CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: XAVIER

"Xavier, let's get that injury treated, alright? It doesn't seem to be healing properly," Venus said, her face displaying genuine concern as she carefully examined the deep gash on my arm.

As I nodded in agreement, I confessed, "You're right, it's been bothering me for quite some time now." I gestured towards the cupboard where the vials were found. "I actually have some healing poultice that Doc gave me. It should be in there as well, in a brown bottle."

"You must have endured a fair share of bumps and bruises to know the colour of the bottle," Venus playfully remarked while she rummaged through the cupboard.

The quaint cottage had always been home to only my mother and me, yet having Venus there now felt oddly comfortable, as if she belonged here.

"You know getting hurt comes with the territory, Vee. It's part of being a soldier," I said, and she glared at me with a playful yet concerned expression.

"Being a soldier doesn't mean you should be constantly getting hurt. You're not just a soldier; you're a human being and a prince, for crying out loud. It's not like Michael, who's up here acting all high and mighty, is out there fighting in the battlefield like you."

"My dear brother wouldn't know how to swing a sword if his life depended on it. Father always kept him sheltered, thinking he would be the next heir to the throne," I said, amusement dripping from my words.

"That's bullshit. I was the legitimate heir to Khadran until my family thought it was a good idea to trade me off to the devil's incarnate, all in the guise of saving our people. But before any of that, I fiercely battled against those who endangered the witches."

"Well, my father doesn't really care about any of that, all he cares about is using my abilities for his gain" I said, stopping myself before I revealed too much about my hybrid nature and unique abilities.

"And what sort of abilities do you have?" she asked, intrigued by my vague response, but I skillfully evaded the question, not yet prepared to disclose that secret.

"A man should have his secrets, Vee," I replied.

"Sorry, I'm being nosy," Venus said, blushing slightly.

"It's good to be curious, Vee, but I'm sorry I can't tell you what my abilities are," I gently explained, not wanting her to feel bad about asking.

"Okay, I get it," she said, and silence enveloped us. It wasn't that I didn't want to tell her, but her knowing about my secret of being a hybrid alone could put her in peril, not to mention her knowing about my abilities that my father fought so hard to hide. 

"Vee—" I began, but she interrupted me with a cheer.

"Found it!" she exclaimed, holding up the brown bottle triumphantly as she came over and sat beside me.

"Yeah, that's it," I said, and she opened the bottle, scrunching her nose at the smell.

"That smells horrible," she groaned, but she didn't hesitate to apply the poultice on my wound. 

Her touch was gentle yet firm, and I winced a little as she worked on the injury. Once done, she skillfully bandaged it up with some spare bandages she found in the cupboard.

"You're really good at this. Thank you, Vee," I said gratefully.

"I helped the healers at the army camp when I was free, so I picked up a few things," she explained modestly.

"Well, I'm grateful," I replied, appreciating her kindness.

She smiled warmly at me, her eyes shimmering with sincerity. "It's the least I can do, Xavier. Let's just say this is payback for saving my life."

"You don't need to pay me back, Vee. I would do it again and not ask for anything in return," I said, wondering why she felt indebted to me. Helping her was what any humane person would do.

"I know, but I just wanted to do something to repay you. So let me have this one, Xavier," she insisted.

"Okay, but you really don't need to feel indebted to me," I said softly.

"Okay, I won't, Xavier."

"Venus," I said softly, "if you're comfortable, I'd like to know why you aren't close with your family. If it's too difficult to talk about, you don't have to talk about it."

"Is that obvious?"

"Well ever since I learned about your marriage to Michael, I wondered what was going on in your mother's head that she thought it was a good idea to marry you off to the enemy even if it's to save your people."

"You're the first person to ask why," she said, a sigh leaving her lips as she stared up at me, "you told me your story, well I guess I owe you mine."

"I didn't ask you because I told you my story so you have to tell me yours, I was just curious because no parent will ever do this if they love their kid, they would choose their family over country."

