"Don't be afraid Luca, I'll be alright." Jim Macken assured his younger brother before coughing harshly into his fist. Luca looked at the older boy through sad eyes. Jim was pale nearly the color of the sheet he was wrapped in.
"But you've been ill for a long time, when will you get better?"
"It hasn't been that long, only a few days. I'll be well before you know it."
"What if you need medicine, we don't know what kind or anything, I don't want -" Jim rested a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"We'll figure it out,we always do. I don't want you to worry about that right now. I just need some sleep okay?" Luca nodded but didn't seem convinced.
"I need to lie down for a little while, do you remember what I told you yesterday?"He asked.
"Don't leave here without you because it's safer if we're together." The boy replied, Jim smiled faintly.
"That's right. If something happens, I won't be able to help you if I'm not there. It might be a good idea for you to sleep too." Jim laid down on the makeshift bed they had made of old clothes and sheets that they had collected from severs villagers.
"Brother?"Luca call softly settling onto his own.
"What?" The eldest boy called back closing his eyes.
"I love you very much." Luca watched his brother shiver beneath the sheet.
"I love you too Luca,everything's going to be fine"
"Promise me something?" The younger boy said glancing around the place they now called home. It was a small space and the entrance was easily hidden.
"what kind of promise?"
"Don't leave like mum and dad did, please brother. I don't know what I'd do if I never got to see you again. You're all I have and you've always taken good care of me." Luca began to sob quietly,he missed their parents and felt lucky that he had always been close to Jim. Jim turned to look at his little brother. He felt sad for the boy.
"Luca, I want you to listen and understand what I'm going to tell you. I'll never,ever leave you I'm going to look after you you're always going to have me, I promise." Jim said gently. The sincerity of his brother's voice seemed to ease Luca's fear.
"Try to get some sleep, when I wake up, we'll get something for you to eat."
"Yes your highness." Many thoughts ran through Luca's mind, Jim had been caring for him since Luca had entered the world, often telling the child that before he was born,Jim had been hoping for a baby brother and had been overjoyed to hear he would be a big brother.
Looking back to his memories, Jim proved nothing less, even helping nurse Luca back to health after a terrible fever. It was Jim that Luca saw when he opened his eyes that day and it was Jim now that despite his illness insisted on continuing to be in Luca's opinion the best brother ever.
He turned his head to the ill boy who was now asleep.
"You always think of me first, now you're ill and this time brother, I'll be taking care of you. I love you and I don't want you to go away from me, I'll get you everything I can. I hope you won't be too upset but I won't be gone long, you need to rest." He whispered before standing up and walking over to Jim.
Luca pressed a hand gently to Jim's head.
"You have a really bad fever, don't worry, I'm going to make sure you get better fast." He leaned down and kissed his brother's head.
"Sleep well your highness, sweet dreams.I'll be back before you wake up. I hope you understand." He returned to his bed and removed two of the sheets from his pile and laid them carefully over his shivering brother. After one last glance at the sleeping boy, Luca began his journey to gather everything he could to take care of his brother.