The Armor (Prince Harry fanfic #1)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Quietness echoed throughout the room, with the pounding hearts of drums and the sick singing of breaths taken. Stillness crept into Lucy's body, and she knew she needed to move. Shock could've killed, but she knew she wasn't in shock. She had seen this before; she had done this before. The night stayed true. The overpowering lights within the schoolhouse even made Lucy nausea. She felt for a pulse even while she saw him breathe.

At some point, after she came down from the adrenaline high, she slumped back in the chair with her eyelids closing. It didn't last long when Harry's hand jerked. She stumbled awake and found him. His eyelids were parted and peered at the world, taking in his surroundings. He couldn't remember how he was brought here or probably what happened to him. Then it hit him like a lightning strike. Everything crashed back at him like a wave.

Harry immediately tried to fight against Lucy. Pain burned through him. His breath became labored. He fought to get up, to get away. He fought against the pain, and he let out a scream. He shook on the table, rocking the thing back and forth. After having no choice, she fell against him, allowing him to fight her. He tried to rip at his bandages, at the pain, but he just ripped at her, not that he was strong now. His legs kicked up in the air, nailing Lucy in the rips. She grunted but didn't let go.

"Harry, listen to my voice," she stated. "Listen to my voice." It was perfect calm, stuck on a beat. "Calm down. Breathe." Her heart shattered piece by piece, coming apart. It would've been better if he didn't wake up until help came, but he was resilient.

"The pain!" he yelled, fighting against her again.

"I know." She was well are what it was like to have a hole in your body. "I know." Her fingers locked around his arms, forcing them down. "Harry, I'm going to yell, not at you but for help. I'm going to get you help."

All he could say was, "The pain."

Lucy turned her voice to the door, yelling to whomever was outside. In took twelve seconds before the door opened and one female and two males appeared. She wanted to scold them for taking too long, but she just told them to hold him down, which they did. Jumping off of him, she exited the schoolhouse, finally allowed to breathe. Tears sprung in her eyes, but she brushed them off.

Stomping over, she stopped in front of the mayor. "I need alcohol."

The mayor hesitated, and it was all Lucy needed to know the truth. "We don't have alcohol here. It causes too much trouble, and there is religion--"

Lucy stepped up, meeting his gaze, and then standing above him. She was a tower, larger than life in this moment, a human to never be messed with. There was a storm brewing within her, and you wanted to be in the eye of it. "I know you're lying. Get me the alcohol now," she growled.

The mayor nodded quickly and ran off.

Lucy put her anger back within herself upon finding the student staring at her. "Everything is going to be okay."

"Will be the prince be okay?"

"I hope so."

She feared for him, but Lucy feared for herself. What might people think? Would she be blamed? What would happen to her? Did she think these things? She didn't. Certainly, these things popped up, the wanting to save herself, to escape. There was nowhere to go. As well, she wouldn't have left him there. He needed a friend, if he couldn't get a family member.

"Ma'am," the mayor called. The student nodded to Lucy before she walked over to the man of the town. He hid the bottle of alcohol behind his body, like it was such a crime that deserved death as punishment, like this was such a secret when Lucy was sure people knew. "Here." He shoved the bottle at her, pushing it dangerously hard into her stomach.

She didn't dare give him a glare as she took it and went inside the schoolhouse. "Open his mouth," she ordered. The woman did, even when Harry's mouth was open with a scream. "Harry," Lucy appeared by his side, "I need you to drink this. It'll make you feel better."

He didn't fight.

The female lifted up his head slightly so that it would go down easier. Pulling off the top, she place the neck to the bottle to his lips and poured only a little bit in. He thrashed again, coughing and swallowing. The alcohol burned his mouth. Most of it came out, running down his chin, dripping onto the ground. She waited. He heaved more, trying to actually get air.

"Harry?"

He nodded and opened his mouth again.

Not hesitating, she put the bottle to his mouth again. She still did a little but after Harry didn't choke, she put more in. He gulped it down, and it washed through his system. After she saw he had gotten enough, she recapped the bottle and placed it beside her. He no longer fought. The people released Harry and left again.

Pulling up the chair, she sat there beside him. She didn't touch him this time, in case he might wake up. The alcohol was meant to numb his pain, which it numbed him enough. The pain was only a reminder but he didn't feel on fire. The alcohol would ware off soon so he would get more, and more as time went on. It wasn't a big bottle, so she had to be careful. Now, he was in a haze, not yet asleep, but his eyelids weren't open. He hovered between sleep and awareness. Thankfully, he was still, breathing deeply but he didn't shudder.

"Ma'am," called the female, bringing in blankets.

"Thank you."

Lucy gently placed the thin cloth upon his body, across his feet and bare chest. When Harry had been brought in, his shirt had been ripped off and he mostly laid in his underwear now. She covered his skin, warming him enough. His teeth chattered from the coldness. The thin blankets covered his legs and chest, never touching his bandages.

"Isn't that a little better?"