The Soot Princess [Hiatus]

52- Love

Dean

I left at the end of the hour of watching her peaceful sleep. I was beginning to drift, so I left after I laid a kiss on her forehead. It kind of felt like cheating. I yawned as I stretched my limbs as I went about my way. One foot in front of the other, I walked. The windows I passed showed the morning sun as I went through halls, back towards the main part of the castle. The scent of Lysol was left behind me as I exited through the swinging doors, from linoleum to carpet.  

I made my way to my room on the XX floor. I opened the door and everything was as I had left it earlier yesterday. Was that truly only six hours ago? I collapsed on my bed and kicked off my shoes, not bothering to call my butler, I slept in my clothes. 

I wasn't woken nicely with a kiss or a light touch, but an earthquake.

"Dean?" James called my name as he shook me gruffly. 

"What?" I groaned.

"Why weren't you in school?" he asked.

"Don't you already know?" I said not reveling in the possibility of elaborating on what had transpired the previous night. 

"Oh, you stayed to watch over the common girl all night. You know we pay people to do that, right?"

"Asshat, you know why I did, you should know me well enough!"

"Because you feel like it is your fault she was put in a position to become injured, which you most definitely are very guilty of. I was told to tell you make sure you and that girl are at dinner tonight at five-thirty. If only, you would listen more clearly to Mother and Father."

"Shut up."

"Show me how."

"Silence may be golden, but duct tape is silver," I replied. To my delight, he left the room. My room was quiet again, but much brighter than the predawn glow I had fallen asleep to. I glanced at the clock, 3:30 pm. I pulled off yesterday's clothes and meandered into the bathroom, where I ran some hot water in the shower and once it got up to temperature, hopped in. It felt good to rinse the sleepiness from my body. 

A change of clothes sat at the foot of my bed with a note. "Ring, if you need anything," I read aloud. I did ring, for another set of clothes, but not for myself. When I was done dressing there was a tap on my door. I tucked in my shirt as I answered it. A backpack was handed to me and then the man left without a word, not that I would blame him. If I was him, I do not believe I would want to be associated with me either. 

I left the confines of my room to visit Eevon's room in the hospital section. I made the way through the twisting corridors to check in at the reception desk, and I saw there was already someone visiting with Eevon. The name was Katherine Hastings. The name sounded familiar, but it currently escaped me.

I walked to her room, all the shades were drawn shut as was the door closed, probable so she could rest. 

"Okay." I heard a voice.

"I was taken back down, I guess it is like a prison. I was stripped to my underwear and all I felt was pain." Eevon is tell someone the story. I could remember every heavy blow, all ten. The responsibility I couldn't shoulder. My punishment. "Then I woke up here."

"Okay." A hesitant reply.

"Nothing else? 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." She sounded exasperated. 

"Your Highness, will you let Miss Eevon know she will be release shortly. A nurse will be with her in a few minutes to remove all of the equipment."