PUREBLOODS #1 [+16]

CHAPTER 13

"It has been five days my Lord," said a member of the council. John had been sitting at the large window for the three days, all meals given to were refused. He just sat at the window, overlooking his kingdom. Determination was shining within his eyes before but now, it was rimmed red with dark bags beneath them showing signs of sleep deprivation.

"My king please, you need to eat, you need to shower and most importantly, sleep. It's been five entire days. Perhaps the creatures really were just wild animals from the forest and the traps scared them off," Ethan continued. They have been trying to convince the king since the third day had passed but he had refused stubbornly.

"I have to protect," is all he kept saying. "I am king," he'd say in monotone.

"Okay that's it!" Exasperated the head maid who also helped raise John. She moved into John's focus and rested her hands on her hips, her 52 year old wrinkled face held a stern look as she glared at John.

"You!" She pointed a shaking finger into his face sternly. "Up, you need to rest John! You need to eat and stop wasting my cooking!" She demanded but he just sighed out loud. She peered closer to his face and saw his glossy eyes, her heart sank.

"Oh John!" She hugged him trying to make him feel better but that in vain.

"It's my fault, Josephine. I--," his shoulder shook and his body rocked with sobs that escaped his lips.

"Sh, come on now. You are a strong boy, do you hear me? You are strong. I know it's hard now. Heck, it's pretty stormy but You've got to stay strong to be strong in tough times. He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty. You need strength my boy, you need food. If you're weak like this you will be unable to do anything for this kingdom okay? Come on please. I know you and you never give up. Do not blame yourself for this alright? You Will find the evil creatures that did this. You will, okay? Now come one," Josephine waved her arm for two soldiers to help him and they carefully took John by his hands, wrapping it around their necks and taking him to his room. She also ordered the maids to bathe and feed him before putting him to bed and they complied.

She wobbled to Ethan and sternly said to him, "you keep an eye on Johnny there you hear me?"

"Yes ma'am," he saluted her respectfully and she smiled patting his chest since she was too short to reach his shoulders.

"Good boy-- oh please have all the other soldiers stay at their posts. At every house and have the others guard the castle. The king needs to rest," she said to him with sorrow filled eyes.

He sighed, "I know and I will do as you say ma'am."

"Thank you, Ethan," she said sincerely before walking off, probably to do her job.

"Where is that bloody commander of his!" She hissed quietly as she asked off.

The werewolves had returned to Harold, but he didn't want to send them back out too soon. He wanted to make everyone think that it was over but, they had not seen anything yet.

With an ugly grin displayed upon his lips and an evil glint in his eyes he ordered five werewolves to kill any and everyone that they set their hungry eyes upon and with a loud howl they obeyed happily. They ran quickly and swiftly through the forest and avoided every single trap skillfully and with little effort they entered the kingdom. They killed more than what they had done the last time and the sounds of the cries fueled Harold's black heart. He enjoyed it all and even more so knowing that there will be worse to come upon the kingdom until he is crowned king.

**************************************

Sweat coated his dark skin, eyes crazed, lips chapped and coated with dried blood and his feet collapsed as soon as he stumbled through the castle doors. He fell onto his side, groaning in pain and achingly rolled onto his back panting heavily.

"Ahhhhhh!!!" The scream of a maid alerted almost everyone's attention who resided in the castle and they all rushed to the scene, encircling him with their bodies all trying to take a look.

"Commander!" Shouted John as he pushed through the crowd and looked over Harold. His skin was sweaty and covered in dirt, lips cut but that was it. No other injuries. John's eyebrow furrowed In curiosity.

"Attacked!! They tried to attack me!" Harold shot up panicking but screamed and fell back to the ground in pain. John's eyes followed were he laid and saw blood gushing from his side. His eyes widened and everyone else around him gasped. Inching down slowly he pulled up Harold's shirt to reveal four large claws marks in his skin, the blood was flowing like water from a river and John's chest tighten as bile rose in his throat.

"Doctor!!" He yelled loudly and the doctor not to far away rushed through the crowd towards an appalled John and a crying Harold.

"He needs medical help now! No time to head out to the hospital right now!" He yelled. "He's losing a lot of blood, give me room! Now!" The doctor demanded and everyone else but the king and Josephine stepped back.

"My king, you should sit, or look away. I don't think you'll--"

"Just save him!" John ordered. Concern coated his face.

The doctor threw his bag to the ground and quickly opened it. From it he pulled out the rubbing alcohol, gloves, cloth, cotton and ointment. He quickly put on the gloves and took the piece of the cloth and dipped it into the rubbing alcohol, he then took the cloth and muttered down to Harold, "this is going to hurt," and pressed it against his wound. Harold screamed loudly and thrashed his body against the ground.

"Help me! Hold him down. He's killing himself," said the doctor as he saw more blood gush from the wound. Ethan and another soldier came and held him down as the doctor continued to wipe away the dry blood and clean his wound. He then took the ointment and quickly, yet gently rubbed it onto the wound. Moving quickly he grabbed the cotton and pressed it on the wound before taking the lengthy white cloth and wrapped it around his body, covering up the wound.

The commander was now already knocked out from the pain and sighing gratefully for his own fast work, the doctor asked the soldiers to return him to his room and so they did.

Everyone dispersed quickly and so the gossiping began. Rolling her eyes Josephine walked closer to the king and the doctor.

"....yes it seemed as if one of the exact wolves that killed all of those people had attacked him. He is lucky though, if he had not made it to the castle in time... only the lord knows where he'd be right now," the doctor explained as he took out his handkerchief and wiped his sweaty forehead.

"I don't know, something feels off," Jospehine muttered and the king glanced at her.

"Why do you say such?" He asked in wonder.

"He was gone for more than a week John. If it was possible that he was taken by those creatures since then, how is he still alive? The other soldiers that went with him... they are not here," she assumed.

"You heard doctor Ramsey, he's probably really lucky. Perhaps, they had not all obtained the same faith as Harold. It looked as if he had escaped those treacherous creatures.

"I presume you're correct my Lord, I'm just looking out for your safety. It's my duty," she sighed and walked off. Leaving John and the doctor in their place. John stared off at the old woman who had treated him like a son since his mother had passed and sighed tired.

"She's just concerned about you Johnny," Doctor Ramsey said while he patted John's back in comfort before walking away.

"I know..."

-------
Word Count: 1377