healing mage while holding her tight in his arms. He kept begging her to not fall asleep, to not leave him, and whispered that everything will be alright, but he himself is filled with utter fear. He could sense her movements become extremely limp and weak in his embrace and tears started to stream down his face…
Her heart sank with every tear he shed. She thought she could make it with him this time but it was another failure… The girl took out her final ounce of strength to stroke his cheek while whispering into his ears, before her vision blurred and she fell into a pitch black dream.
The Archmage subdued the man from the revolutionary army before rushing to her side. Yet despite his best effort to heal her, she has been unconscious ever since.
Recalling that day, the Emperor was still filled with regrets.
If only he didn’t let his guard down at that very moment...
If only he had noticed that madman earlier...
If only he could have shielded her from harm, even at his own expense...
The weight of guilt almost drowned him to the darkest place inside his mind. But he forced himself to stay strong. She will wake up, he believed that with all of his heart. And he will be there for her when she regains consciousness again.
Lars has now reached his chamber. The Emperor lets out a small sigh before entering the room. Smell of medicine wafts in the air. In the past, the bitter smell would have made him shudder, but he has grown accustomed to it by now. Several maids have just finished their daily care routine and are standing by her bedside. They bow down to the Emperor as he walks by. Their pitying gazes follow him like every other day, even so he pays that no mind. He expresses his gratitude and requests for some alone time with her.
After the last person has left the room, he pulls a chair closer to the bedside and lets his tired body rest a little.
The disappearance of the Silver Knight along with the Glacial Butterflies didn't leave him a moment of respite. Who said everything is all fine and good after the war is over? He still has to deal with the remnant of the Revolution, the Inquisitors, the Mages, the Nobles. The reconstruction of Godheim is still ongoing. As the Emperor, he bears most of the responsibility, however he's willing to spread himself thin for the sake of his people. He could deal with countless sleepless nights before the Daphnephoria and was even ready to sacrifice himself, so this much is not enough to faze him.
No matter how busy his schedule is, Lars always comes back to his chamber in the afternoon and at midnight to his sleeping beauty.
In spite of the constant healing from different mages, she still hasn't shown any sign of waking up soon. She has this surreal peaceful look on her face, as if she hasn't gone through any pain and is only deep in slumber. Sometimes he has to check if she's still breathing. His family, his home, Auntie Melanie, Emerson... He has lost too much and he is not ready to lose her as well… Not after everything they have suffered just to be together… The mere thought of that shakes him to his core. Only by keeping her close can he sleep through the night.
He picks up a comb on the nightstand beside the bed and starts to gently brush through her silky hair, something he does everyday. He adores her hair and refuses to leave it tangled up. He can only do this much for her in the state she is now. While he’s at that, he often tells her how his day went. He talks in a soft voice, almost like telling a bedtime story to a child. Lars then observes her carefully, hoping to see even the tiniest reaction from her. Today, his story is also not interesting enough to make her smile, it seems…
After attending to her hair, he fixes up her clothes and pulls the blanket higher to keep her warm. He whispers softly to her before putting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Whatever it takes, I will be right here waiting for you."
Even though he wishes he could stay with her longer, he still has a duty as the Emperor. He takes one last glance at his beloved before leaving the room.
Inside the chamber, he is the lonely fiance who yearns for the day he could see her smile again. Outside the chamber, he is once again the charismatic Emperor who reigns over Godheim.