Sorry for the wait! I had 'personal demons' to fight through!

CHAPTER 10: Reunion

John had no idea where they were taking him - all he knew is that he did not have the energy to fight back. One, golden-iron-clad guard held onto one of his arms, and another held onto the other. He did not have the energy to lift his legs and walk along with them, so he let his legs drag behind, the floor scraping his ankles as they went. That, he could ignore. The tight grip of the guards on the other hand, just plain hurt. He did not even have the energy to ask them to loosen their grip, and he knew if they dropped him, he could not stand.

He wished the hallucination of Nanna had not disappeared when the guards opened the door… he missed her more then anything right now. The world he saw now was blurred by sickness. He felt dizzy and nauseous - light-headed. Everything spun around him and he just wished it would all stop. Trying to keep himself conscious, he closed his eyes. He let the guards lead him into the darkness.

John knew his ears were not covered, but the sound of wood scrapping against the floor sounded muffled to his ears. He slowly opened his eyes and saw two large golden doors opening up, revealing a white room. He was roughly pulled into the room, and his brain was too foggy to collect any of the details from it, but he recognized it as the Throne Room.

He had only seen the inside of the Throne Room a few times in his life… and none of those times ended well. He wished he could close his eyes again, but through the haze, he could see his Mother sitting on the throne, a worried Jade next to her. The guards threw John roughly to the ground in front of them. He felt his head bounce off the carpet, and heard Jade gasp - but no one moved to help him.

"On your knees." The Queen demanded.
John could not even find the energy to move. At this point, he did not even care.
The Queen's eyes narrowed, "Do not make me repeat myself, Jonathan."
John tried to brace himself up with his elbows, but failed miserably. He collapsed on the floor with a whimper.
"John!" Jade called after him. He could barely see her trying to run over to him, only being stopped when one of her Attendants grabbed her by the shoulders.

A guard roughly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up into the air. John gasped as he felt the pain rip down his side. "You heard the Queen!" He snapped. The guard dropped John on his knees with a laugh.

Completely disoriented, John tried to look up at the Queen, but the room was spinning, and his eyes were no longer accustomed to the light. He tried to focus on her…but which one? He saw two figures of the Queen sitting in the throne in front of him…

Finally, Jade broke free from her Attendant's grasp, and ran over to him, throwing her arms around him just as he was about to collapse again. The feel of someone's arms around him again made him whimper. It was a feeling he had been longing for, for a very long time. He weakly raised his arms up and wrapped them around Jade's. The girl clung onto him, patting him on the head softly.

"Jade." The Queen snapped.
"Look at him Mother!" Jade cried. Her voice cracked, and John knew she was crying. "Just look! This is disgusting!"
"Quite." The Queen snarled, "I highly dislike dirt in my Throne Room."
"He's sick!" Jade cried, her voice raising an octave, "I've never seen anyone so pale! Mother! If we don't do something… he's…he's…"

John buried his head into her chest, hearing her squeak as he did so. He did not want to hear the end of her sentence as much as she did not want to say it.

"Die?" The Queen almost sounded pleased as she said it, "My darling, why would I let this brat die?"
"What?" Jade gasped, hugging her brother tighter.
"This is his punishment, my dear." The Queen's voice turned from that of a 'wicked witch' to a 'loving mother' in a matter of seconds, "He had to learn his lesson for running away like he did."
John heard Jade choke. She dipped her head down so it rested on the top of his head, she whispered, "A punishment?" Her voice raised again, "How is this a punishment? Why Mommy? Why!"
The Queen walked over and patted her daughter on the head, "Because. I cannot let the Royal Family Name get tarnished by someone pitiful enough to run away." She looked at John with disgust, "Jonathan. Look at me."
He tried, but he could not get his eyes to focus.
"I said, look at me!" She snapped.
"Mother!" Jade cried, "He's too sick…"
The Queen ignored her daughter and grabbed John's chin, forcing him to look up at the Queen, "Have we learned our lesson now?"

The Queen's grip was warm, but that was not comforting. Her fingers wrapped tightly around his chin still sent a shiver up his spine. He opened his mouth to speak, but the Queen just threw him back. Before his brain could register what was happening, he was falling backwards, his body landing hard on the ground.

"John!" Jade gasped, reaching down to coddle her brother again, but her Attendant just reached down and held her back.
The Queen turned away with disgust, "Take him to the infirmary. Once he is well enough to speak, we shall see if he has learned his lesson."
Jade sighed in relief, "Thank you, Mother."
The Queen walked over and hugged her daughter tightly, "The things I do for you, my little angel." She kissed Jade's forehead sweetly, "I love you so much."
Jade gave her mom a quick hug back, "I love you too, Mommy." She pulled back a second, "Oh! Can I have one more little favour?"
The Queen sighed dramatically, "What is it, my dear?"
"Can the Derse Prince see John one more time before…whatever it is you have planned?"
The Queen sighed again and released Jade, "I don't see how that is a problem."

