Christopher's POV:
Janet was definitely eager to watch some drama unfolding, as how fast she vanished with Felix in the left corner of the intersection, is still hazardous for me. Thankfully, I guessed who might be the culprit, I reached in front of the specific dormitory and surprisingly those two also halted. Why?
"You should've seen his face, man! He looked so pathetic."
Dave Trevor, a second year student commented, laughing maniacally. My hands curled into fists on their own as I clenched my jaw.
"You've done a great job, friend! I was so fed up with his arrogance ass. How the hell he dared to talk back everytime?! And that blonde cutie! He had the guts to shred my clothes! This is gonna be so much fun to watch them fight! And the rumours just added more fuel to it!"
A drunken Harris Clive slurred with a disgusting smirk.
"I can't wait to watch some chaos tomorrow morning. They've screwed up with the wrong person..."
BAM!
As I recovered from my anger haze, only then I could focus on the scene, Felix was no more with Janet watching them. He had already advanced to the drunken boys, grabbing Dave Trevor's collar, he pushed him to the wall and landed the second punch on his right jaw. Janet was definitely enjoying it, but I was supposed to stop him from doing anything horrible, so I advanced to them. Harris was clumsily trying to get Felix far from his partner in crime and it was definitely not working as with a harsh shoving, he stumbled on the nearby bench, loosing consciousness.
"You shouldn't have done that to Nick!"
Punch!
"Nick has done nothing wrong to deserve that kind of treatment!"
Punch!
"Stop harassing him and LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!"
Before Felix could land another punch on the already mostly sobered boy by all those beating, I firmly grabbed him by his shoulders, making him struggle for release. I don't know what called inside of me, but I exactly knew that shouting at him at that moment would have been negetive, either he would have shoved me too and have his way or maybe in feat of anger he would have beaten me too.
So I decided to approach with a calm determination "that's enough, Felix Lawrence!"
I knew it!
It actually worked, his fist halted mid-air, his face turned to look at me, his eyes had no trace of angry haze, they were filled with helplessness, regret, pain, longing...for Nick? Yes! I've seen those emotions so many times in my brother's eyes too, how can I mistake them?!
However it seemed like a fleeting moment as his eyes brew even more anger, tightening his grip on the victim's collar, he spat every word with gritted teeth "the first thing, you'll do tommorow morning is APOLOGISING to prince Nicholas, on breakfast table infront of EVERYONE! GOT THAT?!!"
Trembling with the impact of such an intense anger haze, Dave nodded his head vigorously, his face all swollen, lips cut opened, had the worst of beating in his life probably.
"I WANT WORDS!!!"
Felix's voice still heavy with murderous aura, as if he could throw punches on his prey anytime. Even I started feeling tension seeping in my system, cause this time I'll not be able to stop him, thankfully I needed not to worry as the leader of The Knights has already reached.
"FELIX!"
professor Klein literally came running, having Jeremy on his heels.
With a strong grip, professor Klein finally separated him from the beaten up person and we heaved a sigh of relief.
"Lix, you aren't supposed to use your right hand, remember?!"
Professor Klein tried to coax Felix with a concerned voice. That made me realise that he was using his right hand with full force since the third punch.
Felix took few long breathes to calm down himself "I'm sorry Henry. I just couldn't watch it out."
Eyes closed, he reached for the wounded portion, frowning a bit for the stinging.
"How does it feel? Is it hurting badly? Do you want Steve to check? I can..." Jeremy's palpable concern was a surprise for me to witness.
"Jeremy! I'm okay. Completely fine. I should get used to it by now or I won't be able to endure such a heavy rest on one side."
Felix assured us with the warmest smile ever. Who could wonder that this boy had intention to kill someone a few minutes ago?!
"Okay, then let's leave for our own resting places, it's already so late. I'll talk about this matter with the Dean tomorrow morning." Professor Klein suggested.
"Umm, I've sent Tristan to fetch Dean Jones here?"
Jeremy's voice sounded hesitating.
"You what?! Seriously?! Right at this moment?! Here?! Do you realise what time it is?!"
Professor Klein bombarded with a furious reaction.
"I'm sorry Henry. I just couldn't think straight..." Jeremy's expression became more and more pouting.
"Then what are we gonna tell him right now? That Felix got furious and couldn't control himself then lashed out on Mr. Trevor! Then what are we for?! Why am I even here?!"
Professor Klein's wrath gradually unfolded as we three looked down in shame and fear.
