Ever since the dream of the boy, Benjamin's nightmares had gotten worse. He found himself collapsing into naps at all hours, but they did nothing to the heavy dark circles beneath his eyes.

Having finished his medical analysis, Benjamin called the Royal Medical Institute to inform them that Prince Charles's medical report was ready. He had expected a courier or perhaps the twin guards to retrieve the file. Instead, to his surprise, the Prince himself appeared at his door.

When Charles saw Benjamin he was genuinely alarmed. "Doctor, are you feeling alright?" he asked, his gaze lingering on the dark bags under Benjamin's eyes. Oh, I didn't mean to stare. That's rude of me.

Benjamin managed a weak laugh, waving off the concern. "I'm well, thank you for asking, Your Highness." 

He settled behind his desk, his expression turning professional as he placed his hands flat on the surface. "As a matter of fact, Your Highness, I was quite shocked by your blood test. Please, you must take better care of yourself."

Charles nodded quietly. This is ironic, he thought. He's concerned for me, but he looks like a zombie.

"Before I begin, if you have any questions, please feel free to interrupt me, Your Highness. This is your health we're discussing," Benjamin said.

After Charles nodded, he continued. "Your blood screen shows a high level of pheromone toxicity. This results from unreleased pheromones. When the glands don't release pheromones on a regular basis, they break down in your body and secrete toxins into the bloodstream. Over time, this affects your blood circulation and it damages your internal organs. And based on the blood screen, Your Highness, you have about two weeks until your next rut."

Benjamin opened the folder, pointing to the meticulous notes within. "For the first week, I've prepared a specific herbal tincture. It uses concentrated extracts to flush toxins from your liver and kidneys. You need to take one of these two-ounce vials in the morning and before bed, Your Highness."

He paused, looking at the vials. "I've also included the formulas for these. I know the Royal Institute favors synthesized, modern medication, but I find they can at times be too abrasive for a body already under stress from toxins."

Charles looked at the glass vials with curiosity. In the modern era of the Empire, most physicians saw herbal medicine as an outdated, archaic practice—something belonging to history books. To see someone of Benjamin's caliber specializing in it was as fascinating as it was unusual.

"I'll ensure my doctors review this," Charles said. He was curious about what his doctors would say about these herbal tinctures. Would they look down on it?

"The second formula is a regulatory herbal tincture," Benjamin continued. "It acts similarly to how an omega's pheromones interact with an alpha. It relaxes your pheromone glands. I've adjusted this batch to complement your specific pheromones, Your Highness. I've also circled a medication that can be taken during ruts to help regulate body temperature."

Charles found himself mesmerized. Benjamin explained everything step-by-step with clarity and a patient eloquence, and he showed a genuine level of care and interest. Charles felt something warm and heavy welling up in his chest.

"Your Highness?" Benjamin prompted, wondering if the Prince was lost.

"Oh, sorry. No, this all sounds very thorough," Charles snapped back to reality.

"I've placed the labeled samples in this box," Benjamin said.

"Doctor, I'm truly grateful," Charles said, his voice softening. "Which reminds me, what do I owe you for the consultation and the medicine?"

Benjamin opened a drawer, pulled out a single sheet of paper, and slid it across the desk. It was a simple document that read:

PAYMENT: Healthcare is a fundamental right. Quality care should be accessible to all, regardless of financial means. This clinic utilizes a 'pay-as-you-can' fee structure.

Charles's eyes widened. "Is this a joke?" He looked at Benjamin, who was already calmly filing papers away. "So... I can pay whatever I want?"

"Yes, Your Highness," he looked up and smiled before returning to filing paper.

Charles reached into his pocket, pulled out a single silver coin, and placed it on the desk. A loaf of bread cost five silver bits. A standard consultation usually cost 50 silver bits (100 silver bits = 1 gold crown). 

Without hesitating, Benjamin just picked up the coin and placed it in a wooden box in his drawer, and said with a warm smile, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Really?" Charles asked in disbelief. "How much do your patients usually pay?"

"Between five and twenty silver bits. Some pay more if they can. Some don't pay at all. It's whatever they can afford."

"How is this clinic even running?" Charles asked, gesturing to the well-equipped clinic. "Do you perhaps have a giant pot of gold buried in the back?"

"My job is to help people, not to collect gold, Your Highness," Benjamin said nonchalantly. "Though if there is a pot of gold, I should probably start digging."

Charles felt a surge of respect and a bit of surprise at how naive he seemed. "Well, I guess I'll have to be your pot of gold, Doctor." He placed his entire coin pouch onto the desk.

Benjamin immediately pushed it back. "You've already paid, Your Highness. We don't double-charge."

"I won't take the medicine if you refuse the payment," Charles countered.

