As Orion arrived home, the adrenaline wore off, and the pain from the stab wound began to register. He carefully made his way through the palace gates, avoiding detection by the guards, who were either distracted or inattentive.
Rather than using the main entrance, Orion opted to climb through his window, exhausted from the encounter and frustrated with his sister's constant interference. The window was high above the ground, and the climb was arduous, especially given the pain he was enduring.
Finally, Orion pulled himself into his room and collapsed onto the floor with a thud....He reached for a cloth and tied it around the wound near his stomach, wincing in pain. As he lay there, Orion's exhaustion and discomfort were palpable.
Orion remained in the same position for a while, lost in thought. He wondered about the identity of his attacker.
As the night wore on, the first light of dawn crept in. Orion's pain made sleep impossible.there was a knock on the door, slowly got up, wincing in agony, and made his way to the door.
"Who is it?" He asked trying not to show weakness in his voice.
A maid's voice responded. "Young Lord, I came to inform you that breakfast is ready."
Orion replied, "I'm coming down now."
As he opened the door slightly,he saw the maid hurrying away. He called out to her, and she rushed back.
"Get me two large tissue papers, quickly," Orion instructed.
The maid nodded and hastened away to fulfill his request.
As the maid rushed back with the tissue paper, Aurora emerged from her room and intercepted her. "What's the tissue paper for?" Aurora asked.
The maid bowed. "Young Lord Orion requested it."
Aurora took the tissue paper from the maid. "I'll deliver it. You may go."
The maid bowed and left. Aurora approached Orion's room, noticing the guards were farther away than usual. She wondered if Orion had instructed them to keep their distance.
As she reached the door, she heard soft, painful groans. Aurora knocked, and the door slowly opened, revealing Orion's hand. "Give me the tissue paper," he whispered.
Aurora pushed the door open, and Orion fell to the floor, revealing his bleeding side. "Orion, what happened?" she exclaimed, quickly locking the door.
Aurora rushed to his side, cutting the tissue paper to place to his wound. "We need to get you to the physician," she urged.
Orion shook his head, "I don't want Mom and Dad to know. They'll be angry."
Aurora guessed, "You sneaked outside again, didn't you?"
Orion remained silent.
Aurora's concern deepened. "Orion, we must go to the physician immediately. You're losing too much blood; you might die!"
Orion reassured her, "It's not deep. I'll be fine, I'll be fine."
Despite their constant bickering and anger towards each other, Aurora couldn't bear the thought of Orion dying. They were siblings, bound by blood, and she couldn't imagine life without him - annoying her, arguing with her, and keeping her company.
Aurora stood up, determined. "Orion, I'm going to raise the alarm. I won't let you die here."
Orion grasped her arm, pleading. "Please, please, I promise I'll be fine. Nothing will happen to me."
He reconsidered, "Actually, can you bring the physician here without telling Mom and Dad? I don't want them to know."
Aurora hesitated, then nodded and swiftly exited the room.
Aurora sprinted through the hallways and corridors, her feet pounding against the stone floor. She was desperate to find the physician and bring him to Orion's side.
Just as she turned a corner, she spotted her parents, Lord Nigel and Mother Aria emerging from their chambers. They looked at her with concern, noticing the urgency in her step.
"Where are you running to, Aurora?" Lord Nickel asked, his voice firm but curious.
Aurora hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. She knew her parents would worry if they found out about Orion's injury.
Aurora forced a smile, trying to appear nonchalant. "Mother, Father, I have a running stomach and I'm heading to the physician's quarters now."
Her mother, Aria, raised an eyebrow. "You have a running stomach? Why didn't you tell me?"
Aurora's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "It's just a running stomach, Mother. I'll be fine, okay? I'll be fine."
Lord Nigel's gaze narrowed. "Where is your brother, Orion?"
Aurora's chuckle sounded nervous. "Oh, he's sleeping. I don't want to wake him up."
Aria and Lord Nigel exchanged skeptical glances. They knew their daughter too well; if Orion was still lying in bed, Aurora would be the first to rouse him by kicking his ass and not tiptoe around him.
Aurora swiftly intervened, taking her parents' arms and steering them toward the breakfast table.
As Aurora hastily left the scene, Theresa emerged, nearly crossing paths with her. Theresa joined Aria and Lord Nigel at the breakfast table, where Lord Nigel greeted her with a playful smile.
Theresa asked, "Where is Aurora off to in such a hurry?"
Lord Nigel replied, "She claims to have a running stomach and wants to see the physician."
Aria nodded in support, "Yes, Mother."
Theresa raised an eyebrow. "Why would you let her go to the physician alone? At least one of you should escort her, or send a guard."
Aria countered, "Mother, Aurora is eighteen and will be turning nineteen in five months. She's not a child anymore; she knows her way around the palace. Let's not make a fuss about it. Let's eat."
Aria's words seemed to settle the matter, and the group began their breakfast, but Theresa's eyes lingered on the empty seat where Aurora had been, a hint of concern still etched on her face.
************************
Aurora arrived at the physician's quarters, urgency etched on her face. "Please, my brother Orion...," she began.
The female physician bowed slightly. "Young Lady Aurora, what brings you here?"
Aurora explained, "My brother Orion has a wound and he's bleeding heavily. Can you please come with me and help him?"
The physician asked, "Does your parent know about this?"
Aurora's expression turned serious. "You have to forget about that, okay? Just come with me."
Aurora led the physician through a different route to avoid her parents. They finally arrived at Orion's room, and Aurora's anxiety spiked as she opened the door.
Orion lay motionless on the floor. Aurora's concern deepened, but the physician quickly knelt beside him, checking his pulse.
The physician reassured Aurora, "He's only passed out."
Aurora breathed a sigh of relief as the physician administered some medication, cleaned and bandaged the wound, and laid Orion on the bed.
The physician smiled reassuringly at Aurora. "Don't worry, he is going to be fine."
Aurora nodded, relieved. "I'll come back and settle with you later in the day."
The physician bowed graciously. "No, young lady Aurora, you don't have to say that. Staying in the palace alone is settlement enough. I will be heading out."
Aurora instructed, "Make sure to pass through the same route we took. I don't want my parents seeing you. And if they do, tell them you came to treat me, that you gave me medicine.
The physician bowed and departed, leaving Aurora to keep watch over her recovering brother, Orion.