- The boy lost a lot of blood, but no major organs were damaged. I tended his wounds and gave him painkillers, but he will be unconscious for a while. It would be better to leave him here since the wounds can open up during his transportation, but you can visit any time.

- Thank you. Miss Yoona, are you sure you were not injured anywhere? Let the physician examine you just in case.

- No, I'm alright, I'm just a bit tired.

Dorian nodded at the doctor and followed him with his gaze. When there were only the two of us left, I fell into the chair next to the bed where the kid was sleeping and dropped my head on my chest. I was exhausted, my head was throbbing to the point that it was painful to even blink my eyes, and my ears were still ringing with the sound of clanking swords and people cheering.

"How in the world did it turn out like this? We went to have some fun at the festival and ended up witnessing the most horrid thing possible."

The prince sat down on the chair next to mine and handed me a cup of something hot, the steam rising up like the snakes to the charmer's flute.

- Here, drink this, the doctor said it will help you calm down.

I looked at his face, I felt like I was in trance - the way he talked, the way he moved, it all seemed to be slowed down, whereas all my movements seemed unnaturally too rapid.

"I guess I do need to calm down."

- Thank you.

I took the cup in my hands and finally realized that I was actually cold all this time. I felt its warmth spreading to my hands and it already made me calm down a little. I took a sip and my mouth was instantly filled with a strong herbal flavor. I was not an expert in teas or herbs, but I could definitely distinguish a hint of mint and chamomile.

- What about you, prince Dorian? Don't you want some?

He was watching me drink tea like a worried parent watching their sick child taking in a very bitter medicine. He flinched at my question and shook his head slowly.

- I am alright.

The prince waited until I finished my tea and took a cup from my hands. He placed it on the table behind us and suddenly covered my shaking hands with his. Although I was surprised by this unexpected action, I did not pull my hands away, on the contrary, deep inside, I wanted someone to touch me, comfort me, to tell me that I'm gonna be fine.

- Are you worried about the kid, miss Yoona?

I looked at the little body resting soundly on the bed. His face was pale, although he was covered with a rather thick blanket, I knew he was sickly thin, the bandages on his neck were already soaked with blood and needed attention again. I wanted to cry. The news of me having cancer that could bring me an agonizing death did not make me wanna cry. I wanted to cry so bad, that it hurt my whole body.

- I want to cry, prince Dorian. I want to cry so much.

Dorian squeezed my hands gently and sighed as if he has been holding his breath up to that moment.

- It's alright to cry, miss Yoona. What you had witnessed today was not something a normal person would feel neutral about. You were holding very well until now, you were brave and stoic... And thanks to that, you were able to save this child. It's alright to let go now, it's alright.

His words worked like s spell on me - I wept as I'd never done before, I felt like waterfalls were washing over my face, like all the pain, sorrow and misery were pouring down my cheeks along with the hot salty streams of water. I did not care if I looked ugly or disgusting while I was crying, I just wanted to let it all out, otherwise, I was afraid I might explode.

I did not know how long I had been crying before I actually passed out. I could not say that I slept well that night, I remember a lot of disturbing dreams, people whispering, someone crying, and a big warm hand stroking my head. When I woke up, I found myself covered with a warm blanket, leaning on prince Dorian's shoulder. The prince was still asleep, his head leaning on mine.

I did not rush to pull my head away. I felt the prince's soft calm breath on my hair, his quiet soothing snoring was filling the room along with the yellow sunlight, making the dust particles floating in the air sparkle like tiny stars.

"I wonder what time is it? The clock is behind my back, I don't have the heart to wake Dorian up just like this."

I sat motionlessly for a while and my whole body started to ache to the point that I was dying to move at least somehow. My stomach betrayed the silence by making rumbling noises that echoed like thunder in a completely quiet room.

"God, why does it have to be so loud?!"

Although no one seemed to be bothered by my stomach, Dorian woke up at the knocking sound on the door.

- Your Majesty, I brought breakfast and there is sir Raphael waiting for you in the drawing-room.

The prince yawned and rubbed his swollen eyes.

- Please come in.

A young maid came inside the room, carrying a big tray that contained a pot with coffee, three cups, and several plates of pastries, fruit and cheese. Raphael came in right afterwards, still wearing the same clothes and looking completely exhausted. The maid organized the food on the round table behind our chairs, bowed down and left. Raphael pulled a spare chair next to the table, sat down and poured the coffee.

- How did it all go?

