Suddenly, the flickering lights died completely.
In the pitch-black void, the silence felt even more terrifying. He could hear nothing but the frantic pounding of his own heart and his ragged, uneven breathing.
No, no, no, I can't do this. I don't want to do this.
When Benjamin finally forced his eyes open, he found himself staring once again at an unfamiliar ceiling. He was drenched in sweat.
This is my room. I'm in my room. I'm safe.
Why haven't I gotten used to this? I've been here for months, he thought, frustrated by his own mind.
Realizing that sleep was now impossible, he looked out at the dark horizon. Exercise it is.
Benjamin spent the pre-dawn hours training until his muscles ached, then washed up. He was exhausted. He had spent most of the night tossing and turning, his mind kept going back to how the Prince had touched his face and the way the he had asked to be called by his name. When he was finally able to drift into sleep, he found himself tormented by yet another nightmare.
Promptly at eight, a carriage arrived. Charles stepped out, and the moment he saw Benjamin's face, he was concerned for the doctor. However, Charles maintained a neutral expression and cast the doctor a quick smile.
"Thank you for this," Benjamin said, forcing a weary but genuine smile as he approached the Prince. "I'm really looking forward to it, Charles."
** ** ** ** ** **
In the carriage, Benjamin and Charles sat on opposite ends, the quiet space between them filled with the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves.
As the city fell away, replaced by the rolling hills of the countryside, Benjamin leaned out towards the carriage window. The fresh air and the sweeping landscapes with vibrant greens and golden fields calmed him. For the first time in weeks, he felt a genuine sense of ease.
Suddenly, he heard frantic, heavy pounding of hooves against the dirt. A carriage appeared from behind, racing at a breakneck speed. It surged off the path, wheels kicking up a cloud of dust as it overtook them. Benjamin's heart stopped. Sitting inside the passing carriage, clear as day, were his parents.
What are they doing here? Why are they in such a hurry?
"Mom! Dad! Mom! Dad!" Benjamin shouted, his voice cracking as he lunged toward the window, waving his hands frantically.
Charles was alarmed. "Is everything okay? Benjamin, were those your parents?"
There was no time for an explanation. "Mom! Dad! Where are you going? It's me!" Benjamin screamed, but his voice was swallowed by the roar of racing wheels and thundering hooves. They couldn't hear him. They didn't even look back.
"Charles, please tell the coachman to follow them! I don't know why they're rushing like that, it's dangerous!"
Charles didn't hesitate. He slid open the partition and barked an order to the coachman. Their carriage lunged forward, and they clutched their seats as the carriage accelerated. Without warning, the carriage screeched to a halt. The force threw both men forward, nearly slamming their heads against the cabin wall. Before the dust had even settled, Benjamin jumped out. Far down the road, his parents' carriage lay in a splintered wreck.
"Charles, I'm going!" Benjamin didn't wait for a reply.
He sprinted toward the crashed carriage. As he drew closer, he saw two figures emerge from the wreck. His parents. They looked unharmed.
"Mom, Dad! Wait for me!"
He expected them to stop and wait for help. Instead, they began to walk briskly down the path, moving with urgency. They didn't look back at the wreckage.
Where could they possibly be going?
A swift movement from the treeline caught his eye. A man in a black mask, a sword gleaming in his hand, dropped from a branch like a shadow. He began to walk toward the path to intercept his parents' trail.
"Hey! Stop!" Benjamin yelled at the top of his lungs.
The masked man froze, then turned slowly toward Benjamin. He didn't say a word, simply leveled his blade and began to close the distance. As the man swung his sword, Benjamin dropped low, the blade swooshing past over his head. He pivoted and delivered a brutal kick to the man's left thigh.
The masked man grunted, stumbling and losing his grip on the sword. Benjamin snatched it up instantly. The man pulled a dagger from his belt and stared at him with cold eyes behind the mask.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Benjamin demanded.
Without answering, the man lunged.
Benjamin wanted to check up on the man, to make sure the wound wasn't fatal, but he had no time. He looked for his parents, but they were already fading into the distance. As he was running, he saw his hands. They were stained a dark, terrifying red.
My parents can't see me like this.
He tried to wipe the blood onto his sleeves while running, thinking he could just roll his sleeves up later. But the blood was thick and sticky. The more he rubbed, the more it smeared, staining the fabric until his arms were soaked in it. The blood remained on his skin, stubborn and warm.
He stopped, chest heaving. His parents were small figures in the distance now. "Mom! Dad! I'm here! Wait!"
He kept moving. To his right, between ancient, towering trees, a light mist was rolling out like soft, low-hanging clouds. The air turned heavy and cool, carrying the scent of damp earth and crushed stone. He followed the mist until he found a pond. The water was unnaturally clear. Benjamin remembered Charles then.
The Prince will find me. He'll see the crash and follow the trail. I just need to wash this blood off.
He knelt at the pond's edge. In the reflection, he saw himself, disheveled hair and blood splattered across his face. He plunged his hands into the cool water. It felt soothing, drawing the frantic heat from his body. He scrubbed his skin, cupping the clear water to wash his face, checking his reflection over and over until every speck of red was gone.
"Doctor?"
Benjamin spun around, dripping wet.
"Charles!" He scrambled to his feet. "I have to go. Did you see them? My parents?"
Charles stepped into the clearing, his expression soft and calm. "I did. I've already sent my men after them. Don't worry, Benjamin. They'll bring them back here. You look so tired. You should rest."
The relief was so overwhelming that Benjamin felt his knees go weak, and he fell to his knees. "Thank you, Charles," he whispered.
Charles smiled and stepped into the pond. "Come here, Benjamin. The water is nice."
Benjamin sat down beside him, the water reaching his waist. It was peaceful. The scent of the rain-washed forest and the presence of the man beside eased his tension. He leaned his back against the mossy bank and slowly dozed off.
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