Just One Drop

Chapter 4- The Guard

Author's note: I guess this could kind of be Tristan... This dude is Evan Geiselman.

Felicia's POV

I breathed out a heavy sigh of relief as Brai- Master, as Master continued up the stairs. I was frightened by him, though he hadn't yet been cruel to me.

As I finished the chore, I put my equipment back, and moved on to the Great Hall, where I found other equipment to use.

"Maddie!" I waved at Maddie and smiled, and she smiled back at me, though she seemed strangely fidgety.

I walked over to her and started scrubbing the floor, hunching down next to her.

"How's it going, Maddie?"

"Good, good, good as always..." she said and laughed nervously.

She looked around the room awkwardly, then resumed her scrubbing.

"Are you okay?" I asked slowly, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

She flinched away from my touch. "F-fine, fine, everything is perfect."

I grabbed onto her shoulder. "Maddie!"

She pulled out of my grip, and her neckline ripped slightly down her arm, exposing a long red mark that seemed to be... bleeding?

I took her hand and pulled her away into the bathroom nearby, where I pulled her entire top down, exposing her back. There were several red lines criss-crossing down it, many of which looked very deep, and most of which were bleeding.

"Maddie!" I exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

She broke down. "T-the p-p-prince..."

I gritted my teeth. How could Br- Master do this to her?!? Poor Maddie...

"We have to take you to the hospital wing," I said matter-of-factly.

"B-but the prince forbade it," she said weakly.

"Well he'll have to go through me," I said through gritted teeth. "I won't let that bastard hurt you."

I put her arm over my shoulder, and started up the stairs. Five staircases later, I collapsed, Maddie landing on top of me.

"I- can't..." I gasped for breath. "B-but I have to..."

I tried to get up again, and just about managed, though my legs were shaking. I helped Maddie up, and we started up the next staircase. I was about to collapse again, when a firm pair of hands gripped onto my shoulders and held me up.

"I got you," the mystery man said, and he took Maddie off of my shoulders, carrying her in his arms.

I turned around to face him and saw a human guard, with shaggy blond hair and greenish blue eyes. He smiled warmly at me, revealing a row of perfect white teeh.

"I'm Tristan," the guard said.

"I'm Felicia."

I smiled back at him.

Then I remembered what I had been trying to do. "Come on! We have to get to the hospital wing."

He nodded, probably having already understood the situation. "Let's go."

He was faster than me, but I managed to almost keep up. We reached the hospital wing within 30 seconds, and I told the nurse there of her condition.

The nurse sighed.

"Nothing out of the usual then," she muttered to herself.

"This happens a lot?" I asked worriedly.

"Yes," she said, nodding sadly. "Both Braith and Damien can be extremely ruthless, though this seems more like Damien's doing. Damien is a cold hearted menace, known for his brutality. He takes pleasure in other's pain. Braith is not like that, but he finds his own efficient ways of punishment. With Braith..."

She shuddered, as if the mere thought was making her feel uncomfortable.

"No, I shall not provide you with any more nightmare fuel than you probably already have," she finished.

I wanted to ask her more questions, but Tristan came back from putting Maddie on her hospital bed, and he reminded me that I had chores to do. Not wanting to face Br- Master's wrath, I decided to move on to my last chore, cleaning his room. I hoped he wouldn't be there.