The Secret Prince: The Story of Galen Nightwater

More Revelations

The words that Jade spoke that night were never forgotten by Galen. He was, in fact, just about to tell her how much she meant to him and how beautiful he thought she was, and how she should never doubt her value,  when the doctor came into the room and the moment was gone. Jade stood up, anxious to see how the boy was.

"How is he?"

"He has a slight fever that we need to watch. I don't want it getting any higher than it is now. But I've already given him some herbs that should help to fight it off. The stiches should mend the skin of course, but as for the wound on his head it is difficult to know the damage it has caused. He could wake up and not remember a thing that's happened. Or he could wake up fine. I can only hope that the reason the boy remained unconscious throughout the entire process was because he was already exhausted from the pain of the wounds. I've done all I can. Now we wait." He said. The doctor looked tired.

"Thank you doctor, for everything." Galen said. "Go get some rest we'll stay and watch the boy."

The doctor nodded and went upstairs to take a rest.

"I told Aunt Mary that you might say tonight to help watch over the boy and she said that it was fine so long as I stayed with you. Not that she needed to tell me that anyway." He smiled.

Jade nodded , but Galen noticed she still looked sad. He sighed. What could he do to help her? He asked himself. They walked back into the room the boy was in and she went immediately to see how his fever was.

"When he is able to be moved he can stay with me and Marcus." Galen said, watching her.

"No." She said softly, patting his forehead with a cool cloth.

"No?"

"No. I think it would be better if he stayed with Aunt Mary and me. Whoever did this was likely a man. He might be scared to wake up to two men, both of whom he doesn't know. I wouldn't want him to be scared." She explained, still not looking at Galen.

"That makes sense, I suppose." He said. And they were silent for a long while. Galen felt like something had changed between them. Something that he had not known until Jade had said what she did. He felt like he failed her, in a way. All this time he thought she was ok and happy, but it seemed that was not the case. He was just now realizing that she was only open and happy with him and maybe a few other people. And perhaps subconsciously, he liked it that way. It meant that she was all his and no one else's. But he knew that wasn't right. She needed friends. It was a hard thing to admit, but it was true. He had never really seen her around other girls. It was not that she was not polite or nice. Jade was a great friend. The best he ever had. He thought back to all the times when she had been there for him.

Once he had gotten chicken pox and had a ghastly time of it. He was miserable and he couldn't see anyone. But she hadn't let that stop her from being with him. She would come after school and sit under window and do her homework. Sometimes she would ask him about a question she had, but mostly she was quiet. Galen didn't think she realized, but she would hum unknowingly, while doing her work and it was a comfort to know she was there even if he couldn't see her. There was another time when he had been quite frustrated with Marcus. They had got into a fight about something, he couldn't remember now, but he had been really upset. He had marched up to the hill to calm down, not wanting anyone to follow him. He sat down by the tree and stared resolutely out on the plains. Soon he began to feel calmer, and he saw Jade come around the tree and sit next to him. She put her head on his shoulder and asked him if he wanted to talk. The memory grew hazy after that, but it was only now that Galen realized, looking back, that she had been there all along on the other side of the tree, unbeknownst to him humming. It was what had calmed him down.