Chapter 37

The fresh scent of rain pouring outside of the window, the heat of the lit candles permeated the air felt extremely comfortable. When I opened my eyes, I was gazing at a fancy ceiling. Next to one of the large windows was a manly figure lying on a lounge chaise with his arm covering his face. It wasn't a dream after all. The crown prince was indeed the mysterious man who saved me from Loraine's clutches. 

There was an unfamiliar tightness in my abdomen, which felt like a corset at first until I touched it. Someone must have tended to my wounds. If that's the case then, why is it hurting so badly? It felt as though something was constantly chewing on my flesh. What is this strange sensation? I could not help but groan in pain as I attempted to sit up, which awoke Nathan, who rushed to my side.

"You must lie down, Fati. Your wounds have not yet healed for some reason. We've done everything we could to no avail."

My lower abdomen felt damp under the dressing while the pain was becoming more and more intense. Now that I am awake, lying down was just as painful as sitting up. I kicked down the bedsheets, only to find the lower half of my nightgown and the bandages drenched in blood. I continued to groan in agony while the prince shouted someone's name at the guards.

"Your highness!" the young woman shouted as she hastily burst through the doors.

She was a tall young girl, with luscious blue hair tied up, and a pair of round spectacles adorning her small face. She quickly placed a large box on the bed and started rummaging through it frantically. 

"Lindina, hurry and close her wounds already. Can't you be any faster? She's in a lot of pain right now." He yelled in frustration as he paced in panic.

"Yes, your highness, I'm ready now." She responded in a quavering voice.

As she carefully unwrapped the bandages, she suddenly let out a loud gasp. She glanced up to meet my gaze, with a distraught expression on her face. She quickly jumped off the bed and rushed to bury her head in the nearest basin. Nathan, who became naturally curious, decided to see for himself, only to bear the same expression. Unlike her, he did not retch, but was strangely on the verge of tears. 

Despite the pain, I sat up as I slowly touched the wound. It felt swollen, tender, sticky, and above all, very painful to the touch. There was also the strong stench of rotten flesh wafting from the wounds. When I held up my hand, I could see a few small maggots wriggling in the slimy blood in my palm. It was then that I came to a painful realization. My sister used a poisoned dagger to stab me.

+++++

"I removed every last one of them. Are you feeling alright?" asked the prince as he wiped his hands with a fresh towel.

The girl never returned since she could not stomach the sight. However, Nathan fearlessly volunteered to do the work himself. With his bare hands, he removed the creatures from the wounds and  disinfected them which nearly caused me to lose consciousness yet again.

A poison that is potent enough to kill a Sant has to be something that was concocted with a powerful demon's blood. Therefore,my body would have never healed on its own, and any attempt to do so would have continued to make it worse. The first step is to purify the wounds which entails pulverizing the poison. Once that's over, the healing process will begin. Since part of my flesh was starting to rot, this process will take longer than usual.

++++++

~Kartier Duchy

"It's nice that we can relax now that the entire family went to the capital for the master's wedding. Blissful peace at last!" sighed Clover as she leisurely laid on the grass.

As we sat under the mango tree in the forest, I could not help but think of Fati. I wanted to tell her that she was right. The tree grew unrealistically well and has now started bearing fruit. The new sprouts are of a deep green color now, but I can't wait to see what color they turn when they mature. By that time, I hope you will be with us once again.

"Ivy? Do you think Fati is faring well over there? I don't know why, but I'm having a bad feeling."

I have been feeling the same for a while now. I keep thinking that something bad has happened to her. No matter how many times I dispel the wretched thought, it kept coming back to me.

"There you are! I've been searching the entire estate for you two."

"Amie!" shouted Clover cheerfully as she scurried to meet her.

"What's in the box? Is it food? A present? Something else?"

"Behave yourself, Clover!" I said, as I smacked the back of her head.

"That hurt, Ivy!" she whined in response.

"What brings you here, Amie?" I asked as I approached her.

She has been bringing us food three times a day every single day since Fati's departure. By now, it became plainly obvious that the secret friend she referred to that one time was Amie all along. 

"I came to bring lunch as usual. How are you two holding up without Fati?"

She asks the same questions every time.

"I heard the delegation will start making their way back to the capital soon."

Which means…

"Fati's coming back! Yay!" exclaimed Clover while hopping around with her hands held up in the air.

Amie and I looked at each other awkwardly, sighed as we shook our heads before proceeding to sit on the grass.

"Fati! Fati! Fati! Woohoo! Yay!" cheered Clover rambunctiously.

"I can't wait to see her again." She said with a sigh.

"Same here." I responded while munching on the food she brought.

+++++ 

"Look! It's the crown prince!"

The station rose into a clamor as they gawked at the prince who leisurely boarded the train. The rest of the delegation were to travel back to the capital on their own while the prince takes a detour to Chilsela.

"What's that in his arms?"

"It looks like a clump of bedsheets."

His sudden suggestion to travel by train surprised me. However, bearing his condition in mind, I reserved an entire luxury compartment just for him and the princess. The aristocrats who had already booked their seats were furious despite being reimbursed twice for the original price of their tickets.

"Gabril, what is the meaning of this? Why is no one else here?"

"I took care to book the entire compartment, your highness." I replied with a bow.

"That was unnecessary." he grumbled.

He sighed heavily as he gently placed the sleeping princess down on one of the long seats. He continued to remove the sheets from her face, all the while bearing a soft grin. The other knights and I were staring in bewilderment. We could neither believe nor comprehend what our eyes were witnessing.

"Ahem!" interrupted miss Bettie.

"We have finished loading the luggage, your highness."

"Very well, let us depart."

+++++

"This is outrageous! My son would never do such a thing!"

"Your majesty, please be mindful of your health."

"That's right, your excellency. Look at it this way. If the two fell in love, then…"

"Over my dead body, duke Wrotingthon! I will never approve of their relationship."

Kazein, my son, I truly hope this is a lie. There can never be anything between you and that wretched woman, ever!

"Your majesty, we have urgent news!" shouted a knight.

"Demonic beasts are  attacking Lithiar's borders."