Chapter 23: To You

Estes took Shu inside the forest by his arm, taking notice that Estes, didn't literally "walked" with two of his heels down, but tiptoed, making him look like a floating ghost, though he wants to ask him why he was walking tiptoed, he couldn't. His voice wasn't present anymore. Being inside this person's embrace felt instantly hypnotizing, like wanting to go to sleep, or it was just too comfortable and he felt really good being warmed again after so many days of sleepless nights.

'He's the Prince of the forest? The one from several years ago? I've heard Dan talking about him..' he thought inside his head, his heart felt a sharp pang at the mention of his friend's name.

After some time, Shu finally saw a structure of a bridge, letting him know that there are humans who lives in there as well.

The river where they need to use the bridge, was magnificently glowing white, Shu for the first time in his life saw these strange things that made him think of all impossible things that still awaits his eyes inside this very special forest. Estes and Shu crossed the bridge, his eyes locked on the flowing bright water.

"Those, are the waters that comes at the mountain, they're only able to glow as the rocks under the river's surface adopted a strange characteristic around this area, originally, they were solidly grey and not luminous, they were... Were turned to- to glowing rocks.." Estes went completely silent, like trying to refrain himself from speaking further, which Shu noticed but didn't bugged him to say it, or more likely he couldn't tell him a word.

Estes continued. "Which what makes the water glow even at night." Explained Estes in a low voice, helping Shu slowly cross the bridge, trying not to walk or tiptoe fastly and leave the other behind.

Shu was still unable to process what the white haired teen just said. But knowing that there are violet trees, red grasses, and glowing rocks inside this forest, he somewhat believed the new fact this person shared to him.

After crossing the bridge, they were immediately met by gigantic, red-leafed trees, unable to make out the sky as their braches almost blocked the the moonlight out. These trees might've been just the tallest trees Shu have ever seen in his entire life. He was calculating how much years these collosal trees have been growing here.

'This must be centuries old! And what are those sparkling round things up there?'

Shu squinted his eyes, looking up while getting dragged by Estes. He tried blinking several times, only seeing tiny circles attached at the tree branches, compressed like they were like fireflies, emitting a golden glow to light up the entire area.

Estes puckered his lips and pointed up with his mouth. "Those, are the fruits of the tree." He said to Shu, looking at his funny expression.

Shu blinked, his brows furrowing together. 'What? Those are?'

The person beside him nodded; "They are golden apples."

Shu's eyes almost popped out, not believing at what he said this time. I mean, really? golden apples?

Yet Shu was only focusing what was up there, he hasn't looked at what was in front of him. And when he did, he completely stopped right on his tracks, pulling back Estes with his sudden halt.

Just as how strange everything looked inside this forest, Shu had gone even more stunned, being met by a very bright village, planted with houses that was built uniquely unlike any other houses at the kingdom. The architecture of each of the houses included the roofs being pointed dangerously sharp, shooting up to the sky, their doors were fading to yellow, and their walls were covered in seven respective colors that Shu noticed even at night.

Although Shu must be on the brink of passing out now, he had forgotten his wounds, his feet and his stomach's begging for food. Only standing there, fully stunned and dumbfounded at this beautiful place.

But Shu, in confusion, didn't saw anything moving. He couldn't also reason that the people in this forest were already asleep since yellow lights inside the house escapes from the windows. He found himself in bemusement, puzzled at why he doesn't sense a human presence, or even a movement around the village.

Even though he wants to ask, he will not know the answer if Estes didn't want to say it himself; why these houses are all empty from left to right, and why there still hasn't been a single person around them since they came to the village.

"I.. am sure you have questions already." Estes painfully smiled, helping Shu to get sheltered inside a small tent, it was erected just before they enter the village, away from the houses. "I do too have questions for you.. but i look forward when we both are ready to answer."

Shu sat down and just stared at Estes, looking at him patiently. "I will tell you about mine soon enough, but it is true, i am the only one who lives here." Estes assured Shu with a smile as he looked around for a lamp.

Shu who was sitting down at a soft bed heard Estes mumble to himself, saying; "Can you help me out?"

Shu raised his left brow, 'Is he talking to me?'

Then suddenly, the lamp glowed yellow and its beautiful carvings in wood and glass was seen. Inside it was not fire, but instead the light of tens of fireflies, slowly lighting up the small tent orange while flying around the glass lamp.

Estes smiled sweetly and hung the lantern up in the middle of the tent. "Thank you for lending me your help!"

'I see, he was talking to the fireflies.' Shu nodded. Then perking back up after. 'What?'

"This person must be really starving.. uh, what is your name? Umm" Estes crouched in front of Shu, his face shining in hope while sitting on the floor.

'Shu.' he mouthed but Estes raised his brows cutely.

