Of Last Resort Continued...

Telme was on his knees, they were losing, Princes of the blood where falling. The beast raised his
spear once more above his head and Prince Telme knew that this was it. He closed his eyes unwilling to see his end, and thought of Korin, his husband. He waited for the pain but only heard the sound of tearing flesh, a cry of agony and blood painted his face, however Telme felt no pain. After a few seconds that felt like an age, Telme gingerly opened his eyes, and gasped in horror. There in front of him stood Raffe protecting his leader. For a few merciful numbing seconds all was still and silent  until Raffe knees gave out and he collapsed to the red decaying ground in front of Telme, the beasts spear protruding from his back.
"Raffe! No!" Telme yelled going to pull the spear from the boy, and yet as Raffe mouthed his husbands name and his eyes grew dim Telme knew it was far to late. "Hold on young Princeling think of your husband."
"Alrin..." Blood pooled from the side of Raffe's lips.
"We can't lose you. You will become our leader, you are my heir, please don't leave us Raffe. Alrin will never forgive me, I will never forgive myself." However as Telme stroked Raffe's cheek softly he knew that the Goddess has already taken his princeling. In the last five years he had far out grown the nickname but somehow it had stuck to Raffe as he had grown into a fine young warrior with his dragon by his side. As Telme slipped Raffe's eyes closed the beast cruel laughter penetrated the fog of grief, he had lost brothers to this endless was against hell but not one that he had considered a son. Tears were pooling down the leaders face as he lay Raffe softly to the ground. A fury swept through him as he looked at the beast laughing madly with triumph, a fury so fierce that everything seemed to turn a scarlet red and he roared with a terrifying madness of rage.

Telme returned to the camp some hours later the battle finally won. In his arms was the slight body of Raffe free from the spear that had taken his life and wrapped in Telme's cloak.
"Brother you have returned, we were beginning to worry..." The colour drained from Hakon's face as he saw the bundle in his leaders arms. "thats not...? That can't be..?"
"He saved my life."
"Alrin will never forgive us. Let me take him I want to hold my brother." Telme was reluctant to let go of the huddle in his arms, but the look of devastation on his oldest friends face allowed his arms to loosen. They made their way to the camp and his brothers shouts of victory were silenced as they saw the bundled in Hakon's arms.
"I thought... He cannot be gone... No" Yrian murmured. He felt himself trembling again the numbing poet of rage had stemmed off grief, which now came in full force. Strong arms caught him as he embraced the darkness.

Alrin was waiting as the party arrived back to the castle bloody and exhausted but triumphant in victory. His eyes scanned for his husband, but came up empty. As the party came into the court yard Alrin still couldn't see Raffe, and as he began to count the survivors, he realised there were only fourteen to come home, they had lost one. A sick feeling started to manifest in his stomach as dread took over. He hurried to Telme knowing he would never have let anything happen to Raffe, he had trusted Raffe to his brothers in arms. Raffe was Telme's heir, he had to survive.
"Telme, where is he? where's Raffe? is he tending the wounded? Wheres my husband?" the dread, which was growing was making it hard to think clearly. It was Hakon who clasped Alrin's shoulder "Your husband fought bravely and saved our leader from certain death his death was..." but Alrin wasn't listing he swayed dangerously
 His death was... his Death... he's gone?... Raffe is not coming back?
"Wait... I don't understand..?"
But then the reality sunk in Raffe wasn't coming home. His death was...His knees gave out and it was only Hakon's grip that stopped him from shattering his shins on the stone floor. "You were supposed to protect him" he whispered brokenly, "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HIM!" he screamed. Grief seared his throat as he sobbed brokenly, and then Telme was suddenly next to him whimpering words of apology. He turned away from the leader unable to stand the look of the prince, he had let Raffe fall.

Later that evening Alrin found himself in his suit sitting on their bed with Telme opposite him leaning on the wooden table, which he and Raffe had always had breakfast on.
"I know how it feels to lose a husband, you remember all those years ago when Korin wouldn't awaken, I was broken and only your husband helped me get through that time. You understand how precious he was to me? and I know it makes no difference but all my brothers are grieving and feel the lose you are suffering. Princes of the blood will be weaker without him, we know how truly special he was, and will forever be missed." The words were broken with grief and pain, Alrin knew the Prince suffered, however his heart could not forgive and his next words were bitter "But you didn't lose him."
"Sorry?"
"You never lost Korin he awakened, I was the one who brought him back to you safety, he came back to you," Alrin's voice was hard like steel and Telme could clearly see the Dragon Captain he used to be. "I understand that to be a Prince of the blood is dangerous but Raffe is gone and I know you mourn but you have someone waiting for you in your bed upstairs. I could not even say goodbye, you had to bury him out in the darkness out where hell touches earth. He was my husband and you left him there." The words were softly spoken but they pierced through Telme, he knew that Alrin would never truly forgive hi,m although they had been friends for a long time now, he wasn't sure he would ever really forgive himself. As he watched the former dragon crumple in on himself, tears sparkling in the firelight as they fell, he again wished that Raffe had not scarified his life, he had so much waiting for him so much to achieve. However he would not let this sacrifice go unanswered and he would protect and care for Alrin as he knew Raffel would have wanted. The last moments of Raffe's life flashed once more to Telme as he watched Raffe whisper his lovers name.
"His last word was your name Alrin, grieve but live for him please. He adored you, you were everything that made Raffe special. You gave him the confidence he needed to be a great worrier and I am so sorry for what has come to pass. The king says the funeral will be tomorrow." Telme put his arms around the mourning widow, but Alrin stayed stiff and unyielding in his friends arms. Finally Alrin nodded as he let go of the anger and sobbed into his friends shoulder.  

Really amazing book that I just finished "Of Last Resort" Megan Derr go and read!!! Sorry about the angst but haven't written any in a while and so wanted to have another go