Light Eyes; DarK Eyes

Chapter 13

It turned out that one of the healers knew a man that might be able to help. It turned out that he was neither Celestine nor Darric, but from a nation to the East. His given name was Jordan, but for the most part he was called Doc, and with light brown hair and grey eyes, he stood out. Doc had listened politely to Aurora’s tale, for all that his face read of bleak news. When she got to the part where Aiden had voluntarily helped her, he raised a hand to make her pause.
“He helped you? This is the same man we’re talking about, yes?” he asked, well aware of the usual Celestine-Darric relationship. She nodded. Doc frowned thoughtfully. He had traveled through Darria not too long ago. The description Aurora gave him reminded him of someone he’d met briefly… “I may be able to help your friend, Princess.” He said, gathering some things he might need and putting them in a bag.

Aiden was in worse shape when they returned. His fever was higher, so that even under blankets he was cold, and he shivered violently. His face was a white mask of pain, paler than the sheets around him. He was obviously unconscious, but he writhed every now and then, which just made the pain worse, so that a soft moan could be heard. Doc took one look at him and dived for something at the bottom of the bag.
“I’ll need you to keep him still,” He said, still searching. Aurora braced herself against the headboard of the bed. “Prop him up, if you can, it’ll make it easier.” She held his upper body up, keeping a firm grip on his arms. He flinched at her touch; unconscious, his body had very few other defenses.
“Ah ha!” Doc cried, holding up what he’d been looking for, whatever it was. It looked rather like a bar of soap, gray in color, with odd shiny patches. He got out a bowl as well, and a knife. He picked up the blade first.
“I’m going to have to cut him,” He warned, keeping the soap-like object close at hand. Aurora nodded; it seemed like Doc knew what he was doing. The keen blade bit into Aiden’s arm, above the elbow. Aiden jumped under the sudden assault, leaning away from the man. Blood flowed from the cut, the same color as Aiden’s eyes. Doc spoke again, voice rather tense.
“I have to pull the iron out of his body. This,” He waved the soap-thing, “is a powerful magnet. With it, I should be able to get the iron out…I imagine he did something similar with his magic, for you… But, it’s going to hurt him…Uh; he’s probably going to struggle.” Aurora winced at the idea of causing him more pain, but she nodded. Doc held the magnet close to the wound he’d inflicted. He was right, though. Aiden’s back arched, his body employing another maneuver to get away from this new source of pain. A strangled cry forced itself from his lips, something between a yelp and a moan. Doc moved the magnet, trying to get all the iron out of that area.
He moved on agonizingly slowly, working from top to bottom, removing all of the iron from Aiden’s body, each cut seemingly more painful than the last, which merely made him struggle more. Aurora had long since thought that Aiden couldn’t have surprised her anymore, but the strength of his resistance was amazing, and the stamina of that strength wasn’t exactly fading quickly. She redoubled her grip.
It seemed like an eternity had passed that the three of them had spent in the room. The last one, Doc had left it alone prior to this, was the worst. The cut was right at the center of his chest, a little to the right of his heart, for drawing all of the remaining iron from his body. Aiden had all but exhausted himself with his hopeless efforts before, but the last was a truly desperate bid for escape. He half-regained consciousness; his eyes flew open. He was terrified. His expression made it look as if he was trapped inside something that had unexpectedly become a lot smaller. He trembled from the effort of trying to make the pain stop, or to get away from it, and continued to writhe. Another whimper of pain, and now fear, escaped him, as he fought Aurora’s grip, too weak now to make it difficult to hold him down. Aurora held him still, and prayed that this exercise in torture would be over soon.
Finally, it was over. Doc had gotten the last of the iron out, and tucked it safely away. Aiden fell back against Aurora; eyes closing again, his body limp and drained. Doc smiled weakly, somewhat pale from the sight of all the blood that he’d had to draw, and the desperation in Aiden’s struggles, and took his leave; a clerk filling his purse quite richly as a reward. Aiden was the man he’d known, but Doc would never again be able to look him in the face without remembering the pain he’d inflicted on his friend, even to help him.
Aurora quickly healed the cuts that had been made to get the iron out, and replaced his bloodstained clothes. Aiden’s head and shoulders were resting in her lap; he had exhausted himself back into unconsciousness.
He looked healthier already. His face was no longer so pale, and he wasn’t feverish anymore. Aurora touched the small stone that always hung around his neck on a thin cord. It was only the size of her pinky’s nail and was a glossy black. He’s told her once that his half-sister had given it to him when they had been children.
“Why? Why did you help me?” She asked, knowing full well that he was asleep. “What were you thinking?” there was an odd pressure on the backs of her eyes, but she ignored it. She remembered the terror in his eyes and shivered. She never wanted to see someone that afraid again, especially not him. Droplets hit his face, making him stir. His eyes cracked open, and he gazed up at the source of the saltwater rain.
