Memorial For The Hunter & The Witch

Two Sides of the Love Triangle
The torchlight flickered against the damp stone walls of the dungeon, casting long shadows that danced like specters in the darkness. Alexander stood frozen just within the cell, staring at the broken figure lying sprawled on the ground. His breath hitched in his throat as recognition set in. The bruises, the dried blood, the tattered clothing that barely clung to his skin—it was all unmistakable.

"Darius?" Alex whispered, his voice cracking.

Darius stirred faintly, the sound barely registering through the haze of pain clouding his mind. He tried to lift his head, but it only sagged to the side. His breathing came in shallow, wheezing gasps.

Alexander turned to the guards beside him. "Leave us. Now."

The guards exchanged glances but obeyed, stepping back and closing the iron cell door behind them with a heavy clang. Alex knelt down slowly beside Darius, holding the light closer. The smell of dried blood and sweat was overwhelming.

"You're alive," he murmured in disbelief. "We all thought you were dead. Aurora thinks you're dead. Your mother thinks you're dead."

Darius let out a weak croak, barely audible. "Aurora...?"

Alex nodded, a small, bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. "Yes. She's awake."

That brought more life to Darius' battered form than anything else. He coughed, winced, and shifted his head enough to meet Alex's eyes. "She... woke up? How?"

Alex exhaled, setting the torch on a metal hook embedded in the wall. "It was me. My kiss. It broke the spell."

Darius blinked slowly, trying to process the words. A haze of pain and confusion clouded his features. "She thinks I'm dead?"

"Yes. I'll send word back to Bellaflor—to tell her, your mother, your friends, the witches—all of them. They need to know you're alive."

"No," Darius said, his voice hoarse but firm. He tried to push himself up, but a sharp cry of pain ripped from his throat. "Don’t. Don’t tell her. She’ll come. She’ll try to save me. You know she will."

Alex reached out instinctively, steadying him. "She deserves to know."

"She’s collared," Darius growled through gritted teeth. "She has no magic. If she comes here, she’ll die. Your mother will tear her apart."

Alexander grimaced, running a hand through his hair. "Then what do you suggest? That I just leave you here? In this cell? You can barely breathe, Darius. I can't—I won't leave you like this."

Darius tried to smirk, but it came out twisted and painful. "I can't walk. My arms and legs... they're broken. Even if you help me escape, I won't make it beyond the gates."

Alex swallowed hard, eyes dropping to the twisted way Darius' limbs were angled. Rage welled up inside him. "My mother did this?"

Darius didn't answer. He didn’t need to.

"And if she finds out I helped you—"

"She will," Darius rasped. "She always knows."

Alex stood abruptly, pacing the small confines of the cell. "So what then? I just sit back while she decides when and how to finish you off?"

"She won't kill me," Darius replied, though his voice was laced with bitterness. "Not yet. I'm still useful."

Alex frowned. "How?"

Darius looked up at him, a flicker of warning in his gaze. "Does she know Aurora's awake?"

"No. I haven’t told her."

"Good," Darius breathed. "As long as she doesn’t know, Aurora stays safe."

Alex clenched his jaw. "But she will find out eventually. News travels, Darius. Sooner or later, she’ll come to find out that Aurora is awake."

Darius sighed, a broken sound that rattled from his chest. "I don't care. But don't make Aurora come here. It's too dangerous for her, especially because of the current state she's in.”

Alex returned to Darius’ side, crouching again. "Let me help you. Please. There must be something I can do."

A long silence stretched between them. The only sound was the distant dripping of water echoing down the stone corridor.

Finally, Darius relented. "Fine. But leave Aurora out of it."

Alex shook his head. "I can't promise you that."

"Alex—"

"Listen to me," he interrupted, his voice quiet but unwavering. "I’m going to write to Bellaflor. Your people need to know you’re alive. Aurora needs to know. Your mother. Idris. Maelis. All of them. They need hope, Darius. And if you’re alive, they’ll have it."

Darius closed his eyes. His breathing was shallow, labored. After a long pause, he gave a faint nod.

"How long have you been down here?"

"I... I don’t know. Two days. Maybe three. I lost track."

Alex's jaw tightened. "Have they fed you?"

"No."

"I'll send someone. A maid. Someone I trust."

Darius didn’t respond. He simply laid there, motionless.

Alex stood again, gathering the torch from the wall. He turned toward the door, but before he reached it, Darius called out, "Alex."

Alex paused, head tilted, but not turning back.

"Why are you helping me?" Darius asked.

There was a long silence. The torch crackled softly.

Finally, Alex whispered, "Because I love Aurora. And she loves you."

He stepped out of the cell, and the iron door slammed shut behind him. The guards returned to formation, and together they walked down the corridor. Torchlight receded, swallowed by the dark. Darius was left behind in the suffocating silence, the cold pressing in around him. But for the first time in days, a flicker of hope burned in his chest.