Love For Hire

It took twice as long to get home from the hospital. Nausea kicked in as soon as they got in the car. It was like the motion was wreaking havoc on Nicholas. They had to pull over four times to let Nicholas get out so he could get sick on the side of the highway. By the time they reached the palace, he was so sick and weak that Stephen and Octavius had to carry him from the car through the house to his room on the third floor.

They got him to bed, and he was out as soon as they laid him on the mattress. Kinsley brought the blanket up and tucked him in to make him comfortable, although she was not sure he would even notice. He looked dead lying there in the bed.

Kinsley left the room and went to find Naya and Teegan. The three of them would spend the rest of the day planning the wedding. Nicholas would never notice she was not with him.

***

Nicholas heaved as he knelt over the toilet. He had woken with the sudden need to be violently ill. The muscles of his body trembled with the strain. “Nicholas,” he heard his brother’s voice and then footsteps as Matthew came into the room. “I see you are not doing well. I thought I’d come to see if you were awake.”

Nicholas voided his stomach once more and then laid his head on his arm, draped over the edge of the toilet. He heard the water turn on, and then he heard something clank. Matthew’s hand touched his shoulder and helped him sit up. Then Matthew took his hands and guided them to the glass he was offering him.

“Here, some water to wash away that nasty taste in your mouth,” Matthew said, his hand gripping Nicholas’ coaxing him to lift the water to his mouth. The rim of the glass touched his bottom lip, and Nicholas began to drink.

Nicholas made a face. “It tastes weird,” he complained weakly.

“That is just the vomit in your mouth. Keep drinking,” Matthew said as he forcefully tipped the glass, forcing Nicholas to drink every last drop. “There we go,” he said happily as he took the glass away. Nicholas heard the glass as Matthew placed it on the counter. “Let’s get you up off the floor,” Matthew said, and Nicholas felt his brother pull his arm around his shoulders as Matthew snaked one arm around Nicholas’ waist and heaved him up off the floor and onto his weak, unsteady feet. “So, undignified to find the Crowned Prince on the bathroom floor.”

his feet up onto the mattress, getting him on the bed fully. Nicholas

are not alone. I will be by your

***

room and let herself inside. Dinner would be served soon, and she wanted to see if her son felt up to coming down or if she should have the staff bring his evening meal up to him. She closed the door and walked over to the bed where Nicholas lay sleeping soundly. She almost had not the heart to wake him. Maybe she should not. Naya decided to leave and

dinner?”

stopped and turned to face him; he still lay there with his eyes closed. “I thought you were asleep. How did you know I

onto his back and opened his eyes. He stared straight ahead, and she was not sure she would ever get used to that vacant look in

soon.

up in bed and placed his

you eat?”

his head. “Probably not, but I

our accord. If you want to

as little time in this bed as possible. I am going to live what little life I have left,” he then snapped his fingers, and Brutus jumped up from his doggie bed in the corner and walked over to Nicholas. Naya watched as Nicholas stood up and took hold of the harness bar Brutus wore and then made his way around the bed to

smiled. She admired her son’s strength and conviction. “Well, then let’s join the

***