Authors POV.
Mara burst into the room, the Royal Healer in tow, his worn leather satchel slung over his shoulder. “Your Majesty,” he greeted, bowing his head before immediately turning his attention to Lienna.
King Caspian’s gaze never wavered, his eyes fixed on Lienna’s face as the healer began his assessment. The healer’s hands moved with a practiced ease, his fingers probing Lienna’s skin, checking her pulse, and examining her wounds.
Daisy watched in growing unease as the healer’s expression turned increasingly grave. He brought out more herbs and potions, his hands moving with a sense of urgency. Lienna’s condition seemed to have worsened, white hair streaks now appearing on her head, her skin taking on a bluish tint.
The air in the room grew thicker, heavy with tension. King Caspian’s hands still held Lienna’s, his fingers probing her skin as if searching for any sign of life. His expression remained unreadable, a mask of calmness that belied the concern burning in his eyes.
Daisy shifted uncomfortably on her feet, her eyes darting between the king and Lienna. She felt like an intruder, a witness to a private moment of desperation. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the soft clinking of the healer’s potions and the king’s steady breathing.
The healer’s face was a picture of concentration, his eyes narrowed as he worked to save Lienna. Mara hovered near the door, her eyes fixed on Lienna, her face etched with worry.
Finally, after an eternity of assessing and reassessing, the Royal Healer, Drogo, brought out another potion from his bag. He opened the tightly sealed bottle and poured the contents into Lienna’s mouth, making her drink it. The room fell silent, everyone waiting with bated breath for any sign that the potion had worked.
It came when Lienna let out a soft sigh, all the tension seemingly draining from her body. Color slowly began returning to her face, and her breathing evened out. The change was subtle, but palpable.
“She’ll be fine now,” Drogo announced, his voice grave, his eyes still fixed on Lienna.
Caspian turned his gaze to the healer, his expression inscrutable. “What happened to her before?” he asked, his voice low and even.
Drogo pressed his lips together, taking a deep breath before speaking. “Her soulcore was scattered around her body, causing her serious distress.” He explained, his words measured.
The room fell silent once more, as if the very air had been sucked out of it. Caspian’s brow rose, his expression unreadable. Mara and Daisy exchanged shocked glances, their faces mirroring each other’s confusion.
“Soulcore?” Caspian repeated, his voice low and even, belying the gravity of Drogo’s statement. “She’s human. How does she have a soulcore?”
Drogo’s eyes darted to Lienna, then back to the king. “I’m not entirely sure, Your Majesty. But it’s clear that she’s not entirely human either.” Drogo said, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity.
“The symptoms resemble exhaustion from overuse of magical powers. It can be very dangerous,” Drogo continued, his expression grave.
Caspian’s eyes narrowed. “What did you give her then?” he asked, his voice firm.
Drogo explained, “An elixir created for moments like this. It’s popularly called ‘the goddess essence.’ It uses the finest and rarest ingredients available for supernatural healing. I usually carry one around.”
Caspian nodded, returning his gaze to Lienna, whose color had improved significantly. “She’ll get better…” Drogo continued, packing his things.
“She just needs a lot of bed rest now. I’ll drop some herbs and medicines she should use while she recovers for the time being. You can always come to me if you need more.” Drogo said, leaving a selection of bottles and leaves on the bedside table.
Mara’s voice was filled with relief as she spoke, “Thank you so much.” Tears filled her eyes, and she hastily wiped them away.
Drogo bowed his head. “If that is all, I’ll be taking my leave.” He awaited Caspian’s dismissal.
Caspian waved his hand, and Drogo exited the room, leaving behind the king, Mara, and Daisy.
The room fell silent once more, until Caspian broke the silence. “What happened to her?” he asked, his eyes fixed on Lienna.
Mara hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. Daisy looked at her, then back at the king, equally uncertain.
Caspian’s gaze shifted between the two women, his expression unreadable. “Tell me,” he urged, his voice firm but gentle.
“We went out of the fortress together,” Daisy began, wringing her fingers together as she lowered her head. “She then ventured to the woods alone to gather some blueberries. When she didn’t return on time, I went to look for her, but she ran out of the forest, a panicked expression on her face.”
Daisy’s voice trembled as she recalled the events. “I tried to ask her what happened, but she lost consciousness instead, so I brought her back.”
Caspian’s eyes narrowed, his gaze intense. “Do you know the place?” he asked, turning to look at Daisy.
The latter nodded, wondering what the king was thinking. “Yes, your Majesty.”
“Take me there,” Caspian commanded. Daisy flinched but bowed her head anyway.
“Yes, your Majesty.”
.
.
.
The forest loomed before them, its trees towering above, casting deep shadows that seemed to writhe and twist in the fading light. Daisy led Caspian to the spot where Lienna had emerged, her heart racing with anticipation and fear. The king’s presence was imposing, his eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity that made her shiver.
