Chapter 43
Mavi was forced to move to the chair beside Owen's bed when Rye came to check his vitals. She sat with her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin rested on her knees as Rye did her round.
"Mavi," Alec said. "You should really go get some rest."
Mavi shook her head. Alec turned to look at Rye who sighed and looked at her daughter over her shoulder.
"We tried," She told Alec. "But she won't move."
Alec slowly walked around his brother's bed and stood in front of Mavi, "Owen will be pissed if he finds out I let you stay here all night."
As Mavi heard his words, she held back a sob. Owen would be pissed..... He was always worried about Mavi.
"If the roles were reversed," Mavi looked up at Alec. "Would he leave?"
Alec sighed. He knew his brother would rather burn down the whole world then leave Mavi's side if she was in his condition.
"I'm not going anywhere," Mavi said stubbornly when Alec didn't answer her.
Alec struggled to come up with some logic to help her see that she needed to go rest. When he came up empty, he turned away and walked back to Rye.
"We're giving him healing clay," Rye informed Alec. "It's helping to absorb some of the poison.....but it's not working fast enough."
Alec nodded as he pushed his hands into his pant's pockets. Behind them, Mavi picked up her head at the mention of healing clay.
Healing.....Mavi thought to herself. Dragon blood has healing properties.
As hope blossomed in her chest like a new spring flower, Mavi wiped her face and tucked her hair behind her ears. She jumped up from her seat and walked up next to Alec.
"Can I see you outside for a second?" she asked him.
Rye and Alec looked at each other. When Alec turned back to look at Mavi he found her pleading with him with her round gray eyes. He nodded and then slowly followed her out. As they stepped outside, he watched her as she slid the glass door closed behind her.
"I need to go see Fals," Mavi said quickly.
"What?" Alec asked in confusion. "Are you crazy?"
"I need to see him, it's very important."
"Mavi, he's locked up and not to mention he's dangerous.....he only looks like Owen, he's not like him at all"
"I know that," Mavi said in irritation. "That's why I'm telling you to come with me."
Alec's eyes flickered to Rye though the glass as he hesitated.
"Please, Alec," Mavi urged him. "I think I know how to help Owen."
Alec's green eyes moved back to Mavi. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his dark hair.
"Please," Mavi said through her teeth once more.
Alec looked back to Rye. Should he inform the king or at least the prince about what she was asking for?
"Please, Alec!" Mavi grabbed his hand.
"Okay, okay," Alec said. "Fine, I'll do it."
"Thank you," Mavi sighed. She dropped his hand and took a step back.
Mavi asked Alec to give her a second as she went back into the room and pulled on the slippers Rye had brought in for her. She placed a quick kiss on Owen's cheek and rushed out. Rye wondered what she was up to, but didn't stop her.
Alec rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head the whole way as he quietly walked Mavi down the corridors and into the dungeon. The guards on duty looked shocked to see the Princess down in the stone prisons. They lowered their heads and bowed as Mavi walked past them with her head held high. She walked past the many cells until she arrived at the one she was most interested in.
Alec placed his thumb on the biometric scan pad and the lock on the door clicked open. He stepped through the doors and Mavi followed. She was instantly greeted by the familiar scent of dry cedar wood and moss. Her pulse picked up rapidly.
Inside the well lit prison cell, Fals turned around and smiled widely as his eyes landed on Mavi standing behind Alec.
"You couldn't stay away, darling?" He smirked.
Alec's eyes darkened, "Watch it."
"Relax, little brother," Fals laughed. "I know she's taken.....but you know, I still don't see a mark on her."
Mavi pushed her rapid heartbeat down and took a step forward. She reminded herself over and over again that this was not Owen as she cut right to the chase, "How much blood is needed to heal?"
Fals stilled. His eyes lingered on Mavi's face as the smirk on his face began to fade.
"Usually a few ounces.....but it depends on what you're trying to fix," Fals scratched the stubble on his face.
"Poison," Alec said.
"Ah..." Fals nodded. He pursed his lips and rubbed the back of his neck. "Your blood won't fix that, babe."
Mavi's heart sank. She felt Alec look over at her before turning back to Fals.
"But...." Fals started again. "Your scales might be able to fix it."
"How?" Mavi asked desperately.
Fals tilted his head to one side and looked at Mavi, "Stay with me tonight and I will tell you."
Before Alec could react, Mavi had pulled out the dagger from his weapon's belt and held it against Fals.
"Do not take my desperation as my weakness," Mavi said through her teeth. "I can slice you open right now and not even blink an eye. You are not my only source of information. So don't think you're irreplaceable."
Fals help up his hands and chuckled, "Just kidding, darling,"
Mavi narrowed her eyes and pressed the blade closer, "How will the scales help?"
