Ch. 1
"Leave me be!" King Jonathan shouted at the Squire attending him.
"Your Majesty, please you need to rest." She tried quietly. "Your Kingdom still needs you. Your daughter still needs you!" She begged as the king trembled.
"Very well, Squire Keladry, you are right." The king answered calmly. He headed back to his bedchamber to sleep some more. Kel bowed to his retreating back.
"Sleep well, Sire." She called to her king, she waited until she heard him begin to snore to leave his suite in order for her to eat. She traveled to the Page's Mess Hall for her meal and to update her Training Master of the King's health.
"Mindeland, how is our King?" Training Master Wyldon of Cavall asked as she entered the room.
"He woke up today, Duke Baird informed him of the Royal passings." Keladry of Mindeland answered with a bow. Gasps rang out as her words reached everyone present, whispers echoing through the mess hall. "He needs sleep. Healer's orders." She informed them, gasps rang out at her words. "He needs sleep, healer's orders." She added bluntly. "I will be returning to his side once I have finished eating." She stated shortly eating quickly.
"Then we shan't keep you." Wyldon assured her, everyone ate quickly, having their own patients to care for. Kel headed back to the King's personal chambers, with a detour to the kitchens for his lunch. She hoped that either he wasn't up yet, or hadn't been awake long. She sighed in relief when she entered his sitting room and found it empty. She sat, waiting for about 5 minutes before he entered the room from his personal bedchamber.
"Sire." Kel greeted, bowing to her King.
"Squire Keladry." He responded with a nod. "Who else have we lost?" He asked, concern showing on his face and in his tone.
"Aside from the Queen, and your children; except your youngest daughter; 20 nobles, 4 of them Knights, 10 pages, 3 squires, 20 servants, and 40 people from the Lower City." Kel informed her king, eyes sad. Jonathan winced at the numbers and her dead-like tone.
"Who were the knights?" He asked worried.
"Kieran haMinch, Duke Gareth (The Elder), and forgive me but I do not know the names of the other two, Sire." She answered head down in shame for not knowing the answers he was seeking.
"I understand, I will miss Uncle Gareth; just another family member gone." The King said tears rolling down his face again.
"..." Kel was speechless.
"How go your studies?" He asked the only female.
"All studies have been postponed until the sickness has passed." Kel informed her king.
"Ah, could you get Duke Baird for me." King Jonathan requested in a 'not a request' tone.
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Kel responded bowing before leaving to find the Chief Healer, heading first to the man's office and upon seeing it empty, she left him a note telling him to see the King. She then went to see if she could find him, looking for him in the rooms of the sickest people first. She was just passing his office for the 3rd time when he exited the room in a hurry. "Your Grace, the King wishes to see you." She called out to the head healer.
"I just got your note, I am on my way there now." The healer answered the only female Squire, as Kel followed him back to the King's Chambers. "Your Majesty, how are you feeling?" Duke Baird asked his King.
"I am recovering," Jonathan answered grimly. "Squire Keladry is doing her best to aid me." He added as a compliment to the 16 year old.
"Your Majesty is too kind." Kel answered, her face blank.
"No I am realistic." Jonathan retorted. "Our losses are heavy, but we will endure." He added trying to look strong for his people.
"Yes, we will, Your Majesty." Both Duke Baird and Kel answered honestly.
"You realize that you will be required to remarry." Baird stated to the grief-stricken King.
"Your Grace, couldn't that wait until His Majesty has mourned his losses?" Kel asked, her tone admonishing her best friend's father.
"No, he is right." Jonathan said with a sigh. "The kingdom needs a Queen." He added sadly. "Let me think on it." Kel bowed before noticing the full lunch plate on the table.
"Your Majesty should eat." She said, slightly exasperated. She brought the food over to him in hopes that he would eat without a fuss.
"Not hungry." He answered her dully. Kel turned to the Healer, who looked upset at the stubborn answer.
"Do what you can to get him to eat." The man ordered gruffly. Kel nodded and thought back to her brother's children, a crazy grin lighting her face.
"Don't leave me with her, she looks crazy!" Jonathan whined, looking scared of the female in the room. Duke Baird chuckled as he left them alone to check on his other patients.
"What is the matter, Your Majesty?" Kel asked sweetly, face devoid of any emotion once more. He looked at her worried about what she was going to do to him. Kel pulled out her Yamani fan and began tapping it against the table. Thud, thud, thud, thud.
"What is making that so loud?" The King asked, his curiosity showing. Kel lifted the slab of venison up and slashed it with the edge of her fan, Jonathan's eyes went wide as the pretty fan sliced into the meat, turning the slab into strips.
"You know what my mother did when we fought our healers or disobeyed their orders?" Kel asked with a smile. "She would take her fan and smack us over the head with it. Painful, but when done right, unharmful." She informed her King. His eyes looked ready to pop out of his sockets. "Now will you eat, or shall I follow my mother's example?" She asked, her eyes lit up.
"I will eat." The black-haired ruler answered, looking scared of Kel. She smiled and offered him the plate, nearly laughing when he ate it all in less than 3 min. "Better?" He asked her.
"Yes, Sire." She answered with an even tone. Jonathan blinked, before realizing what just happened and began laughing.
"I just got scammed, didn't I?" He asked the young woman before him. "You were bluffing, right?" He asked, looking over the teen with a smile.
"Maybe, but would you really risk it to chance?" Kel answered, not looking her King in the eye.
"I should get some more rest." He said lightly. Kel nodded, but stopped him from entering his bedchamber.
"We should have it cleaned first, Sire." She advised him. "If we leave it, you could get sick again." She added gently. He nodded his understanding and rang his bell for a servant.
"I need my bedchamber cleaned to avoid relapsing." He told the servant that answered his summoning. The servant quickly took care of the bedchamber for the king, when the chore was done, the King went to rest in his freshly cleaned chambers. Kel cleaned up the sitting room and took the plate back to the kitchens before looking in on her friends that were sick. Duke Baird stopped her as she left his Heir's rooms. "How is our King? Did you get him to eat?" He asked after his Sovereign.
"King Jonathan is sleeping in his freshly cleaned room after eating the entire meal." Kel answered the healer honestly. Everyone around them let out a sound of happiness at the good news. "He is reluctant to allow me to administer the aide he needs." She admitted to the Duke. "How is Neal?" She asked, concerned about her best friend.
"He is recovering well, his gift helping him heal much quicker." Duke Baird answered, his eyes showing his relief at his youngest son and heir's recovery. Kel smiled at his news and tone.
"That is good, Your Grace." She answered, relieved as well. "I should get back to His Majesty's side." Kel decided aloud, turning towards the royal wing, everyone watching in shock as the unattached Squire returned to Their King's side.