"I will take one gold crown," Benjamin offered, holding up a finger.

"No."

"Two?" Benjamin held up two fingers.

"The whole pouch." Charles stood, picking up the box. "Consider it a donation to the kingdom. I want to help my people, too."

Benjamin fell silent, a warmth spreading through him. "Well... thank you, Your Highness. This will help many people."

As Benjamin escorted him out to the carriage, Charles paused. "Doctor, take care of yourself. I can see the bags under your eyes."

He never minces his words, Benjamin thought. "Don't worry about me, Your Highness. I am a doctor, after all."

"Who said doctors don't get sick?" Charles retorted, walking toward his carriage. He felt a strange irritation that Benjamin was so quick to dismiss his own well-being.

As the carriage rumbled away, Benjamin let out a long sigh. He realized he hadn't said a word about ending their arrangement. Technically, this should be the end. But a small voice in the back of his mind hoped that it wouldn't be the last time he saw the Prince.

** ** ** ** ** **

The next day, Benjamin moved through his routine like a zombie. Sleep deprivation had turned his world into a blur. He woke up early to exercise, scrub the clinic, sanitize his equipment, and then opened the clinic.

Throughout the day, he found himself distracted by a kaleidoscope of the Prince's expressions. The world knew Prince Charles as a brilliant leader, always composed. But Benjamin had seen different sides to him. 

He saw the Charles who was stern enough to kill with a glance, but also the one who flushed a deep crimson when bashful, or the one whose eyes lit up with boyish excitement when recounting his day.

Clearly, I am lacking sleep. I've become delusional, Benjamin thought, shaking his head.

His unease was only sharpened by a message he had received the previous day. It was maddeningly vague, stating only that "precautions had already been taken." There wasn't a single mention of the Prince, even though Benjamin had explicitly warned them that Charles's proximity was a threat to his cover. How was he the only one alarmed?

Unable to settle his thoughts, Benjamin closed the clinic early and retreated to the terrace upstairs. He hauled a folding bed from the storage room and et it out on the terrace.

Holding a steaming cup of herbal tea, he watched the sun begin its slow descent. The sky was a colored in shades of orange, red, and deep blue, bleeding into a familiar shade of violet. "Those purple eyes," Benjamin murmured to the empty air.

"Whose?" a voice asked from the side.

"Whoa!" Benjamin flinched, nearly drenching himself in tea. He spun around to find the Prince standing at the top of the rear stairway that led directly from the back of the house to the terrace.

"Your Highness! What— what brings you here?" Benjamin stammered, heart racing as he set his tea down and rushed to greet the Prince.

"I knocked on the front door and rang the bell, but no one answered," Charles explained, stepping closer. "I wandered back here and found the stairs. I was worried about you, Doctor. You still have those bags under your eyes."

Before Benjamin could respond, Charles reached out. His touch was light, his fingers brushing the side of Benjamin's cheek as he rested his thumbs just below the dark circles of Benjamin's eyes.

Benjamin froze, pulled into the Prince's gaze. For a moment, he was utterly lost. Then realizing the situation he was in, his face flushed a light pink, and he took a step back.

"Thank you for checking on me, but I'm fine, Your Highness. Would you like something to drink?"

Charles stepped onto the terrace, turning his gaze to the horizon. Benjamin gestured toward the seat. 

"Oh, it's fine," Charles said, turning back with a soft expression. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, Your Highness."

"You don't have to call me 'Your Highness' when it's just the two of us. I'd prefer it if you just called me Charles."

Benjamin nodded mutely, his brain seemingly short-circuiting at the sound of the Prince's name.

"You've been looking so unwell," Charles continued. "There's a remote inn with hot springs about two or three hours from here. There isn't much else around it. It's excellent for the body and the mind. I was wondering if you'd go with me tomorrow? We could stay overnight and return the following morning."

Benjamin was dumbstruck. 

"It will be just the two of us," Charles added.

Just the two of us... Alone?! Benjamin was shocked.

"Do you… not want to?" Charles asked, his shoulders slumping.

Seeing the Prince look dejected, Benjamin forced a smile and replied softly, "I think that would be good for me. Thank you for thinking of me, Your Highness." 

Charles beamed, a radiant expression that always caught Benjamin off guard, and calmly spoke, "You should practice calling me 'Charles' tonight. I'm really glad you're coming. I truly hope the hot spring will help you."

"I'll pick you up at eight tomorrow morning. Sleep early tonight, Doctor," Charles said. He stepped toward Benjamin again, but Benjamin instinctively stepped back. 

Charles simply smiled, turned, and disappeared down the stairs. At the bottom, he paused to wave one last time before he left.

Benjamin stood in a daze, staring into the fading sunset.