Foreword of the Past
Prince Julien immediately helps Gianni get off of Gabriel, when he sees them. Gianni quickly apologizes to Gabriel and helps him collect all the books that scatter all around the floor. They get back to the study and let Julien continue his studies. Suddenly, the door of the Grand Library slams open. It is the royal messenger.
"Your Highness," he speaks as he huffs and puffs, "His Majesty, the king feels ill."
"What?" Without anymore word out of the messenger's mouth, Julien rushes to the king's chambers where he lays on his bed surrounded by his subjects. The queen kneels by the king's side and weeps for him. The king is completely conscious but mostly unresponsive. He goes in and out of convulsions.
"Are the doctors still not here?" Julien shouts at the maids and attendants present in the room.
"We have already sent for them, Your Highness. They will be here soon," the messenger replies.
"Tell them to hurry," Julien orders the stationery maids and attendants. "I want them here and now."
"Gianni," Julien turns to him, "you studied medicine, correct?"
"I did, Your Highness," Gianni answers.
"Please, check my father," Julien's voice trembles. Gianni's heart fills with sympathy as he sees the prince's eyes. They are deep and filled with sadness. Their shine and shimmer are no longer there. The spark and the shine that Gianni saw when he met him vanishes.
Immediately, Gianni goes to the king. He checks his vitals, his breathing, and his temperature.
His breathing is irregular and his pulse is very slow. There are redness on his neck and arms. His throat it seems tight whenever he breaths. He occasionally coughs. I should check for his tongue, Gianni opens the kings mouth. His tongue is swelling.
"Your Highness, how do you feel?" Gianni asks. "Do you feel dizzy?" The king gives a quick nod.
"What did he last eat?" Gianni inquires the maidservants who are present.
"He ate strawberries this morning after breakfast," on of them answers.
"Are there still some left?" Gianni continues.
"There are some left in the kitchen."
"Can you bring them here?"
"Bring the strawberries here," Prince Julien demands. "What is it, Gianni?"
"I still don't know, Your Highness," Gianni answers. "He could be poisoned or it could be something else."
"Poisoned?" the queen sobs.
"You better know what you are talking about, peasant," Princess Camille shouts at Gianni as she comforts the queen.
"Gianni," Louis begs, "please heal my father."
"I will do my best, Your Highness," Gianni replies.
The maidservant finally returns carrying a basket of strawberries.
"Is it the same basket the king ate from?" Gianni asks.
"Yes, it is." Gianni grabs a strawberry and carefully examines every nook and canny. There does not seem to be anything fishy about the fruit. He smells it and smells exactly like a strawberry.
"Is it poisoned?" Gabriel asks.
"There's only one way to find out," Gianni eats the whole berry.
"No," Julien runs to him and tries to make him vomit the strawberry, but it already passes through his throat. Gianni coughs but feels no symptom of a fast-acting poison nor a highly-potent dose of it.
"Are you all right?" Julien holds his shoulder and looks at him eye to eye.
"I'm okay, Your Highness. The king is also not poisoned."
"Then, what is causing him to be ill?" Louis approaches Gianni.
"Has the king eaten strawberries before?" Gianni asks.
"No," Queen Sophia replies, "strawberries can only grow in Inglatera, where the weather is cold enough for them to grow. They could not grow here in Gallia. It is his first time eating strawberries."
"With that in mind, I think he is allergic to strawberries," Gianni answers. "He is having an allergic reaction, an anaphylactic reaction."
"Is there treatment or a cure for my father?" Julien asks.
As Gianni is about to state his answer, the maids and attendants return. The messenger announces the arrival of the royal physicians and the best doctors from the Gallia Academy of Medicine. Gianni sees familiar faces, as his father and sister walk inside the king's quarters. Gianni has a moment of hesitation.
Should I tell him about my findings? Will he believe my findings? Is my diagnosis accurate? What if it's something else? Will he disown me twice if I make a mistake?, Gianni musters his strength to tell his father about his diagnosis.
"Father, the king is in a state of allergic reaction. He must be treated at once."
The chief doctor just silently passes by Gianni, he goes straight to the convulsing king and assesses the situation. He notices rashes all over the king, his breathing is also heavy and irregular. His pulse is very fast.
