Ben remained stoic for a moment in front of the bedroom door, shocked by what had just happened. He hadn't fought back when the Queen had kissed him, and now he could hear Farah sobbing in the room, hurt. He was feeling so pathetic and guilty for unintentionally hurting her.
"Luna, why did you kiss me like that?" he questioned, pacing back and forth in annoyance.
"I-I didn't know you two were together," she stammered, clearly stung. "I'll talk to my cousin."
He stopped her before she could place her hand on the handle.
"No, you stay out of this, it's my job to explain and calm her down. You'll only make things worse."
He knocked on the door and entered quietly, under the hateful gaze of his partner, who was sitting on the bed, still in tears.
"Farah, listen to me, please, I can explain everything," he implored her, coming closer.
She retreated and snarled, furious :
"You don't have to do that, I know what's going on between you two, I saw it with my own eyes! It's no use to make up a story!"
He sat down beside her, only wanting to ease the tension. He couldn't lose her over a misunderstanding.
"Except that you're totally wrong!" he retorted, taking her hand, which she abruptly withdrew. "I didn't kiss your cousin, she did, against my will. I pulled back as far as I could and found myself pinned against the backrest. I couldn't move, and I was afraid to make things worse for us by being firm."
She stood up, trembling and even paler, making her companion feel miserable.
"Stop trying to make me believe anything, it's pathetic," she replied, heading for the door. "If you want to go get her, I won't forbid you."
"But don't you understand that it's you that I love?!" he cried out, hopeless.
Too late, she was already in the living room, ready to leave the suite, beside herself. Luna, who had heard everything, lowered her head, hurt by the words of the one she loved.
Suddenly, exhausted by infection and emotional shock, Farah abruptly collapsed, and Ben had just enough time to catch her before she hit the floor.
"Luna, help me carry her to the bedroom!" he exclaimed, holding his partner strongly close to him.
The light fairy complied and they laid her on the bed.
"She's burning up, I'm afraid she won't last two days," he affirmed, panicking. "My children and their friends have decided to go to the forest after school so that Bloom can kill the Burned One before it's too late, but I'm afraid they won't make it."
"I'll send soldiers as soon as they get back tonight if they don't," she decided firmly.
Ben fetched water-soaked washcloths and placed them on his partner's face to bring down the fever, before removing the bandage to apply ointment to the wound. Instantly a particularly foul smell filled the air. This was a very bad sign.
"The infection is spreading despite the Zanbaq, and her wound is beginning to necrose, unlike this morning," he murmured, bursting into tears. "She's got blood poisoning, and if the Burned One is still out there by tomorrow, she'll pass away."
Luna placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, also seeming very anguished for her cousin.
"I'll leave you, I need to requisition the army as soon as possible if we want to have any chance of saving her. Let me know if things are getting better."
He nodded and she got up, leaving him alone with the woman he loved, or at least what was left of her.
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DON'T LEAVE ME... YOU'RE THE ONE | Fate: The Winx Saga
FanficTwo. That's how many days it's been since Ben last saw Farah. Convinced that something bad has happened to her in the forest and that Rosalind may have had a hand in it, he sets out to find her. Little does he know that a nasty surprise awaits him...
