We were doomed from the Start.(CLOSED)

[DeadnotSleeping]

I concentrate hard. I have to. This is almost as nerve-wrecking now as a good hunt... maybe I'm the only one who feels so. It is still good, keeping my blood boiling and hot.


Five of diamonds...

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I'm bored now. The next draw were there's a double I'm not snapping. She can win. Let's hope her next card is a 5...

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I am on edge, excited as a kid. I am almost trembling as I draw the next card.


Five of clubs.


"Snap!" I announce quickly and proudly.


Mitchell didn't snap. I giggle.


I won!

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Hurray!!!" I cheered and clapped, Darius clapped too.


"Good job, Auntie!!" I say holding he shoulders. "And ouR Snap champion is Auntie Knightiee!!!!!!"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I laugh. I enjoy my victory, maybe a bit too much. But it just feels so good!


"Thank you! This was so exciting! I thought I was going to lose for sure!"


I am happy, really. Even more so because they are laughing and clapping, too.


Nie laughed with his family. It felt good, watching them.


"Good game... Ma...." he rasped, too. They looked so happy...

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I turned to my father and smiled at him.


"She played well. Very well!" I laughed at her


Darius playfully sulked. "I should have won that one!" He said


I lovingly shoved his shoulder. But then, something changed in the mood it was like everyone realised the dire situation we were in.


I sighed.


"So what do we do now?"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I shake my head, looking over the family.


“Today is a rest day. Then, I think I will go and look for something more palatable for you… maybe Darius can help me. You, Mitchell, are not doing… oh wait. I’ve almost said you should only rest, but I’ve just realized that you do have a work cut out for you, Mitchell.” I lift up the journals from the ground, passing them to the boy. “Up and including telling everything to your father.”


I smile, standing up to fetch some water for my liege.


“And I insist that you rest more, my lord. We will need you later.”


Nie just smiled. He knew that he wouldn’t be of any use for them… but now that hasn’t mattered. Not a bit. He was determined to enjoy the rest of his days with them. After accepting his fate, everything seemed easier…


…and he kept his oath, after all. So everything ended well.

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

I grab the journals and look at my father.


"Dad you really have to listen to me." I tell him with a hint of sternest in my voice "I have to make two options for you. Lotion A contains these tablets."


Ive already torn out the names and what they do out of a medical dictionary I found and handed them to my father. Each bit of paper had an A written on the back.


But these next pills are needed more frequently. So these are potion two. And they contain these". I pass some more snippets of paper marked "B".


"Do you get this, or not"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

Nie blinked in confusion. He couldn’t understand anything; he felt like he was missing vital information. He looked down at the papers given to him… they looked like they were covered with ants.


Letters. Strange. Were letters always this small? He moved awkwardly, trying to move the papers back and forth, to find the ideal distance for reading. It was hauntingly familiar, even if he opted for the laser surgery about eighteen years before. Strange. He still had problems now… he shouldn’t…


He finally found the perfect distance, and started to skim over the papers. His head felt like it was filled with steel wool, but…


“Wait… you mean… what are you... talking about? What are... these potions for?...”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"The potions. There for your infection... And for the cancer." I sighed sadly "I've been doing lots of research"


I waved the mass of journals in the air


"So this seemed like the best way. Oh and, in really sorry, but you have to have these potions with food, otherwise they won't work. Well at least not properly. And, of course, you have to rest, too. I'm sorry, da. But this is how it has to be."

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“Oh… I see. Sorry. It seems… I am slow now” Nie almost laughed, trying to make out the words on the paper pieces. “And… I am regretting… this already… but… sorry. I cannot… read this… the letters are… to small. I think… I’m… starting to get old…”


He looked up at his son. He felt happy, strangely. Mitchell sounded so determined. So sure. Even if he knew well there is no cure for cancer, he chose to not ask about that. He just smiled.


“Thank you… very much, son… for doing… this much… I… in turn… promise to do… as you want… okay?... Although… eating… will take time… sorry… for this… Can you... help me... read these? I am... curious... to be honest...”


I smile, bringing over the tray. I chose the potion which Mitchell marked earlier as for the evening… and I brought some food and water, too. I set down the dinner.


“Well then, I’ll take care of the food being proper” I announce proudly. “Your younger son was amazing to think up everything, my liege. Your other son proved very useful in gathering supplies. So I will make your favourites in line of their tastes…”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Are they too small? Give me an hour, I'll write them out bigger and better for you. These were really for my research, I'm sorry. I didn't think." I said humbly. I didn't want to take the compliment too highly. I took the slips of paper back.


I went away back to the table, got lots of paper from the stationary tray in the room. And coloured pens. Meticulously hitting out large squares of paper, all exactly the same size. In the same frantic way that I tidied.


Then, in my clearest handwriting I wrote each pill name in red on the top, underlined it. Then I wrote the definitions, rather big and very clear. All key words in a different colour, usually blue. Everything was done meticulously.


In green, I Labled the back with A or B


Once done, I handed them, neatly piled to my father. "Are these any better, da?"

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

„Do not… worry about… that, Mitchell” Nie smiled wholeheartedly. „Somehow… my eyes… seem to be… failing me now… a bit… you have… had… no way to know…”


He watched as the boy started to work eagerly. He felt happy. Mitchell seemed so absorbed in his work… even knowing fully well he had no chance to recover from the cancer, the dentist simply didn’t have the heart to tell his son how futile this was.


He had no other way to repay him than obeying his wish. Maybe that would give them all some peace in the end….


