I get up and run towards the hatch

"I'm here "

I shouted back my voice horse from all the smoke i jump into the cargo bay and the hatch closes behind me i immediately take a big lungful of air and start to feel dizzy i am about to fall when Sam grabs me to hold me up.i look up my vision a little blurry from the sudden intake of clean oxygene i see Sam's face looking down at me he looks happy.

I lay on the floor. I'm exhausted after all that. Sam sits next to me and says

" Are you okay ? Where are you hurt? is it serieus ?"

I look down on myself. I look like i just stepped out of a horror movie. I was drenched in blood, some of it had dried and the rest of me was covered in dirt that stuck to me like bird feathers in tar.

" im okay its not my blood.... mostly "

I say to Sam he looks relieved to hear it " Nice going with the fire work i recognised the pieces of your shirt "

"Thank god i was worried you would think it was an enemy attack "

Iget up from the floor. I really need a bath. I stink to high heaven and i need to clean my wounds before they get infected. Sam lends me a hand and I ask him where the shower room was . He pointed down a hallway and said:

"3rd door on the right these are old style ships trained on one back in the day"

I nod thanks and head to the shower i take off my clothes or what's left of them as quickly as i can i jump into the shwoer turning on the hot water. The water runs down my face washing all the blood and dirt off. I drop to the floor the realization of what just happened today finally hitting me. I almost died multiple times and I ... I killed people the image of that woman's head exploding in front of me pops into my head the scene playing over and over again. What could i have done differently did i have to kill her? The scene played in my head like a never ending movie. I sat on the floor of the shower letting the water wash away my sins. About 30 minutes later when the water was starting to get cold and i had managed to get all the blood off me I opened the door. I saw myself in the mirror. I saw the deep gash in my shoulder from when she threw the knife at me. I saw the hole in my hand that was still slightly bleeding every movment of my fingers accompanied by pain. Then i look down and i saw a pair of neatly folded clothes placed on the counter. In that moment i knew that everything that happened i would do again, if it meant protecting the ones i care about. I won't let this hold me back. I have to grow stronger if i want to protect them. My heart felt lighter thinking about the ones i love but there was still a shadow in there that would follow me around as a reminder to never get complacent again.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

I pick up the clothes Sam had prepared and got dressed. I took one last look in the mirror and walked out. I arrive at the command center and see Sam pacing around the room , Vion is standing next to the pilot who i regosied as the man from the front desk. Sam spots me coming in and runs up to me grabbing me he hugs me tightly and says

" i'm really glad you're not dead " i chuckle

"me too i see everything worked out on your end then. Say would you mind having a look at these ? '' I say, showing him my wounds

" why didn't you show me that first? " he said, going to get a medical kit . Vion and the pilot walk up to me

" for what it's worth nice job coming back alive i didn't think you had it in you "

Vion said while giving me a thumbs up the pilot walks up and gets on one knee " Prince my name is Farth i sincerely apologise for not recognising you when we first met. I should have known you were of the royal family. With your ink black skin and these horns please forgive me i was so excited to meet other people that i wasn't paying proper attention "

I look to Sam who looks away quickly with a guilty look on his face . Vion doesn't seem surprised either so she either figured it out on her own or something was said during the mission to get the ship. I sigh

"please stand. There is no need to stand on ceremony besides i am on my quest to become King so at this time i am just like anybody else please treat me as such. "

He slowly stands and gives me an affirmative nod . I wince as Sam sticks the needle in my shoulder

" Bear with it , it will be over soon "

That's easy for him to say he's not one with a needle in him . He gets finished up on my shoulder and i feel like i need another shower i am covered in sweat. He takes my hand next and looks it over . Vion comes up to have a closer look as well they both look at it then each other

" What's wrong ? "

I say a bit worried. I don't know why he can't just sow it just like the last one.

" I don't think i can't fix this hole we are going to have to get you to a doctor " said Sam

" i know a doctor. He can fix that up in no time " said farth we all looked at him with skepticism

"I swear tomorrow when we reach the planet i will introduce you but fair warning he's a bit .... eccentric "

" So long as he can fix it who care" said sam he bandeged my hand up to keep it clean we will get this sorted soon i promise . My stomach growled " Good but right now i would kill for some food " everyone gave a little laugh.