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Prince ⦽f Madness

 Chapter_3://Stellar_Chart

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I tested Elyan with whatever I could. The first was the physical exam. I took notes of everything I found on a physical form, his red short wild hair, pale damaged skin with a translucent star shaped scales underneath his epidermis. He has green eyes with black thin slits and a weirdly framed body. He was very skinny around the torso and arms and very thick around his hips and long legs. He was 129 Lb, and towered 6’8”, just a few inches taller than me. He always sat and stood straight. His posture was perfect, like if he had a stick in his spine. When his feet hit the ground he barely made any sound. You barely felt him in the room when he moved, unless he was laughing, singing or talking.

Not only that, he speaks when spoken to and if I didn’t know any better, he felt like a trained prince. He gave that vibe by the way he presents himself. When he took my hand, taking full charge and saving us from monsters. His accent is so strange, too, even if he spoke fluent English. I can’t say what he sounds like because it is a trait unique only for him.

I documented every single scar on his body and asked him about it, most of them were tracking scars by the way he described them. There was one in particular on his neck from ear to ear, it was sealed shut by a suture scar. I try to touch it and Elyan slapped my hand away. “Please, don't touch that,” Elyan begged as he protected his neck with his hand.

“Does it hurt?” I asked him. “Let me see,” I tried to pry his fingers away to see but he wouldn't budge. “Why?” He asked me.

“Because if it's infected I don't want the infection to spread through your blood,” I explained to him. “Please, let me see it.”

He slowly dropped his hand to his lap and lifted his chin. I didn't touch, I just looked. “Does it hurt?” I asked him again.

“No. It just feels strange, like if you were attached to a third arm.”

“You will get used to it. If it does hurt, please, let me know immediately.” Elyan nodded and smiled.

“How old are you?” I asked him.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean, ‘what do you mean’? How the fuck old are you?”

“As in, how long I lived?”

“Yes.”

“I lost count, but I recently reached maturity.”

“...I will assume you are eighteen to twenty-one.” I wrote it down in codes. Frankly, everything I wrote was in codes only I could understand. Any other person would be lost in the report if they were to read them. With Elyan, one had to be careful. Any slip up and he will be locked up again.

“Do you have a special diet?” I asked him but he didn’t answer. I assumed it was because he didn't understand what I said. “What do you eat?” I rephrased.

“Why do you ask me these questions?” He asked with a nervous giggle. He looked uncomfortable, ready to jump out the window.

“I have to feed you something,” I said, and settle the form down on my lap.

“D-do we have to continue?” He was stuck in a giggle fit.

“Elyan, are you uncomfortable with me asking you these questions?”

“Very,” he said honestly, trying to contain his laugh.

“We can stop for today then.” I got up and hid his medical file under the mattress.

“R-really? You won’t poke me? or…” he trailed off, unable to even think about it.

“Do I have to?”

“I assumed--”

“I mean, doing a full examination is what I want, but for now, knowing the basics to accommodate you properly is enough. I need to get you clothing that will fit you, so I hope you don’t mind if I take measurements--” I heard him laugh. He was hiding his face behind his hands as his shoulders shook. “Elyan?” I called to him.

He lifted his tear-stained face, smiling, and said, “thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it. It is my job to care about you.” I handed him a bathrobe to cover his body. “I’m going to get you clothing. Do you think you can handle yourself here?”

“Can I go with you?”

“I mean… It would be far simpler if you went with me but I rather not attract any sort of attention to you.”

“Okay. Then I will wait for you here.”

I took my wallet and left to get him a few sets of clothes. It was hard to buy him clothes in the base because of his size, from the waist up he was size zero and from the waist down he was husky. I did get some essentials: the year supply of hygiene products, since I had just lost most of my belongings during the siege, I used that as an excuse to get supplies for Elyan.

They were also giving away uniform and clothing from lost soldiers in packages according to size, and if I solicit clothes from them I have to accept only the size my profile has listed. So I had to go outside anyway to get him clothes, in the meantime, Elyan can fit in some of my clothes.

As I walked down the hall of my apartment, I heard him singing. To be honest, he has such a beautiful voice. It’s ridiculous.

I walked in, he was standing in the middle of my living room, singing, surrounded by black feathers. A coat of feathers was draped from his lythe shoulders. I was stuck in a daze watching him, there was indeed some deity grace emitting from him, but there was also something else, I was scared of him. I quickly locked the door behind me, Elyan spoke to me, “what is the matter?” I looked over, he turned towards me and took several steps forward. “I…” I was word blocked. I wanted to say so many things but all of my words clogged up my throat.

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My eyes widened when his coat disintegrated into a murder and flew out the window. “What the hell was that?” I asked him.

“Don’t be frightened of Crow, he is here to help you.”

“What? what are you talking about?”

“He took a liking to you because you saved me. He is in your debt as am I.”

“Whatever…” That didn’t explain anything. I just sighed and picked up the little errands I was able to get to put them away where they go. “I couldn't get you clothes for today, so I will go tomorrow.”

“You are so kind to me, Josiah… Thank you,” he said with a smile and helped me put away the items.

“Don’t worry about it…” I muttered quietly.

“Elyan, the toothbrush with the star sticker on it’s yours. Every product that belongs to you has a star so we won't get confused.” I explained to him.

“How do I use this?” he asked me holding the toothbrush and examining it. I was bewildered. “You can’t be serious…” I took the brush from him. “You never washed your teeth?”

“Is it important?”

“Yes, it is. You may be a god or whatever but you have to follow proper hygiene,” I scolded him. He just smiled. “Alright, teach me to use this.”

So, I taught him how to use the products properly to make them last the entire year. Elyan was a smart person, he was competent enough to keep track on his new routine.