Seeing our silence, he heaved a heavy sigh then continued with a much calmer tone
"okay, since it's already at this point, I suggest you three to stay quiet when he is here."
"Henry?"
Felix's voice sounded more firm than before.
"What is it, Lixie?"
Professor Klein definitely played favouritism here, just look, how his tone completely softened!
"I want a favour from you."
"Felix..."
"Just add it to my personal deals!"
Now what that means?
Heaving a sigh of defeat, professor Klein asked "what do you want?"
"Can you gather everyone at the same time in the dining hall tommorow morning for breakfast?"
He is actually planning to do it!?!
"Definitely, I can do that. Just don't make it too personal."
Nodding his head, Felix thanked professor Klein and just then a deep voice resonated
"Ohh it's already over?! Ahhhh! I missed all the fun!"
Prince Tristan's genuine disappointment was vivid on his face.
"Is that so? Then I'm also curious what's so funny here?"
A rough voice of Dean Jones enquired. He was definitely annoyed.
"Good gracious!" With a loud gasp, he checked the knocked out boy, concluding he was sleeping and then the beaten up one.
"You controlled yourself pretty much earlier, Mr. Chase."
Eyeing Felix with a critical look, he remarked.
"Sir, Mr. Trevor..."
Professor Klein started his side of explanation.
However, the Dean didn't let him as with a nonchalance, he provided "Henry, prince Tristan already had explained everything to me. Don't worry, I'm not going to scold Mr. Chase here."
Then again looking at Felix, he added "but make sure this doesn't happen again or I'll make sure that your parents know about it."
Immediately Felix's eyes widened in fear. And both prince Tristan and professor Klein protested "sir, please don't do that to him!"
Giving a low chuckle, Dean Jones dismissed them "of course, I won't! I know his records are perfectly clean. However judging his father's records, he is much more tamed."
Hearing that each of us had different expressions, professor Klein gave a nervous awkward laughter, prince Tristan and Jeremy both had an undefined smirk playing on their faces, Felix looked rather amused, and I was confused! How did Dean knew Felix's dad? Were they close when they're students? Maybe. But I never heard anything about Felix's family from Nick. That's strange!
"Okay boys. It's getting almost midnight! Let's not stay outside so long and catch a cold!"
Dean Jones distracted me from my trance.
"Henry, dear, I'll trouble you with some errands. Please take that knocked out boy to his room."
As professor Klein nodded, he spoke to the other seniors, "And Tris, Jer, can you please take the trouble of taking Mr. Trevor to the emergency? He needs to be treated."
He actually called them with cute nicknames!? Even I never called Jeremy with such a endearment!
After Dean Jones left, professor Klein finally heaved a sigh of relief, "your highness and your majesty, you do realise that you guys are going to lead two very powerful dynasties in the near future!"
Both me and Felix felt chill settling in our spine with that tone of professor Klein, he just reminded the other two about their titles and future responsibilities, completely contrasting Dean Jones's cute endearments. I gulped hard as I felt professor Klein's eyes on me too, okay, that was for me too! But if I'm not wrong, I seemed to notice an almost non-existent shudder passing through Felix's posture.
Breaking the tensed silence, he added "hope this type of situation never arise again. My goodness! I can't even imagine how I'm going to face Howard tommorow! He is definitely going to tease about it!" Murmuring the last part, he picked up Harris, then walked away.
"Why would professor Jones..."
I didn't even realise that I was slipping my curiosity!
"Cause, professor Jones is Dean Jones's son..."
Professor Jones whatttt?!!!
"....and I'm sure that Dean is going to tell everything to him! Gosh! Earth swallow me already! I'm failing at it so miserably!"
As dramatic it could sound, Jeremy didn't look having fun at all while saying so.
And prince Tristan already went to pick up the beaten up boy, looking at Jeremy, he consoled "com'on! We're all screwed up in this! So let's tighten eachother together."
As they were leaving, Jeremy reminded me "Chris, if possible, do check on Nicholas." Then they walked away towards the hospital.
As I turned to go to Nick's dorm, a smooth baritone voice halted me, "Chris, wait!"
Felix looked hesitating on his approach as I waited patiently for him to go on, "here, take my keys. One is for the main door, other is for my room. Nick might be already asleep so you can use them to enter and if he has got a fever or if you feel him feverish, please get him some medicines. I have my med box right at the drawer of my study table in my room."
