The Soot Princess [Hiatus]

51- From the Fire, Back into the Pot

Eevon

I fell back asleep after the nurse finished changing the bandages. My back throbbed in agony despite the painkillers in my system. My mind was white. My thoughts came in snippets and disappeared.

I laid there, with my mind wondering, there's not much else I could do. I don't remember, if it was minute or hours, but I drifted back to sleep. When I woke, there was a pair of chocolate brown eyes staring at me. I jerked my face back, sending a small jolt of pain down my back reminding me of the previous day.

"Hey! Why didn't you tell me that you were staying with royalty?!" Kate questioned. "More importantly, why didn't I get a call that you were in the hospital?"

I searched to find the words, but all I could manage was, "Um, I don't have a phone."

"Oh, well we will have to fix that. Anyway, what in the world happened?"

"I didn't do what the king wanted," I replied blatantly. 

"The king wanted you to do what? Wait, the King? We're talking about the King here, right?"

"Yes?" I replied. 

"So tell me what happened last night after you got home from the Cafe."

"Umm, well,  I fell asleep. Then I was woken up and dragged to see the King. Dean and the oldest brother was there, I can't remember his name..."

"Prince Dean and Prince Mason?"

"Yeah, them. I was led to a tower, where I spoke with the king and then, here is where it gets fuzzy."

"Okay," she replied patiently awaiting my next statement.

"I was taken back down, I guess it is like a prison. I was stripped to my underwear," my voice wavered, "and all I felt was pain. Then I woke up here."

"Okay."

"Nothing else?" I asked. "Just, okay?"

"Well, what am I supposed to say? I'm just as shocked as you are and trying to absorb it all, so I'm sorry if all I can say is okay."

I laid my head back down on the mountain of pillows with a sigh. There was a rap of knuckles on my door and my eyes found the sound. It was Dean. 

"Hey," he said. 

Kate turned around and saw him. "How dare you!" she shouted. "How can you show your shameless face around her after what you did? What did she ever do to you! Huh? What has she done to ever deserve this torment? Now, if she wanted to go to the Welcome Ball she wouldn't be able to wear anything tight or with an open back! That is like, every single dress out there!"

"Ummm, what dance? Who said I was going to any dance?" I interjected.

"How can you not know?" Kate asked me. "It has only been the biggest tradition for like, ever, at the school. The balls are the only thing that is fun."

"I'm new, so cut me some slack, and not a dancer."

"Alright, I'll talk you into it later, but how could you!" she flipped the switch back on at the prince.

"It wasn't my choice."

"Of course it was. You were there! How else did she get those if not by your hand or your order?"

"I didn't have a choice. I can't disobey. If I disobey my father, it is a crime. If you were to disobey your father, you would get what, a spanking?"

"I have never been spanked, thank you very much, but my computer and phone get taken away."

"Exactly my point, our views on consequences are vastly different. Anyway, this is not what I came in here for. Eevon, the doctors said it would be okay to release you as long as you do not do anything strenuous, like running or get the bandages wet. So, I have a change of clothes for you." He set the backpack at the foot of my bed.

"Am I clear for class tomorrow then? I can't believe it was only the second day of school and I already missed class," I groaned. 

"I would perfer you get better," Prince Dean said.

"And I happen to agree with that point!" Kate continued with finality.

"Whatever, shoo so I can change and get the hell out of here. This place gives me the creeps."

"Why?" they both asked.

"For one jinx, and for two, just envisioning all of the trauma and death that comes through here, gives me chills."

A nurse came in a few seconds after they left to take out the IV and blood transfusion needles and to give me my prescription. Then left me to my own devices. 

I opened the bag with what I had thought would be my normal clothes. What I found was anything, but shorts and a t-shirt. I found a mini skirt, a Ralph Lauren polo with a jacket and lacy underwear. What the hell? How expensive was this stuff? I felt self-conscious while putting it on. Thankfully the only thing that really bothered me was the bra, which I did without and put the jacket on to cover everything that might show. I carried the bag by the handle on top and  heard a whistle as I walked out of the room, by none other than Kate. 

"You clean up," she stated.

Dean glanced, then looked away. "I am to escort you back to your room. Those are my orders." He said this as if to no one in particular.

"Seems romantic," Kate teased.

"Seems like an annoyance," I replied. My weight shifted from foot to foot, all I wanted to do was leave. "Well, shall we be on our way?"

"Of course."

Kate left us at the security check on the way into the main part of the castle to go to her job. My feet wanted to move more quickly, than the pace and my body could keep up with. The prince kept the pace slow, whether in the hopes of prolonging the torture or for consideration to my physical condition, I know not.