Chapter 44 A Doctor For A Day

The squat little man from before reappeared right beside me out of thin air. I jumped back startled by his sudden appearance. I was not used to people just popping out of nowhere. Clearing his throat the Squat little man bellowed, "congratulations to our finalists. You five have completed the third challenge beautifully. The Queen was rescued unscathed in the nick of time. If this was a real event then another moment later and the Queen surely would have been taken or have died in the hands of the Dragon King. You give have proven your worth to be able to stand by her Royal Highness's side. Please step forward and receive your mark of bravery." My new private guard stepped forward.

"Silas from Kosea, you may go first," the squat little man continued. Silas stepped forward and got down on one Knee, he took my hand in his and placed a kiss on top. There was a flash of light lime before when he received his lovers mark but this time around his face, a tiny royal blue star appeared on the right side of his eye as he murmured, "I will watch over you and protect you with my dying breath. I will let no harm come to you or the child you may carry in the times to come." He stood back up bowed and stepped back in line. Next was Arthur's turn, and then Ira. Ira signed his pledge as I repeated what he said aloud. Finally it was time for me to meet two new males. One was from Astranova and the other was from Ruria. I was nervous as the male from Astranova stepped forward.

"Luh'ah from Astranova you my step forward," Luh'ah cautiously stepped forward knowing in advanced how timid the Queen was to meeting new people. He bent down slowly so as not to frighten her, he took her hand in his and repeated in a deep raspy voice, "I will watch over you and protect you with my dying breath. I will let no harm come to you or the child you may carry in the times to come," he gently kissed her hand while inhaling her scent for the first time. She delicate little hand trembled in his as she stared at him with her adorable little doe eyes. His brows furrowed as he stood up and stepped back in line. I shuddered when Luh'ah took my hand, his hands were so large my entire hand could fit snug in his fingers without touching his palms. He was able to wrap his entire hand around mine with ease.

This was definitely the male Sophie had pointed out yesterday. He was ginormous, he was also very powerful. I remembered the zombie like fire stone soldiers he and Ira had created together. It was scary what they could do with magic. His lips were hot against my hand, it must come with the fire power he wielded because Be'ron was warm to the touch when he held me too. He let go of my hand and stepped back into line. Last was the dainty male from Ruria. He was similar to the King Arlae and that he looked a little lost in the clouds, he was muscular but nowhere near like Helios or Luh'hal. He was still good looking like all the males here were. If he didn't have that lost look in his eyes he might even pass for a pretty boy human, you would see in a movie.

The squat little man interrupted my thoughts, "Finally we have Erzai from Ruria, please step forward to receive your mark. Erzai stepped forward and took my hand. His lost look dispersed for just a second while he repeated his speech, kissed my hand and then stepped back in line with the rest. His eyes returned back to their lost state. I wonder what he was thinking about I thought to myself. It must be really important. All the males in line bowed one more time as the stadium erupted in one final cheer. Helios appeared by my side setting his head down next to me still stuck in his dragon form. I reached out and patted his head not understanding what he wanted. Helios continued to nudge me with his snout.

Helios's eyes pleaded with Be'ron and Arlae so they came over to assist. "She needs to be strapped in so she doesn't fall," Helios told Arlae using the power of mindshare between dragons. He nodded as he cast a spell summoning a saddle and placed in just behind his neck. Be'ron grabbed me by my waist and hoisted me into the saddle. Wait Helios wanted me to ride on top of him?!! I didn't know the first thing about riding a dragon! 'Be'ron exchanged my towel for a warm fur lined blanket, "here this will keep you warm," he said as he wrapped me tightly in the fluffy blanket. "Hold on tight, and don't let go," Arlae took the tethered straps and lifted them over my shoulders and crossed them in front of my chest and hooked them to the saddle. He then took another strap and slid it around my waist and hooked it to the knob on the front of the saddle.

