Chapter Eight
2280 Words
They sat around the dinner table, apart from the clink of silver wear, the hall was abnormally quiet. Báine broke that silence, “seconds please.”
Melonie’s eyes widened. “Are you really going to eat more?” Yule laughed, “you looked like you were about to pass out in your soup.”
“I’m hungry”, Báine whined.
“Alright. You can have mine”, Yule prepared to push the bowl over.
“Yule”, Melonie stepped in, “you’re not weaseling your way out of drinking soup.”
Yule sulked and Báine laughed at him. The siblings retreated to Báine’s room afterwards, Melonie warned them not to stay up late. So the teens decided to talk over a game of chess. The thought of going to school had always been undoubtedly daunting to Báine but she found herself eager to get to the academy. She had never fancied overly crowded places, but she felt a bit at ease since Dewhirst's exclusive accessories can be worn with the uniform, which included a beret. Báine even felt prepared, Melonie gained their syllabus and prompted the children to review to prepare for school.
“Everything’s going so well”, her lips quirked up.
“What’s up with you?” Yule looked up from the chessboard.
“Just thinking”, she returned to the moment. Yule gave his signature hum and moved his knight. Báine grinned and moved her bishop, “checkmate.”
Yule sat back, his eyes blown wide. Indeed, his queen was surrounded by Báine’s Bishop, King and Knight. “How?” Yule ruffled his hair.
Báine smiled as she watched his eyes flit back and forth across the board. She opened her mouth, but a rhythmic tapping on her door arrested their attention.
“It’s opened”, Báine called.
Melonie poked her head in. Seeing the two around the chessboard, she smiled. “Lights out in five.”
The corner of Yule’s mouth dipped, and he huffed through his nose, “alright.” Yule yawn a bit as he rose to his feet, “Good night.”
“Sleep well.”
He patted Báine’s head before he disappeared behind their shared door. Báine hummed under her breath as she packed away the chess pieces. There was a flash of white in her peripherals. Her eyes snapped to her vanity mirror, in its reflection, a white-haired boy stood behind her. Báine’s hair stood on end, she whipped around but there was no one. A pricking sensation crawled behind her eyes, her fingers rising to her temple to soon the pain.
“Ah!” she collapsed to the ground with a resounding thud. The moment she touched her face it was as if someone took a hammer to her temple.
Yule rushed back into her room when he heard the noise. “Bai, what’s wrong?” he pulled her into his arms, “Where does it hurt?”
“My head”, she choked out. Báine felt as if something inside her was trying to claw its way out of her skull. The tussle drowned Yule’s call for help in her mind. She acknowledged the jerk in her body as they passed her from one person to another.
“She’s burning up”, Melonie’s cool hand pressed against Báine’s forehead. She turned to her son, “prepare the car.”
Báine’s ears hardened after and her eyes failed. Whenever she would come to the scenery was different. The world suddenly slowed to a stop. A chilly hand rested on her sweat-soaked forehead and Báine leaned into that cool touch. “Mrs. Edurne”, a familiar impersonal voice called.
“I prefer Willows”, Melonie clipped.
“My apologies Mrs. Willows I have a few questions. Does she have any underlying illnesses?”
“No.”
“Has she experienced recent head trauma? Maybe an accident or bumped into a wall?”
“None that I know of.”
“I see.” A beeping resounded it was at that moment Báine felt something shift from under her arm. “Her fever has subsided on it’s own.” The cool hand on her forehead disappeared and she chased the comfort. “Ms. Edurne, I need you to open your eyes for me.” Báine did as the voice asked. “I am doctor Nicneven, nice to meet you”, he got the formalities out of the way, “can you sit up?” Báine faced the man, her eyes flitting about his features. It was the doctor whom she had run from on her first visit. She pulled herself together, the man reached out to help her.
“Calm down.”
The words permeated through and reached deep into her mind. The agonizing sensations yielded immediately, and the echoes of the resulting headache faded. Báine watched the doctor with wide eyes. “Is something the matter?” he held Báine’s eyes.
“No.”
“Is the headache still persisting?”
“It’s manageable.”
“That’s good.” He checked her eyes and ears quickly. After he sat at the edge of his desk. “Since her fever had subsided I’d like to diagnose it as a lone acute headache”, he relayed unabatingly. Then he smiled at the teen, it was like the one he showed his son. “We also call it the thunderclap headache. I believe you can guess why.” Báine nodded. “However”, he recovered some solemnity, “a severe headache accompanied by a fever could be signs of a viral infection. While such an eventuality need not necessarily mean a life-threatening illness, we need to run some tests.”
“Okay”, Báine agreed calmly. While she wasn’t fond of hospitals, she was familiar with them since she had a weak constitution as a child.
Her cooperation made the procedures swift. Now she sat in the hall a soda in hand as she waited for the next test. Báine fixed her eyes beyond the window. Stars danced across its navy blue canvas, the trees followed their sway.
“Visiting hours are over.” The impassive voice caused Báine to snap her head up. Rohan froze in his stride. For the second time in her life, she stared into the eyes of a stranger. “How beautiful”, he gazed at her with reverence, “like little crystals.” Báine was confused but her eyes widened after a breath. She whipped around, turning her back to him. Her hair was braided to hide her white hair but she didn’t have her glasses. “I don’t think I’ve seen such blue eyes”, his voice was to her back. The lack of personal boundaries made her scoot away. Rohan didn’t close the gap between them, his dark eyes flicked down before looking up again. “I guess you’re not lost again.”
