JOVESON ANGST :D Canon divergence (as far as we know lol), but I really liked the idea
Whit was thirteen years old and he was already dying. He wouldn't make it to sunrise at the rate he was going. Maybe he would finally meet his dad again and his sisters and his brothers. His friends, that one really nice soldier who had been killed ages ago.
Lightning flashed in the distance and thunder crashed, causing Whit to sit upright, eyes wide and panicked.
He had fallen asleep, like an idiot.
Fingers shaking from the cold rain, he traced the side of his face carefully. It stung. The young prince stared blankly at the tree in front of him. He was in the middle of the woods, his wounds bleeding out, soaked to the bone. He didn't know what he would die from first–hypothermia or blood loss. Maybe that was Daggler's plan. Get rid of him by inflicting a mortal wound on him and leaving him for dead in the worst weather imaginable. Whit had even promised Winslow he'd be alright.
How would Winslow be reacting right now? Worried? Whit's older brother had been quite emotionless in the past few months, barely flinching when Daggler got rid of people on a whim. The eldest prince had gained a dead look in his eyes after all he had gone through. Whit worried for him.
But worrying wouldn't get him anywhere, not when Whit was dying at the side of a forest road.
Whit wondered if anyone would find his body. Maybe a passing civilian. Maybe no one. Maybe a wolf or a hawk would smell the blood and eat him.
He shuddered.
"Hey, kid?!"
Whit jumped at the sudden shout. Lightning flashed again, revealing a rabbit on the road. Whit ducked behind a tree, panic shooting through his limbs. Thunder crashed, covering the shout of the rabbit again.
"Kid, what are you doing out here?!"
The rabbit was getting closer, and closer, and closer–
"Don't hurt me!" Whit said, raising his hands in surrender. His world spun before him, distorting the face of the rabbit.
"Kid, what happened to you?" the rabbit said, outstretching his hands like he was trying to calm Whit.
Whit backed away, breathing ragged. "Take a guess," he said bitterly, trying to focus on the face that could make him live or die.
The buck's face morphed into one of disgust. "Daggler. He's targeting children now." It wasn't a question.
Whit didn't say anything, just started searching for a way out of this situation.
"Hey–kid?!" Whit's world spun around him once more, dissolving into a swirl of colors and sounds.
"I don't know," Snoden said, staring at the child on the bed, his head wound cleaned and bandaged. Layra and Louise were curiously peeking at the kid from behind the couch, too young to understand the gravity of the situation. "I just found him on the roadside, half-dead."
Airen poked his shoulder. "He's a prince, Sno."
Snoden glanced at his wife, eyes widening. "How–"
"Look at him," Airen said, crossing her arms. "He's practically the spitting image of his mother. My guess would be Whitbie, the second eldest."
"Why would Daggler want to kill him?" Snoden rubbed his eyes.
"Ladies," Airen said firmly, turning to her twin daughters. "I need you to go to bed. Your father and I are having an adult talk."
"Okay, Mama," Layra said obediently, dragging her sister with her to their shared bedroom.
Airen turned back to her husband. "You know, if Daggler finds out, we'll essentially be dead."
Snoden swallowed. "I know. And he'll recognize him, judging by the fact that no one in First Warren will have as much scarring as this kid will." He sat down on the couch, staring at the fire. "But I'd feel awful if we just kicked him out as soon as he–"
"Who are you?"
The kid's voice broke through Snoden's muttering. He was standing up shakily, glaring at the couple. "Why am I here?" he demanded. "Are you working with Daggler?"
"No!" Snoden said, raising his hands. "Nothing like that."
"Then why are you helping me?"
Snoden's heart practically broke. The kid was barely older than thirteen–and he already was full of mistrust and anger at the world.
"You were going to die," Airen explained. "On the roadside."
The kid scowled.
"Ok, kid–"
"Whit," the kid said finally, his voice coming out choked. "My name is Whit."
"Whit," Snoden said soothingly. "We're not going to hurt you, I promise. We're here to help."
"And you're going to go against Daggler?" Whit snapped. "Why would you risk your life for me?"
"Because," Snoden said. "It's the right thing to do. Now, you're exhausted. You need to sleep so we can take a proper look at your head tomorrow, ok?"
Whit finally nodded, relaxing slightly. Snoden watched him out of the corner of his eyes, worry rising up. No kid should have to look that tense when preparing to sleep. Maybe it was just the Joveson's adrenaline or fear, but it looked more like routine to Snoden. The kid threw one last apprehensive glance at the couple before laying down.
It only took a few minutes for the kid to fall asleep.
Airen and Snoden turned to each other. "I'll take him to a hospital tomorrow," Snoden said. "I have a few friends who'll probably cover it up if I convince them enough."
Airen sat down on the couch. "Sometimes, all I want to do is drive a knife into Daggler's stomach."
"Agreed," Snoden said, joining her on the couch. The two of them sat in silence a little, watching the crackling fire. When they noticed how dark it was outside, the two of them bid goodnight to each other and went upstairs to their bedroom, one more backwards glance at Whit to make sure he was still there.
Whit carefully opened his un-bandaged eye. The room was dark and full of shadows, usually the subject of his nightmares, but right now he was unbothered. He needed to leave.
It had stopped storming outside, and the clouds were scattered across the clear night sky. He carefully opened the door.
"Going somewhere?"
Whit jumped in surprise.
Snoden was standing behind him, his brow furrowed.
"I'm not going to put you in danger," Whit said resolutely, scowling. "If Daggler finds out, there's not going to be any mercy. So I'm leaving."
Snoden sighed. "I appreciate your worry for my family, Whit. But I think we know the risks of helping you. It's the right thing to do, not the easy thing."
Whit stared at the night sky. Winslow said that all the time, whenever Daggler set a particularly difficult decision in front of the young regent.
Snoden joined him by the doorway. "Look, Whit, I met your dad once."
Whit barely acknowledged him.
"It was a while ago," Snoden said. "I was helping my mom teach at school, and I saw that your father was defending someone from a bully. He knew that the bully was probably going to hit him as well, but he didn't back down."
"So?" Whit's voice was soft.
"The point being," Snoden said. "Jupiter did the right thing, not the easy thing, even when it put him in the line of danger."
"What if it puts someone you love in the line of danger?" Whit asked, remembering his sister's panicked eyes.
Snoden furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure."
Whit rubbed his arm anxiously. "I don't want you to die."
"I won't," Snoden promised. "Okay? I'll be here. Just come back inside."
ehehehehehe
inspired by my brother's idea: "What if Snoden died cuz he helped someone Daggler didn't like?" and it just spiraled downwards from there :)
