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Odile should have known something was wrong.
She should have known something was wrong when Siffrin brought them into the observatory just to check one book and nothing else. She should have known something was wrong when she looked at Siffrin and they had a calm smile on their face after being nothing but serious for the entire floor. She should have known something was wrong when they asked for a break to look at the stars before moving on.
Why, why why why didn't she notice sooner?
It was Isabeau that first screamed, that single sound that was enough for everyone to look back at Siffrin. Look to see the blood, pouring down from their throat and turning their poncho black as they collapsed onto the floor. For a moment Odile wanted to think a sadness had gotten in, that maybe a wound from a previous fight had opened up unexpectedly. But she didn't even have to look at the dagger to get rid of those delusions. All she had to do was look at Siffrin's face to know exactly what they had done.
The next was a cacophony of noise and tears and panic. Isabeau caught Siffrin and was desperately trying to hold onto his dear's life, Mirabelle was frantic and on instinct did a heal craft in a desperate attempt to try and save them. Boniface screamed and cried and yelled as they fell to the ground sobbing.
Odile was the only one who hadn't moved from her spot.
As much fear and pain and sadness as she felt right now, and as many questions as she had, she didn't want to panic. If there was any way that Siffrin was coming out of this alive they needed someone who could stay calm, at least on the outside, and figure out what to do.
So that's what she was going to do.
She walked right on over to where the other four were. Without hesitation or a word she took Siffrin into her own lap and told Isabeau to comfort Boniface. She and Mirabelle were best suited to taking care of Siffrin's injuries and Boniface can't be left alone to their own devices at the moment and needed someone to make sure they were safe. Isabeau didn't like it, but he did as she asked.
Looking down at the injury confirmed her greatest fears. The cut was clean and deep, and the blood that they already lost was nearly enough to kill someone despite Mirabelle’s healing. Even if Mirabelle could stop the blood loss Siffrin already cut into their windpipe. Some wounds not even Mirabelle’s craft can heal, and Odile finally faces the truth that she had been trying to not think about.
Siffrin was going to die, and there's nothing they can do to stop it.
As Odile holds onto the tiny rouge in her arms she tries her best to not yell at them. "Why did you do that? What happened? You can't die on us now, we still need you!" None of that would help now, none of it would change what happened. As she shakes and takes deep breaths to calm herself, Siffrin opens their eye and looks at her. They look confused, and Odile does not yell "GEMS ALIVE WHAT WERE YOU EXPECTING WHEN YOU PUT A KNIFE TO YOUR THROAT?!" She wants to though.
She remembers the talk they had just before coming to this floor. They said with a smile on their face that they were never going to die and that they didn't have to worry about what happened to their body. Had he lied back then? No from what she could tell he was telling the truth so why? What could have happened between then and now? What made him lose hope so quickly-
No time. She can question that later, but Siffrin doesn't have much time left.
She looks to the rest of the party. As expected all of them are crying, varying stages of inconsolable. Odile isn't sure if her not crying is a good thing or not in this situation, but she knows what she has to do.
"...Everyone, come here." She says, past the lump in her throat. She steels herself, for Siffrin's sake. "Siffrin is- he doesn't have much time left. If there's anything you need to say to him say it now."
Everyone comes over and hugs Siffrin, wrapping around them like a shield meant to keep them from any more harm. (Not that it could get much worse but still.) Siffrin, even delirious from blood loss and on the verge of death, seems to be surprised by the gesture, like he wasn't expecting this on his deathbed. He looks like he's about to cry. One by one the rest say their goodbyes, Odile can't bring herself to listen though. She just keeps holding onto what little composure she has left. She can't break, not now. Not after this. They're still in danger, and she can't let anything else happen.
Eventually, she can feel everyone's gaze on her, they must have been done with their goodbyes. Odile thinks she should try to join them, but for once in her life no words come to mind. It's only when she sees Siffrin's eye on her, unfocused and glassy as he gasps for breath and clings onto what little life he has, that she does something.
She goes into the recesses of her memory and sings a soft lullaby from her childhood. She doesn't remember the words anymore, nor does she think Siffrin would understand them even if she did, but she remembers the melody well enough. Siffrin smiles and closes his eye, relaxing as his breaths grow more shallow. Odile can sense their time is almost over.
"...I'm sorry Siffrin.” A tear finally slips out. “I should have seen it sooner. I... I hope I'll see you-"
"Siffrin?" Odile turns to look back at her companion. He stops dead in his tracks, and gives her the same look they gave when she found them standing over their 'super potion' after she explained what a bad idea it would be. "Where... did you hear that song?"
She was sure she wasn't imagining it. Siffrin was humming something right as he was leaving the shop. The tune was familiar and tugged at the back of her mind as memories of Odile’s childhood started to resurface.
Siffrin didn't answer, instead closing their eye in a wink (or blink, its hard to tell with the eyepatch) before turning and walking out of the shop without letting Odile respond.
...Oh well, it's fine. They probably just heard it somewhere along their travels. It is a popular Ka Buan song.
Its probably nothing.