Their eyes scanned over my heavily wounded body, covered with multi-colored bruises and scars, both stunned into silence.

"This looks bad, doesn't it?" I mumbled with a nervous chuckle, squirming under the pressure. 

"Bad?" Gene repeated, eyes wide with disbelief, "You look like you just went to war!"

"I'm just very clumsy, " I laugh, rubbing the back of my head. It wasn't a lie.

Dr. Baltimore looked at me sternly, "Elijah, are you being abused?"

I gasped, shaking my head quickly, "No! If you knew my father, you wouldn't be saying that."

Gene furrowed his brow, "Who's you fath-"

"Doesn't matter as long as you're not being hurt purposely, " Dr. Baltimore exclaimed, a little too quickly. Like he knew my secret. 

"I can assure you that it's nothing like that, " I smiled, waving a dismissive hand, "I'm actually here because my father could stand to see me getting hurt so often. A few weeks before I came here, I managed to hit my forehead four times in one day."

"How?" Gene asked, crossing his arms, "I don't believe it."

I brought a finger to my chin, "Well, I ran into a wall twice, accidentally head-butted a nurse while being treated then I ran into a pillar while in town."

"It's a curse then, " Dr. Baltimore joked, unaware as to how true his words were.

"Yeah..." I trailed off, looking around the small place.

Dr. Baltimore began cleaning my wound while Gene continued to stare my bodily blemishes.

I took this time to get a good look at Gene, acknowledging that he was fairly attractive with dirty blond hair and steel-blue eyes that I had only noticed now.

"The hell you looking at, pretty boy?" Gene growled, bringing me out of my daze.

"Aw, Gene thinks I'm pretty!" I teased, trying to divert his attention.

It's quite a treat to see a stoic man like Gene blush as red as a ruby in the sun. It's rather hard not to laugh at the unusual sight.

Before he could retort with, his father jumped back with a grin, "Done!" 

I stood up, "How much do I owe, Doctor?" 

"Oh, I don't char-" 

"8 pounds." 

Dr. Baltimore sent his son a sharp glare before going to protest but I had already pulled out my leather pouch. Perks of being a prince. 

"That's all?" 

This town wasn't wealthy in the slightest and nothing my father did could help. 

He tried to lower the taxes but then we didn't have enough money to properly clean our water. I attempted to give out free fruits grown at the castle but that only made things worse. 

We were helpless. 

At least I'd be able to help Dr. Baltimore and Gene with my frequent visits. 

"U-unless you want to tip, " Gene stammered out, getting another glare from his father. 

I smiled, nodding, pulling out 9 pounds and 10 shillings, placing them into the hands of Dr. Baltimore. 

I walked past Gene to the door, waving, "See you soon, Doctor. " 

"Wait! Eli-" 

I had already closed the door and took Maiden's reins, walking another from the building. 

Now all I had to do was find a decent living place. 

Shouldn't be that hard.