Last he and Ruh'hal each took one of my feet and strapped them into the stirrups tightening it so that it was snug on the balls of my feet. Then with a slap to Helios's side they all scattered away from his wingspan. Wait I wasn't ready, where do I grab on? I panicked looking around, I grabbed onto the only place that I could visibly see around the blanket that I was wrapped in. I took a hold of the two spikes on his head just as Helios reared back like a stallion only, Helios was no stallion, he was a ginormous one hundred foot dragon, he let loose his ear-splitting roar, as his wings expanded letting the air rush into his wings. Ice cold wind whipped around my face as Helios beat his wings and we ascended hundreds of feet into the air in just a matter of seconds.

I screamed the adrenaline returning to my veins from the sudden altitude change. Once in the air Helios leveled out and the ride became much more smoother. I stared in wonder at the scene down below us. There were males everywhere I looked cheering and waving at us from the stadium. Flags were waving proud for the King and Queen who was with child. Fireworks were launched and Helios paused beating his wing ferociously in place to let me watch. I was awe struck, smiling I watched as shooting stars whistles by, and blue, purple, and silver fireworks fanned out above us. A star shower immediately began pouring over the top of Helios and I. I reached my hands out and let the stars kiss my body as they shimmered under the night sky. It was breathtaking, how come none of this beauty existed on Earth?

I felt like I was in a dream, somebody please pinch me now. I must be in a dream, any moment now my aunt is going to come pounding on my door and demand that I get up and make them breakfast. I pinched myself and still I didn't wake up from this beautiful dream, it was all real. "I guess I'm not dreaming I shouted above the wind hoping Helios could hear my feeble voice lost in the wind. I felt a rumble coming from between my legs that resembled laughter in his chest. "just promise me one thing ok," I asked Helios. He turned his head and his eyes looked to be saying yes anything for you my love. "Promise me that if you ever get mad at me, please don't eat me, I don't think I would taste so good." Helios stared at me dumbfounded for a moment. He then rolled his eyes sarcastically as if to say I wouldn't dare.

I giggled as the thought of, I was probably the first human being to ever see a dragon roll it's eyes in the entire history of humanity. I giggled to myself as I wrapped my arms around Helios's neck and sighed content with staying up here forever like this with Helios. Helios continued flying taking a lap around the stadium picking up speed as he went. I entangled my arms from around his neck and stretched my arms out wide to try to catch the wind like Helios and pretend that I was flying too. So this is what it felt like to fly. I wish I had wings and could like Helios. Helios turned his head around to check on his Queen and realized she wasn't holding on. He let out a warning growl deep in his throat. "I'm fine I won't fall off. I think Arlae strapped me in with no chance of escaping even if I wanted to."

Helios let out another warning growl, "alright alright I'm holding on." I grabbed ahold of his spikes again. "See, all better." Helios nodded before continuing. "Party pooper," I mumbled under my breath. Helios let out a snort blowing smoke out his snout. Oops I think he heard me. I kissed the back of Helios's neck to try to pacify him. I get him purr under my lips. I paused wondering if Helios enjoyed this. My lips paused just above his neck I flicked my eyes toward Helios. He was staring at me again almost as if he was begging me to not stop. My lips curled up into a smile and I kissed his beck again and petted his beautiful scales. A soft rumble rolled through him as I continued to stroke his neck. Another fascinating thought rolled through my mind.

I can't believe that I can seduce and control a legendary ferocious and scary beast with just one kiss to the back of his neck. Without warning Helios dived bombed out of the sky making a beeline for the infirmary. I screamed wrapping my arms around his neck biting my face in the blanket to shield myself from the intrusion of the wind. I felt Helios's laughter rumble again just as we were landing just outside the infirmary. I smacked Helios's on the head, chastising him, "warn me before you go diving out of the sky, you nearly gave me a heart attack," I breathed heavily trying to catch my breath. Helios stared toward the sky as if to innocently say I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do anything wrong. "You little scoundrel," I muttered shaking my fist at him with a smile on my face. Helios sniggered enjoying how flustered I was.

