The Secret Prince: The Story of Galen Nightwater

Blood Sweat and Tears

Jade ran to the spot where the rock had hurled just seconds ago. The crowd was still rowdy, calling for more action, but she was intent with purpose. She prayed she was wrong, she hoped with all her life that the rock had not struck anyone. She told herself that if someone had been hit they would have been seen by surrounding people, but even as she reasoned with herself she began to answer her own questions. Seconds after she came to a realization she found the victim. She pushed past several people, people who had not noticed that someone had fell because the person was too short to be noticed in the first place. The rock had hit a child. No one had heard his cry because of the roar of the throng of people, no one had seen the rock meet its mark because no one bothered to look down, everyone was craning their necks to watch the fight. No one but Jade rushed to the child, and as the fight ended and the crowd moved on, no one stayed to help.

She saw the rock had hit the boy on the right side of his forehead. Relieved that it had not hit his temple or even the back of his head, she slowly and carefully turned him over on his side. She checked his pulse and breathing. His pulse was very weak and his breathing shallow. Confused that his vitals should be so feeble she checked for other signs of injury. Because his back was facing away from her she did not see the blood soaking his shirt. But as she reached her hand to his back to turn him over again she felt unnatural heat and wetness seep into her hand. She drew her hand away in shock and then reached over the boy again and peered at his shirt. The overcoat the child had been wearing was soaked with blood. He had been wounded to the point that he bled through two layers of clothing. Tears filled her eyes but she pushed them back and tried to think of what to do. Everyone had dispersed and she didn't know where Galen was. She now realized that the boys health was in danger, he would soon be running a fever if she didn't get him out of the cool air. She could take him to the doctor, but she would have to carry him. She pulled off her cloak and wrapped it around the boy. He moaned but made no other sound.

"Dear Lord, please don't let him wake up" she whispered as she prepared to pick him up. She would have to touch his back and it would be painful if he gained consciousness.

She put her arm under him and heaved. He was surprisingly lighter than she thought but the longer she carried him the dead weight made itself known.

The doctor's clinic was in the dead center of town. The fight had occurred on the outer parts where the shops were less dense. She felt like she had been walking for at least an hour, but in reality it had been only ten minutes. Her arms were starting to strain and the boy grew heavier still. She was just about to take a short break when Galen came running up to her, his face red.

"Jade, where have you been?" He nearly shouted, obviously not noticing that she was carrying a small body, or that she was a bout to cave under the strain. "I went back to the forge and you weren't there. I told you not to leave!" His eyes, seeing her buckle, looked down to see what was wrong and landed, finally, on the boy.

"We have to get him to the doctor." Jade said, totally passing over Galen's outburst. "His is in grave danger. His back is bleeding badly and I need to get him out of this cool air or he'll catch a fever." Her eyes pleading for help.

Galen gently took the child from her arms, and he saw her relief as the weight lifted.

"What happened to him?" He asked as they both began to walk at a hurried pace to the doctor. Galen made sure not to jostle the boy to much.

"During the fight, when the man threw the rock...everyone thought it missed but I heard the boy cry out as it hit him. So I went to look for him and I found him. It only hit his forehead. I don't know what happened to his back." She briefly explained.

"Did he wake up at any point?"

"No. He just moaned in pain once. I was scared he would when I picked him up but he never did." She brushed her had over the child's forehead. Was it warmer or was it just her mind playing tricks on her?