Unable to understand what Shu's lips meant, he pronounced: "Uuu?"

Shu shook his head and began to pronounce his name even clearer "Shu."

"Mmm, uuu.. ee-uuu?" Estes tried once more with a burning spirit, motivated to get his name right.

'Shu.' Shu puckered his lips more.

The long haired, white clothed boy struggled, pronouncing it; "Uuuuuu!!"

'Shu.' the boy sitting on the bed tried once more.

Estes furrowed his brows with a fighting spirit. "Zuuu!"

Shu sighed. He's so near to lose it.

Estes giggled and passed an apologetic smile, scratching the back of his head. "Im sorry my friend Uuu. I couldn't get your name very well." Estes chuckled softly, turning around and rummaging somewhere else and came back carrying a jug of water and a glass on his other hand.

"But i am very sure that you'd want at least the water." Estes placed it on the table beside the small bed where Shu sat. "Do you prefer to eat hibiscus or roses?" Asked Estes to Shu who went deeper in his own silence.

'What is he talking about? Isn't hibiscus a flower?' Shu froze for several seconds.

Estes blinked, motioning to the petal on his hand and jerked it to his mouth. "This. I eat, nom nom."

Shu straightened his face. 'First of all don't talk to me like im an animal because I do still understand you, second of all, i dont eat flowers you brute. Get me something decent to fill my stomach.'

"Oh, okay!" Estes flashed his smile, happily rummaging inside a basket on top of the table.

Shu flinched, blinking many times. 'What? Did he understand me?'

The white haired friend came back in front os Shu holding an object. "Forgive me but this is all i have for pantry! Hehe.." said Estes, giving a light, square figure wrapped in green leaves to Shu.

Shu relaxed his face, and blinked. 'Seriously?'

Then Estes spoke again. "Yeah! I normally eat flowers you see.. i don't eat bread that much!" Shu unwrapped the thing Estes passed onto him, smelling the aroma of a very sweet appetizing bread under his nose.

His body immediately responded to the salivating scent, and so he devoured its half with one bite, his cheeks full of blueberry flavoured bread. Estes found this moment very adorable, seeing another person's eyes sparkling when enjoying a meal with him once again.

The white haired boy noticed Shu wincing while swallowing down his food. "Drink up.. munch well.." Estes offered Shu a glass of water, which he gladly accept, feeling the energy slowly surging back to him from the sweet water.

"Here, there's still more of the bread. This time i think it's strawberry flavoured so make sure you drink a lot of water since its very sweet." Estes smiled handing him another covered bread before turning around and getting a green plant on his vase, folding it then twisted it strongly, a mild fragrance filling Shu's sensitive nose.

'What's that..' his eyes twitched, sniffing the new scent inside his lungs.

Estes brightened even harder, his smiles alone enough to light up a whole room. "Herb! bug repellant!"

Shu, being weirded out, he tilted his head. 'Can he read minds?'

"I saw many of this when i was roaming around the forest haha! Pretty handy nowadays." Estes held the green plant, then roamed the tent while turning around, holding up the plant on both of his hands, his white dress twirling with him, Shu only stared at this oddball.

"With this we can surely rest with no bugs around us." Then he tiptoed back in front of Shu, tying the plant recklessly together in a knot and hung it simply on the ceiling, like a piece of garbage dangling around to repel off all near bugs.

"Rest up friend Uuu, I'll tend on your wounds." Estes touched the silver vambrace wrapped around like vines on his right bicep and smiled. Then he knelt down, getting ahold of Shu's both wrists.

He took a sharp breath in before saying; "I'll see them now okay?"

When Estes pulled both Shu's bloody hands, his body shook and his pupils shrank, being frozen for straight ten seconds. ''Blood, blood, its blood again!' his lips quivered in fear, trying so hard to not tremble down in front of his new guest.

'Stop. Please, get it together Estes. You have to treat his wounds.'

Estes fueled himself better, trying to see the main wound right on Shu's wrists. 'T-these wounds are terrible. Who did this to him?..'

Then he looked closer, his eyes leaving Shu's right wrist and shifts his gaze to the left. 'But.. his wrists are somehow healed though?'

"Hmm." He placed down both Shu's hand back on his thighs, standing up and turning around to get the fresh towel, and a clean basin.

Estes scooped a half pail of water inside the barrel and poured it on the basin, carrying the things at the bed. "I'll wipe the dried blood so just punch me when it hurts hmm?" Shu nodded his head while Estes sat on the bed beside him, placing down the basin on the very bed and dipped the towel on the water, wringing it after.

The white haired man held his arm up and started to gently wipe the blood off Shu's wrists and fingers.

