do you remember what happened?  the thought rings in his mind, eyes  downcasting within only a few more  moments.

       tamlen takes a minute to respond,       twiddling his fingers in his lap, but       when his gaze arises once more,       the elf nods, voice hushed;

  he's been feeling much worse  since the sickness returned, his  secret deal with a demonic force  setting a ticking time bomb on  the span he's set to stay okay.

      skin has already grown visibly darker,      muscle withered to bone and scrawniness      returning. he's weak, he knows, and there      is nothing he can do to stop it this time.

  tamlen looks over, a weary smile forced upon his face,  and one tear slips from pale eyes, dripping onto the  ground. another follows short after, and then another,  but he's smiling and trying the best he can to act like  he'll be fine.

  the pain is nauseating, skin sickly pale  as stomach churns. the arrow had hit  right beside his abdomen plate, and if it  would have been a little to the left, he  wouldn't have to worry about anything  more than a simple and sore bruise.

      but no, the arrow is buried deep      between two ribs, and he's lucky      neither of them broke, but still,      he's close to losing consciousness.

  eyes threaten to close, but tamlen  complies to theven's request and  tries to keep his focus on the other's  eyes, brows furrowed in pain and  tears slipping down his cheeks.

         ' t-theven-- '         he flinches, tenses         up and shakes his         head, suppressing         the unholy urge to         puke and cry more.

○ Be my Slave