knight's Royal Duty || Gonkillu ||

I

The camp was still several miles away, and the weight of Gon's body was dragging Killua down, but he refused to stop. His legs burned, and his vision blurred with exhaustion, but he kept moving, one step at a time.

He didn't know how long it took. Time seemed to blur together in a haze of pain and fear. But finally, after what felt like hours, the faint glow of the camp's fires appeared in the distance.

Killua's legs nearly gave out in relief, but he forced himself to keep going. The camp was close, and help was within reach. He just had to hold on a little longer.

As they neared the camp, the sentries stationed at the perimeter spotted them. One of the guards rushed forward, his eyes wide with shock as he took in the sight of the two of them.

"Prince Killua!" the guard exclaimed, his voice filled with concern. "What happened?"

Killua didn't have the energy to explain. His voice was barely a whisper as he spoke. "Gon... he's hurt. He needs help."

The guard quickly signaled to the other soldiers, and within moments, several knights were rushing to their aid. They carefully lifted Gon from Killua's arms, and despite his protests, one of the medics insisted on helping Killua as well.

"You're hurt too, Your Highness," the medic said firmly, guiding Killua toward the medical tent. "You both need treatment."

"I'm fine," Killua muttered, though the world around him was starting to spin. "Just... make sure Gon's okay."

The medic nodded, though his expression was grim. "We'll do everything we can."

As they led Killua into the tent, the exhaustion that had been building inside him finally overtook him. His vision darkened, and the last thing he saw before everything went black was the worried face of the medic hovering over him.

When Killua woke again, the first thing he felt was pain. His body ached all over, and his side throbbed with a dull, persistent agony. But he ignored it, his mind immediately snapping back to the last thing he remembered—Gon.

He sat up quickly, wincing as the movement pulled at the bandages wrapped around his torso. His heart raced with panic as he looked around the tent, searching for any sign of Gon.

The medic who had treated him was nearby, and he hurried over when he saw Killua stirring. "Your Highness, you need to rest. You're still recovering from your injuries."

"Where's Gon?" Killua demanded, his voice shaky with fear. "Is he okay?"

The medic's expression softened, but there was a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "Knight Gon is stable, but his injuries were severe. He's unconscious for now, but we've done everything we can."

Killua's chest tightened, and for a moment, he couldn't speak. The relief of knowing Gon was alive was overshadowed by the guilt that gnawed at him. If he had been stronger, faster—if he had stopped the attack sooner—Gon wouldn't be in this state.

"Can I see him?" Killua asked quietly.

The medic hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, but don't stay long. You need rest too."

Killua nodded, though his mind was focused entirely on Gon. He forced himself to stand, ignoring the pain that flared in his side, and made his way to the far corner of the tent where Gon lay.

Gon's face was pale, his breathing shallow but steady. His chest was wrapped in bandages, and there were cuts and bruises all over his arms and face. He looked fragile—so different from the strong, determined knight Killua had always known him to be.

Killua sank into the chair beside Gon's bed, his heart heavy with guilt and fear. He had never felt so helpless. The war had taken everything from them, and now, it had brought Gon to the brink of death.

"I'm sorry," Killua whispered, his voice trembling. "This is my fault. I should've been stronger... I should've protected you."

Tears stung Killua's eyes, but he blinked them away, his hands clenched tightly in his lap. He couldn't break down now. Gon needed him to stay strong.

"You have to wake up," Killua whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I can't do this without you, Gon."

For a long time, Killua sat there in silence, watching the rise and fall of Gon's chest, praying for him to wake up. But Gon remained unconscious, and the only sound in the tent was the quiet rustling of the wind outside.