John could now barely hear them as they dragged him away, but he did hear the Queen yell at them to stop. He felt the guards halt as they were ordered to.

"Set up a bed for him in the Prince's room. No need spending more guards guarding a room then we have to. And that way the two can say their farewells one last time."
"You are too generous, my Queen." One of them said, bowing before continuing to drag John out.
Jade grinned from ear to ear and hugged her mother again, "Thank you so much!"
The Queen looked smug for a moment, "You are welcome my dear. Now run along. I am sure you want to be there when the Derse Prince sees his 'attendant' again, do you not?"
"Yes!" She chirped, turning to race off after the guards and John.

… … …

The Queen then stood alone in the empty Throne Room. She grinned to herself and crossed her arms. Yes. This could not be working out better. She could think of no sweeter revenge then having the King's son - her hated sister's son - see his friend like this one last time before her plan to destroy Derse was set in motion.

The King will regret what he did to her. Even if she has to stoop to such low levels.

… … …

Dave had no idea how long he was out this time. When he woke up, he felt the familiar tingling sensation all over his body - and automatically knew he was drugged again. He hated that. Because of it, he never knew what day it was, or how long he was out for… too all his knowledge it could have only been a couple of days, to a couple of weeks… he had no idea. All he knew was that whenever the drug started to wear off, he would wake up, and if he was left for too long, an unbearable pain seared through his entire body. He felt as if every limp had been taken off and stitched back together. It never lasted long though, because as soon as the drug wore off enough for him to start to move, a Doctor would swoop into the room force feed him that awful drugged soup again, and he would start to fall unconscious within minutes.

He decided not to move…if he was awake, that meant the drug was starting to wear off. There was only three things that happened when he woke up. One was that the Prospit Princess…what was her name? Right, Jade. One meant that Jade would be sitting next to him, a bright and cheery smile on her face, and a mouth full of information he wanted. Second would be that he opened his eyes and a doctor would stare down at him, and immediately shove that disgusting muck down his throat again. The last option was the one that worried him the most, opening his eyes and there was no one there. If that was the case, then he would have to lay here for hours as the drug slowly wore off, and he felt more and more pain until someone came in to check on him. If it was the middle of the night, then that meant he'd have to wait till morning for them to come. That was the worst thing of all. Being strapped and helpless, stuck to this bed while his entire body screamed in agony…and his mind would clear up enough for him to start thinking clearly again. His mind always wandered to that damn Egderp. Jade had said nearly nothing about John the last few times she had come to visit. The last time, she said she was going to do something to help John, even if she had to do something drastic. He had no idea what she meant… all he wanted to know was if his best bud was ok or not.

He heard the door open, and quickly closed his eyes again. Even though he was terrified of the pain returning, he wasn't ready to return to the haze just yet. He struggled to keep his breathing in check, each breath tugging at the wounds in his torso.

"Can you push the Prince's bed over?"
"Give me a hand and we'll get it over in a jiffy."

Dave felt his bed slide across the floor. He stayed perfectly still, hoping that no one saw through his charade.

"Did you give the Prince his medicine?"
"Not yet. Don't worry about it just now. Let's just focus on getting this room rearranged. We'll worry about that when the fucking brat starts screaming out again."

Screaming? Dave fought not to blush. He had always been good at keeping a 'poker face', and now was the time to use it. But seriously… had he really been screaming? He could not remember…but it was not like him to scream.

"Place that bed here. I'm not sure why the Queen wants the pipsqueak in here. I think he'd be better in the sick beds. But if this is what the Queen wants, this is what has to be. Go fetch some medicine for the Prince."
"Right away."

Oh crap… they had seen through his charade… this was not good. Dave really did not want that disgusting sludge thrown down his throat again. He clenched his teeth and squeezed his lips shut. But after a few minutes, he realized that no one was lifting his head off the pillow or shoving a funnel down his throat. Worry engulfed him…what was taking so long? A wave of pain washed over him, but he ignored it. He was about to open his eyes again, when he heard a familiar scream.

…John…

Dave jerked up, his eyes flinging open. The room was bright around him, and full of people. He gasped and looked to his left. A new bed had been pushed into the room, and a boy had been thrown down restlessly onto it. No one was paying attention to him.

"Fuck! He's hallucinating again. Where the fuck is the Nurse with his medicine?"

