Taken

Now Keep Them Closed

It wasn't that the water wasn't cold, or that it didn't hurt when his whole body came crashing into the waves, its just that things seem to hurt a lot less when you've taken six doses of reality checks and they've finally just set in and suddenly you're flying off the edge of a cliff.

At least that's how Alcarion felt as he plunged nearly forty feet into icy waters with thrashing waves that tried to swallow him whole. "Jasper!" He shouted and looked around frantically. He dove down again and salt burned his eyes as he moved about, scrambling to grab a blur that floated past him.

A growl shook the water and a scaled face appeared before him, twisted in fury. "I'm gonna- wait Prince Alcarion?" The face softened. "What are you doing in here all alone?" "Alorna!" "Please, one of my mates fell in here!" She nodded, her face dropping to a serious one. "I'll find him."

She dove beneath the waves and Alcarion was left to wait, chest thumping with the weight of more than one heart as the waves pushed him back and forth as if trying to lull the fear making his chest ache.

He watched the sea as if it would suddenly split and give Jasper back, the thunder revealing the hidden parts around him. He began to look beneath the waves again when a hard and slippery hand gripped his arm. "Did you find him?!"

She nodded and handed the unconscious boy over. "I think he'll be ok, he wasn't awake when I found him but I got all the water out of him." Alcarion put a finger to the boy's nose and nearly sighed in relief when he found him to be steadily breathing.

"Thank you." Alcarion smiled and watched as she waved and disappeared into the white sea. He pulled Jasper up to shore and walked silently with him all the way to the castle.

It was a sight to see, the prince like that. All sopping wet and forlorn as he rushed through the halls. "Prince Alcarion is everything-" He straightened his back. "Prepare a medical ward immediately, please."

He demanded sadly. The maid stared, wide eyed. "Hurry!" He hurried off and Alcarion pulled the boy's cold body to his own as he followed slowly. "Alcarion I heard you call for a med ward what's-"

Marie froze in front of them and stared at Jaspers unmoving body, he looked lifeless, laying there like that. "No..." Her lip quivered and before Alcarion could stop her a sob wrenched from her body and she ran away. "Marie wait!" He called out, his voice mocking him as it echoed through the halls. She didn't come back. "Sir, your room is ready." The maid bowed and held the door open.

He strode in and tenderly set the boy on the bed, allowing the nurses and doctors to work, but never leaving. Soon enough he was hooked up to all sorts of machines that buzzed and beeped, keeping rhythm with his heart, but the beat was slow and faint.

Alcarion sat at the edge of the bed, not daring to touch despite the great urge to squeeze his hand around the other boy's. "What did you do to him?" The prince jerked his head up and Torren stood in the doorway, a pained look on his face. Alcarion wasn't used to the burning rage in Torrens eyes. He was so mellow and laid back, he had never seen him like this.

"He fell off the cliff over the-" "He fell?" Torren snapped. "Or did you push him, because you can't handle him rejecting you?!" Torren moved to stomp forward but Marie grabbed his arm.

"Torren..." He paused and turned towards her, setting a hand on her cheek. He gritted his teeth, turning his face away from her. "You know where to find me." He ground out and left silently. She nodded solemnly and stepped forward with tears in her eyes, arms tucked to her chest.

"You promised..." She whispered. And tears sprung forth and began to pour down her face. "You promised to protect us!" She cried as her hands fisted themselves into her satin dress. "Marie, I never meant for this to happen, it was an accident."

She stood there silently. "I don't wanna lose Jasper..." The prince clambered from his seat in a manner most definitely considered undignified and grabbed the girl's tiny hands. "You won't, I swear it." "I've seen people like this!"

She sobbed. "They always say they'll wake up but they never do!" She wrenched her hands from his and ran away again. She just kept running until she came to a sliding door, and didn't even have to slow as it slid open to give her access.

Warm arms slid around her and she cried because she knew exactly who it was. "Torren..." She sobbed and he hugged her tight. "It's ok," He smoothed his hands through her hair. "He's....he's gonna be ok." "No he isn't." She croaked. "I'm done lying and being lied to."

Silence hung thick in the air. "I saw him...he..he was already almost..." Torren sighed and gripped the girl tighter. "He's strong Marie..." She pushed away from his arms. "Why is everyone acting like this is nothing?!" Tears poured down her cheeks again and she stomped out.

She stomped back down the hall to her room and tried not to cry and the doors opened and shut behind her. She went over to her things and dug through her side of the closet, yanking out an old and slightly frayed book with a red cover that was wearing away. She made her way to Jaspers medical room.

When she walked in Alcarion looked heart wrenchingly hopeful and guilty. She ignored it. "I wanna talk to Jasper...alone." Alcarion opened his mouth, but shut it again and nodded. "As you wish." He walked out and she locked the door behind him, seating herself next to the bed.

She let herself collapse into the large chair and put her head next to Jasper, gripping his hand. "Am I being selfish?" She mumbled. "For wanting you to stay?" Tears gathered in her eyes and she gripped his hand. She shook her head and lifted the book from her lap, releasing his hand begrudgingly.

She flipped it open and couldn't help but to smell the pages of the worn book. She leaned back and began to read. "There is something to say," She read softly. "About the sorrow of being in love." She leaned her head back on the chair and her eyes floated from the page, her memory reciting the words for her, as if it were an apology for the heartbreak, a gift to lift her spirits, and it did anything but.

"Though love is happy, it's is also gray and sorrowful. It's not as if when we lose those we love we may simply move on." She closed her eyes. "This pain leaves scars that no amount of bandages or time can heal, there is something to be said, about pain in love." His heart monitor beeped slowly. "I love you," She said. "Me, Torren, and Alcarion, so-so it isn't fair if you leave..." She cried quietly as she held his hand again. She sat that way for awhile.

A small knock came from the door and Marie turned and begrudgingly let go of the boy's hand to open it. It was Torren, and his eyes were swollen and red. She sighed and moved aside, locking the door again behind them. "He ain't waking up, is he?" Torren gripped his own arm tightly and pulled another chair up. She shook her head.

"You think wherever he is...maybe.....he doesn't want to come back?" Tears rolled down Torrens cheeks. "That ain't fair!" Marie sighed. "Imagine how lonely he felt, all alone in the ocean, sinking-" Her voice cracked and she began to cry all over again. "But we're here waiting for him, so he has to come back...right?" Marie shrugged. "He doesn't have to....if he's happier without us...." Torren didn't say anything else and the room fell silent, only the sound of wind and the beeping monitor filled the room.

They waited in silence for hours, and after awhile they both let sleep weigh down their eyelids. Of course Alcarion checked on them, locks were no obstacle in a princes own castle, but he never woke them up, just looked on. For the first time in his life he felt small. He was completely helpless and he so wished that those beautiful eyes would open again.

He missed the lazy smiles and the looks of wonder and excitement. He even missed the glares and the snide comments. He sighed and closed his eyes, secretly hoping that when he opened them again he would be greeted with a smile, a glare, anything. His eyes opened again, but unfortunately the boy's eyes remained closed.

He had never missed someone who was still there before.