Chapter Text
It was a subdued and disheveled bunch who came limping out of the tower room. Guards and magicians were gathered around, evidently the barrier had managed to keep out any other interlopers while the battle had raged. Geoff was swept away from the rest, councilors swarming around to ensure that the crown prince was alive and well and able to answer all their questions, Jack following him as the ever faithful steward.
Michael tried to take charge of the remaining guards, but as the adrenaline finally wore of his rib fractures made themselves known in a painful manner. Miles and Kerry quickly stepped up to support him as his strength flagged and escort him to the healer's wing. Caleb and Lindsey were there waiting in the background and they stepped forward as the hallway finally began to clear out. Just then, Ray's crystal floated out of the room and back towards the dancers, still pulsing with a soft blue light. The chair settled itself back around Ray's neck, and then it was as if nothing had happened, no warmth or bright lights. The black-haired dancer suddenly slumped then, Caleb barely catching him before his head hit the rough stone floor.
"Ray!" Gavin and Lindsey both cried out, the latter moving forward to check a pulse.
"It's okay, his heart rate is weak but its definitely there. Let's get him to the healers quickly though. You too, Gavin." The walk to the healer's wing felt like the longest Gavin had ever taken across the castle. His strength had been gone before he even left the tower room, but with Ray already insensate and being carried but Caleb, there was nothing Gavin could do but lean on Lindsey and continue to put one foot in front of the other. He fell into a sort of trance, just focused on each step, and though the walk felt it went on for hours, it also seemed like only a moment before he was being pushed gently onto a soft cot, Ray placed on the one next to him. Michael was sitting on the other side of Ray, his shirt already gone and soft bandages wound around his torso. A healer was there, checking Ray over carefully, casting diagnostic spells to determine the source of the damage. Suddenly Gavin felt hands on his arms and a strange wet, tingling sensation coursing over him like a bucket of water poured on his head.
"No, no! Don't touch, don't hurt me, please!" The second healer took a step back from Gavin, hands held up in a placating manner, but suddenly Michael was there in Gavin's line of sight, not touching but making sure that Gavin had no choice but to see him.
"It's okay, Gavin, it's okay. Just focus on me. You're safe here, no one is going to hurt you. Ray is here, I'm here, everyone is safe." Gavin trembled violently, trying to focus on Michael but still caught in all the events of the last week.
"Michael?"
"Yes, Gavin, it's just me. Take some deep breaths." Michael reached out to hold Gavin's hands, grounding him back into the present. When the trembling finally stopped, the healer stepped forward again.
"I'm sorry, I should have made sure you knew what was happening before I touched you. I'm going to cast another diagnostic spell now. Are there any injuries I should know about now?" Gavin shook his head softly.
"No, aside from some bumps and bruises... Ray got the worst of it... He- the whips- he touched me, but hadn't hurt me... yet..." Michael squeezed Gavin's hands.
"Hey, don't focus on that. Ray will be fine and none of this is your fault. Let the healers do their work."
"Yeah, Gavin, they've already been touching all over me, now it's your turn." Michael and Gavin turned to see Ray looking at them tiredly from the bed where he still lay, now on his stomach, with a healer bandaging the welts on his back. Lindsey and Caleb were there too, listening to the healers talk about the aftercare that everyone would need - pain meds for Michael's broken ribs, bandage changes for Ray's welts, and salves for Gavin's bruises. It wasn't long before the three were being escorted back to the Prince's chambers, Caleb and Lindsey doing their best to keep everyone awake and aware long enough to get where they were going. Jack was sitting in the main area, slumped in a chair next to the fire, though he jumped up when he heard the others enter.
"Michael, Gavin, Ray! Everyone okay? Caleb? Lindsey? Were they seen by the healers?" Michael sighed and slumped down on a soft cushion, groaning as his ribs shifted.
"We've all been taken care of Jack. I have some broken ribs, Ray has some welts on his back, and Gavin is all bruised up but we're all alive and here and so so ready to sleep." Jack huffed out a little laugh under his breathe.
"Sorry, I know of course you were looked at, things just... are going to be crazy for a while longer still. Lindsey, Caleb, you should stay and hear what I'm going to say." The little dancers and the servants settled on cushions near the fire, watching as Jack seemed to deflate again.
"Jack? What's wrong?"
"It's... after we left the tower room, Geoff took the best magicians and healers and went to the King's rooms. After what Ettin said - about trying to kill the King - we thought there might be a magical component to his illness. And... and we were right. Some magical spell has been making the King sick, sapping his strength and life-force. The magicians were able to break its hold, and the healers have done what they can but... it's too late... the King- he won't get any better. It's only a matter of weeks, possibly days at this point. Geoff is sitting at his bedside, the councilors are planning his coronation already..." Jack trailed off, staring at the fire. The five young people around him just stared, unable to comprehend that the fight hadn't been the end, that there was so much yet to come.
"Geoff... he's going to be the king then?"
"He'll be assuming the duties going on from here but yes... he will be king very soon. I'm sorry that this comes so soon after, that we have no time to rest and recover. But it's going to be very busy moving on from here. And as members of the Prince's inner circle, we all have very important jobs to do. We will give you the time and space you need to recover, but Geoff will need us all going forward so I ask you- come talk to me, tell me what you need. We have to do this together or we won't at all..." Ray and Lindsey were crying softly, even Michael's eyes were wet.
It was daunting, considering the changes that were coming. Especially with Ryan still lost in the wilderness, not responding to any messages, and the kingdom in turmoil after the recent attacks and the King's long sickness. Treaties still had to be settled with King Mansa, King Burnie and King Gus and King Matt were still waiting to hear about the mastermind behind the border attacks, and now something had to be done with the leaderless kingdom of the Northern Marshes. But tonight was reserved for mourning the king, nursing wounds, and reminding themselves that they had all come through their trial alive, if not completely well.
Tomorrow would be the start of a whole new adventure.