We Both Are

‘Evadne’s Point Of View’

“Please help me!” the woman cried out.

Kael opened the door and my heart sank.

Standing there was a woman covered in blood from head to toe, a deep gash sat on her forehead.

Her eyes widened as she saw Kael. She moved to bow but her body failed her. She swayed, but Kael caught her in an instant.

I rushed to prepare the sedatives.

“Please lay her on the cot,” I urged.

He effortlessly picked her up, then laid her on the cot, blood staining the dark fabric of his tunic.

“Sorry you have to get caught up in this,” I said to Kael.

“It’s fine,” he replied.

I walked over to her, antiseptic in one hand. sedative and ointment in the other.

“Can you hear me?” I asked in a whisper.

She nodded faintly.

Kael interjected. “What’s your name, and who did this to you?”

His expression darkened.

I had never seen such a look on his face.

She swallowed. “My name is Mira… and my husband did this.”

She hesitated, then went on. “This isn’t the first time, but today was a lot worse than usual. I was able to escape in time but I’m afraid he might have seen the direction in which I ran, and…” she trailed off.

“Let him come,” Kael said, voice steady. Certain.

I squeezed her hand for reassurance. "Everything is going to be fine."

After administering the sedative to her, she calmed almost instantly.

My heart ached bitterly for her. I couldn’t imagine how scared she felt. A partner was meant to be the one you could turn to for anything and everything, but hers had failed her.

I noticed Kael’s attention shift to me. He watched intently as I cleaned her up, and applied ointment on her bruises.

Bandages could handle most of the injuries on her body, but the gash on her forehead was too deep. It needed to be stitched.

“Could you please pass me that needle over there, Prince Kael?”

If he was going to watch so intently, he could at least be of some help.

He passed it to me with a very focused gaze, like someone watching something entirely unfamiliar.

I almost smiled, but I forced myself to stay focused.

Mira was well asleep now, so I could stitch the wound with ease.

A few minutes later, the gash was stitched and her injuries bandaged.

I was cleaning up when someone knocked on the door. Kael was about to answer it, when I stopped him.

“Let me answer it,” I said, grabbing the door handle. I didn’t want him doing anything reckless.

But as usual, I spoke too soon.

I opened the door to a tall looking man. His eyes were feral, though he tried to mask it.

“Have you seen a bleeding lady around here?” he asked. “She got injured while doing some chores and I was trying to help her.”

What a liar.

“No,” I replied dryly.

But he didn’t take that for an answer. His hand shot out violently, grabbing me by my collar.

“Look, if you’re ly—”

A crack split the air as blood splashed just inches before my feet.

Kael had punched this man so hard that his nose went crooked instantly. Blood spewed uncontrollably from it.

And he didn’t stop.

He drove him to the ground, fists landing one after the other. By this time they were well outside where anyone could see them.

“Ka-Prince Kael stop,” I rushed after them. “You’re going to attract people.”

He didn’t respond.

He didn’t even look at me.

He just kept on hitting him.

I couldn’t understand how the prince ended up on the ground punching the life out of a civilian.

A crowd started to form and I could hear murmurs from all angles.

“Is that the prince?” someone whispered.

“Why is he attacking him?”

The crowd grew larger and the murmurs got stronger.

The man beneath him was nearly lifeless now.

I had to stop Kael somehow.

Think Evadne, think!

“You’re going to kill him!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Kael’s fist stopped mid air. The crowd suddenly grew quiet.

He stood up and everyone instinctively stepped back.

“Call the village guards,” he said, voice steady like nothing had just happened.

The guards arrived minutes later.

Kael picked up the man by the collar and shoved him toward the guards.

“Deal with him and lock him up.”

He turned to leave, then paused.

“Any man caught laying a hand on a woman,” he said, “will have it cut off… and fed to him.”

He entered the clinic and the crowd erupted.

I could see guilt written over some men’s faces, while others wore faces of approval.

Slowly the crowd started to disappear.

I stepped back inside.

Kael was already seated, face in one hand. His knuckles were badly bruised.

I put antiseptic on a cloth, took bandages and knelt before him.

I took his free hand and pressed the cloth against it.

He winced, his other hand still covering his face.

Good.

I pressed it harder this time and he looked up at me, confusion flickering in his eyes, but I simply went on like nothing happened.

******

‘Kael’s Point Of View’

She did that on purpose.

I know she did.

But I couldn’t blame her. I was also sitting here in silence like nothing had just happened.

I sighed. “Sorry you had to see that.”

“Don’t you think that was a bit… unnecessary?” she asked, taking the other hand.

“I don’t regret it.”

“He assaulted his wife, and he was about to do the same to you,” I went on. “ I simply couldn’t let him.”

Her grip on my hand loosened.

“What if the king hears about this?” she asked, as she wrapped the bandage around my hand.

“Let him hear,” I replied, plainly.

She looked at my now-bandaged hands before looking up at me. “You’re reckless, Prince Kael.”

“We both are.”

That earned a faint smile from her.

I had never seen her smile before, and I’d do anything to see it again.

We held each other’s gazes for a while before the moan of a woman snapped us out of it. Mira was slowly lifting herself up from the cot.

Evadne ran to her aid immediately.

“How are you feeling now?” Evadne asked, feeling the pulse of her hand.

“Di-did he come here?” Mira asked, ignoring Evadne’s question.

“He won’t be bothering you any longer,” I said, getting up.

“Prince Kael!” She moved to bow again but I raised my hand to stop her.

“You should get some rest,” I said to her.

“Thank you Sir, but your hand.”

“It’s nothing really.”

“So how are you feeling now?” Evadne asked again.

“Much better, but… never mind.” Uncertainty clouded her eyes.

“If there’s still a problem you can tell us,” Evadne said, searching her eyes.

“It’s nothing. I’m just overthinking things.” She let out a low, nervous chuckle.

“Hm,” I muttered to myself.

“Alright then. You can stay here if you like.” Evadne pointed to the door leading to the patient room.

“No, no. It’s fine.” Mira waved her hands in disapproval.

“Okay. I can escort you and I’ll pack you some opium to relieve pain. You can come back if you feel any sort of way or better still I’ll come to check up on you if where you live isn’t far.”

Oh.

So she got actual painkillers but I got bitter leaves.

“I’ll be leaving, Evadne,” I walked to the door. “Take care of yourself Mira.”

“Take care sir!” Mira exclaimed.

I left the clinic with my own lesson.

Evadne doesn’t play fair.