Báine looked to her wrist, the glaring blue hospital band somehow slipped her notice. “Yea.” She glanced at Rohan who sat facing her. “So why are you here?”
“Father-son time”, he shrugged.
“At this hour?” Báine arched a brow. If her memory serves her correctly it’s almost midnight.
“He doesn’t mind me hanging around.” Rohan tilted his head, his brows furrowed slightly. “He said I should get used to it since I’ll work here one day.”
“Your father wants you to be a doctor?”
Rohan looked to his hands, the gold specks shook in his iris. “No”, his eyes crinkled, “I want to be a doctor.” Rohan’s lips quirked up slightly. “Well at first I wanted to because of father but”, he looked out the window.
Báine watched entranced. The moon ceased to hide behind its cloudy veils, casting its soft rays on the dark-haired boy. His glistening face seemed to have gone back to a different moment in time. “What changed your mind?” She wanted to see the beautiful memory he saw, she hadn’t noticed she closed the gap between them.
Rohan found himself gravitating towards her as well. “Once”, he faced Báine again, “there was someone who other doctors had written off. But my father didn’t write her off. I remember how much that family cried when he saved her limbs. I decided then I wanted to help others too. She left this place with crutches but visits on occasion and she walks fine now.” Rohan sat up straight, the corners of his lips dipped some. “Besides with my talents I’d rather help people.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ms. Edurne”, the call made both teens look down the hall. “Oh, Rohan you’re here too”, doctor Nicneven continued towards them. “This will be her last test them we can go home”, he informed his son. He smiled at Báine next, “of course this means you can go home too. Now come along.”
She rose and followed him. “Bye”, she turned back and waved at Rohan.
“I hope everything goes well”, he waved back.
Báine can’t tell if he meant that, she’s learned that his voice doesn’t betray his intentions. When the tests had finally concluded the mother-daughter pair piled into their waiting vehicle. Melonie immediately turned on the heater. The drive back was quiet, Báine curled up in the back seat, swaddled in a blanket and breathing evenly. The chauffer intermittently checked on the Young Miss, worry creased his brows. Foder was familiar with the Young Miss condition, but he had never heard of her suffering from sudden headaches. Despite the heater being on the vehicle was fairly cold. Fodor glanced at Báine again.
“Madam, could it be?” he quietly inquired.
“It is”, she sighed, “and we’re not the only one’s who’s noticed.”
“Madam it was only a matter of time”, Foder added respectfully.
As the chauffeur pulled into the driveway Yule who was accompanied by maids came into view. Melonie couldn’t help but smile. When Foder cut the engines Yule opened the passenger door. Melonie reached over to stir Báine.
“No”, he stopped her, “I got it.” He tightened his sister’s cocoon and lifted her out.
A small grunt came from Báine as they climbed the stairs. The younger slightly opened her eyes from the jostling. They look to her, whose icy eyes seemed to shine in the evening’s darkness. “Yule?” The vacancy was replaced by recognition.
“Welcome back sleepy head”, Yule smiled.
He placed her on her feet when they entered the foyer. Báine wriggled her hand free and rubbed her eyes, “oh we’re back?”
Melonie rubbed her daughter’s stiff hands that quickly regressed from waxy to soft. “Did you dream of anything?”
“Yea”, Báine nodded sleepily.
“Tell me about it”, Melonie guided Báine up the stairs.
“Something about white-haired boy and a small cat. We were in a white flower field.” Báine yawned, “The boy seemed like a young king? He had the charisma for it. He asked me a bunch of questions.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t remember.”
There were no more festivities for the night. The girl couldn’t be bothered with a bath and left it to the maids, she went through the motions half asleep. Báine hit her pillow and surrendered to rest’s sweet embrace. However, only a moment was spent before shadows passed over her eyes. Báine opened her eyes to a bleak sky, the clouds passing over her. She glanced around and realised she rested in a snow-laden meadow. Blooms of Christmas roses scented the crispy, cool air. It took her a moment to realise that she was dreaming, that she was in that place. The place where she could meet the boy and the cat. She looked to her right and there the man sat in blue and white garbs, the epitome of royalty. Curled by his side, the previously small cat rested its head on the man’s thigh. Báine lay still and watched him pet the big cat. She remembered the alarm that gripped her when they first met; she had woken up to the man looming over her. Now Báine feels at ease in his presence.
The man, who really looked like a boy in his teens, smiled at her. Báine suspected a myriad of Victorian romances she’s devoured in her lifetime conjured him. The whole person glowed with boyish charm. His skin was as white as unsoiled snow, his slightly curled alabaster hair swaying gently in the wind. His strong brows and straight nose relaxed, guided by the smile pulling full pink lips. His high cheekbones seemed to amplify his almond-shaped eyes and his jaw was defined without being rigid. This prince was colour in this world of white. He hid his figure under the royal purple and blue drapes, and gold ornaments adorned his neck and chest. During their last meeting, he disclosed the collar of his overcoat, sown with white fox fur.
“Do you have a question, little one?”
“Who are you?” Báine asked.
“Didn’t I tell you in your last visit?” he perfectly arched a full brow. Báine shook her head. “My name is Jack.”
- Writer
