"How is she?" Xavier shot up. He had been sitting outside the physician's quarters for a four hours with no movement.

"What happened to her? That's a better question." Rhys crossed his arms, with all the hospitality of a starved wolf.

"Fulke tried to take advantage of her, and I stopped him, we got into a fight, he threw some liquid on Zephrine, and I might have accidentally killed him." Xavier recounted the events.

"Hydrofluoric acid. That liquid he was hydrofluoric acid! That stuff will literally melt the skin off your body!"

"I didn't know!" Xavier tried to walk past Rhys. "Can I see her or not?"

"How many times must one of you come to me, with the other at death's door? I've had enough of it! My Lord, I will not constantly have the stress of healing my king or my sister again, not so soon." Rhys shoved Xavier back. "And forgive me, sire, but if the both of you were dying, I'd save her and only her."

"I understand, Rhys, but-"

"No, I don't think you do. You don't know what having a family means, Xavier."

"Yes, Rhys, I do, and you can't talk to me like this!"

"Because you're my king? I don't care! Someone attempted to melt my sister, so excuse me if my thoughts are with her and not you!"

"I'm not mad about that, Rhys, I'm sorry this happened, and it won't happen again."

"How can I trust you? How can I make sure it won't happen again? For all I know, you could have done this yourself!" Rhys threw his hands up in the air.

"I love her! You think I'd do that to her? She was screaming, crying, begging Fulke to stop and he didn't. He had a knife to her throat, for God's sake!"

"Oh, well, that changes my standing! Don't ever go near Zephrine again. You're done, finished, I don't care what either of you say. That's my prescription for Zeph." Rhys crossed his arms. "I didn't want to have to make this call, but I draw the line at you bringing my half-dead sister to me."

"Rhys, you're being unreasonable, this is not the solution."

"Seems like the answer to me. Goodbye, my Lord." Rhys disappeared back to his room without a second look at Xavier.

"She's not a kid! You can't force anything on her!" Xavier launched himself at the door, banging on it with his palm.

"She's not a kid, but she is my patient." Rhys's quiet, broken voice shook Xavier to his core. "I've lost one sibling to a royal, I won't lose two. And I don't know if you can understand that pain, but at least try to." 

Xavier wiped the tears from his face. "I'm sorry, Rhys, I wasn't thinking."

"You never are."