"If you're aware of the fact, then why don't you go yourself?!"
I might have raised my voice a little in frustration. Frustrated at his distance from my brother when he can clearly see what's going on with Nick. Nick might not recognised him but what he is doing is so unfair!
Felix looked a bit hurt, and surprisingly he restrained himself from feeling it further, "it's not the right time yet. I can't risk everything after coming so far."
"If you're afraid of him being angry because of you taking away his mom, then let me assure you that he'll lash out at you for sure but he'll eventually come around it." I tried to sound as assuring as possible.
And he was definitely not buying it "no, not that. I'm sorry Chris. But I can't put his life in danger too."
"Why do you think that you being in his life..."
"Cause I'm also a main target in that Imposter King's elimination list!"
His voice trembled, confessing the brutal truth.
As I stared at him with horror, he let it out "if your mother's head maid servant had confessed everything, then do you think, King Hammond who actually wanted to kill his beloved wife, the queen, would leave me alive?! That night someone saw my bare face and I swear that I have this gut feeling, that guy is still searching for me! That night I was heavily injured too and I failed in my sole purpose to be there, even made it harder for the others to handle everything! I can't afford someone else getting hurt because of me! No, not again!"
He was so much immerged in his drowning distress that he didn't realise when tears rolled down his rosy cheeks and I couldn't help but engulf him in a warm hug.
"How were you even hiding all these for so many years?"
Caressing his back, I couldn't help but ask.
"With this blond hair and this perfect angle like features!" With a half chuckle, Felix answered
"Yeah, you don't look like that 12 years old boy from Nicky's paintings at all! Your hair was black then and you had a birthmark!"
"The hair was dyed black then for some reason..."
He looked as if he lost himself in somewhere else for a split second. Then suddenly he added "and the mark is still here. Look."
As he rubbed the tears from his cheeks, there that heart-shaped solomon patch appeared, the beautiful uniqueness of Felix in Nick's words.
"You covered it with concealer?"
"Chris!...now that you know, I have my reasons!" He whined.
"Okay okay. I'm not complaining anymore! Just one thing, please make sure to get back into Nick's life once again."
"Chris, I..."
"I know you can't, at least not now. But do you think Nicky will be able to handle all these altogether?"
And for the first time in that night, I saw fear and uncertainty rising in his features.
And I took the opportunity.
"Felix, you want to keep Nicholas safe, right? Then give him his comfortable zone, just by your side, that'll be the safest place for him. Trust me, you won't regret it, just give it a try."
With a soft smile, he nodded "I'll think about it. And Chris, please don't call me with that surname again. I prefer the current one most."
"Chase, right? How did you even validate both surnames?"
"Just like you do! One from father's side and the other from mother's side. So it doesn't need to be forged."
"Yeah yeah. I get it, Sir Felix Chase."
"Good. Then, I'll go first. Make sure to take care of yourself too, Chris."
And with that, he discended towards the hospital wing. Wait! Don't tell me that he had been staying in the hospital for the past one and half month!
When I finally made my way into my brother's room, he was indeed asleep, more like knocked out and shivering from cold. I checked his temperature and of course he was burning, wrapping him in an extra thick blanket, I went back to the washroom to get a tub of cold water and a towel as he was completely unconscious and unable to consume the tablet. And just like that I ended up washing his upper body and changing the clothes, half an hour later, the fever finally went down a little and he started to open his eyes.
"Felix~"
See! I knew it would've been better if he was actually here! And this brat doesn't even know about his existence so near to him!
"Nicky, it's me, Chris."
"Christopher?!"
He was definitely surprised, but his sickness won over that.
"Yes. How're you feeling now?"
"My head killing me and my limbs hurt too. I wanna sleep."
He looked so soft, cute and adorable while complaining and I had to coo on the very rare visual I was getting.
"Of course, you'll sleep. But, first have the medicine, so that the fever goes away and your head can hold on yourself tomorrow."
As I gave him the medicine and helped him to swallow it with water, he groggily questioned "why? Is tomorrow an important day?"
"Yep! A very important day."
If only he knew!
"I don't remember anything though. Whatever!"
Heaving a tired sigh, he fell asleep again.
Without any single complain about the bullying! Just how much could this boy take on himself?! I just pray that Felix can get over his fear and get back to my little brother. Nicholas won't show it, but I know better than anyone how much he needs an anchor for safeguarding his mental stability. I hope Felix won't disappoint me. Right?