- 25 noblemen are now in prison for covering and supplying illegal sword fights. 14 of them were members of the House of Nobles, so we are to face some backlash from them soon but since their imprisonment was an Imperial order, you'll just have to listen to some complaints about how they will now have more work and have to find people to replace the ones they've lost.

Dorian and I joined him at the table and almost immediately attacked the food. Raphael watched us eat for some time, then sighed with relief and smiled faintly.

- Well, at least you feel good enough to eat, that's a relief.

His words were directed at me, which made me feel a bit embarrassed. I looked at him with my squirrel-cheeked face and nodded.

- I threw up yesterday, and to be honest, food always makes me feel a bit better at times like these.

Dorian turned his whole body towards me, his eyes were wide open.

- You threw up? I told you to let the doctor examine you, why did you keep it secret?!

- I threw up because of the intense stench of blood, I'm not sick or anything, I was just a bit shocked.

- So you were the ones who followed us last night?

Raphael look at Dorian and scratched his chin.

- I knew someone was behind us but I had no idea it was you guys.

Dorian placed his cup on the table and let out a loud sigh.

- We noticed you at the pub talking to a suspicious man so we decided to follow you and see what you were up to. I was suspecting you of some shady things since I knew you'd been leaving the palace every night for a couple of weeks.

The knight rubbed his forehead with his hand, then put his elbows on the table and dropped his head into his big palms.

- The Black Flame received intel that there was an underground sword fighting scene somewhere in the capital that had received verbal permission from the member of the Imperial family and that there were more than 30 noblemen supporting it. I've been meeting with the appointed squad to investigate the matter and prepare to uncover it... That man was a spy who was digging into the Imperial family affairs to see who was responsible for all of that.

- But who gave an order for the arrest? If I didn't happen to appear, it looked like your plan was about to fail miserably.

Raphael hesitated to reply. He played with the teaspoon for a while, then took a sip of his coffee and smiled faintly.

- Our spy got an anonymous letter that contained an Imperial order to arrest everyone. If the nobles hesitated, the order said we could use force. That's all I can say, Your Majesty.

Dorian threw a suspicious look at Raphael, piercing him with his intense blue eyes. It looked like Raphael did not feel good about hiding such information from the prince but none of them confronted each other for some reason.

When we finished with our breakfast, Dorian left the room to fetch the doctor so he can check the boy's condition. Raphael and I were left alone in the quiet room. The knight sat next to the child where I used to sit before, placed his hand on the boy's forehead and quickly pulled it away. He seemed broken and hurt as if that child was his brother or his son. I sat next to him and put my hand on his shoulder, he covered it with his rough scarred hand.

- I can't believe I had to see that again. When I killed that bastard who dragged me from the orphanage, I thought I put a stop to it. I thought I taught them a lesson. And now what I've learned? 15 children died down there while I was trying to get an Imperial order to cut them off. I could have gone there myself and sliced every single jerk that paid money to see those children die, I am capable of doing that much. But I did not. I wanted to do it right. And while I wanted to do it right, 15 children died needlessly.

I felt his body tremble like a leaf in the wind. He was flinching at every word as if he was on the verge of crying. I've never seen big and stoic Raphael be that vulnerable and hurt before. But he was right. Sometimes doing the right thing causes more damage.

- Raphael... I'm an orphan too, I know how you feel. I agree that often times trying to do things the right way can lead to unpleasant results instead. However, resolving issues the right way is what makes you better than everybody else. Think of it this way - if you jumped the gun and simply slaughtered all those nobles, you would have probably ended up executed, which would have made prince Dorian lose a good friend and a loyal aid, the Black Flame crew lose a great advisor, and every orphan lose hope. While I know how much it hurts to see this kind of atrocity, I also know that you being free and receiving support from the Imperial family means safety for those who need it the most. You showed them that there is a law that punishes those who did bad, that this law can get them from anywhere, no matter how deep they hide or whoever may support them. So instead of giving the same orphans an image of a savage knight who kills people mindlessly, you are giving them an image of a knight who protects, who values life and can separate good from the bad.

I did not really know if I believed those words myself. I wanted to comfort Raphael and myself, because his flowing rage was spreading over to me, too. I thought he would laugh at my pathetic attempt to justify his actions, to tell me once again that I know nothing about living in this world, but he did not. He simply smiled at me warmly and stroked my hand that was still placed on his shoulder.

- You know, miss Yoona, sometimes I wonder if you came here to mend our hearts instead of training us.

- I wonder... Maybe I just should pursue a career in psychiatry instead.

Raphael smiled at me again and shrugged his shoulders.

- Whatever it may be, I am convinced once again that your coming here was not a coincidence.