“The unevenness of the edges. The deeper area in the center.” Captain Thompson mused. “Looks a bit like a shark bite. Where the shark didn’t like the taste and let go right quick.” He allowed himself a chuckle. “Not that anything about you isn’t sweet as candy. If I was a shark I’d eat you right up.”
“Father, he’s unconscious. Your flirting is like screaming into the void.” Valor said.
Captain Thompson sighed. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”
“No.” Valor said.
“Can you fix it?” Prin asked. He sat down hard on the edge of the bed, as though all the steam went out of him and he was lucky to be moving at all. Almost rusted in place.
“Sure, sure, of course.” Captain Thompson said. “It might not be pretty . . . which I’m sorry for in advance.” He shrugged. “But probably ‘bout as good as anyone on this island could do. Without fetching an expert from the mainland, I mean. And if it’s a matter of not blabbing, I wouldn’t trust anyone. Not completely. Doc is gossipy as an old hen.”
“He’s had to stitch me up before.” Valor volunteered.
“It’s true. There’s been a few mishaps that your old pops had to deal with personally. It’s just like repairing an old quilt.” His father teased. “No problem at all.”
The captain took a solution from a bottle and wet a rag with it, causing a strong medicinal smell to permeate the air. “Don’t breathe too deeply lads, this is to knock out the patient and keep them still for the procedure. A lesson I learnt the hard way long ago.” He placed the rag gently over Aster’s nose and mouth for a moment until he felt it had sufficiently done its job. “They tend to wake up screaming when you stick the needle in, otherwise.”
Prin sniffled like he was about to cry.
“You fellows seem like you’ve been through the ringer yourselves, why don’t you go on and get cleaned up and get some rest? I can handle this on my own.” Captain Thompson said.
“I’m fine.” Elwin protested. “Prin . . . could use the rest.”
“I can’t! Not until I’m sure that Aster will be okay.” Prin said.
“You sitting there like yer gonna fall apart won’t help anything.” The captain pointed out. He got out another bottle and poured a generous swig of alcohol out over the wound.
Valor scooted over closer to Prin and reached out until he felt his arm. “The real danger will come from infection. Aster will need you then, to be well rested and vigilant, right?” He sniffed. “And clean. Infection comes from dirt.”
“I stink, huh?” Prin asked.
“Only literally.” Valor said.
“Come on, Prinny, we should go get you cleaned up and to bed.” Elwin said, as gently as he could muster. Felling a little frustrated. He reached for Prin’s hand.
“Is there anything else I can do, or bring, first?” Elwin asked.
“After she helps you with the hot water for your bath, have Mrs. Frances bring some here.” The Captain said. “You know, she’s getting on in years, really should hire someone with strong young arms to help her out . . . Of course, I would trust that old bird with my life and then some! So it’s good that she’s the one here under the circumstances.”
“Will do.” Elwin said, planning to help her carry it himself. He took Prin’s hand and led him to the door.
Once in the hallway, Prin hesitated. His expression was anguished, but not as much so as it would be if it weren’t dulled down by exhaustion. “Should we really leave Aster alone? What if she needs us?”
“It’ll be fine, she’s in good hands.” Elwin said. The Captain seemed confident in his skills, and Elwin sure hoped he had the goods to back it up.
Prin walked along with Elwin toward their room. “I don’t know what Aster will think when she wakes up. I’m not sure she would be comfortable being here.” He fretted. “Not that she would want to see my face on waking up either . . .”
“Do you think she wouldn’t want to be alone with Captain Thompson?” Elwin asked. “Valor will be there too. And it’s not like . . . it’s not like she’s working right now. The circumstances are completely different.”
“I don’t think the captain would do anything rude . . .” Prin said. “It’s just . . . I don’t know.”
“I’ll go back after you get settled and check in with them.” Elwin said. “But you know, I honestly don’t think Captain Thompson would ever do anything to Aster to make her uncomfortable.”
