The room was hypnotically quiet after Dr. Emett left. The steady beeping of the monitors that measured the girl’s vitals made Cas tired as well. He sank down a little further in his seat, stifling another yawn. It wasn’t the most comfortable place to rest, but he’d had a long day and probably could have dozed off next to a busy intersection at this point. His droopy eyes flicked to the clock on the wall every few minutes with some impatience. He hoped it wouldn’t take too long before she woke up. As soon as she did, he could give her name to give to the doctor, so he could get in touch with her family.

Even though he wanted to make sure she wasn’t alone when she came to, he felt like she would be better off with a parent or sibling watching over her than a man she didn’t know. He stretched his arms, trying to keep his blood flowing so he wouldn’t drift off. On second thought, she would probably be ecstatic to find the prince of Aspiria sitting at her bedside. He could already picture the awkward stammering and unnecessary flattery that everyone who recognized him engaged in. He just hoped she wouldn’t read into the situation or expect him to stay.

After about fifteen minutes had passed, he glanced up when the door opened and Dr. Emett returned with two cups of coffee in his hands. [color=b97703]“Thanks,”[/color] he offered the doctor a tired smile as he took the drink the older man had brought for him. [color=b97703]“I will.”[/color]

Sipping at the hot coffee, he sat up a little straighter and took his phone from his pocket to pass the time by playing a game. The caffeine and activity helped him stay alert for a while, but around two o’ clock, his exhaustion won out, and he drifted off into a light nap.

Cas wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep. He slouched in his uncomfortable chair with his head leaning back against the textured drywall behind him, lips parted and jaw hanging slack as a soft snore escaped from his mouth. His hands rested limply in his lap, still holding onto his phone which had long since run out of battery and was now nothing more than a useless, aluminum brick. He could have slept for hours but didn’t get the chance when he was interrupted by a jolting noise.

He jumped at the sound, looking around dazedly as he tried to remember what was going on, and then froze when his gaze landed on the girl. She was sitting up. Suddenly wide awake, he opened his mouth to ask her how she was feeling and then closed it again. There was a panicked look in her blue eyes that told him he’d better wait until she noticed him first, so he wouldn’t freak her out with the sound of his voice.

Luckily, it didn’t take long before he caught sight of him, but her reaction wasn’t what he’d been expecting. He blinked when she shuffled to put more distance between them and asked who he was. It seemed like she didn’t recognize him. This was a first. He’d thought everyone in the capital knew his face, since his family was always the center of attention in the news both online and on TV. Apparently he’d been wrong. However, instead of being offended, he found himself intrigued.

He took a moment to consider her question. Of course, he could tell her he was Caspian Maydestone, the heir to the Aspirian throne, but he kind of liked the fact that she didn’t know who he was. If he confessed his identity, he already knew what would happen: The walls would go up, and she would put on a face just like everyone else who wanted the royal family’s favor. This could be his only chance to talk to someone without any fronts.

[color=b97703]“My name’s Cas,”[/color] he said decidedly, speaking in a gentle tone in an attempt to keep her from panicking more than she already had. Now came the reason why he’d stayed at the hospital for hours. [color=b97703]“I found you in the woods on the edge of the city,”[/color] he explained, filling her in on why she was lying on a surgery table. [color=b97703]“I didn’t see what happened to you, but it looked like you got your leg caught in a hunter’s trap or something, so I brought you to the hospital to get taken care of. The doctor said you’ll be fine when you heal.”[/color]

He glanced at the clock again and nearly blanched when he saw that it was about three in the morning. He needed to get home or his father would be furious. [color=b97703]“What’s your name?”[/color] he asked, twisting in his chair to press the buzzer on the wall that would call Dr. Emett back to the room. Now that the girl was awake, he was sure the doctor would want to check her vitals. Once they figured out who she was, he would be free to go, and one of her family members could replace him to keep watch over her.