Lucas
Lady Pembroke skips out of the greenhouse, and I watch her back fade into the distance. Finally.
"Princess, let me escort you to the doctor." The kind of look she gives me makes me feel like a nagging parent. But her health comes first. "Alright, Lucas." She drags. I walk behind her as we make our way back into the castle. "Why don't we see your knights in training on the way?"
"Why would we need to do that?"
"I don't know, it would be nice to say hello, wouldn't it?" Some days she's sweet as honey, and other days she's a piece of broken glass, ready to draw blood from anyone who steps on it. "The training hall and field are on the way to the royal doctor, so it should be fine, right?" "Right." She practically skips like a little girl. By the time we get there, the knights in training are on a break, but on seeing the princess approaching, they gather in straight lines to bow.
"Greetings to the first star of Aetherwyne!" They chorus. "Hello, future knights, it's lovely to see that you are all well today." She beams at them. They look like the sun came to pay them a visit. I understand that she is well known for having inherited her mother's ravishing beauty, yet...
"Would you all like some fruit? The ones growing in the greenhouse are far too many for us to finish on our own, and they are just about ripe! I shall have the gardeners distribute them for you."
"You are too kind, your highness." Josh speaks in gratitude. He's the one who called me to handle training the other day. The representative of the knights in training. That's the only reason I know his name. Just look at him beam at her. His eyes meet mine for a single moment, then he looks away sharply. I can see the beads of sweat form under his messy, reddish-brown hair. I mouth to him "Three laps around the field the moment she leaves." He looks like he could cry. That's what they get for distracting the princess. "Why don't you all take the rest of the day off? You look tired and I am sure you have done a lot as it is." She speaks so softly. I look at Josh again, and he knows better than to accept. But just in case, I narrow my eyes and stare at him for a moment, then look away.
"Um, thank you very much for your magnanimous offer, your highness, but we must decline. The festival is next week, and we need to be prepared in case we are needed in the capital. But we get the gesture."
"Hmm, that's a shame. But it is wonderful to know that we have an excellent knightage." She puts her hand on his shoulder, "Thank you for the hard work."
"I-it is only our duty, your highness." He's flustered at her touch. The looks at me again, and I mouth, 'two rounds instead'. I'm just so kind, aren't I?
"It seems my time is up, I'm afraid if I don't leave here now, Lucas will pick me up and take me screaming and kicking!" She rolls her eyes playfully. They laugh softly and whisper among themselves. My sharpened hearing can pick up everything. "I will come by again soon!" she waves as we start to walk away.
"It would be an honour." They bow again. "She would make for a good ruler, don't you think?" "She's so kind!" "Her name means saviour, right? Maybe she is the one to save us from Sir Lucas!" "She just said he would pick her up screaming and kicking. Nobody is saving us from Sir Lucas." I hear them talk among themselves until I am too far away. Had any of them insulted her, I would've-
"Lucas?"
"Yes, princess?"
"What do you think about my injury healing itself?" She brushes her fingers over her neck. There's an insidious emotion on her face. I can't quite tell if she is happy or anxious. But something is for sure-her demeanour and mannerisms are slightly different than they have always been. More rigid, yet more flexible. We finally reach the doctor's office. It is conveniently positioned closer to the west exit of the castle and in the direction of the training fields in case more professional help is needed for an injured knight. I knock on the teak-wood door and a nurse comes to open it. "Oh! Sir Lucas! And Princess Seraphiell, welcome! We weren't expecting you." She is taken aback by our presence. "Sorry for making a sudden appearance, but we need to see the doctor." She speaks softly. "Oh, not at all, please don't apologize! We are here to serve you, your highness, please come in." She opens the door wider and courtesies, then knocks on a door inside the room. "Mr. Smith, her royal highness is here to see you."
"Show her in." An old, yet rich voice replies. We walk into the office and the doctor, a man appearing to be in his late 60's bows. "Greetings to the star of Aetherwyne and her honourable knight. Please take a sit. What might be the problem?" he gestures toward the teal couch by the right, one that resembles the colour of her dress. She sits down and I stand where I am. The uniform for knights is surprisingly comfortable anyways.
"I got slashed by a sword today..."
"Oh, dear! Um, where?" His puzzled face amusing. A smiling princess telling you that she just got slashed isn't something you see every day.
"On my neck, right here." She points at the smooth skin above the square neckline above her neck. "But it healed itself."
"What does your highness mean by 'healed itself'?"
"Exactly those words. It simply stopped hurting and then I realised that the wound was gone." He clears his throat. "Please excuse my rudeness, but are you sure a healer did not tend to it?" He asks.
"No, there were no healers around, and neither of the people around me have any healing abilities. I wasn't in a crowded space either."
"Hmm..." He strokes his white beard. He delivered her himself, so he knows better than anyone that she has no magical ability, even though it is something only a handful of high-ranking nobles that know about. "May I do an appraisal on you?"
"Yes, an appraisal is fine." She says, hiding her slight excitement. "I will need a tiny bit of our blood, your highness." "Will this do?" I hold out the handkerchief stained with blood. I would've gotten it washed right away, but there was a possibility that he'd ask to see it himself. "The hanky that was stained when she got cut." I finish.
"Oh, of course. That should be enough." He takes it from my hand and holds it flat on his, then casts a spell. It starts to float and is surrounded by what looks like an orb of light. He concentrates and this lasts for about 5 minutes before he stops. The handkerchief is now completely clean. He sits on his desk and writes something down for a little while, then looks at her.
"Your highness..."