“While your younger son does his work, I’m doing mine” I coax Darius nearer. “Please, Darius. I need some help. We will have to make your father eat… and I have some questions…”


I recognized their reluctance to eat pigeon today… I think I will need to adjust my cooking to their tastes. I knew my liege’s favourites already, he is very easy to please with food, but kids are a though problem…


I make the boy to hold my liege so he won’t get hurt, while I make him swallow the potion. Thankfully, while he really has to take it slow, he doesn’t object… he even eats, small bites and nerve wrecking slow pace, but he eats. Meanwhile, I smile at Darius.


“Tell me, boy, what do you want to eat? Or more exactly, what you won’t eat?...” I ask, listening on intently.


The dentist felt like eating and drinking was torture… it was more about enduring than enjoying it. Even if he knew how delicious Ma Baker’s cooking is… he was grateful when they deemed he ate enough.


He smiled as he received the cards. They were amazingly meticulous, prepared with such attention to details and care that he felt warm. Even if he knew that Mitchell wasn’t so careful before… something was not right, but he wasn’t asking about it.


“Thank you… I think… they are… perfect. I can… read this…” he said, looking at the cards. “Do you mind… if I am reading this… while… Ma gives you… dinner?...”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"No read away!" I say with a smile. Pleased my father appreciated my wok. I didn't give much time to savour it though, I'd created a lot of mess. I run and start clearing my work station immediately. Running around tidying. And scrunching the scrap paper.


"Bloody clean the potion glasses will yous? My Christ!" I was having an OCD moment. Even if the potion bottle had just been drunk minutes ago, the mess irked me and I scurried to clean in.


Darius rolled his eyes at his brother. He thought all this was "right weird".


"I'll eat anything. But not pigeon. Fuck that. That was vile." Darius said. He was clearly tired. He didn't fancy arguing... Or thinking.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

“Thank you…” Nie started reading, carefully.


It was so peaceful. He needed to concentrate, though, but soon he understood the gist of it… he was amazed. The boy was thorough. And the carefully thought out “potions” might actually help…


“Very… nice work… thank you… I think… these… will indeed help…”


I feel so much calmer.


With the help of the boys, I feel like we are handling the situation well. We are dividing tasks between us; Mitchell takes care of his father, makes him eat and take his medicine, and Darius comes to gather with me, so I can make food for our strange little family. At least while my liege recovers slowly, we have it easier with the boy. Mitchell takes his medicines and eats without making a fuss, and since I change his bandages regularly, and take care of his wounds, he heals well. Technically speaking, my liege’s wounds heal well, too, but he is still weak… I don’t want to let him out of the bed, and this is something we all agree on…


We cannot stay here for much longer, I recognize it. We have frequent visitors, closer and closer to the spital itself, and that’s when I decide.


I am actually thinking about training the boys with swords… but for that, we would need equipment. I’ve found the armoury of the city while looking for food, so…


“Today, we are going to get you some gifts” I announce over breakfast, while pouring another cup of tea. “We need to train you with weapons, so I think we should go and find some. Darius, would you come with me?”

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

"Yes sure." Darius said chewing his food with scant disregard for table manners. "Me and Russell... I mean Mitchell, are pretty damn fine at weaponry though"


"Yeah," i piped up "we used to work with them. Old ones... And replicas of old ones. We were great at them."


For some reason I got excited to find weapons, forgetting the invite wasn't for me.


"Will we be looking for museums and things. That sounds jolly exciting!" I exclaimed with childish glee.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

"Chew with your mouth closed, Darius!" I laugh, looking over the boys. "And you, Mitchell, you stay here. You still need to rest, besides, I don't want to leave my liege alone. So you think you are good with swords? We will see; we will bring enough for everyone."


I look at my lord, who is smiling. He is still too thin under his clothes, and looks like his own skeleton... my own smile fades a bit.


He is too weak still. I'll have to find armour for him. No way I'm leaving him without enough protection now. Strangely, I think Mitchell might be actually enough for this. He is pretty protective about his father.


"I will be happy to spar with you" says my liege quietly. "I need my strength back, too..."


"You should rest still, my liege. I will be the one training your sons" I snap at him. "You are not fit enough to lift your axe! And you didn't eat your portion today either. So, back to the bed, and Mitchell should stay with you. Darius and me will be exploring the armoury today..."

 

[CharlieBoyyy]

Her words were a blow to me. I knew Darius could tell this to as he bowed his head sadly.


My body sighed, deflated, at these words. It was clear I wasn't being insolent. I was deeply upset.


"Please, miss, please" I pleaded. "I haven't been out of here since, well, you know when. I'm starting to get cabin fever." I shed a tear "looking around "armouries" was a thing me and D used to do back home. I'd love to do it again."


Darius gave a half smile to me to show he felt my pain. He held out his hand under the table and rubbed my knee.

 

[DeadnotSleeping]

I sigh. The boy looks so lonely now...


"Why don't you take them both?" suggests my liege quietly. "I can deal with being alone, you know. Besides, Mitchell is right. And even being out on the roof doesn't mean real air. He is a strong boy."


"I don't want to leave you alone, my liege."


"Azucena. I can be alone for a few hours. It is not like I am dying now..."


I look at his eyes. I want to yell. To shout. He is still pale and weak, almost transparent still... but those eyes rob me from my will. I nod, reluctantly.


"I can make a barricade..."


"There. Please. Take care of my sons, Azucena" my liege smiles, looking at his boys. "Boys, please, obey your aunt, okay? I want you to enjoy yourselves, but safely..."