The door open and a woman came running in with a bowl of some strange look liquid. She ran next to the Doctor. There was several people holding the boy's arms and legs to the bed, he was screaming in John's voice…calling out for help…

Until the Nurse shoved the liquid down his throat.

The boy choked on the liquid, but drank it eagerly, as if he had not eaten in days. By the way his skin clung to his bones, Dave would believe he hadn't. The boy was sickly pale - maybe even slightly green. Even through the mass of people, Dave could see the boy was deathly ill.

The boy instantly started to calm down. He was crying, but even soon that mellowed down to a whimper. As soon as the boy stopped thrashing around, the Nurse released him. One of them tucked him into the bed, and everyone cleared out…

…no one even looked at Dave.

Dave stared wide-eyed at the boy across the room from him…he looked a little bit like John…but Dave barely recognized him. He was so skinny…even worse then when he first met him. The boy's eyes were hallow, and there were huge bags under them. Someone had removed the blue cape and clothes he was wearing before, and dressed him in the golden colours of Prospit.

"J-John?" Dave finally choked out. The boy did not reply. Dave felt his breath get caught in his throat. He gagged slightly. Dammit Dave! He thought bitterly. Control yourself! What if John saw you behaving like this? You'd never live it down… Dave took a deep, composing breath. Fighting to regain his 'poker-face', he repeated his friend's name.

Slowly - almost painfully slow - the boy's eyes flittered open. Dave flinched inwardly when he saw the familiar blue irises of his friend. There was no denying it now. The anorexic, sickly boy in front of him was none other then his attendant, John Egbert…

"Fuck John…" Dave whispered, "What the fuck happened to you?" John smiled slightly, but did not answer. They're beds were so close, that if Dave could reach out his arm, and John reached out his, they could almost touch fingertips. He wished more then anything to wake John up, snap him out of whatever funk he was in…Jade had said that John needed her help… but she had never said he was this bad…

He made a mental note to bitch at her later.

The night was still young… Dave knew in the morning he would be forced to face some kind of experiment…whatever he was, he'd fight tooth and nail if he could not speak to John first. He should have listened to Rose and left him behind…

The hours slipped by, and John had not awoken yet. The drug was wearing off and every movement caused Dave pain. He was terrified that someone would come in and drug him before John woke up.

"Rose…"

Dave jumped when he heard his sister's name. He looked over. John was talking in his sleep. He grumbled something else and rolled over onto his back.

"John?" Dave said quietly. He did not want the guards outside the room to know he was awake.
"Dave?"
It was a groggy reply. Dave did not know if it was sleep-talk or real, but he was willing to try. He smiled, "Yeah John… I'm here bro."
John looked over, "Shit… you look terrible."
"Your one to talk, Egderp. What the fuck happened?"
"The usual." There was a hint of bitterness in John's voice that Dave could not define. But the raven-haired boy just smiled at his friend and replied, "How are you?"
"Meh." Dave lied.
"That great huh?" John saw straight through him, John shifted and rolled over until he was looking at Dave again, "What's going to happen to us?"
"Well," Dave contemplated on what to tell John, but then he just sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "Dammit, I wish I knew that myself."
"I want to go home." John whimpered,
"Me too…" Dave sighed.

John leaned up and tried to push himself out of bed, but instead collapsed in a fit, throwing up over the side of the bed.

"Jegus!" Dave snapped,
"Sorry." John whined, he collapsed back on the bed.
"Your as pale as a ghost." Dave replied,
"Neat." John whimpered, wiping the remains of the vomit off his chin.

"What's going to happen to us?" John repeated, still leaning over the side of the bed,
"Your going to get out." Dave promised, "They did not tie you to the bed… so as your master, I order you to get the fuck out of here."
"Not without you." He tried to lean up again, but just ended up throwing up once again.
"It doesn't look like either of us are going anywhere does it?" Dave said in defeat.
"I'll probably get locked in my room again." John sighed, remembering the days on end the Queen would lock him in his chambers.
"And the Queen will probably use me for ransom." Dave lied. There was no way in hell he was telling his sick-best-bro that the Queen had some 'experiment' in store for him.
"At least you'll be going home soon then." John tried to smile, but could not find the energy.

