Recovered

ROSALIND’S POV
“What did you say?” I asked the messenger in front of me, making sure I understood what he just announced to me. I felt the excitement in my blood rise by the second.
“Uhh… your brother in the infirmary, the healer says he is recovered.”
“Ahh.” I squealed, unintentionally and dashed out of the room heading straight to see Bast. All the drama and twists I had gone through in my time here in the palace might have distracted me a bit but I was still hoping and praying to the goddess that Bast would respond positively to treatment.
I rushed down the stairs hurriedly and my shoes made loud clicking sounds as I moved, causing more than a few heads to turn in my wake but I was far from bothered.
The silk gown I had on seemed to be restricting my movements as I tried to go faster. I bent down and bundled the dress in my hands and kept on going.
Bastien had been undergoing treatments for weeks. The instructions said that he was not to be disturbed. As much as I wanted to go to see him everyday, I had to restrain myself for his own good. He was the only family I had and I shared everything with him. I had forgotten what life had been before he came into my life.
When I reached the infirmary, I was directed to the ward where Bast was.
He could have been put in a public ward with no issues, but Cillian had insisted that Bast stayed in a private room.
The attendant opened the door and I stepped into a cozy, air conditioned room that smelled oddly like polished wood and sterilized water.
“Rosa!” Bast’s voice came from the end of the ward.
He laid on a bed that had been adjusted for his comfort. His skin looked a little paler than I remembered but he had a smile on his face. He was happy to see me.
I rushed to his side and gave him a big hug. He smelled of talcum powder and balm and medicine but I didn’t give a flying fuck.
As I hugged him, I listened to his heartbeat instinctively. I used to always check his breathing to see how he was coping or if he needed more pain meds.
I listened for a good thirty seconds waiting for the usual wheeze or struggle for air.
I heard none of those. All I got was clear breaths and evenly paced heartbeats. I had never been so happy in my life.
Bast was breathing normally for the first time in his life.
“Hey.” I said, feeling the sting in my eyes.
“How do you feel?” I asked, refusing to let go of him just yet. Praying this wasn’t a dream.
“I feel free now. It doesn’t hurt to breathe anymore.”
I lifted my head and looked at his face. He had lost a little weight since when we last saw but his beautiful brown eyes were still radiant as ever.
“Why are you crying, Rosa?”
I wiped my eyes immediately, I didn’t notice when my tears started to flow.
“Because I’m so happy to see you getting better, Bast.”
He smiled.
There was a knock and another attendant walked in with a food tray. He bowed when he saw me and set the tray down by the bed.
The tray was rich. There were eggs, bacon, sausages, gravy, some sandwiches, milk and peanuts. There was also sliced beef and a bottle of apple juice by the side.
“Time to eat.” I said and he smiled.
“You look… different.” He said, thoughtfully studying me.
Just then I realized that I had come to the palace in the first place to be a maid. Now I was addressed as Princess. A lot had changed since Bast was admitted here. He hadn’t known about the princess trials or the engagement and the fact that I was indeed well on my way of marrying a prince, like he had thought when he first saw me with Cillian’s jacket on. I was also wearing a blue silk gown and matching jewelry.
“Well.” I started, he looked with bright eyes, listening with rapt attention.
I could understand his curiosity.
“I’m engaged to the Prince.”
KILLIAN’S POV
Cillian and I stood at the same time after getting the message. Rosalind had mentioned her brother being treated in the palace to me. A part of me thought he was in a coma or something, though I didn’t exactly care then. Now he was awake and better. She would be so happy.
“I can’t go there like this.” Cillian said, more to himself than to me. He still hadn’t cleaned up after the outbreak in the north.
I stood and headed to the infirmary while he freshened up. Somehow I was glad that we both wouldn’t walk in together. A lot was on my mind.
I was half thankful to Cillian for calling me and temporarily rescuing me from Aunt Lily’s plan. But I knew I would still have to face it sooner or later. Like I didn’t have enough to deal with already.
Instead of heading straight to the infirmary, I decided to branch at a shop and get something for the kid. I went into the first shop I saw and went to the kids section.
There were so many things I didn’t know what to get so I took one of almost everything. That appeared to be a hell of a lot of things so I took half of everything I previously selected. Even then it was still quite a number but fair enough.
