Dance of the Damned

Conflict

"I wish to know, what your relation to Micah is, Your Highness," Briar asked seeing a soft expression come over the man again.

"The young master?" Alexander said, thinking. "Well, you could say that I admire him. That he is someone I look up to."

"Micah?" Briar asked, surprised.

"Yes, why do you look so surprised?" He asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"WI-I didn't mean ... Y-you see. Uh."

Alexander burst into a laugh, "You don't have to be so serious with me. But I understand, he is so frail, why would anyone admire him?"

"I don't mean it that way, your highness." Briar insisted, panicking. "I just ... I have seen you visit the estate once. So I just wondered how you would know about ... Micah."

"I heard about him from my father." He explained, "I believe I was twelve when he was born. My father would not stop talking about this child that just glowed when he was born.

"He would visit the Pober estate quietly, without anyone knowing, and would bring me with him sometimes.

"I was very fascinated when I first heard about the young master from my father and when I finally met him, he interested me even more.

"Someone so frail and yet so strong, how could I not feel admiration?" He asked with a wistful look on his face as he stared at the rain slowing down. "He reminded me of my brother.

"Soft and with the entire world on their backs." Sighing, he held his hand out to catch the falling droplets off the trees around the building. "It is a little unfair, wouldn't you say?"

"I do think so too! Why can’t they just be allowed to live life comfortably?" Briar said, a little too enthusiastically but he didn't care this time. "People I have met always say that it is to make them stronger but I don't understand.

"They have to live life full of hardships already. I ... I hate to see him get hurt just to do things I can brush off without another care. It's not fair."

"You are very kind, Briar," Alexander said, staring up at the trees. "Take care of what is important, ok? So that you will not be living in regret like I am now."

"I will remember that with all my heart," Briar said, grinning at Alexander. "After all, I have been given a second chance, haven't I? I will not waste it."

"Good," Alexander said, looking him right in the eyes. "Very good. Now, shall we go inside? The young master will be looking for you."

"Ok!" Briar said excitedly as they began to walk inside the hospital. "And ... thank you, for the advice, your highness."

Alex stared at him with a glint in his eyes before smiling at him, "It was my pleasure."

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Micah was given a thorough scolding from Elise and then from Briar while they fussed over him the entire night, even after they moved him to another hospital, a better one, that night itself.

They also reserved a room only for Micah so that he will be able to rest properly. Though, the main reason is that they are afraid that he might be attacked again if placed with other patients.

After what Morgan said, they have all grown even more scared, making sure that the windows are closed and locked up tight, checking the room to make sure there is nothing or no one hiding.

They also made sure to choose a hospital that the Lord and Lady would not know about so that all the possibilities are thrown out the window.

Once they settled him down, Philip stated that he has to go back, he is still just a groundskeeper.

Briar offered to take him to the estate and then return the horse before coming back to the hospital. Elise had to go back as well, she still has to ask for permission to stay with Micah from the Lord and Lady of the house.

Alexander offered to stay with Micah while his guard stood at the door to keep an eye out for anything that could be suspicious.

“You only need to bring my other men to me and I will leave to the castle from here.” He said pleasantly. “Leave the young master to me, I will make sure nothing happens to him.”

“But, we cannot ask you to do that, your majesty.” Elise gasped, though she worried about leaving him alone.

“You are not asking me to do anything,” Alexander reassured her. “I am offering to be of help. You can choose whether to accept or reject my request.”

“Then,” She said, looking at Philip and Briar, “I suppose I can take you up on your offer.”

“Wonderful.” He beamed, “Now go on and take as much time as you need to. I will be right here until you come.”

They were still worried but decided to go through with it after telling Micah about their plan. He looked excited enough to be spending time with Alexander that they decided to leave immediately but rush back as quickly as possible.

_________________

“Are you comfortable? No pains? Hungry?” Elise asked, fixing the covers on Micah over and over again.

“I am fine, Nanny Elise.” He laughed, seeming to have regained back some of his strength. “You are too worried about me and you are just going to be gone a while.”

“Of course I will be worried about you, young master.” She said almost like she was offended by what he just said. “No one will worry about you as much as I do.”

“I know.” He said, reaching a bandaged hand to her, smiling very weakly. “And I love you for that!”

Elise hand to quickly clam a hand over her mouth to stop herself from bursting into tears when she saw his weak smile. Smiling was what Micah did best in her eyes and to see him hardly have the strength to even do that broke her into a million little pieces.

“Nanny Elise?”

Sucking in a breath, she wiped the tears away and forced her voice to be steady, “You have become quite skilled with words, haven’t you, young master?”

He smiled again, “I am trying to be better at them.”

“Elise.” Philip walked into the room after knocking. “We should get going so that you can come back fast. Young master, do get better. I and the people in the house will be waiting impatiently for you to come back.”

“I want to sleep in the garden again, Philip.” The boy said with a wistful look on his face, catching Philip off guard immediately.

“You will, in no time you will.” He said, voice shaking. “I will plant even more trees so that there will be more spots for you to lay down in the garden. So … concentrate on getting better, young master and come back home.”

“Ok!” Micah said, trying his hardest to smile wider but couldn’t. “If Philip says so then I will. I can’t wait to see the new trees!”

Briar stared at Micah and his excited declaration, a frown coming on his face as he walked to his friend and flicked him on the forehead.

“Briar!” Elise and Philip shouted, trying to pull the boy away but he would not budge.

“Bradie?” Micah asked, rubbing his sore forehead as a red spot appeared.

“How can you see? You are blind.” He said earning a gasp from his father and Elise.

“That is enough young man!” Philip shouted. “What do you think you a-“

“Shut up!” Briar shouted at his father, tears streaming down his face as he turned back to Micah. “You are blind. You are weak and frail. So … so lean on me, you big i***t!”

“Bradie?” Micah asked, confused as Alexander entered with a guard, tensed, until they saw the two boys. “What are you talking about?”

“You always think that you can do whatever you want, however you want.” He complained, wiping the tears from his face. “I thought I was your best friend.”

“You are-“

“Why didn’t you tell me that you were going out then?” He asked, fuming while his lips trembled. “I … if you died tonight, what would have happened?! Tell me?? Are you going to leave me alone like mum did?!”

“Briar," Philip said under his breath, averting his eyes from his distraught son.

"I- I would never leave, Bradie," Micah said, hands trembling as he reached out for his friend. "I had no intention of leaving you alone. I-I am here right?"

"Yeah." The boy said, taking his hand in his. "Don't go anywhere and I won't either."

"Ok," Micah said, hands trembling as Briar squeezed it. This was meant to be reassuring but he did not feel reassured. Not at all.