"Get me a cup of warm water," the chief doctors shouts and immediately the maids and servants scramble to fetch his request. They hand him a steaming cup of warm water. Gianni's sister grabs a bottle from her purse. The bottle contains a green concentrate, a tonic of some sort. She pours four drops on the warm cup of water. The clear water instantaneously turns emerald as the drops diffuses. The chief doctor slowly makes the king drink the tonic.
What is that tonic? Does it reverse the anaphylactic reaction? My sister, it seems she made another concoction. Gianni wonders inside his mind.
Next, the chief doctor orders one of the maids to fetch finely-sliced pieces of cabbage. As soon as the maids return, Gianni's sister gets a pouch of brown powder from her purse. He gives it to their father, who applies it directly on the rash. She later crushes the cabbage to let the juice mix with the powder.
Lastly, his sister gets mint leaves and mixes it with the tea. The king slowly drinks it. As soon as she finishes, the king finally breathes in peace. He falls asleep as soon as the treatment procedure started.
"Father," Gianni stops his father.
"I have only one son, and he is studying to be a doctor in the academy. I don't know who you are," the chief doctor turns to him as he pauses. "The king should be fine now, but his condition still needs to be monitored."
"Brother," Gianni's sister approaches him, "these are the king's medications. This is a tonic made from licorice, stinging nettle, and chestnuts. These will reduce the adverse reactions. This brown powder, you already know what it's for. You are qualified to be a physician. You should monitor the king."
"How much are the dosages?" Gianni asks.
"Four drops of the concentrate twice a day," her sister continues, "the brown powder should be applied to the rashes, and mint should be mixed with what the king drinks. Record everything that transpires on the patient."
"I will sister."
"Amanda, it's time to go. We are talking our leave," Gianni's father calls out to her sister. "We still have some business to attend to at the academy."
"I have to go now. Be safe, baby brother."
With the king finally at peace, everyone in the palace breathes relief. The queen overjoys and the royal children sighs relief. Everyone returns to attend to their chorse, while, Gianni, Gabriel, and Prince Julien remains to monitor the king.
"You are supposed to be one of the top doctors in this kingdom, Gianni." Prince Julien suddenly utters. He sits on a chair across the king's bed. His right leg is on top of the other. His head rests on his right hands leaning against the chair's arm. "Now I realize how selfish my decision was in turning you into my butler. You could help a lot of people in this kingdom, yet I'm making you only serve me."
"That's not true, Your Highness," Gianni answers. "If you did not rescue me, I never would have made it here. Also, serving you means that I am serving the people of the kingdom. You are the Crown Prince. You are the future of this nation. You are the light that shines the path towards tomorrow."
"Your father is still cold to you it seems," Gabriel enters the conversation. "What exactly happened? Did you commit malpractice of some sort?"
"No, I didn't. I finished second."
"What?" the prince and Gabriel shouts in unison.
"You finished second? That would make you one of the best," Gabriel replies.
"Although, House Saint-Amour is this kingdom's healing hands. They are the finest and best doctors that our education system has to offer. I know their standards are high, but I never thought it would be this unreasonable. You finished second. They should know your worth. Think of all the people you could have helped, people you would have saved, if they did not disown you. This act of disowning is a great injustice to you and to the kingdom," the prince utters. "I shall challenge their decision. Gabriel summon the royal scribe and the royal physicians this instant."
"As you wish."
Gianni's mind begins to puzzle at the prince's actions. Challenge their decision, what does he mean by that?
"The royal scribe and the physicians are here, Your Highness." Gabriel returns with an entire entourage.
"Excellent, I, Julien S. Montmirail, Crown Prince of Gallia, appoints Gianni House Saint-Amour of the noble House of Saint-Amour to be a temporary physician serving the Royal House of Montmirail," he utters. "He shall serve to the best of his talents and lead the kingdom's people to a future of brightness."
With this new appointment, Julien feels glad, but he also feels conflicted. If Gianni is to be a doctor, it means he is going to have less time with him. He leaves the king's chambers leaving Gianni in charge. He returns to the Grand Library, where he meditates and reflects. He asks himself again and again, What is better for the kingdom? What is it that I want? What is best for the people, for Gianni, and for the kingdom?