[Ardyn put his left arm around Queenie's shoulders without thinking about the gesture, looking to his right hand and the black ring on it.]
...I've not been able to reach the Crystal's power since we arrived here. If I'd had my healing magic, then perhaps we wouldn't be down to the numbers we are. I could have saved even just one person, or taken Junpei's wounds that week we found him in the rest area. No matter how high the cost to myself--I would have done it. If I had even a fraction of my abilities, we'd have long since escaped.
And that's kept occurring to me every so often, ever since we arrived here. If I could have healed even one person, if I could have defended anyone, if I could even just cast Protect, then Larimer would be-
[He broke that off, pressing that hand to his face to stave off a headache.]
...I've been utterly useless to all of you from the very beginning. If a king can not protect himself, how is he to protect others?
no subject
...I've not been able to reach the Crystal's power since we arrived here. If I'd had my healing magic, then perhaps we wouldn't be down to the numbers we are. I could have saved even just one person, or taken Junpei's wounds that week we found him in the rest area. No matter how high the cost to myself--I would have done it. If I had even a fraction of my abilities, we'd have long since escaped.
And that's kept occurring to me every so often, ever since we arrived here. If I could have healed even one person, if I could have defended anyone, if I could even just cast Protect, then Larimer would be-
[He broke that off, pressing that hand to his face to stave off a headache.]
...I've been utterly useless to all of you from the very beginning. If a king can not protect himself, how is he to protect others?