"Pull one off your body, crush it up and put it into the person's blood stream," Fals said. "It'll take some time, but it should work."
"And you're sure about this?"
"Have I lied to you yet, babe?"
Mavi slowly pulled the blade away and handed it over to Alec. She turned on her heels and rushed back upstairs to the hospital. When she found Rye, Mavi grabbed her mother and rushed to explain her plan.
"Are you sure about this?" Rye asked.
"Yes," Mavi said nodding. "Please, we have to try. Please."
Rye couldn't wrap her head around the idea of pulling off one of Mavi's scales. But the fear and desperation in Mavi's eyes begged her.
Mavi almost broke into a sob when she thought her mother wouldn't help her. But as Rye nodded, Mavi cried for other reasons.
Rye and two other nurses made all the preparations as Mavi went back to sit beside Owen. she held his cold hand and placed kisses upon it as she prayed what they were about to do would work.
Only a few minutes had passed when Rye entered the room again. But to Mavi it felt as if an eternity had passed her.
"Do you still want to do this?" Rye asked.
Mavi nodded, "Yes."
With a deep breath, Rye pulled on her gloves, "Okay.....release your wings."
Mavi got off the bed and walked to the middle of the room. Rye and the nurses took a step back as they watched the princess spring her wings free and stretch them. She pulled them back in and held them around her shoulders as Rye walked up to her with a scalpel.
"I'll be gentle," Rye said.
"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt too much," Mavi remembered the first time Tobias had done this.
Rye looked at her daughter as if she was crazy. No matter how many people she fixed, doing anything to her kids always freaked Rye out.
Mavi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt Rye's fingers touch her wings softy before she began to work.
The process was quick and simple. Within a few seconds, Rye was able to remove a scale and hand it over to one of the nurses. They all rushed out of the room with Rye behind them and prepared the scale to be mixed with Owen's blood.
Mavi shifted her wings back and walked over to the bed.
"Baby," she called out to him. "You're going to be fine....."
She sat kissing his hand and telling him he would be fine as Rye and the nurses worked on the scale.
Almost an hour later Mavi felt as if she could finally breathe for a second when she saw Rye enter the room with a bag of blood. She watched her mother set up the transfusion and check Owen's vitals.
"Is it working?" Mavi asked eagerly.
"It's too early to tell," Rye said. She turned to her daughter and let her eyes run over her wild hair and tired eyes. "Mavi, please go rest. I'm here, I'm watching him."
Mavi shook her head, "No. I'm not leaving."
"Please? You look like shit....no offense."
"Mom," Mavi ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I'll go when he wakes up."
"No you won't," Rye rolled her eyes. "Then your excuse will be but he just woke up, how can I leave?"
Mavi sat still and shrugged. "I'm not going."
"Ugh," Rye said. "You get this from your father."
She walked over to her daughter and kissed her cheek.
"We will be keeping a close eye on him to make sure the scale is actually working,"
Mavi nodded.
"Now at least get some sleep," Rye begged. "I'll wake you if there is any news."
Mavi thanked her mother as she watched her leave the room. With a sigh, Mavi walked to the door and pulled the curtains close to give her and Owen some privacy. She soon moved back to the bed and sat watching the blood move through the skinny pipes and into Owen's arm. Absent mindlessly, she rubbed circles on his free hand as the sun slowly set in the sky outside.
When Mavi could no longer fight the tiredness in her eyes she laid down next to Owen and let her eyes shut. Sleep was surprisingly easy that night. Mavi's heavy lids remained closed like iron gates as she dreamt of rolling green hills and wild flowers.
"Mavi," Owen called out to her.
Mavi gasped as she turned her head and found her mate standing at the edge of a large lake. With relief and happiness, she ran into his arms.
"I love you," Mavi said, kissing him.
"You need to rest," Owen frowned.
"I'll rest when you're with me,"
"I'm always with you,"
Mavi shook her head, "When you're better I'll nap in your arms."
"This isn't safe for you," Owen said as a worried look washed over his face.
"What do you mean?" Mavi asked, taking a step back.
"You need to rest," Owen said again. "You're too stressed."
"Owen, I'm fine." Mavi said. She tried to reach for his arms but he moved her away.
Hurt, Mavi looked up into his brown eyes.
"You're too stressed," Owen said again.
Mavi's heart began to pound as his words ran over and over in her head. The sunny day outside switched off like a light as the skies filled with brooding dark clouds. Angry thunder rolled across the darkness as lightning sparked up like camera flashes.
"Owen," Mavi called out to her mate, but he was nowhere to be seen anymore.
"Owen!" Mavi yelled again.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her should shake her awake. Mavi's eyes flew open as she sat up in bed and turned her eyes immediately to Owen.
He was still unmoved.
