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"Lilia-sama!"
At the stern voice that reached his ears, the fae turned. Cater and Kalim stopped with him. It had been an agitated Diasomnia member. As out of breath as he was there was certainty, Lilia had to find out what was going on. "What is it?" His voice didn't held any concern, the moment he unraveled, it would be after the news that was being brought to him.
"It's- It's Silver." Still out of breath, the student took its time to manage his message. "He's hurt. Sebek left to find the dormwarden and Silver- he asked for you."
Lilia's books dropped. Cater and Kalim, stunned at the sudden unraveling, watched Lilia simply vanish. "Lilia!" Both exclaimed as they quickly picked their friend's belongings. "What's going on? Where's Silver? Why did Silver ask for… Lilia…" Cater looked at Kalim as the two shared a knowing look before they ran toward the hall of mirrors themselves with the Diasomnia student behind them.
Lilia cradled Silver. "You're okay. You're okay, Silver." He kept repeating. Sebek tried to stop Lilia from using his magic yet the old fae had continued. "It's okay… you… you'll wake up. Father is here… My little one… Father is here, okay..?" Lilia's voice wavered, his body shook with each loud sob. "Lilia." Malleus placed a hand on his shoulder. "You can't. Silver wouldn't want you to throw yourself for him…"
Lilia's eyes stunned Malleus, he had never seen the old fae appear so afraid, not even when Silver had run away when he had questioned him for his true parents. Yet this time, Malleus could tell that Lilia knew what this meant.
"Who did it?" Lilia questioned. Malleus kept quiet. For the safety of the students that were watching, Lilia shouldn't know. "We don't know, Lilia. You're using too much of your magic. Silver… Think about what Silver wouldn't want you to do."
Lilia held Silver as he sobbed. "My son…" Lilia sobbed. "Silver… Silver….!"
Sebek stopped Kalim and Cater. "Just… give Lilia-sama some time…"
"Lilia… What happened to Silver…?"
Malleus turned to them as he nodded to Sebek to let them pass. The two kneeled besides Lilia, rubbing his back. "Silver….! Open your eyes!" Lilia's weeping worsened. The nurse was yet to arrive and certainly, Lilia was in no better condition. The paleness that reached Silver was astonishing. His immobile body only made Lilia's heart ache. Everything around him felt like shattering. The comfort his friends were trying to give was absent to him.
Malleus looked at the worried crowd before Silver again.
"Everything here doesn't make sense! We are all so terrified of Malleus that we can't even think of doing anything and all you two do is follow him around without any care! What about Lilia? He has tried to poison us with whatever he cooked last time! How could someone like that be placed as a vice-housewarden?!"
"How dare you talk about Lilia-sama like that!"
"I understand if you don't know Lord Malleus nor fa-Lilia but that's no excuse to badmouth them." Silver crossed his arms as he stared at the students who were starting to agree with the other student. "Lilia has different tastes than us, it's not like he can tell what may taste wrong."
The student scoffed. "You're just a human. How could you possibly know what Lilia even is like? What if I gave you the same medicine he has given us?"
"Don't you dare!" Sebek roared as he pointed his wand to the student. Silver pushed his hand away. "The rules state that only the housewardens and vices are allowed to give permission to use magic outside the classes. So I suggest you put that away." Silver crossed his arms. Seeing the student glare before deciding to leave only relaxed the knight. Both turned to continue what they were doing when the student came back to throw a spell at Silver. Sebek's eyes widened as Silver fell.
"Silver!"
Malleus stared down at the student. Sebek had spared no detail and per Malleus' request, Lilia must not know.
The nurse had come and told the rest to disperse. With the help of other students they took Silver with Lilia following behind.
Malleus stopped the culprit. Only for the same student to swallow hard under his presence. "You did wrong. Imagine if Lilia found out it had been you who did that. It wouldn't end well. So you better pray that it's reversible." Malleus' grip tightened. "If it isn't, I will report this."
Kalim held the crying fae. Cater tried to distract him yet both were at a loss. They didn't know how to make their friend, Lilia, who was scared to the bone, relax enough to not tire himself out while crying. The nurse office had been closed and it had been an hour since then.
Malleus had offered to take over for them but both remained in any case. Cater moved aside, trying to make sense of what had happened meanwhile Kalim tried to soothe him. Sebek remained quiet, looking over at Malleus for any answer.
"Lilia, go back. You should rest. Go back." Malleus told him. "I'll stay and see what they'll say."
He already knew Lilia would refuse. There was no way he wouldn't go. While futile, at least he tried.
"Have they called Silver's parents…?" Cater asked Malleus, who then looked at Lilia as Cater covered his mouth.
Kalim's hold on Lilia tightened. His rubbing continued more fluidly. Cater quietly apologized. Lilia slowly pulled away, he grabbed the offered handkerchief before he excused himself from the area to head to the bathroom. Once out of sight and hearing, Cater and Kalim turned to Malleus. "So… Silver is…?"
"With certainty." Malleus admitted as he frowned. "I hope Silver turns out alright. Even if Lilia is merely just his adopted father… he really loves Silver. He would hate for anything to happen for him."
"Do you… Lilia's heart will break if Silver doesn't recover, is that right?" Kalim asks. "A parent losing their kid… is…"
"Painful. Just like a kid losing their parents."
The three fell silent as the nurse walked out. Looking around they spoke softly. "Where's Lilia?"
"He's in the bathroom." Malleus replied. "Is Silver okay?"
"... I'm afraid I couldn't do much. I had figured out what occurred too late… at most… Silver only has a few minutes at least." As they spoke, Malleus turns to look at Lilia who has come back. The old fae doesn't say a word as the nurse steps aside for him.
Malleus walks in after talking to the nurse for a bit. Lilia holds Silver's hand, iridescent eyes stare at the puffy red ones of Lilia's. His hand runs his hair as he keeps his voice low. "Hey there… The nurse said you'll be fine." Lilia lies. It hurts to lie, he can't help it. He doesn't want Silver to worry about him.
"Father…ah…Lilia"
"It doesn't matter, they know by now. It's alright to call me what you like right now, okay?" Lilia assures him. "Dad… you were crying. Is everything okay?"
"I just got really worried. But it was all for nothing, okay my little one?" Lilia kisses his forehead.
"Lord Malleus…"Silver looks at Malleus who can only offer a smile. He can't muster lying to Silver. "Is everything alright?..."
"Of course it is! We all got really scared, you know?" Kalim answered for him which only made Silver relax. Lilia forces a smile, he wraps Silver in his arms. He kisses his son's head. Yet as minutes go by, Sebek has come after Malleus tells him what is happening. Despite the usual self Sebek has, he can't muster the courage to try to brighten the mood. Silver's eyes are getting tired and Lilia has fallen silent. Silver begins to experience pain with a look of the nurse. Lilia bites down his inside cheek before he cooes at Silver. He begins to sing to him, using his magic to lessen the pain.
Silver fights back the drowsiness Lilia is causing with the lullaby. "Father- father- dad- please…"
"I love you, Silver so very much." Lilia doesn't hold the tears anymore as Silver's eyes close and never open again. Lilia's weeping only grows louder. He doesn't think of the rest of the people near him. He simply can't. He cries for Silver and for how he wasn't able to do more. He's left alone to grieve.
He holds Silver's hand to his face. Where the tears flow fast and neverending. His heart weeps and aches for the lost for all he wanted was for more time for his son.