ELORA
It was a relief that apart from their homesickness and worry, my siblings were safe. Olivia was her bubbly self and the twins enjoyed their time spent with Kano. I didn’t know how long the situation would be peaceful so I was determined to let them enjoy the moment.
The royal infirmary was a short walk from my room. It was a large, imposing stonewalled building with pretty flowers around it. I heard it was the very place many of the Bale antidotes originated from. There was a buzz of royal staff wearing the usual grey uniform but now a silver ribbon indicating they were the infirmary staff.
As I approached them, they bowed.
“Your Highness.” They greeted.
“Good day to you.” I smiled waving.
The lobby area of the infirmary was a large space with cushioned seats and a small furnace that wasn’t in use. A large mahogany table sat to one side and a petite lady was sat behind it.
“Your Highness.” She stood up, bowing when she saw me.
“Good day, I have a meeting with the royal physician,” I inform her.
“He’s expecting you. Please follow me.”
I clutched my shawl tighter around me as the temperature seemed to have dropped. I was never one to enjoy a meeting at the infirmary. It left me nervous and anxious.
We passed by several rooms with small beds until finally got to the last room at the end of the building.
The small woman knocked on the large door bearing a carved image of an animal cradling her young.
“Please, come in.”
She opened the door to reveal an even larger room. In this room, there were only two beds and cabinets filled with bottles containing colored liquids. On the table, was a stack of books and papers, someone must be writing a lot, and there were several empty ink bottles and discarded pens. As I walked into the room, she shut the door behind me.
“Your Highness.” The royal physician greeted, bowing.
I wondered if his smile ever left his face. This time his waistcoat was grey and the monocle was on, as if he’d been reading. He looked sharp and proper with his hair styled back and his fitting pants.
“That’s not necessary. Good day, Noel.”
“Please sit.” He said, gesturing to a cushioned seat. His eyes twinkled and his dimples deepened.
I sunk into the seat and tightened the shawl around me. I couldn’t look him directly in the face for fear that he would detect my nervousness. The king must be very interested in my health, which made sense since I was his mistress. It would be utterly useless to have an unhealthy mistress.
“You healed quite fast, ma’am.” He went over to the small table facing the mirror. “The other day when your lady in waiting–”
“Uh, that was you? You treated me that evening.”
“Yes.” He turned and smiled. He then poured water from a large jar into a cup. He handed it over to me. “Here. You look parched. Is everything alright?”
“I’m fine. Thank you.” The cool water glided down my throat, easing the knot that had formed in my nervousness. “Refreshing, thank you,” I sighed.
“I have a jar of peanut biscuits here. It’s delicious. Made from my grandmother’s special recipe.” He winked.
I placed a hand on my stomach. “I just ate breakfast. I’m good, thank you.” I eased in. “I expected the royal physician to be a bit… older…”
“I expected that too.” He took a bite of the biscuit. “My father was the royal physician. He died of an illness so I had to take over.”
I nodded. It all made sense now.
“Are you sure you don’t want a taste of this biscuit, ma’am?” He dusted crumbs off his waistcoat.
“No, thank you.” I attempted a smile of my own. I handed the cup to his outstretched hand. “Thank you for the water.”
“Have you felt your wolf? I sense that you’re healing fast.”
I shifted in my seat remembering the night my wolf sighed. My face burned slightly. “Yes… I felt it once but I haven’t after that.”
“Okay…” He nodded slowly.
“I don’t know what it means.”
“That’s okay. When you sense it, study your environment. Take note of who you’re with and the reason why you sensed it,” he said.
“Well, what’s the point? I’m a slave.” I looked down at my lap. “Slaves are not allowed to contact their wolves so we don’t pose a threat.”
“Your connection to your wolf is important to you now.” He goes over to a cabinet and pulls out a vial containing blue liquid.
He pulls out my wrist and places two fingers on it.
“Hmm.” He hands the vial over to me. “In three days, take this.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t overthink it,” he smiled. “It’s not a big deal.”
I sighed. “Okay.”
There was a knock on the door. “Please, come in,” Noel called.
The door opened and Skye walked through. That was surprising, but then I seemed to be meeting Skye often.
“Commander Skye.” He brushed his pants. “You’re here.”
“Your Highness.” I stood up and bowed.
“Elora.” She raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here?”
“The king asked for her to be checked.”
Skye gave a firm nod and passed a look to Noel. He nodded. They were conversing without words. I stood there, awkwardly.
“What can I do for you today, commander Skye?” Noel walked closer to her. He seemed giddy. He fiddled with his fingers and his smile was wider than normal.
“Commander Skye, my foot.” Skye rolled her eyes.
“Well, you’re my commander.” Noel turned to me. “Commander Skye here is the best warrior in all of Bale.” His eyes lit up.
“Oh…”
“Well, I wouldn’t–” Skye started.
“She beat me in every single training session as pups and she still beats me now we’re older.” He chuckled.
Skye rolled her eyes playfully. A smile danced on her lips. “That’s the only reason why you’re a physician. You’re too weak for the battlefield.” She chuckled.
I felt like I was interrupting something. It was a surprise to see Skye loosen up and tease.
“Excuse me! I love my work. It is noble… Don’t tell me I’m weak. I see terrible things every day,” Noel protested.
“Whatever makes you sleep at night, Noel.” She bumped her shoulders into his.
He rolled his eyes as his cheeks burned.