July 20 – I have been hired to work as a healer for the royal family, and as long as they don't suspect that I have no training in medicine, all my failures will only be seen as tragic and inevitable.

It's been one of my longer travels to get to the small island kingdom. I went by carriage and then by ship, and this morning I stood out on the deck, scribbling in my book and waiting for the day long voyage across the sea to come to an end. I listened for gulls to signal land was ahead, with the crew mostly asleep so early, but there was no sound but the splash of waves against the hull. Disappointed and a little seasick, I retreated back into my cramped space, putting my journal away and lying down for a moment. But I quickly grew antsy and sat back up on my cot, and reached underneath for the book of clippings.

Before I'd set out, but after I'd been given word of my prestigious new position, I kept my brother home from school for a few days. I promised him that if he spent a week or so finding all the information he could on the kingdom to which I was headed, I would send him to live with our father and not our grandfather, and he leaped at the opportunity.

I collected all he found, along with a plethora of notes from information by mouth, and put them in this book. I needed to learn about the nation itself, along with the royal lineage and the current rulers on the throne.

It was a country of about five hundred working class and poor folk, ten or so noblemen and their wives and families, and then the King, his Queen, three Princesses and a Prince. I was alarmed to find that the Prince was not heir to the throne. Prince Philip was actually third in line, behind his two sisters, Eleia and Nadine, but ahead of infant Princess Avalon. The royal family tends to shut itself away in the palace on a hilltop, only coming out into the village every once in a while, and under heavy guard. It didn't seem very appropriate for them to be so scarcely seen, but they were my new employers, so it was none of my business.

I was called out of my last minute research by a hearty voice calling from the deck. I sprung up from my cot, hoping for encroaching land. I came up to twenty or so seamen and a handful of fellow passengers all gathering to the front of the ship. I had to stand on my toes to see over their heads, but over the crowd, near on the horizon, was our destination. I let out a sigh of relief, glad to not be on board much longer.

I went back to my small quarters to gather my things in a canvas bag. My journal and pen, my reference book, and just a single outfit as I'd been told the royal family would provide me with better than what I had. I made a note to be sure to thank them for this opportunity, and all the provisions they'd made for me, right upon meeting them.

I sighed and leaned back against the wall, more eager now than ever to dock.

I didn't want to stay long at the port, which seemed too busy with seafarers for my taste. I was told that in the village itself, a few miles away, it would be quieter, which I looked forward to. I was also looking forward to seeing the palace on the hilltop. I'd heard about it before, about how beautiful and extravagant it was, unlike any I might've seen back home. It excited me to almost be residing in such a place of awe.

I waited by the dirt road as I'd been instructed in my announcement of employment. The royal clerk had told me that on the day of my arrival, a carriage would be sent to bring me up to the palace, where I'd be meeting the King and Queen come nighttime. The ship in the harbor, and apparently visible from the village, I expected they must've known I was here and my transportation would arrive soon. I looked around; the more I saw, the more it all seemed oddly familiar.

I was jolted suddenly and pushed to the side. I looked in slight shock to see what had happened, and found someone near knocked to the ground. I reached out and grabbed his arm to keep him upright, steadying him. He was a young man with dark hair, in decent clothing, but he didn't smell of salt like the seamen in the port.

"Thank you," he sighed in relief. He looked at me at last, and I was a bit struck by the near clearness of his eyes. They were blue, but such a light blue that I almost couldn't distinguish them from the white surrounding it. But after the initial curiosity of it had worn off, they were very pretty for what they were.

"Are you alright?" I asked out of polite obligation. He seemed okay, so when he said he was fine I believed so without a second thought. I noticed then that his eyes hadn't turned to me. In fact, he'd only stared straight ahead these last few seconds, and over the next few nothing changed. I waved my hand in front of his eyes, but received no reaction. I asked timidly, "Could you just not see me, or see nothing at all?"

His pale face went red and turned to the ground for a moment. "You caught me," he said with a small smile. "You didn't recognize my face, but do you know me now?"

I was very confused, to say the least. I went with the easiest way around the question: "I'm not from here. My ship just pulled into the harbor. My name's Dan Howell, I'm a doctor- a healer, summoned by the royal family to work in the palace."

His face only went redder, but his smile grew broader. "Oh. You must be very special, then, aren't you, Doctor Howell?"

I smiled. "They say I can cure anyone of anything."

"Anything?"

I was already in too deep to dig myself out, and he was only a stranger. "Anything."

He smiled brighter, so wide I worried it might fall off his face, and didn't seem to be going anywhere.

"What are you doing down here?" I felt I was wasting time dawdling now, striking up conversation with this stranger, though we were hardly strangers anymore.

"I have to go up to the village. I'll find my way back."

I couldn't bring myself to let a blind man walk up there when I could very well let him ride with me on the way. "Hold on— I'm waiting to take me up through the village to the palace. You could ride with me and be dropped off along the way. Where exactly are you heading?" I wouldn't know where his destination might be in town, but I could tell the coach and surely he would know.

"Anywhere, really. I like to be out during the day."

I was more than a little surprised to hear such a thing, but he seemed friendly and at peace with himself. Maybe he would like to run the risk of getting bumped into by villagers or –god forbid— run over by horse carriages. Maybe the young man needed some adrenaline.

I was brought out of those thoughts when I heard a horse whinnying ahead. The horse was white and grey and the carriage looked regal enough to belong to the royal house; this was probably coming for me, which was a relief. I wanted to get off this pier as soon as possible, but not without my new acquaintance. I hoped that after our ride up to the village, it wouldn't be the last time I would see him.

The coachman seemed aghast when he rolled up in front of us, the horse coming quickly to a stop with a pull of the reigns. But he didn't look at me once. "Your Highness! What on God's green earth are you doing down at the port, dressed in rags?"

But my new friend was smiling. "Hello, Arthur! Glad to hear your chipper tone this evening."

I felt as taken aback as Coachman Arthur did upon seeing his prince in common clothing. I'd honestly had no idea I'd been speaking with the Prince himself.

"And who are you?" Arthur asked, turning on me with a stern eye. I tried to answer, but the words caught in my throat.

"He's with me, Arthur," Prince Philip intervened. "This is the esteemed Doctor Daniel Howell. He's our new healer up in the palace and will only be treated with the utmost respects for his efforts. He can cure someone of anything."

There was a pause, and then Arthur made a small 'o' with his mouth and nodded. He got down and opened the door, helping the Prince into the carriage before stepping aside and letting me in beside him. I climbed into and was sure to keep a proper distance. The ride went on in silence; I didn't know how to address royalty, especially not after I'd so awkwardly and obliviously spoken to him without knowing his status.

We reached the village. "Doctor Howell?"

"Call me Dan."

"Okay… Dan… Will you be able to make me see again?"

I was struck, and knew I would be caught in my lie. Was this what I'd been summoned for? I knew my lies would be my downfall, but not so quickly and stupidly. I wanted to tell him the truth, to come clean now. But I saw the hope in his clear, unseeing eyes, and I couldn't form a word of truth. I forced a smile and assured him, "In time, Your Highness."

He smiled brightly, sinking back a bit against the seat. "Phil. Call me Phil, please."

I smiled a little. "Okay… Phil." I honestly couldn't believe the Prince was asking me to address him so informally; it certainly wasn't something I'd expected. I turned to him and saw the bright smile on his face and felt horribly guilty for the trick I was playing on him and his family. I could only hope my ruse could remain as secret at the end of my employment as it is now. I could only foresee a web of lies ahead.