Aurora started when his hand touched her cheek, wiping away some of the tears. He wasn’t sure exactly why she was crying, but whatever it was, he wanted it to stop… now.
“Hey, now. Don’t cry—” He didn’t get a chance to finish, because she practically smothered him with an awkward hug, and Aiden received a new-found liking for the feel of her upper body against his face. He was mildly surprised, and more than a bit annoyed with himself, but it passed, and he half embraced her in return. She sat back quickly, letting him breathe.
“Are you alright?” Aurora questioned, nervous for some reason.
“It doesn’t hurt to breathe, which is nice.” He said, wondering if he should move. He really would rather not, her lap was quite comfortable. Truth be told, earlier was one of the least pleasant experiences he’d ever gone through, and his body ached enough for ten men. It had felt like someone was ripping hundreds of particles from his body at once. Basically what Doc had been doing. And what worried him the most was that he knew he’d do it all again, if it was for Aurora…
“Are you alright?” he asked, referring both to her iron experience and to the tears. She nodded quickly.
“I’m fine,” She said. Aiden raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “Really, I’m alright.” She insisted.
“No good comes of you saying that.” He said, teasing lightly, remembering that she’d insisted she was fine right before it became quite apparent that she wasn’t alright. She always tried to hide her own pain, and put others first, and Aiden lo—respected that about her… Her face froze, instantly becoming cheerless. Aiden spotted his mistake immediately.
“Aurora, I was kidding. If it bothers you, I won’t.”
She shook her head. “I know; I’m sorry. I must have worried you all, didn’t I?” He sighed, knowing what she was doing.
“You’re blaming yourself for this, aren’t you?” She shook her head, but he ignored it. “You are, I can tell. Aurora, it’s not your fault. Yes, you scared me, and your father, and the healers. But that’s because we care about you. It would have been no less worrying if you had gotten a bad cold.”
“If it had been a cold, you wouldn’t have nearly killed yourself,” She said softly.
“It wasn’t a cold, though. It was an assassination attempt…At least it was something that could be fixed. No one died, and that’s the main thing.” He replied, his voice gentling toward the end.
“But I was a burden on so many people. You can’t deny that,” She retorted miserably. He sorted.
“You ridiculous girl. It is no burden to help someone that you care about, understand? You don’t realize your own worth. You’re your father’s only child, and family. He would give his right arm if you asked it; and his life more willingly than that. To your people, you are a protector and a monarch. You keep their children and families safe, and fight for them. You forget,” He said, smiling, “I come from a country of power-hungry nobles and frightened people just trying to save their families and friends from people that they’re expected to entrust their lives too. The last hundred years have been bad for crops. The King is insane; he cares nothing for the people.” His smile had turned cold.
“The heir is basically our only chance, and he is not supported by the other nobles, who refused to see that the war is merely cutting off the country’s nose to spite its face.” Aurora hadn’t realized that Darria was being affected so badly, and was more surprised that Aiden was actually telling her.
“Why doesn’t your King just try to stop the war?” She asked incredulously.
“Because he doesn’t care who gets hurt, as long as he remains comfortable. He enjoys causing pain, and fear is just as good. His one regret is that he can’t have children of his own.” Aiden said, bitterness creeping into his words. “Anymore, at least. He impregnated a woman married to a wealthy merchant, against her will. That was his only chance for a legitimate heir.” She realized what he was saying.
“Aiden—” She wasn’t sure what to say.
“It wasn’t because I was illegitimate that I wasn’t well-liked. It’s not wise to be on the king’s bad side, and I really couldn’t avoid it.” He half shrugged. “I don’t blame them for staying away. Besides, I wasn’t completely alone. My half-sister accepted me. Mathias—the heir—taught me the sword basics. It wasn’t so bad.” He looked up. Tears were sliding down her face again.
“Why are you crying?” He asked, sitting up stiffly, bewildered. He had known her for almost four months, and she hadn’t cried once. Twice in one night was a lot for her. She scrubbed at her face viciously, till he caught her hand and pulled her closer.
“Why?” she asked. “Why do they let him control them?”
“Because, he’s the bully with the biggest stick, and he has an uncanny ability to find and destroy rebellion. My people are more afraid of him then they are of your armies.” He said sadly, wrapping a protective arm around her.
“That’s horrible.” Aurora whispered into his shoulder, tears soaking the cloth of his shirt.
“It is.” He agreed. “But that’s life.”
♠ ♠ ♠
So...is that what they call being cruel to be kind? And what's uup with Aiden's wacko country? You will find out in about two chapters. Incidentally, these next few chapters are going to be a bit...um...morbid. So if this one wasn't all that appealing, don't read the ones with a rated description, please.