“No, no, that’s not what I mean.” Prin said, although he still looked troubled.
When they got back to their room, Elwin went and got the tub and bathing things. He decided it was for the best that Mrs. Frances not see Prin in his current state. It might be too memorable. He decided to carry the hot water and make up the bath himself. It would hardly be the first time he had done this for his prince.
He tried to allow himself the deep breaths that had been eluding him. His chest was tight, though, and he didn’t feel the danger was passed enough to relax. Of course it wasn’t.
Elwin helped Prin out of his filthy clothes, they would have to be burned or something, along with the jackets from the party he suddenly remembered. Yes, they had made enough of a mess for themselves on this small island. It was beyond time to move on. He was starting to feel claustrophobic, trapped by trouble and misdeeds. But he didn’t blame Prin for anything. It was not in his nature to do so, and he was alright with that.
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Prin silently soaked in the bath, allowing Elwin to scrub the stubborn spots of blood from his skin. He was so quiet, in fact, that Elwin began to worry.
Prin had fallen asleep. His head dipped forward, touching his chest. There was a bruise on his face, Elwin noticed, while admiring the beads of water trapped in his dark eyelashes, near the hair line. And on closer examination, more bruises on his arms and shoulders.
“Alright, up you go.” Elwin helped him out of the tub and patted him dry before tucking him into bed wrapped in a blanket.
He knew he had been fooling himself if he thought this life was sustainable. The mental and physical toll was too extreme. They had to go after the witch and find a cure. A cure for the cure. Or, some even more powerful magic user. If someone had done this to his sweet Prin, someone could undo it.
Elwin planted a kiss on Prin’s cheek before hurrying away again to go get hot water for Captain Thompson. He was tired too, but he would make sure the situation with Aster was stabilized before sleeping. It’s what Prin would want him to do. But also, he found himself to be more attached to the diminutive red head then he would have thought. Then again, he supposed it was her job to make people fond of her, and she did it well.
When Elwin returned to Valor’s room with a bucket of hot water, towels, and soap, he was just in time to see Captain Thompson holding up Aster’s arm and admiring his handiwork.
The stitches were black and zig zagged over the thin arm in almost an ugly semi bracelet, it would be sure to leave an interesting looking scar. But, Aster was no longer leaking and Elwin was relieved to have missed the operation entirely.
“Took ya long enough, boy.” The captain chided.
Valor was holding Aster’s other arm, with his fingers over her wrist, perhaps timing her pulse from there.
“I don’t know.” Valor said. “Are you sure he hasn’t lost too much blood? Hands are cold and pulse seems weak, but what do I know.”
“I’m not sure of any such thing, but what can we do about it?” Thompson said. “Want to share some of your blood?” He teased.
“No, I might need it.” Valor said, in all seriousness.
Captain Thompson ruffled his son’s hair. “I know you would give it if you could.”
“No I wouldn’t.” Valor protested. There was a little color in his cheeks. Was he blushing?
“We have to save her.” Elwin said firmly. “What can I do?” He would gladly give some of his own blood to Aster if he only knew how to go about it. Was that a thing that was actually done?
“Of course we will.” Captain Thompson said softly. He kissed the back of Aster’s limp hand. “Bring the water over.”
Elwin brought the water bucket to the side of the bed where the captain was sitting in a straight backed wooden chair.
The captain dipped in a rag and dabbed at the damaged arm. “I will go out shortly and get some elixirs and draughts to strengthen the blood and stave off infection. Other then that it’s just a matter of time and care. The blood left inside will multiply itself, like rabbits, until all the little baby blood drops fill the hutch and it’s back to normal levels. It just takes time.”
Valor pulled a face. “Gross.”
“Here, son, make yourself useful.” Captain Thompson handed a towel dipped in water to Valor.
Valor, hesitantly washed the arm that he was holding.
