Academy of Legends

Chapter 15: Rapunzel (Song)

We all sat in the waiting room of the hospital anxiously. Although the news that Will was well on the road to recovery had been brought to us by the doctor, Apollo, we had heard nothing about Robin. The fact that both Apollo and Sekhmet had been called in to take care of him did not soothe us, nor did Friar Tuck running into the hospital without even looking at us.

I shifted uncomfortably. The others were equally quiet, including my boyfriend, Hugo. Belle was picking at her shirt absently, Hugo's brothers whispering anxiously. Hugo held my hand. Of everyone, I probably needed the least amount of comfort, considering that I didn't know Robin as well as the others had, but the sentiment wasn't unappreciated. That scent of blood, Will's fingers caked in scarlet ...

We sat in silence for a long time. People bustled past us, busy in one way or another, not paying any attention to the quiet teens sitting in the corner of the lobby. Nobody ever really did. Sighing, I just shifted in my seat again. It seemed to be taking a long time ...

Without warning, one of the nurses came out. Even from the look on her face, I knew, but the others looked expectant, anxious. Slowly, she shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said. "He's not going to make it. You can come and see him now. The Merry Men are saying their goodbyes."

Belle gave a distressed sob. "I can't—I can't say goodbye!" she cried.

Han laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll do it together," he assured her. "All of us."

I nodded, though I wasn't really thrilled about seeing a man die. We all followed the nurse, only Belle crying. The rest of us felt ... numb, I guess. Maybe it just hadn't set in yet. Whatever the case, we just kept walking.

Finally, we reached Robin's room and we all filed inside. The Merry Men had already come and gone, aside from Will, who sat in a wheelchair beside his uncle. Belle opened her mouth and closed it, probably considering asking him how he was. But the tears streaming down his cheeks most likely held the answer for her.

Robin lay on the bed, his chest rising and falling slowly. There was an oxygen tube down his throat and his eyes were closed. A soft song played in the background, and I frowned a question at Will. The boy spoke with some difficulty. "It's ... 'Fix You'," he whispered. "Robin's favorite song."

I bit down on my lip, hard. That song had always been depressing for me, even before this. We all gathered around Robin's bed, not saying anything, just ... being there. I vaguely heard the song behind me. "When you lose something you can't replace ..."

Robin's breathing was slowing. "Lights will guide you home," I could hear. Slowly, the tears started to stream down my own face. "And ignite your bones. And I will try ... to fix you."

Robin stopped breathing. Will gave a choked sob, leaning his head on Robin's shoulder. The rest of us just sat there, stunned. It seemed undeniably cruel to have him snatched away in such an evil way ...

There wasn't a dry eye in the room. I covered my face with my hands and just sobbed. There didn't seem to be anything else that I could do.