'its almost healed but the blood looks very fresh.' Estes thought, furrowing his brows together while being incredibly focused on his job. When both of the wrists were taken care of, he lifted the basin away and threw the bloody water. Washing his hands clean right away.

"I'll make the ointment now." He smiled to the nearly asleep Shu, his eyelashes nearly merging..

On one of the many wooden drawers, Estes pulls out incredible collection of herbs, whether they were dried, freshly picked, or fermented. "Don't worry haha, i have studied botany for years. These herbs would help you heal the wounds." Estes knew what herbs he had to use, he gathered up four to five different herbs, placed it on the clean marble grind stone, manually rolling the herbs to make a paste, Estes finds the crunching sound of the dried herb to be very relaxing and fragrance.

Estes faced the sitting ash haired boy around his age, sitting beside him again and getting both of his wrists. "I'll start applying them on your wound now." He said while Shu nodded away. After the greenish ointment had been applied to both his stinging wrists, Estes looked at the bloody mess on Shu's chest, suspecting there are wounds under the clothing too.

"Can i?" Asked permission of Estes, pointing at Shu's stinky black top.

Estes drew one drawer and pulled out a scissor to cut Shu's shirt open to reveal his chest. "You can have new clothing after." Shu just nodded, feeling a bit cold now his upper cloth had been stripped off him.

Estes gulped looking at Shu's scathed and abused chest, looking like a bloody mess. 'This is... How horrendous, these injuries are all fatal. How did he not die?' Estes's kind heart broke in pity, pouting at how much violent and torment this body took.

'Why isn't he surprised that im supposed to be dead?' thought Shu while observing the face in front of him.

Estes once again took the white, now looking brown towel for the blood stuck on it. He then dipped it in the prepared warm water and wrung it, strongly squeezing the water back to the basin, then reached out to wipe Shu's chest carefully, gently patting it when near at the wound. He also cleaned up the blood in Shu's abdomen and did the wiping one more time before grinding the same fresh herbs.

"It's nearly healed up so im just gonna put an ointment for it to fully heal." Estes said with a smile, Shu nodded as an answer. Estes placed the cold ointment on his fingers and rubbed them on Shu's wounded chest, applying it on a circular motion.

After Estes finished applying the treatment on Shu's chest. He stood up and brought the leftover ointments back on the table as he noticed Shu's torn feet.

"Ah, your feet." He frowned even more, Shu shyly curling his aching feet, trying to hide them from Estes's sight.

Estes put on a blanket around Shu's shoulder, quickly smiling to him. "Wait a bit, I'll go out pick more herbs." Estes turned around ready to go outside when his arm were gripped back by a gentle force.

'Don't.' is what he saw in Shu's eyes.

Estes sighed, wrapping Shu's naked body tighter on the nearly forgotten blanket. "No, Uuu, You can't come with me, just rest here."

Shu shook his head, his eyes intently looking at Estes. 'Don't leave my sight.'

"I won't go far." replied back Estes.

Shu's head is fully awake again, 'I can't let it happen again, i couldn't protect the people who was important to me while i was away, there's no way I'll let Estes leave my sight.'

'stay here.' Shu's eyes persistently begged Estes's.

The long haired boy sighed, giving in and nodding after. "Haa, alright then. I'll see if there are more in the drawers. Estes grabbed the forgotten blanket that slid off Shu's shoulders, and then wrapped it around him again, turning around to prepare a larger basin filled with water, which he later dragged it beside Shu's feet.

"I'll wash your feet in the basin, so punch me if it hurts okay?" Shu looked at the person near his knees and nodded at Estes's permission, putting his feet in the perfectly warm water. Estes leaned down and lifted Shu's feet, rubbing off the dirt on his heels very carefully, trying not to hurt him.

"Pff-" Shu flinched and fastly tapped Estes' head, looking up at the roof of the tent, shaking.

Estes panicked, his face paled quickly. "Eh?! Does it hurt?!"

Shu struggled inside his head, breathing heavily, 'Fuck, it tickles.'

Estes, as gentle as he could, he held Shu's foot and worriedly looked at the trembling boy. "Im sorry! Im sorry! Im really— huh? Are you laughing?"

Then Estes finally realized what was happening, bursting in smiles. "AHAHAHAHA! Im sorry! I'll try not to tickle your feet hahahaha!!!"

"mhpp!! mppp!" Shu, even with no voice managed groan around, trying so hard not to laugh anymore, driving off Estes's hands away from his feet.

'Hey! Stopppp!!'

'Aahhhh!!!!! This is the woooorsttt'

"Okayy done!" Estes broke Shu's struggling.

Shu sighed, calming his heart. 'Was that hell?'

"Its cleaner now the blood and dirt's 'washed off." Estes smiled brightly, blinding Shu's eyes again like he's in face to face with the sun.