Everyone else had already arrived. Be'ron was there to help unstrap me from the unforgiving harness I was stuck in. He grabbed my waist helping me slide out of the saddle. He sat me down on my feet and was about ready to let go when I teetered unsteadily. He held onto me waiting for me to regain the use of my legs. "How was the ride my little one," Be'ron teased as the other Kings laughed heartily at my unsteadiness. "It was scary and exhilarating at the same time, Helios nearly gave me a heart attack when diving out of the sky," I mocked pointing my thumb over my shoulder toward Helios. He stared innocently at us with a huge goofy grin on his face. "We're you nice and warm with the blanket I gave you?" Be'ron asked wrapping the blanket around me tighter.

"Yes, only my face and my toes were cold, I stuck my foot out to show him how red my toes were from the cold. Be'ron knelt down rubbing his hands together first, he took ahold of each foot and held them in his palms for a minute each. Instantly I felt a warmth spread through my feet and well into my thighs. The heat from his hands were so warm and comforting with the chill disappearing from my feet. "There is that better?" I nodded almost melting in his grip. I wiggled my toes in the grass, now that I was able to feel them again. Be'ron held out his hand, "are you ready to see your friends? They have been waiting for you," I turned toward Helios, "what about Helios? He won't fit inside the tent," I glanced at the tent with a gloomy look. "He'll be alright. He can wait outside."

I tossed one more worried glance at Helios before taking Be'ron's hand. He led me inside the tent, to all the expectant eyes waiting for me to enter on the other side of the flap. They had heard me coming and they waited impatiently to see me. Now that I had arrived, and they were able to see gaze upon her beauty at least once up close, they sighed before succumbing to their injuries, and laid down to regain their magic. I saw Asa busy at work inside. He went from patient to patient assessing their wounds and injuries. He bandaged one patient and rubbed salve on another. He was just finishing tying off a cast sling on one patient when I came to stand behind him. He turned around and gave me an exhausted smile. "Is there anything that I can help with?

"Oh no I have it under control here, you needed sully your hands with this kind of work," Asa smiled patting me on my head. I frowned a pouty look on my face, "I want to help, you look exhausted. There are so many patients. One more doctor wouldn't hurt. I pretended to roll up my sleeves showing him that I wanted to help. "Asa thought about it for a minute, before rummaging through the pouch on his waist. He handed be a metal tincture and pointed toward Silas who had just entered the tent. "Here why don't you apply some of this burn cream to Silas's back. He will thank you later for your help," Asa winked at me before returning to his work. I clutched the tin in my hand as I made my way over to Silas. He was already sitting down in an open cot waiting for Asa to see him.

"Hey Silas, I'm going to be your doctor for today," I giggled holding up the burn cream. Silas gave me a weary look as he tried to make eye contact with Asa to confirm. But Asa was too busy to look over. The only thing Silas managed to get out of Asa was a huge grin on his face. Sighing Silas carefully removed his charred vest. I gasped when I saw his burns. They were leaking puss, as the angry red blisters simmered on his back. I fumbled with the screw on top of the tin trying to get it open but instead I almost dropped the cream in my hands. Seeing me struggling as I stared at his back Silas reached over and took the tin from my hands. He opened the lid and handed the tin back to me. "Be careful he whispered through gritted teeth." I nodded coming closer to his back.

I trembled at the sight of his back. This could have been me if Silas hadn't shielded me from the dragon's flames. Did Helios really have to go overboard? I'm gonna have to warn him about this later. Not sure how much I was supposed to apply I dipped three of my fingers into the cream and scooped a huge dollop onto my hand, setting the tin down I rubbed the cream on both of my hands before I carefully pressed my hands against his back. I felt Silas jolt under my hands a hiss escaping his teeth. Ignoring him I began to massage the cream into his back covering every burn mark I could see. Not long after I felt Silas let out a sigh of relief, the cream had cooled his skin as the tingling set in letting him know that it was working.