The door opened so quickly, Dave did not have time to even register it. He cursed himself for letting his guard down and looked over, but relaxed when he saw who it was. He was almost thankful for the interruption though,

"John! Dave!" Jade sang as she ran over between their beds. She ignored the vomit on the floor, and hugged John tightly, before turning around and gently cradling Dave's head.
"Jade!" John smiled, "Is it true? Were you the one to get me out of the prison cell?"
Dave looked over curiously, but Jade started talking before he could ask any questions. She nodded her head vigorously, "It took DAYS of trying to convince Mom! But she finally said she'd pull you out of the dungeons just for me!" Her expression fell flat, "I'm sorry I could not visit you for awhile. How are you feeling?"
John just smiled his normal, idiotic-buck-toothed smile, "A little better…I think."
Jade cheered and turned around to face Dave, "And what about…" her words caught in her throat.
Dave looked away, "I don't know…we'll find out tomorrow won't we?"
"Find out what?" John asked,
"Ah!" Jade gasped, whirling around to face John, "Nothing! I will make sure of it!"
"Jade." Dave's voice was course to his own ears, "You've already done enough…"
"But!" She gasped, "Its not fair! Mother can find another way to stop the war!"
"This is to stop the war?" John asked,
Jade nodded, "Uh huh! Mom said she found a way to stop the war once and for all!"
"But in who's favour?" John pressed,
"I…I don't know." She gasped. She sat down on the edge of John's bed, "I don't know much… Mother won't trust me with too much information…"
"Maybe we all can find a way to stop the war?" John asked,
"What?" Jade asked, turning to face her brother.
"Well… I know Dirk doesn't want this war to continue… I'm sure when Dirk is King, and you are Queen… your parents pass the throne to you, you can end the war?" John asked,
"That will be years away." Dave snorted.
"Well, you and Jade could just get married, and that would stop the war?" John asked.
Jade's face flashed red. She turned away from the two of them with a loud squeak.

Dave grunted and looked away. The way John had suggested that was so innocent. He sounded like he really meant it. He even looked confused when they reacted so severely to it.

"Or I could marry Rose."

Dave laughed and turned to look at John, "What would that accomplish?"
Jade grinned, "You didn't know?"
Dave did not reply, and John just looked confused.
Jade laughed, "John is my brother. He is technically a Prince of Prospit… though Mother refuses to acknowledge it."

Dave's reaction must have been hilarious even though he did not realize he had a reaction, because both Jade and John started laughing. They were kidding right? Dave could not find it in him to believe them. He sighed and looked away again. That would just be way too weird…

The three continued to talk until the sun began to rise. Jade was enthusiastic, trying desperately to ease the boy's minds. But as the hours passed, the illness that had possessed John easily overcame him. He was still weak from weeks spend in a damp and dark prison cell. He fell asleep curled up on the bed, his head resting on his sister's lap. During this time, the drug was wearing further and further off, but Dave did not feel any less tired. It had been a few weeks since the battle, and his wounds were healing nicely, but the discomfort of being unable to move was getting to him - as well as the fear of whatever was awaiting him in the morning kept him awake. He was awake long after both John and Jade had fallen asleep.

Dave looked over and watched the two of them sleep. He did not look up, even when the door opened. A few figures walked up to the side of his bed, cutting off his vision from his friend and the Princess. He blinked his tired, warn out eyes, and looked up at the figures before him.

The Queen, the Doctor, and two Nurses, and a strange crazed-looking man stood looking down at him.

"Had a good chat?" The Queen asked, a sly look on her face, "I would hate for you to go into this… event… with regrets."
"Fuck off." Dave snapped.
"Now that is no way to speak to your future Queen." The Queen laughed, "Remove the shackles."

Dave looked down as the Doctor took a key out of his coat, and unlocked the shackles chaining Dave to the bed. Dave sorely reached over and rubbed his acing wrists. The skin under the shackles were red and thin. The doctor grabbed Dave by the back of the head, his thick, calloused fingers wrapping through Dave's hair. The boy gasped in spite of his best efforts as the Doctor pulled Dave out of the bed, and to his feet.

At first, Dave did not know if he could stand. He stumbled, and would have fallen if the Doctor wasn't holding him up by his hair. He cursed at the pain throbbing at the back of his head.

"Move." The Doctor spat. When Dave glared at him, he just smirked darkly, "You wouldn't want to wake them would you? I'd hate for something bad to happen to your attendant because you wouldn't cooperate."

Dave hissed. He suddenly knew why the Queen had brought John in to see him… it would be a way to control him. The Queen knew as long as she threatened his friends, he'd do whatever she wanted. He cursed under his breath, and tried to stay on his feet. After a couple of weeks of being stuck in bed, at first his legs did not want to work, but the Doctor did not give him time to work out the kinks, and he had to force himself to get moving - or risk getting his hair pulled out.

He cast one last worried look back at John and Jade sleeping in the bed, before the Nurse closed the door, and cut him off from them.

The Queen smiled, "Don't worry. Its time to face your destiny and end this war."

Dave really wished he knew what she meant…