Chapter Thirteen

"Well done, Eduard. You succeeded in frightening him almost beyond his wit." Ludwig's voice was icier than usual, sharper than his blade. "Weren't you warned that he wasn't going to be the same?"

Eduard didn't respond, nor did he look at Ludwig. The elder didn't think he had ever felt so frustrated. Had Isaac not told them that this might happen? Ludwig himself could recall at least once the soldier had mentioned that Orpherus wouldn't likely be in a good state.

"I'll fill you in on his condition, so that perhaps you can take him into consideration. He's starved and beaten. You've probably had more to eat in the last two days than he has this entire month. He's so traumatized that he has bouts of memory loss, or doesn't want to see anyone. I was hoping that coming back here, he wouldn't slip into that, but it seems he did. You didn't help, chasing after him and yelling at him like that. Normally, if he sleeps, he'll wake up and be fine for awhile. You might have killed off that chance."

Still no response.

"Lui," Camus said tentatively, "what's going to happen?"

"My doctors are going to figure out exactly what needs to be done to get him back to full physical health, and in the few days he is here, we will be attempting to get a decent start on that plan. It was my hope that some quiet and peace would be good for his mental condition, but -"

"Shut up," came Eduard's rough voice. "You wouldn't understand what this is like for me."

Ludwig observed him levelly for a few moments. "Even if I don't, that's no excuse for you to attack him like that."

"I wasn't attacking him!" Eduard shouted, whirling, his emerald eyes on fire.

"To him in his current condition, you are. Lower your voice and calm down. Otherwise, you will wake him and frighten him again. Do you wish for that?"

Eduard glowered, but fell silent. Ludwig took a moment to pin him with a cold gaze before continuing.

"When he wakes, if he is in a condition to do so, I will reintroduce you to him. From then, you will all have to take turns watching over him. We cannot allow him to be alone."

"Lui...?" Naoji asked.

"He is going to need constant attention. If you wish for him to remember you, that is how you will do it."

"Why so, Lui?"

He paused. How to phrase it? "It is better not to leave him alone. And you shouldn't press him to talk about what happened. He will refuse, and if you continue to pressure him, it will only do him harm. He will speak of it when he wishes to, and no sooner. Besides that, there are no other orders I have for you. My doctors will more fully inform us of what should be done after he has been examined."

The others looked like they had more questions, but the door opened and Isaac looked out.

"Lui, he's awake. He's asking for you."

Ludwig got to his feet and entered the room, crossing to the bed. Orpherus was struggling to keep awake. As Ludwig stopped beside the bed, those eyes raised to him.

"Lui?"

"Yes, Orphe."

"Are... I... where am I?"

"At my family's house in Birne. I told you we'd be stopping here for a bit before I took you back."

"Don't," was the begging whisper. "I don't want to..."

"Eduard and the others are outside. They wish to see you."

"Ed...uard...?"

"Eduard. Surely you remember him."

Orpherus closed his eyes and didn't reply. Ludwig gave him a few moments before he said, "I'm going to bring them in."

Panic visibly struck him. "No..."

It was almost too difficult to take. Ludwig felt he had held up the last couple of days just fine, but to see Orpherus too scared to see those people he considered his dearest friends was beyond painful. "I will be right here. They simply wish to see you. You don't have to speak with them."

Orpherus struggled, but then he choked, "Okay."

"You don't have to say anything to them. They have been worrying about you all this time. They just want to see you."

"Okay."

"If you want them to leave, just say so. I will send them away."

"Okay."

He turned and went to the door, not surprised to see the other three hovering right outside the door. Their faces said they had heard what was said. Eduard was giving him an angry, accusing look, but it didn't bother him in the least. He knew full well the reasons Orpherus was clinging to him and afraid of everyone else.

"So you know the terms." He stood back and let them file into the room. When he made his way back to the bed, Orpherus had rolled onto his side, turning away. He crossed to that side, casting a gaze at the others to forbid them from coming with him.

"Orphe," Eduard tried softly. Orpherus twitched, but didn't look his way. "Orphe, I'm glad you're back. I... I worried about you. You're not mad at me, are you?"

Standing on the side Orpherus was facing, Ludwig saw the tears slipping across the bridge of Orpherus's nose to trail into the pillow. But Eduard would see nothing. He chose to not say anything.

"Orphe... I'm glad to see you again," Camus said at length. "I can feel you're in a lot of pain... if there's anything we can do to help, please let us know."

"We are here for you, Orphe," Naoji added quietly. "For anything."

Orpherus was managing to hide his emotions well. He was looking up at Ludwig pleadingly, choking back his tears as best he could. At length, the elder said, "He's fallen asleep. You can come visit him again later."

Eduard looked like he might protest, but Ludwig raised his head, glaring, and resentfully the darker one resigned. Camus reached out to touch Orpherus's shoulder, pulling back when he shuddered, and then he left the room with Naoji and Isaac. Ludwig listened to them go down the hall before he said, "Why are you crying?"

"I can't... I can't look at them..."

"They want to help you."

"I can't..."

"I will let you off the hook tonight, and maybe even tomorrow, but you are going to have to face them. You can't run away all your life, Orpherus. I won't let you."

Orpherus did not respond, but closed his eyes heavily. It was clear to Ludwig that the response meant that Orpherus had already given up on Ludwig.

~.oOOo.~

"Nothing permanently damaging. He can be nourished back to strength with time. Once he's a bit stronger, he should be put on rehabilitation as far as physical action goes."

"And about...?"

"The pain will go away on its own eventually. Again, nothing permanently damaging as far as we can tell. His mental condition is what is the most worrisome thing. He's experiencing a sort of post-traumatic experience sickness. We will discuss further treatment for that, if you'd like."

"Yes. How long for physical recovery time?"

"He should be able to gain enough strength to walk after a month or so. Perhaps three months for full physical recovery."

"When do you expect him to be able to return to normal social functions?"

A hesitation. "Physically, in those same three months. Otherwise..."

"I see. Thank you, doktor."

He bowed and moved on his way. Ludwig closed his eyes, bowing his head in thought. Three months, minimally, for Orpherus to get back on his feet. It was a long time, but he suspected nothing could really be done about it.

But that was considering Orpherus trying his best to recover. If Orpherus put no effort into it, nothing would happen. Ludwig went into the room, where the others were sitting in awkward silence around Orpherus's bed, and said, "Orpherus."

No response. He added, "You're listening and I know you are."

Slowly, those blue eyes opened listlessly. Ludwig continued, "The doctors say you'll be fine. If you work hard to recover, you'll be back on your feet in no time. But you have to work to recover. Understand?"

Again, he was met with silence.

"I feel I should add, for probably the tenth time, that I will not allow you to lie here all your life. You will get back up and you will go back to your normal activities, whether I must force you to take interest in it or not."

"Lui!" Eduard snarled angrily.

"That is all I have to say to you, Orpherus. Good day."

He left, leaving the others with him, and decided he would try to sleep. Only if his conscience would let him.