Elwin spotted the bag of Aster’s possessions under the window where Prin had left it and brought it over to sit on the bed. “Prin grabbed a few things but there wasn’t much time.” He pulled out the clean under things. Laying the white lace trimmed bloomers on the bed and putting the chemise back in the bag. “Aster usually just sleeps in these.”
Captain Thompson narrowed his eyes at Elwin, as though to say, how do you know that?
Before the line of inquiry could begin, Elwin started his own. “Is it . . . okay that she hasn’t woken up yet?”
“The ether should be wearing off.” The captain said. “That arm is going to hurt like a harpy when he does wake up though. I’ll have to get some pain medicine too.” He put his big hand on Aster’s cheek and leaned in close. “Can you hear me, love?”
“Maybe it’s better this way for now?” Valor chewed on his lower lip.
Captain Thompson got a small vial out of his doctoring kit. “Smelling salts. Let’s try this.” He uncorked it and put it under Aster’s nose.
Aster had no reaction for a long moment, then wrinkled her nose at the smell, scrunching her face up cutely.
“Alright, I’ll quit, just so long as yer in there.” The captain said gently. He put the smelling salts away. “Let’s finish getting you cleaned up then.” He redipped his rag and washed Aster’s face and neck. “Come on pretty one, bear with me a minute.” He started to pull the stained chemise off over Aster’s head, then turned and glared at Elwin. “You boys don’t need to be here for this part.” He cast his son a pitying look. “Well, I guess it’s no harm for you to stay.”
“Thanks for remembering I’m blind.” Valor said dryly.
“Oh, ha ha.” Captain Thompson said.
Elwin turned away from them. “I won’t look.” He felt infinitely silly. But he did it for the captain’s benefit, who seemed to be getting irritable.
“You know Rose is not actually a girl.” Valor pointed out.
“Of course I know that, son.” The captain said. “But he’s still a lady.”
“Is that something else I’ll understand when I’m older?” Valor asked.
“If yer lucky.” The captain replied. “Alright, all done.”
Elwin turned back around to see Aster redressed in the fresh white bloomers and chemise. The captain was applying salve and bandages to the now much cleaner stitched up arm.
“That oughta do it.” He said. He stood up abruptly from his wooden chair. “I had better go out for supplies now. I’ve done all I can do here with what we got to work with.”
“You’re leaving? But –” Valor, who had been sitting cross legged on the big bed on the other side of Aster, gestured at her. As though to say, leaving me with this?
“I need you to do me a favor, Valor. Seriously.” The captain said.
“Hmm. What is it?” Valor asked, not willing to commit to anything that could be a surprise.
Elwin didn’t blame him.
“You have to stay by Aster Rose’s side and watch him. I mean—You know what I mean.” Captain Thompson went around to the other side of the bed and took his son’s hand in his. “You’re the only one I trust with the job. If Rose wakes up, keep him calm and still as good as you can. You and your cat friends stay by his side and keep him warm and cozy, right? I’m counting on you for this.”
“Okay. Don’t patronize me. I’m not a kid.” Valor’s cheeks were definitely pink this time.
Captain Thompson laughed. “I know you’re not. A little shy around Rose, are ya? It’s only natural at yer age. Just share your room for a bit and when I get back I’ll work on clearing out one of the guest rooms and making it suitable.” He made a face at Elwin, it would clearly not be easy to reclaim that guest room.
“I’m not shy.” Valor said firmly.
“I have to go.” The captain said, giving his son one last pat on the head before going toward the door. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. You.” He pointed at Elwin. “Come with me.”
Elwin reluctantly followed him out into the hallway. With the feeling he had on the rare occasion he was about to be in trouble with his parents.
After he had closed the door to Valor’s room, the captain turned to Elwin with a ferocious look. “I don’t know what exactly happened or how but you’d better get your story straight for when I get back. I want all the details. I want to know the name of the man who hurt my Aster Rose.” He leaned in close for emphasis, his red beard coming toward Elwin like a beckoning hand. “And if you pups didn’t actually kill him already . . . he’s a dead man.”