Revamped!

[For some annoying reason, the cover of this story never stays and always changes to my profile pic (which is the default setting)]. [2019: I've changed this cover so many times].

[On another note, it's 2 AM but I promise to sleep after this]. [2019: Almost midnight here but I have to sleep soon].

Chapter Ten: The Stitches

"She's awake!"

"Shh...! You'll wake her! She needs to rest."

"Princess Iqadi doesn't panic."

"She will this time. Haven't you read the stories?"

"Quiet!"

Voices, voices, all these voices. Who do they belong to? Where am I? How am I still alive? Am I still alive? All these noises and questions are making my head swell, especially since I'm not getting any answers. But I didn't ask any ... Adrenaline mixed with fear and panic surges through my veins, probably to fight for all the blood I lost.

I can't take this.

I wake up screaming. My arms fly open and I can feel my mutation along with the bodily concoction I mentioned earlier take over my entire body, wreaking havoc in my injured mind and outside. I know my eyes are now as white as cotton but my vision is still blurry. Although I can make out silhouettes of people trying to reach out to me, I don't want them.

With my aching arms, I try to swat them away. They try to talk but I can't hear them over my own screaming.

I suddenly fall back and feel someone catch me. I close my eyes, this time from fatigue. The voices are saying something more soothing this time but I still don't understand a single word.

-o-

What feels like days drifts by even though it has probably only been a few hours at most. My eyes flutter open and I stir around on the cold and hard surface I'm lying down on. Although I feel no restraints on my limbs and torso, I have no strength nor energy to move. Which means I have no power to burst open.

"Princess…" I hear a voice whisper to me. "It's me, Femi. You're in a safe room with the other suitors. Your father found you on the castle floor and handed you off to Zuberi who left the room to look for you. You got a critical beating so don't try to move a lot."

Even if I could move, I wouldn't choose to. Okay…good. I'm with my suitors. For a moment, I thought I got captured - my father!

I suddenly tense and Femi gently grasps my shoulders. I begin crying at the thought of the worse possible fate for my parents and anyone else in the palace. If I'm here, the what's happening to them? The longer I'm conscious, the more the physical pain returns to add onto my emotional pain. I hold my breath harshly and clench my stomach in an attempt to make it all go away. Another cold hand touches my flaming body and it cools down that one spot on my arm.

"We don't know if the palace is still in danger," Jaheem tells me softly. "Zuberi only went to find you."

"I didn't see your parents after that," Zuberi says solemnly. "But I have faith in them that they're alive."

I do too. I really do. I can only pray for their safety. I will never be ready to lose them.

More tears form in my eyes and I let them fall out. I don't care if the image of a powerful heiress includes her crying. One can lead and still have emotions. The tears clear my eyes and make my stomach cramp up. I want to cry and scream out loud for the unknown fate of my parents and hear their response but all I have are silent tears.

Imanu approaches me and I can tell that he has bad news by the deep expression on his face. It's not about my parents. I know that because how could he possibly know if he was in here the whole time?

"What is it?" I ask, choking on a cry.

"Princess…" Imanu begins, making my teary eyes divert to him. "I have done my best to tend to the gaping wound on your forehead by disinfecting it and removing glass shards with some tweezers in a first aid kid while you were unconscious but it requires stitches."

I try to clear my throat but do so weakly.

"You - " I start hoarsely, " - you can stitch wounds?"

Imanu nods.

"What kind of studies did you do in the vibranium mines?" Chike questions loudly and obnoxiously from across the room. He's the only suitor who isn't by my side at the moment and, for some reason, it's as if the attack on the palace never occurred to him.

Imanu takes a breath. "I did more labour in the mines than studying but I do know my way around that resource more than you ever will in your lifetime."

I bite down on my tongue. My body perks up a little after Imanu said those words. I told him to keep his past a secret because it could be used against him, but he confessed. He didn't have to but he did.

"Occasionally, I would be asked to tend injuries to my fellow workers," Imanu continues. "I was the only one with nimble fingers and control to go through with performing what would sometimes be live surgery."

Imanu disobeyed my order. He was insecure and timid but spoke out about his lifestyle to gain trust out of the others and more out of myself. It's his constant honesty and growing courage that is slowly making me look at him differently.

"I'll be needing your assistance," Imanu says to the other suitors.

They all nod except for Chike who continues to stand shadily in the corner, as far from me as possible. Zuberi stands at the door to guard it, Abioye holds the first aid kid with the supplies for Imanu, Jaheem holds a bucket of water, and Femi stands by me, looking for an opportunity to lend a hand.

"Princess…" Imanu whispers, putting a soft hand on my shoulder. "I don't have anything to numb the area around your wound."

"I don't care," I reply sharply. "Nothing can hurt more than what I just went through."

Imanu wavers for a bit. I eye him confidently and he takes a breath before beginning. Femi pours a clear liquid over the hands of Imanu and I hear it splatter onto the floor. He dries his hands with a towel. A different towel soaked in the same liquid is used to dab my wound and I immediately tense from the sharp flame entering my head. Imanu steps back with the towel and looks right into my eyes with panic. I force myself to calm down again.

"Do it," I order him.

I close my eyes and hear the sound of metal surgical tools clanking together in the first aid kit. I reach out into the cold openness and feel Femi take my hand. His hands are suddenly warm against mine and I squeeze it tightly.

"Do it now!"