The Dragon Prince's Warrior

Not all hope is lost

Yun couldn't hear another word; that was enough to unleash chaos in his mind. Even though his body still ached, he couldn't afford to rest when something terrible had happened to Siu. He slammed the door shut behind him, and although he didn't know the way, the prince didn't hesitate to stride down the hallway in search of that elusive doctor.

"Your Highness, please wait! Oh no... I'm in trouble," the nurse exclaimed, then nervously bit her nails.

On the way, Yun tied his sleek black hair into a low ponytail as he continued walking. Everyone was alarmed as they saw him pass, but they didn't dare to speak to him; they merely bowed.

Yun had to verify this; he needed to, desperately. He looked around in all directions, but everything seemed the same, and the white surroundings were starting to make him feel nauseous. Not even within the walls of the Palace had he felt such fear of confinement.

Finally, some nurses attempted to engage in conversation with the prince, albeit in vain because he didn't listen to reason. Whenever one of them tried to ask him if he needed anything, Yun immediately ordered them to take him to Siu. However, all he received were negative and vague responses.

"The same... Always the same, damn it," Yun thought as he wandered through the hospital, his breath so heavy that he felt like his uncontrollable anger could erupt once again. "She has to appear, or I'll stop calling myself Qing Yun."

Shouts and murmurs filled the air as Yun began checking door after door, smashing them down with his strong arms. Self-control had once again vanished. A whirlwind of chaos surged from the tips of his feet to the tips of his hair.

Every door he destroyed revealed some convalescent person, and there was no sign of Siu anywhere. However, in one of them, the head doctor was seated at his desk, so calm that it only exacerbated Yun's anger.

As soon as the doctor noticed the furious prince, he did nothing more than kneel and raise his trembling hands in front of him, then covered himself with both arms defensively, which Yun responded to by grabbing the man by the collar of his coat to bring him up to his face. The man continued to make involuntary movements that indicated how terrified he was.

"Doctor, you've had me waiting all day, and after all that, you have the audacity to avoid me," Yun muttered through gritted teeth. "Let me tell you, my patience has run out, and I need to see my companion, now."

"I... I was just about to come to you, Your Highness," the doctor explained, his voice trembling. "But she... She ran away, yes... That's right, she's not here anymore."

"I don't believe a word you're saying!" the young prince shook the man forcefully, who only complained under his breath to avoid screaming in terror. "Take me to the place where she disappeared. It's an order!"

"Alright, alright," the doctor responded hastily, still trembling. "I'll take you to her room, Your Highness. But I beg you to put me down, please."

Yun's gaze softened as he perceived the man's panic. This, combined with the fearful looks that emerged from the entrance of the office, allowed him to calm down from his rage enough to lower the doctor immediately. He didn't intend to offer an apology until the hospital's head fulfilled his promise and showed him what had happened to his friend.

"Lead the way, Your Highness," said the doctor, somewhat subdued, as he began walking while straightening his shirt collar, which had been wrinkled during the incident.

"Will I finally learn the truth? I hope so, or else he'll face the consequences," the prince thought to himself and followed the middle-aged doctor through the hallways.

Around him, people bowed wherever he directed his steps.

The doctor walked down a dimly lit hallway, and at the end was a room labeled "Intensive Care"; he seemed reluctant to open the door, hesitating with the key in the handle. After taking a deep breath, he opened the door completely to enter a place that seemed gloomy to Yun.

"Why is this place so dark? Shouldn't an intensive care room have better conditions?" Yun inquired with a furrowed brow as he looked around.

Much sooner than Yun expected, the doctor knelt almost at his feet in a deep bow. But what was wrong with this man claiming to be the chief doctor? The prince lifted him by the shoulders, no more formalities were needed; he was tired of the senseless bowing.

"What's going on? Explain yourself, because you're testing my patience!" Yun exclaimed, restraining himself from assaulting the man for his incompetence.

"I apologize," the doctor spoke through sobs. "We did everything in our power, but Miss Wu..."

