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"Oh, my love." he said, covering Leo's hands with his to hide them, lowering his head to pace a small kiss on the pink lips, lifting Leo's head in the process before letting go. "Leonard there is nothing wrong with you, violence is not inherited it is learned. It has nothing to do with your Retian blood. Dear, she deserved that, she deserved that and so much for for everything she's done to everyone." he kissed Leo's fingers one by one. "Please, you may dwell on these things but do not dwell on them too long. Istavia deserved a far worse death and Guinevere deserves ten times worse than him. You do not need to apologize."

"What?" Elliot asked, wondering stupidly if his ears were clogged. Leo's quiet voice didn't help him in his wonder. "Leo. Oh Leonard." and let go of the hands to hold him close. "You are hardly as bad as Guinevere. You could never, and I mean never, be as bad as Guinevere. She will probably survive you're right, but let her suffer that smll moment." and rested his forehead against Leo's. "You are perfectly good, Leonard. You do not do things without reason. Please don't cry."

The lynx held the fae tightly. "That's just fear." He said, though growing worried. Normally Leo pointing something like this out meant it was true, but Elliot couldn't tell Tsume because the wolf had enough. All he could do was keep this information in the back of his mind until he was moved away. "You did heal Kashi today as well. I don't want you healing anyone else until you're better." and gave the Falian one last kiss before tucking him into bed and going to work.

By the end of the day many people were in mourning over Ipo's death, others were worried about Kashi. Ipo's funeral was being planned by Henry, the man constantly checking on the wolf and sleeping twin to see if the hare had woken up, but he never did so Henry moved on without him. it continued like that until nightfall, the castle going quiet for rest.

The second day the healer came back, not surprised that Kashi didn't wake up and checked his body to see if anything needed to be healed. However he scanned Kashi's body a second time, confused but said it was nothing to worry about and left.

Elliot stayed worried about Leo and the girls had come in to see if what they heard about what happened to Ipo and Kashi were true. Annabelle cried.

Lunctime rolled around and Kashi still hadn't awoken, the healer checking for a third time before shaking his head. Kashi had gone into a coma. This was not good news. People who entered comas died by a month, sometimes sooner, sometimes later. He instructed Tsume to use a wet rag and gently squeeze water into Kashi's mouth, it would raise his chances of survival but comas lasted a long while. Most people died in the comatose state. All they could do was hope and pray.

When the news reached around the castle again Emily and Megan were in tears, Annabelle even worse off. They quickly made him cards and went to check on him, placing them on the bedside table and talking to him, hoping he got better and comforting Tsume best they could before leaving again.

Ipo's funeral was held on the third day. It was supposed to be a small funeral, Ipo being buried where other staff members and even Reinette were buried (Alvaro believed it was wrong to separate her from the people she worked hard for). However all the staff showed up to mourn his death, everyone including the royal family wearing black. It took longer than they anticipated it would, many people placing gifts on the coffin in the ground before Henry physically shoveled dirt on top of it.

The rest of the week passed by slowly, somberly, quietly. Everyone went back to work as they did before, but with two of the best staff gone from the ranks it seemed quieter, Kashi not waking up let alone moving, the healer checking on him three times a day, making sure nothing changed before leaving. The girls were constantly bringing him flowers and Justin came by to read to both Tsume and Kashi.

The beginning of the new week, snow thick on the ground and still falling from the previous evening. Hazel eyes stared up at the ceiling which was covered in morning sun, confused, dazed. He knew he was hungry though, hungry and still very thirsty. with some trouble he managed to sit up, rubbing his eyes and pausing. He didn't know why he paused, feeling his eyes and looking around, moving the bangs. he didn't know why but he started crying. Why was he crying? he was crying tears of joy but why? He tried to make sense of this, looking around the bedroom before noticing the flowers and cards on the side-table next to him. He picked up one which was badly drawn, smiling and trying to understand the scribbles. He couldn't read them so touched the drawings, knowing they were encouraging someone, probably him. He wondered who made these.

Elliot looked up from his work, his husband once again sitting in that rocking chair, the babes well fed and sleeping, but his husband staring blankly at his own hands. "Leo." He called gently. "How are you feeling?" Because he wasn't looking well. His hair was still get black, his face was pale.

The teen turned to look at the older man and gave a curious smile back. "Hello. Thank you? Did I go somewhere before ending up here?" and looked back at the card, turning to take another one, once again unable to decipher it. "I don't think I know how to read." But that was okay, the childish drawings made him smile. "Have you been at my bedside this entire time?"

It had been a week since the drugs but he was so worried he'd believe it. "The work is going all right. New territories are being created from the Retian lands, most of them breaking away." he explained. "We've got some asking for alliances and what not, but they're so far south it's stretching us thin. Even with boats it would be difficult to reach them."

A week? He was asleep for a week? No wonder he was hungry. But the man cupping his face made him smile a bit awkwardly. Why was he doing this? Did they know each other? "We're friends?" he asked, smile brightening. "What's your name. Though I don't really know mine either. Do you know my name?" and left his face in the tan man's hands, smiling still.

Kashi shook his head. "Not a thing." but the hands left and the boy wondered if that was the wrong thing to say, feeling the large hands leave his face. Kashi. Kashi. Kashi and Tsume. "P-Pardon?" he asked, face flaring up. Lovers?! He was lovers with this man? He couldn't! What!?! *hands grabbed at the black ears, pulling them down to cover his face and curling there. "B-But you just said, we were friends." And the man was too handsome too! He surely must have been joking!

Elliot nodded. "That's what I thought." And began writing until he heard the next phrase. "He is?" and his face brightened for a moment before it crashed again. No memories. Was the shock so bad? Was that why he was comatose for a week? "I'll do that right away." he stood up. "Are you going to stay here or accompany me?" But the children were asleep, best guess was that Leo was going to stay here, but he had to ask.

They weren't? Kashi felt a little disappointed at that but peeked between his ears before smiling at the other. The black ears were let go and they raised slightly as he listened. "I feel bad. It doesn't really ring anything." he looked at the cards again, bangs getting into his eyes before moving them out of the way. "I'm afraid you'll grow to hate me for not remembering. Did I have two eyes before I fell asleep?" and looked up at the other again. "I, I cried when I woke up because my first thought was 'I can see' but everyone can see so... I was confused."

Elliot placed a hand over Leo's and walked out. "We'll go to the healer and send him Kashi's way before finding Father, all right?"

Alvaro looked up from the papers and the reading and the organizing. His eyes traveled to the clock before nodding. "Yes, we can go check on him." and stood, setting his newly obtained glasses down and walking to the man, kissing his head. "Did you find more flowers for him?"