Chapter Text
Alex Kidd’s eyes opened slowly as he tried to recall what had happened. Had he died? No, he was breathing and in pain so that wasn't it. He remembered that he had managed to get back home to the castle, what was he looking for? A doctor? Yeah a doctor or bandages… something like that. Alex's eyes slowly surveyed the room he was in, it wasn't one he'd been in before. The walls were a pale dull beige, a sunbleached painting hung right where the sun was continuing to bake it unevenly. Bars? Why were there bars? This didn't look like a cell. He hoped it wasn't a cell, although the off putting silence didn't help with the uneasy air in the room.
Alex could hear footsteps approaching the door, it was more than one person how many he'd just have to wait and see. When the door opened three people entered the room; his brother Egle, sister in law Lora, and a doctor he'd never met before. Alex tried to sit up and greet them only for the doctor to quickly run to his side in a rushed panic,
“Your majesty, you mustn't move around too much yet!”
The doctor gently pushed Alex to lay down again. Alex looked at the doctor and back to Egle and Lora, all of their faces had variations of concern on them making Alex feel even more uneasy.
“I'll be fine I just, ah, got carried away. I can walk it off.”
Alex once again tried to sit up only for Egle to suddenly and sharply command Alex to “Lay back”. Alex opened his mouth only for Egle to motion for his silence. Alex searched his brother's hardened face for an answer before looking silently at Lora for help and was instead met with the same look one would give a small child. The uneasy silence was forcefully broken by Alex,
“I just over did it a little.” He murmured.
It took every bit of willpower for Egle to not go off on his brother, ‘just over did it? You weren't even conscious when you were brought in! You almost… almost…’ Egle pushed down as much of that rage wrapped anxiety in before he spoke,
“This isn't the first time Alex, but it will be the last time for a while.” He managed out colder than he had intended.
Alex's eyes widened a bit at that.
“What do you mean?”
Egle and Lora looked at each other, while the doctor seemed to hesitate to inspect Alex's bandages. Lora cleared her throat before speaking,
“Alex, we all greatly appreciate you for everything. However you've been running yourself ragged, we can't stand to see you in such a state so often.” Tears made themselves known in the corners of her eyes as her voice became shaky. “You almost died this time, the fact that you survived is a miracle in itself but you NEED to recover!” Lora’s dewdrop tears became choked sobs as Egle put his hand on her shoulder, giving her time to cry and him to speak,
“We've made a decision. Until you are fully recovered, you are to remain in this room in the palace. There are more than enough forces to fend off anything while you recover.” Egle said soft and sternly.
Alex froze in shock,
“But Egle, our father is still missing! I can't just lay here and do nothing!” Alex desperately interjected.
Egle took a deep breath before responding,
“You can, and you will. This has already been discussed and decided. And that's that.”
Alex tried to argue and quickly sat up,
“You can't just-” Alex suddenly stopped as a feeling of electric pain stabbed deep into his side silencing him instantly. Egle's face softened while the doctor frantically inspected Alex's injury while telling the wounded protector to not move so quickly,
“Your majesty, you'll reopen your wounds if you continue to move around like that. Please listen to your brother's orders.” The doctor spoke firmly and nervously.
Egle helped the doctor lay Alex back down on the bed, much to his frustration. Alex still resisted laying down if only to try and convince everyone to be less anxious about him before he suddenly got an idea,
“Would our mother allow this?” Alex quickly asked.
Egle and Lora exchanged a tired glance between each other before they looked down at Alex before Lora spoke,
“Alex, she's the one who suggested this. When she saw you when you arrived… she fainted and made her orders rather clear when she awoke. You are to remain here until you are fully recovered from your injuries, no exceptions.” Lora answered softly, pitying the disheartened prince. Alex opened his mouth to speak only for Egle to stop him,
“I want our father found just as much as you do. But we can't afford to lose you too.” Egle's voice caught in his throat, and Alex felt the guilt push his voice down before Egle continued. His voice no louder than a whisper, “I can't lose you again. I just can't”
Both twins stared at each other, Egle's eyes shined and threatened tears but none came. Alex on the other hand was not nearly as stoic and allowed them to fall quietly. Egle took a deep breath and sighed, “We have other matters to attend to Alex. Get some rest, you'll be attended to.” And with that Egle and Lora left the room with the doctor trailing behind them leaving Alex alone in the quiet dull room.
He listened to their footsteps become softer, softer, softer, until he couldn't hear them anymore. He grit his teeth and held back a scream that melted into a dull groan. Being alone with just his thoughts was a wholly new trial that he was unprepared for, staring up at the ceiling, a stark white to contrast the dull walls trying to make sense of what went so wrong.
‘Did I misstep? No no I was flanked on both sides, I got away from one but the other…’ His side ached, ‘Stabbed, right right. I was stabbed and then someone helped me. Someone… I'll need to thank them when I next meet them. When I'm fully recovered.’
Alex frowned as the words fully recovered mockingly made themselves very much at home in his mind. ‘How long would that be? Would a small bruise count as not fully recovered? A small dusty sneeze? General muscle stiffness from laying about?’ Alex shook his head trying to push those thoughts away, they were after all just that. Thoughts. Sleep on the other hand would be better, at least compared to staring around blankly at the ceiling, or the door, or the barred window, or the baked painting. The painting at least looked like a pleasant countryside visage, at least from what Alex could tell. Alex felt his eyes grow heavy while staring at it dully. It was something to focus on at least, it looked like a painting depicting a field near the Village of Namui. He'd have to go and visit the village some day. Some day soon he hoped he looked at the painting and thought about the time that had gone by until finally sleep overtook him.