Blue Blood and Belgium Chocolate

|14| To Responsibility

PRINCE LAURENT

The Wild Child

EVERY MORNING, I find myself taking a jog from my wing to the makeshift vet's office in the palace. The dog, whom I've secretly called Duke has been getting better. He was so starved of nutrients that he'd collapsed on the brink of starvation. 

No one understood why, even Andreé who found me. 

Duke saved me. There was no reason for him to. I've still got a few damaged ribs, my face still swollen but it could have been worse. The mark on my lip is fading, but it might leave a scar.

I'd underestimated the thief, I've no idea why he'd run at the growl but if I were to hazard a guess, Duke and the thief had history. Perhaps Duke had bitten the thief one too many times. I'm not sure.

Yet that didn't explain the need in me when it came to Duke. I couldn't leave him, I had to save him even though I'm to damaged to be saving anyone. 

Even in the palace as he gets better, I can't leave him. I'm sitting in the room we've made Duke's. It's almost all tiles, a few medical equipment and one plastic chair since everyone was more concerned over the furniture than Duke. 

To be fair, they had a point. 

So far, Duke had pissed on everything, and shat a good distance away from the food bowl. But he'd live.

I run my fingers on it's medium length brown fur. It's hard to gauge what it might have been breed with. It's long fur was thin, with multiple patches of fur missing. There's a bit of white under his neck, and his snout was sharp. 

I'd tried brushing him but Duke growled at me, and I stopped then. 

But things have been changing between us. Duke has stopped growling at me days ago and doesn't seem to mind me running my long fingers over his fur.  

It looks up at me, it's light brown eyes watching me. Dogs, when they're happy, would wag their tail. I haven't seen Duke wag his tail yet. It didn't matter, he saved my life. 

"How're you doing boy?" I ask him.

He never responds, he just looks me in the eye. He can never sleep on his own when I'm in the room, he'd wake up the minute the door opens. 

"Andreé asked about you," I tell him, "I said you're doing fine, you're getting better, soon you can start moving around the palace with me." 

At this, he moves his eye up as though raising his eyebrow, his ears are up and cocked towards me. 

"I know, father might not like it. He'll get used to it." 

"Prince Laurent?" The door opens. The kitchen staff I'd grown somewhat comfortable with appears at the door. "May I come in?"

"You're always welcome to," I say. I turn to look at her. For the life of me I couldn't remember her name. She'd been dropping by daily to check in on Duke. I never stopped her but we started talking and it felt a little to late now to ask for her name.

She takes a hesitant step forward, then she puts her hand in front of Duke.

Duke licks her, then she's running her fingers through his hair. "He's reacting well to the food and medicine," She says. "I'm surprised he's not moving about."

"Do you think he feels upset I've taken him out of the alley I've found him in?" I ask. It's been bothering me. Sometimes, when I look at Duke, I worry he looks depressed.