Alon woke up to the sun arcing across the room into his eyes. He opened and closed them multiple times before looking round the room to see he had fallen asleep on the edge of Prince Hagar's black bed. It was empty.
He quickly glanced around the room when a cough suddenly pierced the solemn dark room. He looked for the owner when he saw a high backed chair facing the large window which was slightly open. Alon stood silently as he walked around the chair to find the owner had been in fact Prince Hagar who slept silently, oblivious to Alon standing next to him.
"Why did you go to the chair, your highness?" Alon asked quietly as he inspected Prince Hagar's face. Prince Hagar still had color to his pale complexion but he seemed to not be as flushed as the day before.
Prince Hagar's eyes flicked open startling Alon who squeaked loudly as he jumped back "Your Highness!"
Prince Hagar groaned as he rubbed his temples "Do you have to be so loud?"
"Sorry, Prince Hagar. May I ask why you're sleeping here instead of the bed?" Alon asked rubbing his chest.
"You snore too loud" said Prince Hagar as he rubbed his head.
"Oh. Well you could have told me to leave." Said Alon as he looked at Prince Hagar innocently, Prince Hagar raised an eyebrow "Yes I could have but I didn't. Am I not merciful?"
Prince Hagar had in fact tried waking Alon but the boy had refused to wake up, so Prince Hagar was forced to relocate to the high backed chair.
"Very" mused Alon as he noticed the dark rings beneath Prince Hagar's eyes.
Suddenly the door opened as Leon's voice entered the room "His highness is not dressed! So wait until we come out before you barge into his highness's room!"
Leon slammed the door and Prince Hagar began rubbing his temples harder as he growled "Leon don't slam the door."
His voice was quiet but Leon still caught the malice in the words and bowed "I am sorry, Prince Hagar."
Prince Hagar nodded but still rubbed his temples as he said "What news Leon?"
Alon looked at Leon in surprise. News? How long had he slept for Leon to have already come bringing the whispers of the servants?
Leon nodded as he whispered "Ssso the sservants of the Imperial prinsse-"
Prince Hagar lifted his hand halting Leon in mid sentence "Leon you don't have to hiss in my ear to whisper. Just talk normally just at a lower octave"
Alon had to bite his tongue to stop a laugh from escaping his lips while Leon nodded solemnly "Yes, Prince Hagar."
"You may continue after you pour us drinks." groaned Prince Hagar who rubbed his temples a little harder but closed his eyes.
Alon glanced at Leon who smiled as he grabbed three silver chalices and filled them to the brim. Alon grabbed two chalices and held one out to Prince Hagar, who had continued to rub his temple.
"Prince Hagar." Said Alon catching Prince Hagar's attention.
"Thanks." Was all the prince said as he took the chalice from Alon's hand.
Before Alon turned to his own drink he took notice Prince Hagar was once again rubbing his temples rather hard, but Alon's thoughts flew away as Leon said as he raised his chalice "To life!"
Alon lifted his chalice "To death."
"And to the Wine!" Prince Hagar smiled but as pained as it was, Alon felt Prince Hagar was actually happy to be drinking the wine.
There was a pause as they all took a drink when Prince Hagar motioned for Leon to continue with the morning gossip.
Leon took a gulp of his wine before he began saying "So the servants have said that there is a rumor the Imperial Crown Prince has run away to the East. As such they are betting the new Imperial Crown Prince is none other than, Prince Evero."
Prince Hagar nodded solemnly as he placed his chalice on the black table behind him before he continued to rub his temple growling "What of Lord Draco?"
Alon looked at Prince Hagar's temples to see they were becoming very red but once again his attention was stolen when Leon said "Lord Draco is within the council to discuss the Crown Prince's disappearance"
"Hmmm" Said Prince Hagar as he rubbed his temple harder.
"Prince Hagar?" Asked Alon.
Prince Hagar looked up at Alon with murderous intent written within the depths of his red eyes "What?!"
Leon placed his chalice on the table as he took a step back but Alon cocked his head as he took Prince Hagar's hand away from his temple "Are you okay?"
"I am perfectly fine!" Prince Hagar growled as he tried to jerk his hand away causing Alon's wine to spill out of his chalice in the struggle. Yet he kept Prince Hagar's wrist firmly in his hand.
"You're not." Said Alon calmly as he placed the chalice on the table as well even though it had split it's contents long before.
Prince Hagar growled "Are you seeking a death sentence Alon? Let. Me. Go."
Alon turned Prince Hagar's hand to show him his fingers and Prince Hagar's eyes went wide. They were covered in blood. Alon released Prince Hagar's hand who touched his temple and looked at it slowly to see more of the red substance on his hand.
Alon turned to Leon "Get the physician."
Leon nodded and this time Prince Hagar did not stop him but instead just stared at the blood in horror. Alon took a step towards Prince Hagar as he said "Prince Hagar are you alright?"
Prince Hagar looked up slowly at Alon "I don't kno-"
Suddenly Prince Hagar thrashed out of his chair holding his ears as he hit the floor with a hard thud. Alon raced to his side and rolled him over to see the Prince screaming silently.
"Prince Hagar! Your Highness!" cried Alon.
He grabbed a hold of Prince Hagar's shoulders as he tried to stop Prince Hagar from thrashing and though his iron grip held the Prince, it did not stop Prince Hagar from jerking side to side. Suddenly Prince Hagar stopped thrashing and looked right in Alon's eyes.
Slowly Prince Hagar closed his mouth as he stared wide eyed at Alon. Prince Hagar then took his hands away from his ears and grabbed a hold of Alon's soldier's uniform as he whispered "Help me"
Alon opened his mouth only to be splattered with blood as Prince Hagar coughed. The Prince cough several times covering Alon's face and uniform in blood before he one more choked "Help-"
Prince Hagar's whisper only barely escaped his lips before he fainted leaving Alon staring at Prince Hagar's face in shock. The breeze slowly blew through a crack between the balcony doors chilling Alon's face as he stared down at the blood that covered Prince Hagar's face.
He reached for his cheek and wiped it with his hand only to see his hand was already covered in blood. Alon looked at his hand for a moment before glancing at Prince Hagar's ears, and there he could see blood trickling out of them.
Alon just stared down at Prince Hagar as he tried to think of what to do. He had to stop Prince Hagar's ears from bleedin. He slowly lifted Prince Hagar into a sitting position and the blood from the Prince's ears began to slow their decent.
Alon slowly let the prince's head lean on his chest as he tried to think of what to do next. He held the prince close to him as he tried to think until eventually he began to rock back and forth chanting "Please don't die. Please don't die."
He chanted it over and over hoping somehow the physician would be there, when suddenly a hand was on his shoulder "Let him go."
Alon didn't even jump he simply looked up to see a figure towering over him. Alon blinked several times when he recognized the face of the vampire above him to be Lord Draco. He felt a lump well up in his throat as a tear streamed down his face "Lord Draco?"
Lord Draco's cold gaze did not waver as he said again "Let him go."