The Royal Contract

"Hey, wake up!" He said in a low voice, tapping him on the cheek to call his attention.

He knew that the drugs were about to wear off. He needed him to listen before somebody caught them. He could not waste this opportunity because he might not get another chance.

It was probably a combination of skills and luck that he snuck into the room without anyone noticing him. He found an open window and stealthily crawled inside.

"Hmmm." He moaned incoherently. It was the only reply he heard from him so far as he continued to shake the unconscious man on the bed.

He looked around the room, checking if there was any other movement. Fortunately, all had been quiet, and he did not detect anyone else with them.

He had to work behind the shadows to avoid getting any attention from the men outside. It was already dark, with only a glimmer of light coming from the window. 

"Hey, you better wake up and prepare yourself. We are getting you out of here tonight." He whispered to him as he leaned to his ears, avoiding making too much sound.

He stepped away from him and looked at the medicines on the table near his bed. He scanned the labels, looking for the drugs that kept him in a vegetative state. 

He pulled a syringe and a vial out of his pocket, immediately replacing the content of the sleeping drug with a placebo effect. He only hoped the doctor would not notice what he did when he administered his next dose.

"I had replaced the sedatives with something that would relieve some of the pain, but I guarantee you that once I move you later, your injuries will still hurt like hell." He spoke again to him once he was done with the medication.

He looked at his watch and then the dextrose hanging over his head. It was almost dripping dry. He knew he had to hurry because the doctor was almost due to check on him any minute and administer his next dose.

He returned the vial to its exact position, cleaned up the mess he had made, pocketed his trash, and quickly returned to the still unconscious man. He leaned closer again to him and slapped his face just strong enough to wake him up.

"Hey, if you can hear me, and I hope you do, remember that the drug will wear off soon enough. You have to pretend to lose consciousness once the doctor injects your next meds, or he will figure it out that I switched the medication." He told him.

He could see that he was trying to open his eyes, but all he heard was his moan. He could tell that he was already conscious, but his body was still not functioning. 

He had to make sure that he understood what he said, repeating it once more for good measure. He had to be wide awake and with at least some of his body function once they moved out of here.

"We will return for you. We will get you and your wife out of here tonight." He continued, hoping that his hearing and brain function was already operational even if his motor functions were still failing him.

He would have stayed longer, but he was already sensing some noises outside. He had to leave shortly before the guards found him inside. He could not blow the plan.

"I have to go. I will see you again tonight." He said one last time before rushing to the window where he entered.

He gently closed it after getting out in the exact way it was when he entered. He did not want anyone to notice anything amiss. 

He walked again along with the shadows of the night, avoiding being detected by the roaming guards. Then, he finally disappeared into a dark corner.

While inside the room where the unknown man had just left, Alex could feel that the drugs were losing their effect on him. Although it was a slow process, he could already make a bit of sense of his surrounding. 

He was slightly confused if what he heard a few minutes ago was real or just a dream. An unfamiliar voice spoke to him about helping them escape. He tried hard to see his face, but he just could not open his eyes. 

Suddenly, the darkness disappeared, replaced by a bright light, making him aware that he was not alone anymore. Noises could be heard coming from somewhere around him. A door opened and closed, and then louder voices filled the room.

He could not pinpoint the exact location, but he knew that the voices were just nearby. He believed that the voices sounded familiar, but he could be wrong or just hallucinating.

"Good evening, Prince Alexander. I am glad that you are finally awake." The doctor walked to the side of his bed to check on him. "I hope it had been a comfortable and restful sleep." He smiled at him, but he was only being sarcastic.

He examined his pulse and flashed a bright light on his eyes as he forced his eyelid open. Then, he moved around him like he was planning to do something.

"How are you feeling?" He asked when he finally saw him open his eyes.

He gave him a bright smile, showing him a missing tooth on the other side of his mouth. He grabbed the vial on the tray and a syringe and filled it up. But he did not administer it yet, just stared at him for a while.

"What had you been giving me?" Alex asked in his croaky voice when he finally regained some movement. Even he did not recognize the sound he was making.

His mind was starting to recall everything that was happening to him. Still, some fuzzy images confused him, but everything was starting to make sense.

He could finally move his lips and slightly turn his head to look at the doctor. He could even move his fingers a bit. It was a sign that his muscles were regaining some of their strength. 

But he knew he was still too weak to move, much more fight against these men. First, his body was covered with bruises. Then, he barely had nutrients left in his body to sustain his energy.

"Just something to boost your energy." The doctor said, followed by some laughter from the other side of the room. "Don't you worry about that? I am here to make you well." He was, for now, the doctor thought. 

He picked up the needle again, flicking it with his finger in front of him. He let some of the liquid dripped on the side of the metal point. Then, he moved back to his side and smiled again.

"When I get out of here, I will make sure to stick that needle in your ass." Alex hissed angrily, finally saying the words more coherently this time.

He raised his hands to grab the doctor before he could stick the needle in his arms, but something stopped him. He realized that his arms were handcuffed to the side of the bed. 

Then, pain shot up in his side, making him wince a bit, knocking the wind out of his lungs. He had forgotten that his injuries hurt when he moved. 

"I am sure you will, Alex." The doctor mocked his patient, pretending to be afraid of him as he tried again to attack again. But only hurting himself in the process. "I am sure you will." The doctor repeated as a series of laughter ensued.

He was still alive because his boss still needed him to be. It was just a shame that when he had served his purpose, he could kiss his life goodbye. 

He was not disappointed in him. This prince had shown a great deal of bravery and character by surviving this far. As he continued to fight for his every breath. 

However, it was an honor to meet a real worthy adversary.