Chapter 24 (Death)

Edward (POV)

I couldn't breathe. The entire world seemed to be crashing down on me as I watched my father fall to the ground in a heap, a gunshot wound to his head. I barely felt my mother collapse against my arms as I felt my head reeling.

I barely heard Alexios shouting to the guards, "Get the commoners out of here!" As I dropped to my knees, gently laying my mother's head in my lap.

"Mom?" I heard myself whispering, my eyes blurring so much that I had to look away and blink rapidly just to see her clearly. That was a huge mistake. I watched as her eyes seem to gaze up at me with a sight daze to it. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't as blood bubbled passed. I didn't know what was going on as I felt Jacan wrap himself tightly around my waist, talking to me in my ear. Alexios came with Jacan and ripped off his jacket to put pressure on our mother's wounds. I could see Alexios' lips moving as tears streamed down his face but I couldn't make out any words. I couldn't even hear what Jacan was saying in my ear as I turned to look at my mother. Once I saw the blood all over her, my hearing seemed to come at me all at once.

"It's alright, it'll be okay, Edward. Everything will be fine." I heard Jacan's soothing voice talk to me in my ear. A calm noise in a world of breeze.

"Help her!" Alexios was shouting as guards rushed around, following one pair of orders and other's off getting doctors. No one seemed to have a doctor's degree here, or if they did, no one was speaking up. Though, we both knew that it was too late. I especially knew as I felt my mother start to tremble. I turned to her and watched as she watched me, moving her lips. I leaned down, my heart in my throat as I put my mouth to her ear.

"You will make a great king." She whispered. I chocked on a sob as her body seemed to click off and she slummed into me. I leaned back swiftly and buried my head into a startled Jacan's neck.

"She's dead." I heard myself say before I too seemed to click off; blackness surrounding my vision.

***

The beeping in my ear seemed to ring throughout my entire head as I felt my body start to awaken. The smell of cleanness was strong as I struggled to open my eyes. The light's, even though are dimmed, seemed to blind me and make my headache pound more fiercely. Once I could fully open my eyes without the risk of going blind, I took in my surroundings. It was a typical hospital room and I couldn't understand what I was doing there.

I turned my head to the right and almost jumped as I noticed the figure slumped over on his arms and sleeping soundlessly on the hospital bed. It took me a few more minutes to realize that it was Jacan. I felt my heart swell as I watched him shift slightly and tilt his head out of the crook of his arms so I could see his peaceful face. His other hand drifted slightly, as if searching for something. Once his hand found mine, he gripped it and sighed before drifting off to sleep once more. My heart seemed to beat even faster at the motion.

I watched as his lips seemed to move slightly at the intake and exhale of his breath and I couldn't help but admire him. He seemed so bold and confident, despite being raised where he was. I didn't really know what it must've been like, but I did know that he was so secluded that he may not have many friends. I also knew that he was out of school. He had mentioned it one night we were talking and I couldn't help but feel bad about it. I always complained about going to school and here Jacan was, giving up his education so his sister could. I don't know what that was like. I watched his eyes flicker behind his eyelids and I couldn't help but smile slightly as I wondered what he was dreaming about. That question brought on another one. Why was I here?

I was about to wake up Jacan when I caught a glimpse at my left hand. My hand that still had a bit of blood on it. Blood from my mother. My dead mother. Bile rose in my throat as I remembered it but I shook my head as I got rid of those thoughts. She's fine. I told myself a hundred times before taking a deep breath and then raising my hand to tousle Jacan's hair.

"Jacan." I called. He shot up quickly and looked around in a daze before his eyes settled in on me.

"Edward! Oh, thank god!" He grabbed my hand in his and squeezed it as he brought it to his cheek. He nuzzled it and I felt my insides twist happily and also in confusion. I felt nice, but weird, to have someone get this happy to me. "I'm so glad you're okay!" I felt my mouth widen as his eyes opened up. His blueish eyes stared up at mine and I couldn't help but feel a lump in my throat as I noticed that there was unshed tears lining them. I squeezed his hand tightly.