I watched in awe as the cream began to heal his skin. I could literally see the blisters shrinking and the red marks residing on his back. This cream was amazing! If humans got their hands on this they would exploit it like no other. Glancing around I saw many patients that had the words burn patient written on a sign at the end of their cots, looking back at Asa who was extremely busy, I was determined to help as much as I could. I found a large fluffy towel and wrapped it around me like you would after a shower. I tucked it in making sure it wouldn't fall and ditched the blanket Be'ron gave me. Making sure the other Kings weren't looking I took off down the row of patients burn cream in hand. I stopped at the cot of my second patient. He had an angry welt on his shin and his cheek.

"Can I help you," I asked holding the burn cream out to him. Shocked he tried to sit up seeing it was the Queen who spoke to him. I laid my hand on his chest stopping him, "you are injured there is no need to get up. The male sighed with relief laying back down. I took the cream and applied some to his shin and his cheek, moments later he was healed too. I smiled before finding my next patient. I was half way through the tent before I had run out of burn cream. I went in search of Asa, I found him just as he was re-breaking a males bones to reset them. I cringed hearing him scream. Asa quickly tied up his leg before he noticed me standing behind him. I held up the empty tin, "I ran out of burn cream, do you have anymore I could use," I asked guiltily.

Asa was shocked he went from bed to bed staring at the empty tin then at the males that I had healed, they all had stars in their eyes giddy that their Queen had visited their bedside and even healed them. Then Asa saw the huge amounts of cream I had been using, and he laughed allowed. No wonder they were all healed immediately, she had used way more than was needed to heal them. Asa bent down holding the tin out, "this cream is highly concentrated, you only need to dip a finger in and rub a little circle of cream in the center of their burn," he demonstrated to me, "a little bit of this cream goes a long way." I looked down at the floor feeling a little guilty at wasting so much. Asa chuckled patting my head.

"It's ok my Queen I have plenty more cream you can use," he said pulling out another tin of cream. He set the tin in my hand and sent me off to heal the rest of the burn patients. By this time the rest of the Kings had noticed the work I was doing. With huge grins on their faces they lifted the tent flap to show Helios just how amazing his Queen was. No female would ever dare to stop and help an injured male. If any other female was in her place today they would turn the other cheek looking down upon the weak as nothing more than a stain of their foot. But Helios's Queen was working hard to help Asa and the injured males. Every males heart melted seeing the Queen hard at work.

I felt bad for the males here that were injured. Essentially they all ended up in the infirmary because of me. If they hadn't gone out to fight for the rights to protect me they wouldn't have been injured, so I felt like it was my duty as a Queen to help in any way I could. I didn't realize just how hard Asa's job really was, There were hundreds of males waving me over wanting to be healed by the Queen. It wasn't long before I found out that they were all faking burn injuries just so that they could get a chance to see me. "Those rascals, I muttered under my breath secretly smiling inside. They were almost no different than males during a war on Earth. They all wanted to visit with a pretty lady before they passed on, I couldn't help but draw similarities to human males.

By the time the Queen had finished healing her last burn patient it was well into the night past her bedtime. She looked pale with exhaustion as the tin in her hand dropped to the floor. Asa dropped what he was doing and rushed over to her. He quickly caught her before she passed out. Every male still left in the infirmary watched as Asa carried the Queen to one of the open cots. He cast a spell and the cot morphed into a comfortable bed that he usually had set up in her private room back at his office. He laid her in the folds and covered her with a blanket. He traced the dark circles under her eyes. "You worked hard today for the sake of all of us males. You must be exhausted, you missed your nap and your lunch and dinner. It is time you rested and I'll take over from here," he whispered pulling the blanket under her chin and brushed her curls out of her face.

Every male craned their necks to get a glimpse of the Queen sleeping, not wanting to miss this once in a life time scene of her slumbering beauty. Asa snapped his fingers and curtains were drawn around her to keep the males from peeping at her while she slept. Groans erupted all around the infirmary in protest. Asa held up a finger to his lips to silence the males. "Shhh you'll disturb her sleep, keep quiet." All the males grumbled silently muttering how unfair it was to hide her from their view. The didn't see any harm in watching her while she was asleep. Asa sent a note to Eleanor to prepare a hot meal for her, so that when he was done with his patients he can help her eat after she got some rest. It must have been tiring for her to play doctor for a day.