The Black Coral (Percico/Pernico)

Chapter Eight: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Nico woke once the violent, blinding sunlight hit his face. The prince lifted himself up into a sitting position, a stab of pain in his chest provoking the want of lying back down in the comfortable bed, which was a lot more inviting than an unappealing barrack hanging from the ceiling.

He was grateful Percy had put him in there, but he felt like he woke up there too often. He was afraid that the pirates would deem him a lost cause and throw him overboard, despite the potential the pirate captain somehow saw in him.

The pain reduced to a dull throb once he lied back down, which was better than it was before; he would rather endure the throbbing of his chest than to endure the unbearable pain of sitting up and straining the wound. He inspected his chest wounds, which were large, dark purple and blue bruises contrasting against his skin. They looked as painful as they were. He restrained himself from touching them.

All of a sudden, the wooden door to the Captain's Quarter opened, revealing a worried Hazel.

"Your highness?" she whispered. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," Nico answered, shuffling slightly in the bed.

A sudden feeling of sharp pain erupted in his chest at his movements, causing him to wince.

"Are you able to sit or stand?" she asked, approaching the bed.

"It is painful if I do," Nico gasped.

"I'm going to get Captain," Hazel told him. "He ordered me to inform him once you had awoken."

Nico nodded, wanting an explanation from the captain, as he promised him the night before.

Hazel smiled warmly at him before closing the door behind herself, rushing to get the captain, who was conversing with Piper at the bow of the ship.

"Captain!" Hazel ran at him, shouting to get his attention. "Captain! The prince is awake, but he is in pain."

"Of course he is, after a hit like that!" exclaimed Piper. "How bad is it?"

"He has lots of dark bruises where the boom hit," Hazel told her. "He is strong for surviving that."

She winced at the mention of the wound. She had never been hit with the boom of a ship, especially at that speed, mainly since she always tended to the sails during a storm.

"Thank you Hazel." Percy smiled at the young girl. "Gather the medicine and the herbs that we intercepted from that apothecary ship from Ireland."

"Yes, Captain," Hazel nodded, running into the lower decks to check the stolen cargo.

Percy, himself, ran to his Quarters to see the injured prince's state. He saw potential in him, and he didn't want to lose that quality potential. He opened the door, Nico looking up at him.

"You owe me an explanation," Nico winced.

"Does it hurt to speak?" Percy asked him, pulling up a stool at the side of the silk-sheeted bed.

"A little," said Nico. "My lungs and throat burn, and my chest is aching terribly."

"How terribly is it aching?" Percy asked, examining the cluster of dark bruises along his chest. Percy softly ran the pads of his callused fingers across the bruises, gazing upon Nico's face for a reaction. "Does this hurt?"