"I'm okay." I murmured and he seemed to choke on a sob as he nodded vigorously. I licked my dry lips and he seemed to notice that I wanted water as he leaned over to grab a bottle of water. I thanked him as grabbed it and drank it all, which caused my stomach to be a little upset but I didn't care. "What happened?" I asked, already dreading the answer as soon as the question left my lips. I felt him tense as his gaze went downward.

"What do you remember?" He asked instead of answering. I felt dread pool into my stomach.

"So, it's true then?" I asked, my voice wobbly.

"Oh, Edward." Jacan whispered, coming to sit next to me on the bed. I gripped his right hand in my left and urged him to lay beside me. He hesitated for a spilt second then scooted in so that he was laying on his side and staring at the side of my head. I clenched my eyes tight.

"I don't..." I whispered but trailed off, not knowing where the sentence was headed.

"You don't understand? Don't know why?" Jacan asked, his hand trailing a pattern against my arm that made me shiver and bite my lip. I shrugged in response as my hand traveled to wound up part of his jeans in my fist. "I don't know why he did it, Edward. I'm sorry." He told me, whispering against my skin. A few moments passed between us and I reopened my eyes to stare at the ceiling. "You fainted after seeing your mother, not that anyone could blame you. But, when they brought you back and did a few test, they said that you didn't have enough nutrients and fluids in your body. Have you been eating and drinking?" Jacan asked, sitting up to glance down at me. I stared back into his eyes, watching them churn with emotion. There was definitely a bit of concern and worry in them and another type of emotion that I wasn't familiar with. I had only seen it when Alexios was talking about his wife or when he first saw me. What was it? Not only that but I couldn't help but feel confused on why he was worried about me. I've never had anyone but Nana and Albert that gave me that look. What did it mean?

"Never mind. I think that was answer enough, Edward." His sentence startled me out of my daze and my eyes focused back on him. "I think I want to give you a nickname. Eddy? Ed?" I was confused as to the sudden change and I shook my head at my most common nicknames. He frowned and hopped off the bed suddenly, like he didn't want to be near me anymore. It hurt. "How about Teddy?" My eyebrows shot up and he smiled. "Teddy it is. I'm going to go get you some food." He started walking towards the door but I shot up.

"Wait! I don't want to be here anymore. Let's go together."

"You can't you have to have those IV's because you don't–" I yanked out the needles in my arms with a sharp sting and stood up. I felt my head spin for a spilt second but didn't want to give him another excuse for him not to take me so I walked over to him.

I wanted to go because I felt like he was using this as an excuse to get away from me. I didn't understand why he was in this sudden mood change and I wanted to find out why. So, we both walked out of the room.

***

"What are you doing out of bed?" I heard Alexios' voice boom in the almost empty cafeteria. I turned my head from where I was picking at my sandwich to see him walking swiftly towards me, an angry tone to his voice.

"I was bored," I chimed back. Jacan choked out a laugh and I smiled his way. We had been chatting happily before Alexios showed up. Turns out, he just really wanted to get food in me. Not only that, but he seemed to be enjoying my company just as much as I had been enjoying his. It was nice. Was. Until Alexios showed up.

"I don't care if you were bored." He spoke, a hint of impatience's in his tone. "You can't just walk out of bed–"

"I fainted, Alexios. I didn't bleed out to death." I immediately regretted saying that as soon as the words left my lips. The room seemed to get heavier as we all sat in silence.

"Edward," Alexios started, his tone having a hint of sympathy in it. "I wasn't as close to her as you were I–"

"We weren't close." I told him, feeling anger bubble up in my gut. My grip on the fork in my hand was tightening. "She used to beat me as well as father and she blamed me for everything even if I forgot to do one stupid chore–" The plastic fork in my grasp snapped in two, drawing everyone's attention to it as I struggled to control my breathing. My hand gently opened up s that the fork pieces could fall on the table with a thud. I watched my hand shake behind blurry tears as my next words came out: "She used to yell at me and get drunk all the time. She would tell me I'm worthless and terrible and–" I felt myself hiccup as I didn't take in enough air. "But –but she was my mother."

Then, I did something that I would soon regret. I cried.

Do you guys feel like this is being drawn out? I feel as if it is. Oh well, it will come to en end soon though I promise! Anyway.Thank you all for almost 5,000 reads! It means a lot! Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed! (1881)