“Josiah,” Elyan called to me. He peaked his head through the study doorway with a shy grin. “Is it okay if I soak in the tub?” He asked me.

“You can spend there as much as you like, just don’t spend too much water or products,” I reminded him. I was too busy working on a thesis. “Remember to keep the bathroom dry and put your dirty laundry in the basket,” I added.

“Okay.” With a quiet giggle he retreated to the bathroom. Elyan always asked for my permission for everything. Not that I minded, but sometimes it felt like he was afraid of me.

“Josiah,” he asked me as I set up my pod. “Can I sleep too?”

I frowned and turned to him. “What do you mean?”

“Is it okay if I slept? I feel really tired.” I was baffled. And then, it hit me.

“Elyan, how long have you been awake?”

“Thirteen consecutive days,” he answered with a sweet smile.

“What!?” I shouted a bit too loudly. “Elyan. What have you been doing while I slept in the pod??”

“I watch you sleep.”

“That’s unsettling...” I sighed and ran my fingers through my head. “Elyan, feel free to sleep on the bed for as long as you need to.”

“Really? Am I really worthy of sleeping on the bed?”

“Elyan, a bed is not exclusive, you can use it since I use the pod. Please, if it’s something like sleep or eating or using the restroom, you don’t have to ask me.”

“Please, don’t be angry, Josiah. I didn’t know.” He hung his head, assuming he was embarrassed for even asking me.

“I am not angry, just… What made you think you have to ask me permission for basic human rights?”

“I am not human. I am lesser than garbage.” He smiled brightly, accepting it as a fact.

“Who the hell told you that…?” I was understandably angry. “Don’t be ridiculous, Elyan. I do understand you are not human, but I find it hard to believe you're garbage.”

Something in his eyes sparked. Perhaps it was hope. “Thank you, Josiah.” He turned away from me, towards the bed and climbed on it. He curled up before he flashed me a bright smile. “Jemnemi, Josiah,” he said and closed his eyes. He instantly fell asleep. I never seen anyone with such a blissful stacis.

“Goodnight, Elyan.” I got into my pod and, I too, pursued my dreams that night.

Another strange fact about him was his affinity for the sun and the water. If he wasn’t doing any sort of chore or fighting monsters, Elyan would stand in the balcony for hours, if not, all day if he could.

I once caught him waltzing by himself. He wasn’t ashamed when he was aware of me watching him. He didn’t break concentration as he danced. However, Elyan made several mistakes that made him start over till he eventually gave up and prepared his bath.

He took long baths and sung in every session. Elyan sung in a strange language I couldn't recognize. I always caught myself listening. Stopping whatever I was doing to indulge.

After Elyan lowered his guard, I tried testing him again. The next assessment was a simple process to verify the condition of his brain. He showed signs of some memory retention and I need to understand how he functions. “What is that, Josiah?” Elyan asked me as I set up the chessboard on the coffee table. “It's a strategy game,” I answered.

“A game? Can I play?” He closed in and touched the pieces, admiring the design. “Of course, what side would you like to be?” I asked as I finished setting the pieces correctly.

“Does it matter which side I chose?” he asked. That peaked my curiosity, so I answered him, “yes, it matters, black side defends, white side attacks.”

“So white pieces start first?”

“Correct.”

“I’ll pick the white side.”

“Alright, let me explain the rules.” I turned the table top to switch the pieces. “Your goal is to take out my king. Pawns are front row, they can only move one space and can only eat crossed side, and they can't move backwards.”

“Eat?”

“It's a figure of speech.”

“Okay, do they have limitations on which piece they can take down?”

“No, there is no limit. The next piece is the tower and they can only move in one straight line, horizontal or vertical, never across.” I didn't explain it in order to see if he remembers the rules. “The king can move one space at a time but he can move in any direction.The Bishop can only move across, never horizontal or vertical. The Queen can move in any direction. The Knight moves in L shape.”

“What?”

“As in, you move three steps forward and one to the side, basically, a capital L.”

“Ohh… just forward?”

“No, the knight can move all around just as long as you move in capital L. Also, your prey has to be at the fourth step for you to take it out.” Elyan nodded and stared at the board intently. “Those are the basic rules. Are you ready?”

“Yes.” He moved a pawn, f2 to square f3. I moved my pawn, c7 to c5. Elyan tilted his head to the side but he didn't question my move. He would stare intently at the board for long periods before he made a move, compared to myself that I just move head on.

I set him a trap; I left a pawn ready to be eaten by his queen, if he captured it I had a chance to capture his queen, but he didn't do that, instead, he placed his pawn ready to capture my king. Here is the issue, yes I could just eat the pawn but, if I do that, my king would be exposed to his queen, and If I move away, his knight had the advantage. “Did I win?” he asked.

“Yeah, you did… pretty good, actually.” I was really surprised at how fast he learned.

“Can we play again?” he asked with an excited smile.

“Sure.” This time I played how I normally would but he still beat me. Over, and over, and over again. “This is so fun! I remember my grandfather playing a game like this when I was younger.”

“Really? What kind of game?”

“We played war,” he giggled contently. “It was a game of outwitting each other. This is far more simple.”

“That's a strange game…” I said weirded out.

“I find it appropriate for a king in training,” the redhead smiled brightly as he set up the board to play again. “I am the king of this universe and it is my duty as king to protect it with all my strength and might,” he sounded so secure about it and my mouth just couldn't help it.

“I am amazed you give up yourself for a planet that kept you in captivity for the sake of science…” Something in him broke. He hesitated to move his piece, and he looked at me with a sad smile before whispering, “you are part of my universe, Josiah…”