Victor wraps his cloak around Emilia as a woman with long dreads wearing a black cloak rushes to the scene. She drops to her knees stroking Emilia’s thick coils as Victor wipes the blood from Emilia’s cheeks.
“Your majesty, would you like me to take her to the King’s testing lab?” The woman with dreads asks.
“Chloe, we’ll take her to my recovery center.” Victor lifts Emilia’s body carrying her with Chloe at his side.
“You know your father would have us killed if he found out we were trying to save the beasts?” Chloe points out, but Victor ignores her. Victor’s father will have Victor beaten before the public eyes to help Victor to understand the severity of putting his people in danger.
Victor and Chloe make their way through the street until they come to a garden filled with exquisite colorful flowers and plants. Sparkling blue silver dust falls from a large tree above landing on the flowers like pollen. The tree is at the center of the garden, but in the distance behind the tree is a small pool with a waterfall coming from a tall stone wall with grass and flowers on top. Glowing fish jump around in the pool that Chloe and Victor walk through. The pool envelopes Victor’s hips while soaking Chloe’s waist as they pass under the waterfall to find a wooden door on the opposite side that Chloe opens.
On the other side, a pool glows and sparkles, but the water leads up to a sandy surface with a table with cauldrons, dried plants, candles, and glass jars. Victor places Emilia on a blanket spread across the sand with pillows then adds blankets on top to warm her. Chloe rushes to a large cauldron lighting a fire underneath. She tosses herbs water and whatever else she grabs into the cauldron.
“Emilia,” Victor whispers then kisses Emilia’s forehead. Chloe turns away to provide privacy.
A trumpet sounds in the distance making Victor wince, but he continues to fluff Emilia’s pillows and fix the blankets. He rubs his nose against her cheek taking in her sweet but soft smell.
“Chloe, take care of her,” Victor pleads. He strokes Emilia’s cheek not making any moves to the door. Chloe stirs her concoction as the trumpet calls again.
“Sir,” Chloe advises cautiously, “You may not want to linger. You know how your father is.”
Victor nods, but he bends down to kiss Emilia’s cheek. Emilia’s head turns to him brushing her lips against his cheek but still very much asleep. Victor closes his eyes for a few moments.
“Prince Victor!” Chloe mixes sternness and gentleness with perfection. With one last stroke of Emilia’s cheek, Victor rushes out.
Chloe kneels by Emilia and moves her dress down to expose the chest wounds left by the beast’s claws. She brushes her concoction onto Emilia’s wounds then bandages them.
For two weeks, Emilia recovers with Chloe’s medical attention and Prince Victor’s frequent visits. When Emilia’s awake, she and Chloe play word games or board games. Every now and then, Chloe reads to Emilia. At the end of the first week, Chloe helps Emilia to start walking and writing again. When Emilia is able to walk, the two dance and race together, but Chloe always lets Emilia win, and Emilia appreciates Chloe every time.
The prince often asks for tales of adventures and Emilia is always willing to supply. He sleeps on a blanket beside her missing only a few nights. During silent moments, they both lay next to each other, Emilia strokes Victor’s hair and cheek.
“You’re all healed and ready to return home.” Chloe announces after checking Emilia’s now fully recovered arm. Emilia looks at Victor who lies beside her.
“O—oh. That’s good.” Emilia stammers and crosses her arms hugging herself. She stands then rocks back and forth on her heels. Chloe fidgets with her fingers as Victor stands to his feet rubbing his arm nervously.
“Emilia, your family is probably worried about you. You’ve been missing for a couple of weeks now. You should go home and give them peace of mind.” Chloe rubs Emilia’s back, but she fails to stop her own tears from leaking. Tears flows from Emilia’s eyes as she shakes her head. Victor takes her into his arms.
“Do you not want to go home?” Chloe suggests. Emilia squeezes Victor then releases him. She forces a smile on her full lips and turns to Chloe.
“No reason. Thank you both so much for your hospitality, but you’re right, my family is most likely worried,” Emilia submits.
Emilia is tightly wrapped in Victor’s cloak as she walks next to Victor on the sidewalk. Victor pulls Emilia into his arms keeping her warm. They pass mansions leading to the streets with smaller family homes. When the pair comes to the slum gate, the guard points his chest to the clouds and stiffens his face.
“I’m sorry sir, but I can only allow those who live here to pass.” The guard announces, “You don’t want to go in there, sir. I can get you a lady of the night to come to your place for the right price.”
Victor lifts off his shirt and turns to show his back to the guard. The royal seal of an elephant inside a circle is implanted on Victor’s back the same color as Victor’s dark skin is bubbled up like it's stuffed with cotton. Emilia looks away. Victor turns back to the guard.
“Your prince has requested to walk to the other side of this gate.” Victor commands. The guard opens the door, bows, then allows Emilia and Victor pass. Victor pulls Emilia closer to him by the waist.
On the poor side of the wall, trash sleeps on the ground. Beggars hold out their hands, and the apartment buildings are rundown. The animals roam free in the streets, but an elderly lady grabs a cat by the neck carrying it into a tent. Victor follows Emilia keeping close to her.
Though Emilia is comfortable passing by men leering and pulling at her skirts, Victor is not. He wraps his arm around her waist pulling her close. Victor rubs his neck when Emilia climbs the stairs to her home and knocks on the door. Father is the first to appear. He looks from Emilia to Victor, but Father bows.
“What’d you do now?” Father’s eyes pierce Emilia’s eyes; Emilia looks down. Father yanks Emilia by her arm into his home, “Did you steal from a store? Break into someone’s home? What stupid thing did you do this time?”
“Sir—” Victor is interrupted by Father’s raised hand demanding silence.
“You may run the country in the distant future, but I run this home. Thank you for returning her. I’ll deal with whatever damage she’s caused.” Father closes the door in the prince’s face.
See what Happens on Friday: December 7th 2019.