There were action figures, toy cars, toy planes, a bow and arrows, cotton candy, balloons and a few other things I had no idea what they were but got them anyway.
When I stepped into the ward, Rosalind was feeding the boy on the bed. Her eyes were a little watery like she had been crying. The boy stopped eating when he saw me walk in.
Rosalind had a look of surprise on her face. Had she expected to see Cillian, maybe?
She smiled at me, seeing what I had brought.
“This is for you kid.” I said, keeping the stuff I bought beside the cranked up bed.
I never like the smell of hospitals. The air freshener in this ward helped but I could still Smell everything else.
“Cillian had to take care of something, he’ll be here soon, I think he…”
Rosalind had me in a hug before I was done talking. She had surely been crying, I could tell. She must have really been overjoyed to see her brother healthy again.
“Thank you for this.” She said, softly.
“Thank you for your help, sir. I wouldn’t have gotten better if it weren’t for you. I’m very grateful.” The boy said to me.
I couldn’t help cocking an eyebrow at these words.
“He must think that you’re Cillian.”
Rosa whispered.
I reached down and patted his head softly.
“I’m Killian. What’s your name?”
“Bastien. But you can call me Bast.” He said, blinking his brown eyes.
“Well, Bast you need to eat all your food to get strong so you can play with all these toys. There’s quite a lot of them.”
His eyes glimmered with delight at these words and he nodded emphatically.
“Okay sir. I’m sure you will take care of my sister.” Bast grinned, holding out his hand.
I shook his hand, amused by his guts just as a nurse entered the ward.
“My Prince and Princess.” She bowed.
“He needs to rest now.”
Rosalind went close to the bed and gave Bast a peck.
“You get better soon so we can go outside to play any game you want.”
He fell asleep immediately after the injection was administered.
“He is responding positively to treatment, he just needs a lot of rest for now.” Said the nurse.
I took her hand and helped her out of that place.
“He lost weight.” Rosalind said to me, her voice low, vulnerable…almost enticing.
“I’m sure he’ll regain himself soon.”
She pulled closer with her hand on my chest.
The boy was getting better and that was all that mattered.
CILLIAN’S POV
After freshening up, I was informed that aunt Celia had sent for me. I took a look at the marks I had sustained from the field but they had all disappeared.
Good.
Aunty Celia was having tea and biscuits in the garden when I got there. She beckoned one of the wolves nearby and they served me chocolate biscuits and ice tea.
She wiped her mouth with a napkin when she was done and looked at me.
“Cillian darling, I’m just going to get straight to the point. You are a crowned prince of this pack and you know that traditions have to be adhered to.”
I took a sip of the strong tea, half expecting her to bring this back up.
“If your brother is getting engaged, then you too will have do so as well. That’s what I’m saying.”
Aunt Celia’s eyes flashed a little in the sun. She had probably thought this through before choosing to have this conversation. Planning every step before taking action. Something I learned from her.
“Aunty, I’ve already rejected Adelyn. I’m not taking her back no matter what happens.”
“Who said anything about accepting Adelyn? I know that’s not possible anymore.”
I sat back in my chair. I had half expected that the point of this meeting was to take back Adelyn and accept her as my mate. The same person that had tried to kill Rosalind during the trials for absolutely no reason? Hell no.
I didn’t want to tell Aunty Celia about the stunt Adelyn pulled in my room, lest she drove her away from the palace by herself.
Aunty Celia was one of the nicest people in the world, always smiling and having something nice to say about just about anyone. But it didn’t mean that she was weak. She had taught me everything I knew, I was aware of just how powerful she was
“I want you to find a match before the end of the month, Cillian. I have already made arrangements.”
Now that was a shock.
Aunt Celia trying to set me up on a date?
“You know how these things end up aunty…” I groaned at her suggestion.
She looked me intently in the eye.
“I don’t see why a crown prince would reject this sort of arrangement. Unless you are already seeing somebody?” Aunt Celia asked, leaning forward a little.
“No. I’m not… seeing anybody, Aunt.”
I had wanted nothing more than to tell her about Rosalind but it was too early. And there was also the fact of her being engaged to Killian.
She smiled, “Good. So since you aren’t currently seeing anyone, then you should have no problem going on a date tomorrow.” She grinned.
I sighed and shrugged.
“Her name is Genevieve, I’m sure you’ll like her.”