Crushing

Ava’s POV
 

I felt his despair and anguish through the bond and I knew I needed to ride in. I had moved our joint forces to the outer limits of the city, but I could not wait there after feeling that. The castle was already in sight when John passed with an older woman and explained that Ash was fighting his father. We saw that the building was unstable so I helped John evacuate the people from the palace and grounds by stabilising the building with trees and vines as it started to crumble. 
I felt a crushing pain and then crumbled myself knowing what it meant. Ash was hurt and badly. As I dropped to my knees I lost my grip on the vines and the building finally crumbled. I would have been crushed if it were not for John pulling me out just in time. 
All I could think of was Ash, where was he, was he ok? I stumbled forward, determination replacing my fear. I searched through the rubble and found the king, he was bleeding out quickly and had sustained multiple injuries. "John!" I cried. He obediently hurried over and started putting pressure on the kings wound. 
"Find Ash, I will take care of him" John said. 
I could feel him before I saw him. I felt his life slipping away. I saw his arm sticking out from under a large beam. I quickly pushed it up with a tree and looked down at him. My heart stopped, seeing him all bloody and broken, his injuries were severe, no medicine would help him now. 
"No, stay with me Ash, you can't go, I need you, we need you" I cried desperately, but I knew he could not hear me. 
Pain severed through me as anger and grief overwhelmed my senses when I felt him slip away. 
Tears steamed down my face as I sobbed uncontrollably. I couldn't accept this, it wasn't fair. I want him back. All I could think was that thought, I want him back. I gripped his hand tightly and leans into kiss him one last time. 
As I kissed him, I wished with everything in me that it would not be the last time. 
I sobbed until I had no tears left, exhaustion taking over, but I never let go of his hand. I was vaguely aware of a commotion of people around me before passed out from fatigue. I didn't care though, what was the point in anything if he wasn't here anymore. 

Ava's pov 

I woke up in darkness, a cold wind chilled me but I barely noticed it, I was so numb to everything. I was still lying on Ash and holding his hand. Obviously no one had wanted to move me away. People had cleared away, probably to give me space to grieve. 
I look down at his body, fresh tears fall. 
"Please don't go, we need you" I whisper, my voice cracked and hoarse. I squeeze his hand tightly. I feel a gentle squeeze back and I jump. I look at our hands in disbelief, I must be imagining it, grief can play tricks on you. I stroke his hair and try to say my goodbyes. Looking down at his face, it looks different to before, not as badly injured with more colour in his cheeks. A dangerous flutter of hope flickers in my chest. I check his pulse and feel the best thing I have ever felt in my life, his slow but steady pulse. 
I don't know how it's possible, I felt him die, I doubt my senses, not trusting that I won't lose him all over again. 
"Ash? Ash are you ok? Can you hear me?" I ask gently. 
Another soft squeeze of my hand confirms that this is real. 
"You need help, we need to get you to a doctor" I say. I look around desperate to find help, but there is no one. I look at the ground which it blooming with flowers. Flowers that I recognise from the potion he made to help me. I gather them up and throw them together like I remember he did, I hope that there is nothing more complicated I didn't know about as I brew it hurriedly. I give it to ash and wait to see if it worked. After what feels like an eternity of waiting, I start to see that it has worked, cuts have healed and bones have reset themselves. 
"Ava?" He breaths my name and it is the sweetest and most reassuring sound. 
"I'm here. Don't try to move, you are still healing." I say as fresh tears fall. 
"How? I died, I felt it, I was gone." He asks confused.
"I don't know, but I will gladly accept this miracle" I say smiling and feeling so grateful to have him here. 
He tries to sit up and I help him stabilise. He leans in and kisses me. I kiss him back ferociously, desperate to show him how much I love him. He tries to return my force, but I can feel he is still weak. I pull back. 
"Sorry, you need to heal, I just wanted to show you how happy I am that you are ok." I say
"Kisses will make me heal faster" he says and throws me a cheeky grin. 
"Doctors will make you heal faster. Let's get you up and get someone to help" I say helping him to his feet. 
I get to the edge of the forest where we left our horses and I find our men camped there. They look up at our arrival like they have seen a ghost. John runs up to us. 
"You did it! I didn't want to hope, but you did it!" He hugs me tightly. 
"Did what?" I ask confused
"You brought him back" John says
"That's not possible" I say. 
"We think it's part of your gift. You can grow things where there was nothing before, you can create life, so maybe you were able to give him life. It took its role on you though, you were passed out beside him for 3 days. We didn't want to move you out of respect at first, but then we noticed the healing flowers and that Ash was breathing again and we couldn't move you because we didn't know what you were doing. Only John and I know about it for now, we told everyone else you were growing healing plants to try to save him. I think it is best we keep it that way for now" my mother explains. 
"I don't know what I did or how I did it, but I'm glad it worked." I say hugging Ash gently. 
"He still needs medical attention, can we get him to a doctor please John" I ask. 
"Of course" John says as he half carries Ash away.