The Selection AU

Cadence held on to Warren weakly, but she gave him a tiny nod. "I'm okay. Everything is okay. Don't worry about me," she said quietly, but it was clear that she was lying. She was starting to get a fever again, but they were becoming more common. She coughed a bit more, holding on to Warren and looking away from Declan and Sebastian. She didn't want them, or at least Declan, to see her like she was. She was weak and frail and dying. Her children didn't need that in their lives. "Warren...," she said quietly, gripping his hand.

Warren could see right through her lie. He knew her so well, and even if he hadn't, he could tell that everything was not fine. He gripped her hand tightly in his own and shook his head. "Cadence," he whispered softly, reaching out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. This was not good for her after all. He was selfishly making her worse just because he wanted her there with him. "Let's get you back. You aren't well," he whispered, dropping his gaze to the ground. He hated seeing her like this.

Cadence was slowly shaking her head. "I'm fine," she said every now and then, but it was clear that she wasn't fine. Darcy bit her lip nervously. She would need to get her out of there soon. "I'm okay, Warren," Cadence said before she rested her head on his chest and passed out. She really couldn't do anything anymore without it happening. Darcy bent down and looked at him. "I'll take her back to her tent now," she said.

Warren shook his head and let out a long sigh. He didn't believe her. He wanted to keep her there but he knew what was best for her. He lightly rubbed her back and just shook his head. He knew the truth, and so did she. When she passed out, he sighed once more and kissed her forehead. As Darcy came over, he nodded and gently moved Cadence. "I am sorry...I should have never asked for her to be brought here...," he whispered, glancing away.

Darcy shook her head, and she bit her lip. "No, it's my fault. Besides, it's become the norm for her. Ever since we ran out of medical supplies, she had been getting worse. She can barely eat without passing out," she said, and she picked up Cadence. She honestly looked like a twig. It was horrible. She glanced at the ground before she took her back to her tent. She wanted to help her, but they just didn't have the equipment

Warren glanced away and only nodded his head in response. He hated to think she was that bad. He could only blame himself. They could have had a better life, yet he had brought them to this one. Sure, they were fighting for the good of Illea. But was it really worth it to let his wife suffer? He watched as she left and stared down at the ground.

Darcy left with Cadence. She only came back a few minutes later, and she glanced away. "Is there anything else I can do to help you two?" she asked them. She just needed a distraction for a moment. It was hard to see what they were going through. Maybe that's what it looked like to be a family; to stick together. She couldn't help but be jealous. She wanted a family like that.

Warren looked over at her and shook his head lightly. "No, not that I know of," he said with a shake of his head. "Thank you for your help," he continued, bowing slightly to her. Declan stood then and clasped his hands together. "I'm actually going to go for a walk," he said. He couldn't stand seeing his brother like that a moment longer. If it were anyone else, it may be a bit easier. But it wasn't. He was about to slip out the tent but paused to glance to Darcy. "You can come if you want."

Darcy nodded lightly, and she was about to go out, but then Declan addressed her. She was a bit surprised and speechless for a moment. What was she supposed to say? She tried her best to hide her blush. "Um, sure. I don't think I have any work right now," she said, and she followed him out. She then began to think of things to say and things not to say in her head. Hopefully she wouldn't scare him off.

Declan clasped his hands behind his back. It was also a thing he adopted from his father. Even though he hadn't grown up in the palace, he had qualities of a prince adopted from his father. He walked along and stared up at the sky. "I hate it...seeing him hurt," he muttered after a moment. "I feel like he is my responsibility since I am the oldest," he continued, sighing. He just couldn't stay in there, not while Sebastian was like that.

Darcy watched him and inspected him for a moment. The way he carried himself and everything about him was just so regal. He was nothing more than an Eight, but he walked like a prince. "I understand that you feel a duty towards your brother, but sometimes things can not be changed. I know that you wish that you could help your brother much like your father feels about his wife, but sometimes you can't control what happens," she told him.

Declan stared out at the camp. He loved the people despite how dangerous his job was. He knew in the end that things would turn for the better. Yet, he didn't want his family to be taken down in the process. "I hate that I can't. I hate that we couldn't have been sooner," he whispered, shaking his head. Maybe there would be a guarantee his brother would have made it if it weren't for the stupid time. It was all a huge weight on his shoulders.

