Kingdoms Divided

Chapter 9

Jiban wakes up to see a sleeping Lennox, he smiles at him, but sits up quickly after seeing two nurses in the infirmary. He tries to stand as far away as the space would allow. He knows how this may look. Jiban and Lennox haven't even addressed the situation themselves yet. Jiban greets the nurses and one of the nurses hands him a bandage. "He wouldn't let us do it and told us to just give it to you whenever you woke up." They say and walk out, already starting to whisper amongst themselves before getting out of range where Jiban could hear them. He begins to unwrap Lennox's chest to put new bandages on. Lennox wakes up as if he's ready to fight, but stops himself and lays back down comfortably after seeing it is only Jiban. Jiban unwraps his chest enough now to where he can see the scar.

    "Do I get to know the story behind it?" Jiban asks not wanting to push Lennox or make him feel like he has to tell him while he continues to change his bandages, putting the needed herbs on his cut. Lennox hisses slightly in pain. "Sorry." Jiban tries to do it softer.

    "You're fine, just stings." Lennox is starting to shut his eyes tightly and clench his fist to hold in the sounds of pain. "As for the scar, remember when I said that I found my ex talking to her friends about basically using me to be queen?"

    "She did that to you?!" Jiban exclaims, "That bitch! But how did she-"

    "Well- I'm not really a person to tell my personal life to the kingdom and so when I ended things with her I didn't exactly shout it from the rooftop and tell everyone in the castle. So in the night she was able to just walk right into the castle, up to my room, where she tied me down in my sleep. Ripped open my shirt and just had at it." Lennox says he was clearly still angry about the whole thing, but for some reason Lennox is shaking his head. It is as if he is trying to get something off of him, but he is really just trying not to relive that moment of pain.

    "But why is-" Jiban hesitates to ask.

    "Why is it half a heart? Well, as she explained to me as she tried to carve my heart out of my chest. Since I am already heartless, I might as well be heartless." Lennox is trying to calm himself down. "Can we get out of here? I want to duel someone or something." Lennox starts to get out of the bed, but Jiban stops him. "Lennox no, you can't. This wound is finally starting to stop bleeding and you can bust it open at any point. I'm sorry for prying, I just wanted to know." Jiban tries to stop him, but Lennox looks like he wants to cry and punch someone all at one time. He feels stuck again, almost unable to breathe, he can feel the pain in his chest, but it's not the new wound. It feels like she is on top of him again, making the scar.

    Jiban finishes Lennox's wrapping and notices his face, "Hey.. Lennox, I'm sorry." Lennox is still in his own head, not looking at him. "I'm going to take your hand okay." Jiban slowly moves to take it, he's seen people have these types of symptoms before, but it is normally a soldier after battle. "Can you try and take a couple breaths with me?" He asks and begins to breathe loudly. "I know it hurts with the wound, but it's okay. I'm here." Jiban reassures him and soon Lennox is breathing with him. "I'm really sorry Lennox. I'll never ask again."

    "It's fine, just not the most pleasant experience to relive or- tell." Lennox finally speaks as he comes out of his head. "I'll tell you more about it someday, just not right now." He pulls Jiban closer so that he can now hold his hand with both of his own.

    "Well, you are the king, no one can keep you here by force. If you wanted to, we could move the herbs I need and the other supplies up to your room, so you could at least stay in your bed now. I mean, I know how to take care of you and you only trust me to change your bandages so.." Jiban leans to Lennox's ear, ".. we'll actually have some privacy." He whispers softly and walks away to throw away the old bandages. When he comes back Lennox is carefully making his way out of bed, "I just need a new change of clothes, unless you want me to walk through the kingdom like this." Lennox does a slow spin.