"I'll heat up the water again along with the herbal plant, that way of treatment is better than to apply ointment on your feet, you might laugh again, haha!"

'Are you teasing me-'

"Sorry~" tiptoed away Estes.

After quite a while, the warm basin was ready, as well as the prepared, tied, bundle of herbs, steadily floating around the corner of the basin, turning the water into yellow green.

"Put them in now, just soak them for a few moment." Estes said to Shu, which he nodded again for his answer. After some time of putting his feet only the warm water, Shu had pulled his battered feet up from the basin, Estes reaching for the clean fabric and patting the dripping feet dry with utmost care.

"Okay! Done." He stood back up, cracking his back.

He stretched his body then fetched the basin away from Shu's sight, keeping everything clean. "We can go to the river tomorrow to wash up. Its very cold right now so you might not like bathing as much as i like taking washing myself at night." Shu blinked at what Estes just said. 'Who the hell takes a bath at night?'

"I'll close the tent doors now, rest up on that bed." Shu laid on his back, obeying Estes.

Estes relieved half of the fireflies on the lamp, leaving them flying around the tent like stars. "I've dimmed down the light so you can rest better, I'll be sleeping on—"

Shu sat up immediately and looked at Estes with alarm. Reacting on the word that he so disliked. "W-what's wrong friend Uuu?" Shu's tears crawled on his eyes again, whimpering while holding Estes's wrist tightly.

"Wha- huh?! Hey!" Estes looked at the person who was holding him, his eyes wanting to desperately cry.

Shu's hands shook hardly, his thoughts chanting; 'Don't sleep. Don't, don't sleep. Don't leave me, please don't sleep.'

"Shu... Im so sleepy.." Dan whispered softly, his blood dripping down his body, leaving bloody marks where Shu passed.

"What?" Shu snapped back to reality, looking down at Dan at his hold, trying to hold back his tears.

Dan smiled gently, his breathing slowing down. "So... So.. would you mind if i take a little nap?"

"N-no!!!! No!!! No no no no! You wont sleep!" Dan's eyes fluttered, closing slowly.. slowly..

"Don't you hear me?! Don't close your eyes!" Shu hiccuped, his tears trying to break out.

Dan smiled and chuckled for the last time before his breath quietened. "Im not heavy... So.."

"Don't close your eyes! Look at me!" Shu tried to shake his friend awake, but his shouts only sounded like a soft buzz of bees inside Dan's head.

With Dan's sight coming to a dark end, he smiles for the last time.

"Good night. Shu."

"Haahhh... Haaa!"

'Don't sleep! Don't sleep Estes!' Shu wanted to yell it aloud like a madman, his tears uncontrollably falling down his face due to his trauma.

Shu quickly shook his head, desparately begging Estes with his eyes. The shock that he received from witnessing his friend die right in front of him corrupted his entire system in one blow, the sound of the rain, the thunder, his loud wails, the blood, and the smile his friend was wearing felt like a very long and endless nightmare. Everything that he experienced from that day, was kept right beside his heart, and being reminded of it for Shu was him allowing his powers to go on rampage again.

His hair at the back of his nape stood up, his pupils glowing bright amethyst. Estes in front of him was left frozen in shock.

The wind was being summoned, and the near strikes of thunder was being heard from the skies. Shu's tears fell down from his pained and suffering face, the wind inside the tent that was surrounding Shu was forming strong and dangerous whips, but Estes bravely walked towards Shu, his eyes activating a glowing gold pupils, just as same as Shu's eyes, repelling the whips of air with his palm that was trying to attack him. Estes ran and embraced him in a very tight hug.

"Shh its okay.. i won't sleep, I'll watch you till you fall asleep.."

The hurricane finally had stopped, Shu coming back to his senses, seeing nothing but himself wrapped around in a white fabric, realizing it was Estes's hug that was stopping him from breaking himself again.

Shu gripped on Estes's dress, wailing loudly like a child on his chest. "Mmpp!! Ahhh!! Huuu!! Huu!!!" his muffled strong cries made Estes frown even more, Shu seeing the tent in the corner of his vision in a ravaged and messy state.

"It's okay, you're okay.." comforted Estes to Shu, patting his head. Shu felt his heart in a sudden tranquil and peace, sniffing his snot back. He leaned to Estes's figure and inhaled the soothing scent of sweet flowers on his dress.

the released fireflies from the lamp circled around them, floating carelessly while lighting the tent again.

Estes held Shu's heavy body, rubbing Shu's bare back to sooth him, empathizing the same pain inside Shu's heart. "As long as im here, no one can hurt you." He spoke, as Shu fell asleep peacefully on Estes's soft voice ringing in his ears, leaning his head on Estes's warm embrace.