Darcy bit her lip, and she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Declan, bad things happen in life, and sometimes, you can't do anything about them. You just have to hope and pray they will turn out for the better," she said, and she glanced at the ground before taking her hand off of his shoulder. She wasn't good with talking to other people. She was reserved and quiet, and she was so nervous. "With the supplies that Prince Camden brought, your brother has a better chance of living."

Declan dropped his hand by his side and listened to her words. She had a point. Yet, it didn't make things much easier. This was his family they were talking about. He brought his gaze up to the sky, letting the words sink in. Hope wasn't something he had a lot of. It wasn't something easy to come by. "I hope you are right," he replied finally, glancing over at her.

Darcy managed a small smile. "I'm sure that he will be okay. Sebastian has always been...independent, and a bit stubborn, and very self-driven," she said, and she smiled lightly at her memories. She had been with the rebels as a child, and she remembered seeing Declan and Sebastian playing together. She never really spoke with them since she was shy, but she was also studying to be a nurse for the rebels.

Declan nodded slowly, thinking to himself. "Maybe you are right," he replied, shrugging. His brother was stronger than he looked. He needed to give him more credit. Yet, he was family nonetheless. It was hard enough to know that his mom was unwell. But now his brother was unwell as well. This was his family. The only real family he could turn to.

Darcy managed a smile, and she shook her head. "Declan, there is no maybe to it. I know what I said early, but that was just the medical side. Miracles do happen, you know," she said, and she continued to walk with him. She honestly just wanted him to feel better about his brother. He didn't deserve to see him like that. "Besides, knowing Sebastian, he probably gave the king a good mark."

Declan dipped his head, staring at the ground as he walked. He wasn't very great at being optimistic. As much as he tried, it didn't come naturally to him. He somewhat blamed it on the life he was raised in. Most people who were unlikely to live...well didn't live. He didn't see miracles very often. "I know. I just hope he is one," he whispered in response. As she continued, he nodded slowly in agreement. "I am sure that is true," he said.

Darcy watched him for a moment. He could be so strange sometimes. "Just have some hope. I know with being Eights and all there isn't much of it, but there still is some," she said, and she bit her lip as she looked up at him. "Just don't give up on him, okay. The moment you give up, he gives up. He is going to need someone rooting for him," she told him with a small smile. Maybe she could make him feel better about everything.

Declan cracked a small smile, or what he hoped was a smile. He wasn't good with hope and such. So, it wasn't easy for him to be hopeful. But he could, of course, try. "I won't," he said finally. It had to work out in the end, right? His brother was stronger than he looked. He made it through the mission without dying, so that counted for something, even if he was hurt. "So, what about you? Do you, uh, have family?" he asked, changing the topic. He didn't want to speak of his brother; he was already bummed enough, and he wasn't hopeful like he needed to be.

Darcy was glad when he changed the subject, but maybe it wasn't the best one for her. She tried her best to play it off cool though. "No. I was born a Three, but my parents died when I was young, and I didn't have any family to take me in, so I was forced to be an Eight. That's when I came here. My father felt strongly for the Rebel cause, and so he became good friends with your father. He sort of took me in," she said. Another reason why she looked up to Warren so greatly.

Declan listened to her story and nodded slowly as he let it sink in. He couldn't imagine losing his parents. With his mother being so ill, he was already worried out of his mind, and on top of that, Sebastian was now hurt as well. If he didn't have family, he really didn't have a purpose to keep going. He only fought for what he does because his mother deserves it. She deserves a better life than this. "Well, I am sorry to hear about your family. I couldn't imagine losing mine," he replied, sighing.

Darcy shrugged a bit. "It's okay. I lost them when I was little so it doesn't really affect me like it would now. I didn't know them very well," she said, and she thought about her parents. It still hurt that she would never get to know them, but she was glad that she lost them early so she wouldn't have so much sadness. "Besides, Mr. Crane is like a father to me anyway," she said.

Declan cracked a half smile and nodded slowly. He could imagine he would have felt the same way if he hadn't grown up with his parents and his brother by his side. "I see where you are coming from," he agreed, half smiling. As he mentioned his father, he nodded once more. "You know, if you know him so well, you don't have to call him Mr. Crane. I am sure he is fine with just Warren," he told her with a small smile. "And even if he isn't okay with it, it is just us. So call him Warren."

Darcy gave him a small smile and a laugh when he spoke. "Sorry. It's just habit. I've been calling him that for as long as I remember," she said, and she smiled down at the ground. She was still a bit shy. It was a bit hard to believe that she was with Declan. She had a school girl crush on him for so long, but she was just too shy to talk to him. Now was different.