The Prince and His Servant

Chapter 20

A long, excruciating month had passed before I finally laid eyes on him again. Seeing him in such a horrid state of disrepair was somewhat disheartening. He looked as if he was a beggar his whole life, scratched and bruised, clad in a villager's clothes, now torn. For the first time in my life, I had seen him with a good amount of stubble making it's home on his face. He was paler than before, which was unfathomable to me. He became thinner as well.

I had no presence of mind during the time that such a man as he could ever be like this again. The only time I had ever seen him in such a state was when we first met in his home village. He was thirteen. I, only eight. I was accompanied by my great friend at the time, who is now strictly my secretary, and multiple guards. He only told his caretaker that he was leaving. She smiled and waved him off like he was royalty... Bless her heart.

Since then, he and I had gotten along fairly well. In his presence, I was either hyperactive or completely serene, feelings I long for now that the time seems to be dead and gone. I was heartbroken when I realized how we were drifting apart. He seemed to be less interested in my existence, coming around me less and less. Instead of a friend, he slowly became a mere servant. Of course, I felt privileged that he was servant to only me, but the gaping hole in my heart at his absence overwhelmed the feeling.

Now, he's gone so far as to run from me under the cover of the trees in the night, and I fear greatly that the chasm that separated us has grown to the point where I cannot cross. I just wish I had not played such games back then. If I hadn't, I know for certain we could have easily made amends...

* * * * * * * * * * *

I recognized his voice after the first word escaped his lips. There was no mistaking the low, intimidating voice that, somehow, now seemed gentle, even in conviction. It was difficult to keep my composure after realizing it was him, but I forced my lips to remain closed, my eyes to give the illusion of perplexity and surprise. I wasn't yet going to concede knowledge of his identity.'

Questioning the man whom I held so dear as if he was a mere stranger, a threat, even, was almost beyond my capabilities. Only once had I ever wanted to push this man away, but that time has cursed me; I had only felt that way what felt like moments ago, despite a time frame lasting at least an hour.

Hostility and rage were forced to lace my voice while I willed it to falsely quiver slightly. I knew that in order to make my façade convincing, I had to make it seem as if I was frightened, but was trying to act strong and undeterred. Is that not how anybody with a personality such as mine would act if hurled into a situation like this?

The voice of this man, however, became sullen. Great disappointment and sorrow was manifested in a way I had never heard from him before. It was as if his greatest hopes and dreams had been violently ripped apart.

And in only an instant, my entire life had changed. Before I could inform him of my somewhat foul play, it was too late. The sound of leaves and branches hastily rustling had already reached my ears, and there was nothing I could do to stop him from escaping my life. I knew it would be futile to attempt to call out to him, but only after I ripped the words from my throat as quickly and loudly as possible.

"Wait, Levi!! Please, don't leave me!!!"

He was already gone. My eyes wide, I slunk back into the branch I previously sat it. I hadn't realized that I had stood up until I felt my muscles relax, and I felt an intense wave of relief. However, it hardly compared to what I felt in my heart.

It wasn't long before I heard a swarm of feet rushing towards the forest, frantically yelling in German, asking what had happened and if I was alright, but I barely heard them. I felt almost numb, the only thing I focused on was the beat of my heart and how I had just lost the most important person in my life. I couldn't muster a response to anyone's inquiries.

Not long after they came out, they found the very tree I had been perched in. Of course, I at least had the presence of mind to understand that there was nobody in the manor that possessed climbing skills to level mine. Of course, the only exception was...

I soon felt faint. I had finally processed the intensity of my loss, and I felt faint. Yells, screams, even the rustling of branches as the personnel attempted to reach me felt like distant buzzing sounds, something I could barely process as obsolete sound. It took everything in me not to lose consciousness on the branch, knowing my snowy demise would have been inevitable.

Mustering all the strength I could, I sent a weary shout to my staff.

"If I fall... You all better catch me..."

What sounded like shocked gasps rung in my ears, and I knew they had heard me. My head started to spin, and I became worried. It was slowly becoming better and better of a possibility that I could fall. Whether or not I hit branches and other trees on the way down... it was something I didn't want to think about.

I took hold of the nearest branch to steady myself as my entire body began to sway to and fro. Sounds became more blended, my vision slowly blurring and blackening. I could feel my grip on the branch begin to weaken involuntarily. My other hand moved as if it possessed it's own mind and wildly searched for another branch to cling on. Finding nothing, it slammed against the trunk of the tree, the muscles in my arm feeling torn.

As I felt my body lean to the side, my hand slipping, the world around me went black.

* * * * * * * * * * *

My eyes shot open, my body lurching upwards. I frantically looked around, not taking time to process anything. As I took in the room around me, it became more and more familiar. Soon, I recognized the white walls and sterile smell to be the manor's infirmary. I settled back into the bed I was apparently lying on, calmed by the fact that I was in a known place.

I was surprised that I remembered what all had taken place before I found myself in this room, and the astonishingly little amount of pain I was. I could even go as far as to say that I felt no pain whatsoever.

I stood up, but soon realized I was tethered by needles and sacks of clear liquid, all of which connected to a metal stand that was as tall as I was. Luckily, I found that it could move with me, so I grabbed hold of it and walked to the bathroom. Since I felt no pain, I was curious as to my current state. My body looked fine, though it was pale compared to my natural skin tone, but I had no idea what bruises and such my face held.

My eyes widened at the horribly familiar face staring back at me in the mirror.

The secret beast that had made it's way into my very soul had emerged, and I looked like a monster. My eyes were blackened where the whites of my eyes were, and my irises went from a foamy blue-greed to a crimson red, the color of blood. My teeth became fangs, almost to the point where human speech was unattainable. And most noticeably, I had a newfound hunger for... human flesh.

Nobody in the manor could see me like this. They would all to quickly make the connection between the absence of the prince they know and the unfamiliar beast that I currently was and make one of two horrible assumptions; either their prince was kidnapped, or the horrid beast was their prince.

I could bear the first option.

It didn't take a moment to rip the needles out of me and throw the metal stand to the ground. Quicker than my mind could process, I was into my study and taking the darkest clothes I could find. My taste in skin-tight black clothes prevailed, and I was changing in mere seconds. In the same amount of time, I was done and back in the infirmary.

Arriving in said room, I didn't hesitate a single second in breaking through the window, and then into a run once outside. The cold snow didn't phase me. I ran as fast and as far as I could, not stopping until I was positive I was out of harm's way.

As I ran, I recalled what exactly had made me like this in the first place. It was Levi's disappearance that triggered it all. From then on, I knew my objective, and it was obvious.

I had to find Levi and bring him back to me.

My sincere hope was that he remained alive while in my care.