On their way out of the west side, they met Vanessa who accompanied the castle’s doctor. The doctor was dressed in a long auburn-brown robe. He looked quite old but the light in his eyes were sharp and lively.

The moment Vanessa met her family, she paused up and said “The doctor says he’ll need help… It’s best if you come back with us”. As Vanessa finished her sentence, the father’s face grew dark. They had just left that place. Going back now would be very awkward. It would be him who would lose face…

Both Vanessa and the doctor paused their rescue mission. They were waiting for the others to join them. But the father seemed torn…

William couldn’t help but poke to the hornet's nest. He muttered with a harmless gesture “Fawer. Go bag… He nees helb”. When those words reached through the father’s ear canal, peace was no more. He turned around to his daughter and yelled in her face “Enough! Twice you have tempted me to go help that wretch! It’s like your already part of their rat’s nest!”. The spit from the roar, landed on William’s face along with a freezing chill.

William stared into his father’s eyes and thought: I have been very obedient up till this day! But that doesn’t mean that I consent with your actions! You need to get your shit together and help Harvick. You’re a man! Don’t be so stubborn. You’re acting like a child! And I’m legally the child here, so it doesn’t make any sense!?..

Disobedience was intolerable. Especially in kids. So William got a well deserved smack in the face.

William was used to getting hit in fights with fellow kids, but being slapped as a child by an adult male…

The pain throbbed through his whole existence. The sting pricked and rained on his skin like thousand tiny needles. When he finally regained his vision that had blackened, he noticed that he had changed perspective.

William looked up, with tears from the pain lingering around the corners of his eyes. He saw Joss, with a betrayed expression displayed upon his mug. Joss helped William stand on his feet as he yelled at the perpetrator “Stop it father… Haven’t you hurt people already… Instead, go and help the doctor before he loses interest!”. The doctor who saw this family scrabble, could only agree with the young boy. He said “Indeed. I do not have all day… If you want the boy fixed, I’ll need your assistance… Now come along”.

William’s father huffed and burned red with anger. He cursed before trodding back to the room that contained the sick Harvick and his vile mother! William and company followed along the same path.

Back in the room, Grettel was chewing on an apple, while looking out the small window. As soon as footsteps approached her, she spun around and smiled with anticipation. Seeing the doctor had finally arrived, she bowed and pleaded “Great doctor! Please look at my poor son. He must be saved! He must!”.

Then she glanced up at the doctor and also got a closer look at his entourage. The apple in her hand, fell with a *thump* on the ground. It rolled all the way to the father’s feet. Both adults glared at each other while sparks flew between their heated gazes. Grettel sneered and ridiculed “Ah! See who’s back for more… If it isn’t my son’s honorable uncle? And his little family...”.

William’s father only coughed and told the doctor to hurry. In the father’s mind he was already happily drinking and dancing with the others outside…

The doctor set down his big satchel and instructed the two women to hold down Harvick’s arms and upper-body. The father was told to hold down Harvick’s injured right leg, while the kids sat down on the healthy left leg. Without further instructions, the doctor started inspecting the bone. He massaged the skin with both hands, which sent out powerful pain signals to Harvick’s body.

William hated the trembling leg beneath him. It was enough to look at another’s pain, to feel it as well… It was torture in itself. But restraining the leg was an important task. As there was no pain relief administered to the patient...

Harvick was given a mouth-piece to bite down on. He used it well while screaming his head off. That was until the doctor began forcing the two fractured femur pieces, to become one once again.

People were drenched in sweat, as they used all their power to stop the fighting patient. There was a sigh of relief, when Harvick fainted from the pain, but his body still twitched now and then. The suffering haunting him even to the bone.

When the doctor deemed the connection a success, he cleaned the wound from the overflowing blood. A wooden bowl was filled with black liquid. The doctor took a long piece of linen and dipped it into the black ointment. Then he wrapped it around the area where the fracture appeared.

William stared with interest and thought: What is that black ointment? Hopefully not something like snake oil or ink…

He saw the doctor apply another layer. Which was thick felt made from wool. The doctor muttered as he was extremely concentrated “Help me bind these seven splints around his wound… They’ll help keep the bones in place”. All the adults heard this suggestion and lent their hands for the task…

Before the procedure was done, Harvick’s leg was put in a wooden cradle. Then the doctor quickly added before leaving “I’ll check up on him the following days… He may not move for the next 15 days. That is the period of time it will take for the bone to reconnect. If he stands on his leg before then, it will likely break, never to be healed properly again. Also, make sure to feed him well. It’s the nutrition from the food that’ll heal his bone…”.

The doctor licked his lips before adding “Even so, he is likely to grow back crooked. A thigh-bone is never easy to heal… In 8 weeks time he should be able to use a crotch to get around with… But don’t expect miracles. He’ll certainly have a limp in the future. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”. The doctor left unconcerned with the bomb he had dropped onto the next of kin. Behind him was a mother who was seething once again with inner rage.

Grettel cursed multiple times, while chanting the word “Limp”.

The father and Vanessa had both used up their patience. So before the old lady exploded they quickly fled along with their children. Immediately after the door closed, a loud howl could be heard, being channeled through the stone wall…

The father seemed restless at first, but then a smile flashed from his thin lips. He laughed with a cynical tone and chuckled “Serves her right! Haha! Let’s forget about that family of loons and get to celebrating, shall we?”.

None of the other family members were in as great a mood as the patriarch. Only an insincere smile could be seen painted on their pale faces.

They needed some time to adjust to the mood of swinging music and deliciously meat…