Chapter three: A half-elf, my battle.

' Yuan!'

If Kratos was panicked, the headmaster looked like nothing happened. The human shook softly he sleeping boy, fearing he would hurt him if he did it with more strength. He could feel under the poor clothes of the half-elf how skinny he was. The body which had been previously attacked was convulsing, coughing, shaking... Kratos gently put his hand on the boy's forehead, just to pull it off almost immediately. Yuan was burning up. He was exhausted, his body could not take anymore the way of life he had to endure. The Aurions' heir was astonished by witnessing the lack of reaction of Miss Methy. A young man was suffering in front of her and she did not make any move! He gathered all his strength in order to make his voice firm.

' Fetch a doctor.'

' Dear Goddess, for a half-elf? This is ridiculous. He is just faking.'She replied bitterly

' I'll pay for the doctor's bills'

' For a half-elf?'

Yes, for a half-elf!'

Kratos was losing his calm. Seeing that he wasn't joking, she gave up and called a doctor, a good one at least, she could feel that the young Aurion could cause her some harm.

While she was busy, the owner of the room remained by the ill boy's side. He was holding his hand, with his free hand, he was stroking absentmindedly his hair, just like his mother used to when he was ill, whispering to him kind words. He did not want Yuan to feel abandoned. He did not understand how people could be so cruel towards a living being who had feelings and a conscience.

' Don't worry Yuan, I'll take you out of here. I'll do my best to make your life getting better. Now that I know you, even if it has been only for a few days, I cannot pretend that I know nothing, it would be too cruel!'

The doctor arrived and detiny made sure that it was a friend of Kratos' mother: Gabriel Theodore. This man was inspiring goodness and generosity to any person who spoke to him.

' My, my, Kratos, I was not expecting you to be my patient.'

' I am not the one who needs your care, Gabriel.'

' So, it is this unfortunate boy who is lying on your bed? He is a such a state indeed! Nevertheless, Miss Methy assured me that you were the one who needed me. Well, it matters not, I heal everybody.'

Gabriel went to see Yuan. He checked his pulse, his fever, examined him carefully before turning to the director with a severe face.

' How could you let a child suffering that much?'

' He is just a half-elf, do not make the matter bigger than it is. If you look at the law, I did nohing wrong.'

' To the Goddess, Miss, you are a monster. I've never seen in my whole life a boy of eighteen being in such a bad condition! Under-nutrition, lack of sleep... There are bruises on his legs that prove that this boy has been the victim of several and repeated sexual assaults. Others show that he is beaten. He is close to pneumonia. Where does this child sleep?'

' In a stable, just like the animal he is.'

This cold and logical tone scared Kratos. How could a woman who could be so sweet to her boarders could be so heartless when it came to one of her employee? Nonetheless, he managed to ask to the doctor what would become of Yuan if someone did not help him, even though a part of him already knew the answer.

' That's very simple Kratos. He will die. To be true, even if I give him the appropriate medicine, I do not know if he will survive. He is under a grave state and his body is extremely exhausted. His heart might not be strong enough to tolerate it.'

Kratos received this truth like a slap on his face. Yuan... was going to die? No! He did not want that to happen! He promised him to take him out of there, he promised him to taught him how to read, he promised him to become his friend!

' Isn't there another one, weaker, but that could save with without any threat upon his life?' He tried

' There is one indeed, but it will take more time. Moreover, even if I give you what his body needs to be healed, I have no remedy to heal his mind. They tried to break him into pieces.'

' Give him this one. I'll take care of him personally.'

' don't I have my word on that matter?' Methy said

' Miss, your people, your boarders and yourself did enough harm to this boy, so yes, you have nothing to say.'

' Legally, I did nothing wrong. Crimes against half-elves aren't punished.'

' It is true, but if you refuse what Kratos suggests, you will lose the most rich of your boarders and your slave too, because it will surprise me if he leaves without him. You will follow all of my commands if you care about your establishment's reputation, for if people despise children like Yuan, they despise even more crimes against children and in this story, race does not count.'

The headmaster turned white. She was in a weak position, she had to give up. Alright, she would let that damned kid take care of the toy's pension. Alright, the toy would never be a toy again since he was to become the one of the boy who dared to try her.

' First of all, you will give a proper bedroom to this boy. Aren't there are empty rooms under the roof ? Take one and make it a fine room for him. A clean and lovely one. Then, you will fetch all of the remedies on this list and you will give them to Kratos. Of course, this boy will be removed from all his jobs. Believe me, Miss, if you disobey me, shame will fall upon you. Kratos and I will make sure of it.'

' What about his parents?'

' Without being half-elven friendly, Theophratus et Deodate never accepted bad treatments upon people, no matter who they are. In all cases, you lose.'

The discussion lasted for a few minutes before the outraged lady left to fetch the remedies rquiered to save the half-breed boy. Gabriel turned to face Kratos, who was still by Yuan's side, with a sorry face while the young human's one was drowned by his silent tears. Internally, the doctor sighed. Kratos always threw himself into impossibles situations because of his sensitive little heart. But he remembered that all of them ended happily. He prayed Mana to make sure that this one was going to end well too.

' This child will need you, Kratos. Somehow, you are his buoy. Make sure he does not drown until he can swim alone in this ocean that is called life.'

' How can someone be so cruel towards somebody? What was his crime to deserve this?'

' He is innocent, that's why people are mad at him. He is blamed for something he isn't responsible of. Take good care of him, Kratos. Prove him that life worths it.'

' How many gald do I own you?'

' I want nothing. I offer you the remedies and examination. The most beautiful gift you could offer me is to save this poor boy. You will have to become an angel of patience and kindness. But with your compassionate mind, that won't be hard.'

The doctor gave Kratos a warm smile. He tried to give him one as well, but it looked clumsy. Gabriel swore to come back to have a look upon his unfortunate patient's evolution then he left.

Kratos knew he had a new ally. He felt lighter. Until he heard the painful cough from Yuan's throat. Without noticing it, he took him in his arms and hugged him softly. Not too tighlty so that he would not hurt him but with enough strength to make him feel that he was not alone and he stoke his hair.

' All will be well, Yuan. I'll take care of you. I won't let them harm you anymore.'

The director had been quite quick. Kratos had the remedies before dinner, the boarders and employees were ordered to leave Yuan in peace and Yuan's room would be ready in a few days. During that time, Kratos would have to share his room with him.

What his that warmness that I feel against me? What is that warmness that I feel inside of me? Why do I feel it anyway? Am I not dead? Yet, this horrible pain, that feeling of everything being destroyed inside of me... Why am I not dead already? I want to die! To whom belonged that kind voice that comforted me so much? Why does someone want to save me so badly?

Yuan woke up slowly. He heard the cathedral's bells. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven... He was late! He was going to have such a slap when he would arrive to the kitchen! He tried to move but he felt too weak. Moreover, he was in somebody's arms. Kratos' arms. So, that kind voice was his! The human woke up as wall and when he saw that his friend was awake; he felt tears coming to his eyes. He hugged him tight, happy and relieved to see him finally awake.

There is someone here who cares for me. Someone accepts me. Someone wants to save me. I... I don't want to die anymore. Not now. I want to be healed and remain by Kratos' side. Life, that's not that bad after all.

To be continued

Well, that was chapter three. I hope you will like it. I have a little question. If I translated my very first official KratosxYuan fanfiction, would you follow it? It is quite old and badly written when I compare it to what I do now but it seems that they are not a lot of Kruan here.