Lucius screams. "Keon!"
He rushes over to where Keon's body collapsed. The boy is coughing up blood, and harshly sucking in air.
"L-lu..cu..s" he manages to choke out.
Lucius sees more soldiers come to the sudden commotion.
He turns on Shin. "What have you done!?"
Shin looks at him, concern coating his eyes. "That boy was trying to harm you, and attacked a Shield."
Lucius gapes. What!?
"He-he wasn't attacking me! We were playing tag! And he attacked You because he thought you were going to attack Me! He was my friend!"
Shin expressions changes a bit to distraught. "He's a common. You are The Silver Prince; you are the Crown Prince, the heir to the throne. You cannot be friends with him."
Lucius ponders in his head. He wants to just argue back; he wants to scream and lash out at all of them. He wants to cry. But no, that is "not what the Silver Prince" should behave like. It would only make him look like a child.
He needs to be calm, collected. Lucius straightens his back, and squares his shoulders. He glances one more time at Keon, now passed out on the ground, smalls gasps coming from him.
Then tries to think of a quick solution. After a moment, he suddenly remembers something. He looks at the Shield, at Shin. Of course! It was always right in front of him!
Meeting Shin's eyes, he says, "Let's go back."
Shin looks surprised, but nods, grateful for the Prince's agreement, "Yes, of course Prince."
"And take my Shield with us too."
Shin freezes. "Pardon?"
"Keon will become my Shield," Lucius declares.
The Queen's former Shield looks appalled. "What? No-he cannot! He-"
"Former Shield!" Lucius snaps, watching Shin flinch at the insult.
He pulls back his hood, revealing his entire face.
"I am The Silver Prince. You are nothing but a Former Shield that couldn't even protect my mother. I will choose my own Shield. I am not asking; I'm ordering you," he commands in a loud, clear voice, "Keon will be my Shield."
The former Shield looks completely taken aback by the Prince's sudden change of behavior. Deep inside, he is hurt by the Prince's words, but a spark of pride blooms in his chest. The Prince is acting as he should be.
Noshin glances at the crumbled boy behind the Prince. He did not like the idea at all, but the Prince had given him an Order. His first ever. He supposed with proper training, he would mold the boy into the proper Shield for the Silver Prince. He had seen how the boy was quick, he had barely saw him as a blur before. He had...potential. It was a bonus that the Silver Prince was very fond of him too; the boy would keep the Prince's boredom in check, and out of the streets.
He stared into the Prince's eyes. He could see that the Prince had Chosen. He wouldn't change his mind.
Noshin bows on one knee, and lowers his head. "Of course, My Silver Prince."
He rose, and ordered the soldiers to bring their horses.
He helped the Prince to a horse, and mounted it after him. "I will be riding with you. We do not have a carriage or proper security at the moment, so please bear with it, Your Highness."
The Prince stood quiet, but merely nodded.
Noshin turned his head, barking order to the soldiers. "Bring the Shield. Do not let him die before we reach the palace."
The group takes off, eager to get back to the palace as quick as possibly.
. . . .
They make it back fairly soon.
As soon as they step off their horses, the Shield takes the Prince back to his room.
"But I want to be with Keon!" The Prince exclaims. Noshin studies his Prince's face. His eyes are red, as if he wants to cry, and he looks worried.
"You go rest now. I will see to it myself he does not die," the Shield swears.
The Prince paused for a moment, then nods.
"Thank you, Shin."
He goes off to his room, but waits at the door.
"Shin," he calls.
The Shield turns back. "Yes, my Prince?"
"I...I did not mean all those thing I said before," he says, sincerely, "I'm sorry Shin."
Noshin feels his chest tug. He wants to smile at the him. But he is his Prince, so he cannot.
"No need to apologize, Your Highness. Rest well."
He bows, and with that he heads over to where the injured boy would be.
Moments later, Noshin is rushing, searching all over the palace. Where is he?
He suddenly realizes he left him with the soldiers, and did not call for a doctor yet. Then he must be....still there.
He races back to where they had mounted off their horses. There are soldiers there, laughing and joking.
On the ground, is the boy who will be the Silver Prince's Shield. Still bleeding out.
Noshin narrows his eyes, his anger spiking.
"What is going on here!?" He yells, "have any of you call for a healer?"
The group of soldier go quiet.
"A healer for what?" One calls out.
Noshin feels himself close to snapping.
"The Shield at your feet," he growls.
The soldier look down, as if barely noticing the boy.
Noshin snarls. "Move." All of them, useless. How could they not have noticed the boy bleeding out, Dying, at their feet. Ignorant pigs.
He marches forward, and picks up the boy. "Send a healer to me NOW."
Then he walks off, to go set the boy in an room.
. . . .
The healer rushes in through the doors.
"They said someone is in critical condition???!"
Noshin, now leaning on a wall, jerks his head towards the door on the table.
The healer begins examining him, and taking care of his wound.
"Who is this? He was stabbed?" He asks while working.
Noshin crosses his arms. "He is going to be The Silver Prince's Shield, and yes, I stabbed him."
The healer stops for a moment, then continues. "Oh."
When he finishes, he talks to Noshin.
"His injuries are quite severe, and he has lost an enormous amount of blood. I did the best I could, but....I am not sure if he will survive the night." The healer folds his hands together.
"I understand," Noshin says, sighing, "I will stay with him throughtout the night."
The healer leaves, and Noshin is left alone with the boy. He grabs a stool, and drags it over to the table the boy is on.
Sitting on it, he runs his hands over his face and hair.
"Please do not die," he says, "I won't allow anyone under my watch to die again."
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