Chapter 6

                                    

                                          
When we arrived at the clinic, Doug’s small room was already full of visitors. Granny Blossom, Arthur, Jones, and Jones’ wife and nurse, Nancy, were already gathered there when we joined the crush, making seven of us in total packed in around the bed. Doug was conscious, and Avani squeezed in and knelt next to his bed. “Hey, are you okay, Doug?” Avani asked as she looked at him, her eyes concerned.
                          
“Yeah… I guess,” he replied, not meeting her gaze. “I’m so sorry, though. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t reported in with them… if I hadn’t just blindly believed their lies…. I’ve caused everyone so much trouble—especially you and Venti.”
                          
She took his hand in hers, saying, “Listen, Doug. It’s okay. It isn’t your fault. They manipulated you. If you’re guilty of anything, it’s just of being too trusting—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. So just get better, okay? You’re our friend, and we’d all be devastated if anything happened to you.”
                          
“Avani… thanks.” he replied, looking at her for a moment before looking away again, tears in his eyes. Avani stood up, still holding his hand in hers as she said,
                          
“Doug… is there anything you can tell me that might help me to find them?”
                          
Doug quickly looked back at her, mouth agape. Arthur exclaimed in surprise, and Granny gasped. “You can’t mean… a-are you seriously…?” Doug stuttered.
                          
“Yes,” she replied, quietly but firmly. “I’m going to track them down. And I’m going to get those rune spheres back.”
                          
“But hold on, Avani, you don’t seem to realize how risky that will be! These people are dangerous—completely ruthless!” Doug protested.
                          
“Yes,” Arthur agreed, “It certainly will be risky. Who knows what they are plotting?”
                          
“Exactly!” Doug said, struggling to sit up. “You can’t just take off like that!”
                          
“I have to,” she replied. “For the very reasons you gave to deter me, I must go. We need to get those stones back. Besides,” she added with a smile, though I saw a faint glitter of tears in her eyes, “I made a promise to a dear friend. So please, Doug, tell me anything you can that will help.”
                          
“Just a minute, Avani,” Arthur interrupted before Doug could reply. “You aren’t going. I am.”
                          
Avani whirled around to face him, shocked and disconcerted. “What?” she exclaimed, searching his face for any sign of jest.
                          
“Remember, Avani, I am a Prince of the realm. Surely you haven’t forgotten that?” he said with no trace of humor in his vermillion eyes.
                          
“No, of course not, but….” Avani replied, apparently at a loss for words.
                          
“This is my duty as Prince of Selphia. I appreciate your help in taking on the day-to-day responsibilities as the Acting Princess, Avani, but there are limits as to what I will and will not ask you to do in my stead. And we have reached one such limit.”
                          
Collecting herself, Avani stepped up to Arthur, and genuflecting before him, she looked up earnestly into his face and said, “Arthur, my Lord and Prince, I implore you, allow me to do this. The Sechs Empire has invaded our kingdom. Our town may be in grave danger. Someone must inform the king. Only you can do this, as a Prince of Norad. I do not have that authority. Someone must arrange for the defense of our city. Again, you are the one who can do this—not me. I bear the title of Acting Princess only at your indulgence; I have no claim to any of the authority of royal blood. Forte, as the Dragon Knight, is needed here to take charge of defense. I am strong—the best fighter in town; you know this is true. I can do nothing to aid Selphia and Venti but fight. So I ask you—no, I beg of you, as your subject and as your friend, let me fight. This is what I can do—what I must do.”