The Toy Prince

16. Niklaus

"Don't you dare close your eyes!"

He was yelling now but it was useless. Ursula was already unconscious and unresponsive. She was paler than should be humanly possible. The only sign she was alive was her breathing. If he didn't get her help soon then that wouldn't be the case for long.

He scooped her up in his arms and took her back through the doorway.

As soon as he stepped through he knew that the battle was over. Axel's men had his Father's tied up in long rows. There were more of them than he'd expected. His eyes searched for someone who could help him. They landed on Johan, his Uncle's right hand man. He would be able to help.

"I need help!" he shouted into the organised chaos of the battle aftermath.

Half a dozen people ran to his side and one of them pried Ursula from his arms. He was loathe to let her go but she needed help that he couldn't provide. Besides he needed to explain what had happened.

"She made a gun explode. A piece of it must have hit her," he gabbled out to Johan who nodded his understanding. "My Father's back there. I tied him up. Someone should go and get him before he wakes up."

Someone was leading him away from everyone else but no amount of distance could stop him hearing the scream that rocked the square.

It was like someone had hit pause. Nobody spoke and everyone was looking in the direction the screams were coming from. Niklaus felt his legs give way. Only the person standing next to him kept him upright otherwise he would have ended up on the floor.

That cry could only mean one thing. He just didn't want to believe it.

"She's not dead. She's not dead. Someone tell me she is not dead!"

He wasn't talking to anyone in particular. He was really talking to himself trying to convince himself that Annelie wasn't screaming because Ursula was dead. The wound had been bad but it wasn't fatal. She wasn't dead.

"Niklaus?"

"She's not dead."

"No she's not. You saved her life by bringing her here."

Niklaus finally looked up at Johan. The elder man's face was bruised and there was blood trailing from a cut on his temple. He'd been through hell but he had a hopeful look on his face.

"She's OK?"

Johan nodded. "Unconscious but alive. The bullet fragment seems to have missed her heart but we have to move her before we can be sure."

It was a little comfort after those horrifying cries. Now he needed to see her.

"Where is she?"

"Follow me."

Johan led him to one of the more intact buildings. It had been outfitted to house injured people from the battle. Soldiers of both sides were getting their wounds tended to by hastily procured doctors. It was an astounding feat of people working together to help everyone. Axel must have started organising these resources as soon as he and Ursula had informed him of their plan. Niklaus couldn't see how else everything had been organised at such short notice.

Ursula was lying on the floor near the back of the makeshift infirmary. Annelie was at her side crying and holding her hand. It looked like a dire scene and Ursula was so pale that she could have been dead. Only the rise and fall of her chest proved that she wasn't.

"We're stabilising her. Once she's strong enough we'll move her," Johan said.

Niklaus nodded, sitting down beside Ursula on the opposite side to Annelie. He touched Ursula's hand and was relieve at how warm it felt. Warmth equalled life.

"What happened to her?" Annelie asked. Her eyes burned into his so it was impossible for him to look away. There was no trace of the warmth he'd shown him earlier. It was replaced with anger.

"I was chasing my Father. She followed me through the doorway back to your home. He pulled a gun on us. I knew he wouldn't shoot me so I stood in front of her but she pushed her way past me. She did something to the gun, making it heat up until it exploded."

His voice trailed off as he couldn't bring himself to say anymore. He very much wanted to forget any of it had happened. Annelie's accusing eyes wouldn't let him.

"If she dies because she was protecting you then I will make you wish you had never been born."

Niklaus laughed. It was loud and harsh but it was a laugh. Annelie had no idea how often he'd wished for that same thing. She probably took it as an insult. He couldn't bring himself to care. The only thing he cared about now was keeping Ursula alive by any means possible.

"When you wake up I promise you that you'll never feel fear again," he whispered.

Under Annelie's watchful eye he kissed Ursula on the forehead. Her breath tickled his cheek and it made him smile as he pulled back. She would be OK. She was strong, a lot stronger than she thought she was. This wouldn't be the end of her.

Slowly he stood back up and turned to Johan. "Did you get my Father?"

"We've taken him to the palace?"

"And where is my Uncle? Is he here?"

"He is also at the palace. He is not well."

Niklaus nodded. "I want to go and see him. Are you going to stop me?"

Technically he was still classed as a traitor. He may have helped bring his Father to justice but until Axel gave him an official pardon, he was still a criminal. Johan could order him to be captured like all of the rest of his Father's men.

"Go to him. He will very likely not last the night," Johan said after a moment's hesitation. "He wouldn't want to die without saying goodbye."

A lump was fast forming in his throat. He didn't like to think about anyone dying no matter how angry he was at his Uncle for his long imprisonment. He wanted to say goodbye too and take his mind off of Ursula's condition.

"Thank you. Will you take Ursula to the hospital?"

"As soon as we can."

"Good. I'll be waiting for you there," Niklaus said before leaving to go to the palace.