"She what?" Yun questioned as he looked around, noticing a covered body on a bed in the corner.

Yun's ebony eyes widened with uncertainty and fear. His heart raced, and he swallowed hard. Without a second thought, he approached the bed, while the doctor stood expectantly behind him.

The prince pulled back the blanket, revealing Siu with her lifeless face, closed eyes, and her chest unmoving, a sign that she hadn't been breathing for who knows how long.

"This can't be happening," he thought, feeling heaviness wash over him. His eyes welled up, and he looked up to keep from crying once again. His brow furrowed with pain, and he simply took her cold hand in his; there was nothing more to do or say.

A sense of helplessness mixed with sadness and anger battled within Yun. He felt himself falter under the dual weight of grief. His beloved mother, for whom he would forever bear the disappointment of not having been able to help effectively, and now Siu... whom he had just met but who gave him the impression of having known her for a lifetime, despite it being only a few days; that fact didn't lessen the pain of seeing her lifeless body.

Immediately, Yun knelt by the bed, raised the hand he held to his lips, and gave it a kiss goodbye. At least to her, he would say farewell in her presence.

"You were a cheerful, radiant, and incredibly brave maiden," he thought, "Your presence gave me solace when I felt alone in my mission, and even though the fact that you followed me to try to help both of us cost us dearly, I was genuinely delighted to have met you. I wish my damn pride hadn't stopped me from telling you that while you were alive, and I didn't have to wait for death to confess it."

That final thought pained him deeply; it was true. He could no longer express how much he appreciated her company, and the pain increased another degree. A tear slid down his cheek and fell directly onto Siu's hand, which he was holding.

Yun stared at the lone tear, hating himself for crying so much, but it was inevitable in these moments. However, the doctor's voice pulled him from his musings.

"Your Majesty... I deeply regret hiding from you what we couldn't prevent, I truly had hopes that she would awaken from the coma; even her heart showed a final sign of life, but it was only a fleeting moment," he said, approaching a few steps. Yun wiped away the tear and turned to look at him attentively without letting go of the girl's lifeless hand.

"I believe you. That's why you should have been honest with me when I asked about her," Yun said, disappointment and sadness in his voice. "I... apologize for all the damage my desperation caused. I promise to make amends as soon as I return to the Forbidden City Palace."

Yun couldn't say another word, because at that very moment, he felt movement on his hand: it was Siu's hand clinging to his. This sensation filled him with a mix of panic and excitement.

"Doctor... She just grabbed my hand," he said in almost a whisper, getting up and preparing to scrutinize Siu's face. Indeed, it seemed like she was breathing again.

"Allow me, Your Highness... I will examine her," the doctor said, his voice quivering, and moved to check the girl's vital signs. He stood up and addressed the prince. "This is exactly what's been happening with her."

"She breathes erratically, her temperature normalizes, but her heart doesn't beat; honestly, it's a phenomenon I can't explain to myself," said the doctor, coming closer. Yun analyzed the situation meticulously. Everything was confusing and made no sense. On one hand, he felt like his soul was returning to his body with a glimmer of hope that she was still alive. On the other hand, her heart wasn't beating.

"Maybe if I take her to the Palace, we can find out what's happening," he thought. "I might be able to save her."

Without saying another word on the matter, Yun picked up the girl, who, if she was stiff before, now her bones and muscles had completely relaxed, and her breathing was stabilizing in her body.

"Your Highness, wait... Where are you taking her?" the doctor asked with concern.

"I plan to take her home with me... Something tells me she will survive if I have her with me, she might have a chance to live."

"Very well, as you wish, Your Majesty," the doctor replied, hesitating.

The doctor was left speechless, crossed his arms, and didn't argue with the prince, who seemed so determined to have her by his side. Moreover, it was better for him if he washed his hands of it completely because she was on a thin line between life and death.

"I need a carriage; we're ready to leave here," Yun said with determination, to which the doctor nodded and went to fetch what the prince demanded.