He’d brought a few soldiers with them, their faces set in stern lines as they stood around the perimeter, their hawk-like eyes scanning the surroundings with an unnerving intensity. Caspian surveyed the area, his eyes scanning the ground with a practiced ease.
“Is this where she ran out from?” he asked, his voice low and even, as he took in every detail of the scene.
“Yes, your Majesty,” Daisy answered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Caspian walked to the spot, his eyes fixed on the ground, his expression grim. He knelt, examining the earth with a careful attention that made Daisy wonder what he was searching for. Rising to his feet, he began to walk into the forest, his long strides eating up the distance.
After a moment’s hesitation, Daisy followed after him, her heart pounding in her chest. They walked for what seemed like a long time, the silence between them oppressive, punctuated only by the soft rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs underfoot.
Finally, they arrived at the blueberry patch, where clear signs of a struggle had taken place. Bushes were trampled, and the earth was disturbed, as if something had been dragged across the ground. King Caspian paused, looking around, the expression on his face turning frosty.
“Guards, scan the perimeters,” he instructed the soldiers, his voice crisp and authoritative.
The guards broke into different directions, scanning the environment with a practiced ease, their eyes searching for any signs of danger. Caspian continued to survey the area, his eyes narrowed, his expression intense.
Later, one of the soldiers returned, his face grim and ashen. “Your Majesty, we found something,” he announced, his voice low and somber.
Caspian’s gaze locked onto the soldier, his eyes narrowing slightly before he nodded and followed him. The soldier led him to a secluded clearing, where a scene of utter carnage awaited.
Bodies lay scattered around, charred and blackened, as if consumed by a fierce fire. Daisy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she beheld the horror before her. Caspian’s expression remained stoic, but his eyes betrayed a hint of shock and disbelief.
Slowly, he approached the bodies, his eyes scanning the scene with a practiced intensity. The soldiers waited in silence, their faces equally grim. It was clear that magical powers were used, but he was struggling to believe they had come from Lienna, a mere human. Except, there was something she was hiding.
With a swift motion, he turned to the soldiers. “Launch an investigation, find out what happened here. Leave no stone unturned.” The soldiers responded in unison, their faces set with determination.
Caspian returned to the fortress, his mind racing with questions and doubts. He went straight to Lienna’s room in the maid’s quarters and found the older maid still there with her. The latter stood to her feet, greeting him with a curtsy. He regarded her greeting with a nod, turning to Layla.
Lienna lay still, her face pale, but her breathing steady. Caspian’s eyes lingered on her face, his thoughts whirling. Struck by a sudden thought, he leaned in closer, his face inches from hers. He breathed in deeply, searching for any hint of magic.
But all he detected was the scent of herbs, the sweet aroma of healing potions. She smelled like any other human. Caspian pulled away, leaving the room. As he walked towards his wing, he encountered Hermes and Adonis, coming in the opposite direction.
Hermes slowed to a stop on seeing Caspian, the smile on his face dimming a little. “Where have you been all day?” he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
Caspian took a deep breath, debating how much to reveal. “Something happened today,” he began, glancing back and forth between Hermes and Adonis.
Hermes’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
Caspian hesitated before speaking. “Lienna was attacked.”
Hermes’s expression changed from curiosity to surprise. “Lienna? The slave girl?” he asked, his voice laced with skepticism. Caspian nodded, his eyes locked onto Hermes. “It happened while she was out of the fortress. It seemed she was targeted by assassins.”
Adonis’s eyes narrowed, his face darkening. “Someone wants to kill a slave girl so badly they resorted to using assassins?” he scoffed. “That’s absurd.”
Caspian’s expression remained grim. “That’s not even the surprising part. The surprising part is that Lienna defended herself from the attack.”
Hermes’s eyes widened. “She did? How did she do that?”
Caspian’s voice was measured. “I went to the scene, and it seemed like she used magical powers.”
Hermes’s face contorted in disbelief. “That’s impossible. She’s just a mere human.”
Adonis’s expression turned dismissive, his usual boredom etched on it. “Maybe it was someone else who came to her aid. You’re reading too much into it.”
Caspian’s mind echoed Adonis’s words. That’s also true… He hadn’t considered that possibility. Hermes’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Where is she now?”
Caspian’s gaze drifted away, his eyes clouding over. “She’s unconscious at the moment. It might take a while before she wakes up.”
Adonis’s expression turned neutral. “Okay, then we’ll question her when she wakes up. You should get some rest, Caspian. I’m sure you’ve done a lot today.”
Hermes nodded in agreement, a smile on his face. “Yes, get some rest. You look like you need it.” Caspian nodded, agreeing with them. They parted ways and Caspian headed to his wing. Still, he couldn’t get rid of the question nagging him.
Who is Lienna?