"Reunited..." - Chapter Nineteen

Reunited...

Chapter Nineteen

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Prince William opened his eyes, and the blackness eventually gave way to white. His head hurt. Even moving it hurt, so he dared not touch it. It even hurt when he looked around. He felt glad that nothing else hurt.

He found himself in a sterile white room. The bed he was on was covered with white sheets. The walls were white. The bright white light reflected off every surface. Wherever he was, it was very bright (and white).

He did not know how long he had been unconscious, but it felt like several hours. There were no windows in his room, so he could not tell if it were night or day. The Prince had gone through a rough stretch, and he was enjoying the warm and comfortable bed. However, he knew the Princess would be looking for him. Thus, he decided to get up.

That is when he noticed that he was strapped to the bed. He was not going anywhere. He shrugged. There was nothing he could do; thus, he relaxed. The fact that he was still alive made him hopeful. He believed that the Princess would be along soon enough. Thus, he did the only thing he could do; he hoped for the best.

He almost slipped back into unconsciousness when a nurse came by to check on him.

"Is there a reason I am strapped to this bed," Prince William asked the nurse to his surprise.

"You had a fall," the nurse replied. "It was a precaution to prevent you from falling out of the bed."

"Can you free me?"

"Without doctors orders -- no."

"So, I am a prisoner here?"

"Do not be silly. You had a nasty fall, and you would not get far. You probably cannot even stand. Since the doctor does not want you to injure yourself further, you are fastened to the bed."

"So, I am a prisoner here..."

"If you insist on thinking that way, go ahead. I will tell the doctor you are awake and anxious to leave."

"I would appreciate that! By the way, what time is it?"

"7:30," he replied.

"AM or PM," inquired Prince William.

"You did have a nasty fall."

"My head thanks you for the obvious diagnosis."

"It is morning," responded the nurse curtly.

Prince William struggled against his restraints, but his head complained. The nurse was right; he probably could not stand. The exertion against the restraints nearly knocked him out. Even if he were free, he would not be able to get to the Princess.

Once again, he was nearly asleep when someone arrived. This time it was the doctor.

"How do you feel?" the doctor asked.

"Like a twelve gallon head in a ten gallon hat," replied the Prince.

"That is to be expected."

"How did I get here?"

"My nurse found you on the floor in the lobby. He brought you here."

"Where is here?"

"You are in the infirmary -- in Calmondak Castle."

"What happened?"

"You fainted and hit your head on the floor. It was a fairly hard blow. As I said, my nurse found you on the floor and brought you here."

"You treated me?"

"Yes, and I recommend you stay where you are. You will not be stable on your feet for a few days."

"I was to travel to Lakeland today."

"I strongly recommend you delay your trip."

"It really is not up to me."

"The trip should wait until your wounds heal. I cannot be any more plain than that. I am sure your traveling companion would understand."

"You do not know the Princess very well..."

"You should rest. Let the Princess worry about her travel plans."

The doctor checked the straps, and gave a reassuring look to Prince William. The Prince did not feel reassured, but he was still strapped to the bed. Clearly, nothing he could say or do would change the minds of the infirmary staff. He was staying put for the time being.

With a shrug, the Prince closed his eyes. His head was throbbing, and he wished it would stop. He drifted off to sleep. His mind raced around his condition. He dreamed that a mad scientist was tinkering in his brain. He tried to struggle, but was strapped to the bed. His dream continued as the scientist poked, prodded, and gave him different thoughts. Pain turned to colors. The colors began to twirl.

The colors turned to bright white as he opened his eyes. It seemed like a short nap, but another nurse came to check in with him. William tried to speak, but he was lost for words. He noticed that he had some sort of IV drip. He wondered if he had that when he woke up the first time. He wondered if they were actually experimenting with his brain. He drifted back into the strange dreamland he had previously emerged.

Perhaps this is what the King had in mind all along -- to use him in brain experiments. Who was that man that tried to grab him? Was he drugged? Perhaps that is why he blacked out. Maybe this all was a ruse. Perhaps the deal Princess Angelina made with King Jonathan was not what he thought.

In and out of the dream and semi-dream state, Prince William drifted. His mind ran from one subject to another. He went from serene to panic to wonder to any other emotion. He tried to concentrate but was unable to grab onto anything. It was as if he did not have control over his own thoughts. The drugs! he briefly thought before his mind wondered onto the next subject.

His mind kept returning to the Princess. It was in her that he could concentrate for longer stretches. His uncertainty about her began to drift away. His suspicions slowly faded. His pleasant thoughts prevented him from going into the darkness. His curiosity about his current situation kept his thoughts from swirling around. Finally, he drifted off into a more restful sleep.