"Not my mother, my mother loved Khadran, more than she ever loved me."

"What about your brother?"

"Oh, she loves Daniel. He is an exact copy of her, only he is the male version of her."

"So you take after your father?"

"Yeah."

"I see."

"Xavier, I'm not close with my family like you said because something terrible happened when I was younger," she began, her voice quivering with emotion. "It was my fault, Xavier. My father died because of me."

"Venus, if you don't want to continue, it's okay."

"No, I want to please, I've been holding all this in for a while now and would love to tell someone."

"Okay."

"I was a mere five-year-old, playing in the castle garden with my father. We were both laughing and having a great time when suddenly, chaos erupted – the castle came under attack."

"Who attacked the castle?"

"It was a band of rogue werewolves. Terrified, I tried to escape from one of them, but my little legs couldn't carry me fast enough. As the werewolf's sword nearly reached me, my father came out of nowhere, putting himself between the wolf and me. He managed to kill the werewolf and save my life... but, tragically, he didn't survive the encounter."

"Venus -"

"Please let me finish before I lose confidence."

"Okay, Vee."

"My mother and brother had blamed me, although they didn't say it outright. But I could see it in their eyes."

"It wasn't your fault, Vee. I hope you know that."

"Since that day," she continued, "I felt like an outcast in my own home. My mother became distant, and my brother grew colder towards me. I understood why I really did, but it didn't make it any less painful."

I reached out and gently placed my hand on hers, a silent gesture of support. She managed a small smile and continued her story.

"When I was in school, I struggled with my emotions. I became rebellious, acting out to cope with the guilt and loneliness. I got into trouble more often than I'd like to admit, and my mother's solution was to send me away," she said, her voice growing softer.

"She enrolled me in a strict boarding school, hoping that it would straighten me out. But it only made me feel more abandoned, like I was some burden they wanted to get rid of. Then, when I turned eighteen, instead of going to college like most kids, she sent me to the battlefield to join my brother."

"I can't imagine what you've been through, Venus," I said softly. "But anyways, you grew up to be a wonderful person,"

"Thank you, Xavier. Thank you for listening to me," she said with a sad smile.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden hue across the horizon, I could see the weight of her past still lingering in her eyes, but sharing her story with someone seemed to bring some relief to her troubled heart.

"I'm sorry for everything you've been through," I said sincerely, my hand still gently resting on hers. "No one should have to carry such burdens alone."

"Thank you, Xavier," Venus replied, her voice a little softer. "I never really had anyone to talk to about all this. My  best friend back home knows some parts of it, but I never shared the whole story."

"I'm honoured that you trusted me enough to share it," I said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "And I want you to know that you're not alone here anymore. You have me."

Her eyes met mine, and I saw a glimmer of gratitude and vulnerability. "I appreciate that, Xavier. It means a lot to me."

"We both have our fair share of struggles," I said, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "Maybe that's why we understand each other so well."

Venus chuckled softly, a hint of warmth returning to her smile. "Maybe. But seriously, thank you for listening and not judging me. It's been a long time since I opened up like this."

"I'm glad you did. Sometimes, sharing our burdens with someone can make a world of difference," I replied.

Venus glanced at the darkening sky again. "I really should get back before Michael sends a search party for me," she said, a touch of worry returning to her expression.

"Do you want me to walk you back to the castle this time?" I offered.

She shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. Besides, you're injured, and I don't want you straining yourself."

"Alright, but promise me you'll be careful," I said, concern evident in my voice.

"I promise. I have my transportation gem," she said, pulling out the gem from her pocket and giving it a small twirl between her fingers.

"Just think about where you want to go, and it will get you there," I reminded her.

"Thank you, Xavier. I'll be okay," Venus said with a soft smile.

With that, she gave me a quick hug, careful not to disturb my injured arm, and made her way to the door. Before she left, she turned back to me.

"I'll come back tomorrow to check on you, okay?" she said.

"I'd like that," I replied, touched by her concern.