Mavi had no idea what time it was. She pushed her hair out of her face as she looked over at the nurse who had woken her up.
"Your grace," the nurse said nervously.
Mavi frowned, wondering why she was looking at her so strangely. But as she followed the nurse's wide eyes to the bed on which Owen and her laid on, Mavi gasped.
The white sheets and Mavi's cream dress were all covered in blood. Mavi tried to jump off the bed, but the nurse stopped her.
"Oh my god," Mavi cried. "Is he hurt? Did I do this?"
"No," the nurse shook her head as she held the princess steady.
"What happened?" Mavi asked, her voice shaking. "Where did all this blood come from?"
"Your grace....." The nurse started. "I think.....I think it's you."
"What?" Mavi looked at her as if the lady was crazy. But as the seconds ticked by and Rye and other nurses entered the room, Mavi looked down and realized it was her.
"Mom?" Mavi called to Rye in shock. "What's happening?"
"It's okay baby," Rye said as she and the nurses pulled Mavi off the bed and onto the stretcher. "You're okay. Just breath."
"What's going on?" Mavi demanded once more.
"I need to examine you, my love," Rye said gently.
"But Owen....."
"Mavi," Rye's voice bordered around a stern tone she hadn't used with her daughter since she was in middle school. "He is fine. I need to take care of you right now."
"What's wrong with me?" Mavi asked looking down.
The light cream of her dress had soaked up a large amount of the blood. Her legs shook as the nurses rushed her into the room next door and began to strip her.
Mavi couldn't understand what was happening. Everything was a blur as Rye ran around and the nurses changed Mavi into a hospital gown.
A few minutes later, when Rye came back into Mavi room and asked the nurses to leave, Mavi's heart sank. She looked at her mother's face and gripped the sheets beneath her.
"Mom...." Mavi's voice shook. "What's wrong?"
Rye looked everywhere in the room other than at her daughter.
"What's wrong?" Mavi demanded once more.
Rye slowly walked over to Mavi's bed and kissed her daughter's head.
"You're scaring me," Mavi confessed.
"Mavi....." Rye began. "You.....you just had a miscarrigae."
Suddenly there was a loud ringing in Mavi's ears. She watched her mother's mouth move but she couldn't hear anything. To her it felt as if her head weighed a ton. It swayed from side to side as Mavi tried her best to hold it up. Her chest felt tight as if it was shrinking every time the clock in the room struck a new minute.
Despite the immense pressure, Mavi still felt as if there was a huge hole in her chest. She imagined all the air she was trying to send to her lungs was disappearing into that black hole inside her.
"I....I was going to have a baby?" Mavi asked.
Rye paused as she looked up to her daughter. Her heart shattered as she watched the water pool around the edge of her gray eyes.
With great difficulty, Mavi turned her head to look at her mother.
"A baby?" she asked again.
Rye linked Xavier and told him to drop whatever he was doing and to come down stairs. She couldn't do this on her own. And neither could Mavi.
"You weren't too far along...." Rye started but stopped when Mavi broke into silent sobs.
Mavi opened her mouth but no sound came out as she began to cry. Rye quickly pulled her daughter into her arms as a small scream finally made its way out of Mavi's lips.
When Xavier entered the room he rushed over to his wife and daughter and looked into Rye's eyes.
He stumbled back slightly as Rye linked him about what had just happened. His head began to spin as he heard Mavi's wails and watched Rye's tears. He pulled them into his arms and held them tightly.
No one knew what to say. By the times Exton and Gemma were called down, Mavi had already exhausted herself. She laid on her bed motionless as her family gathered slowly in the room.
Adam and his dads came rushing as soon as they heard the news. Mavi's room was packed with people, yet not a single sound could be heard.
She spoke to no one. No matter what they said or did. Mavi laid still on her bed and stared out the glass doors. She didn't even cry anymore.
All she wanted was Owen.......
The numbness inside of her threatened to consume her as the hours passed by on the clock. Mavi didn't even know if anyone was still with her in the room. She couldn't bring herself to care.
That evening, As Gemma and Exton sat by Mavi's bed, Alec entered the room with a dozen lilies.
His eyes immediately connected with Mavi, who laid on the bed like a statue. He wasn't sure if she even realized he was there until he saw the flicker of heartbreak in her gray eyes and the painful way her features twisted.
Alec recognized that pain all too well. He stumbled into the room as Mavi sat up in her bed for the first time that day and held her arms out to him. Alec rushed forward as Mavi threw her arms around his neck and began to sob again.
Gemma moved away from the bed gently and tugged on Exton's hand to follow her out. As she stepped outside, she looked at Alec and Mavi crying on the bed.
Only the two of them would understand each other at a time like this.
:( This is so sad.
How will Owen handle this?