FINALLY! A THIRD CHAPTER!
The doors opened with a bang and the pair flew apart.
"My lady!" Maxillion shouted. Penthia looked at her manservant, who was half in his day clothes half in his night clothes. Blood speckled one of his shoulders.
"Yes?" she asked, calmly, although worry consumed her face.
"It's the queen, rebel groups attacked!" he said.
Penthia quickly walked out. Glitch followed. His heart was a hummingbird filled with fear. She talked hastily with her manservant about the attack. When the group arrived at the healer's quarters, they found the queen lying down, pale as ashes. Ahamo was holding her hand, his face lined with worry.
"Glitch!" DG said, falling into his arms. Glitch held her close as sobs began to attack her body.
"I don't understand, it was just a scratch," Ahamo said.
"Do you still have what ever scratched her?" Penthia asked, examining the queen. Cain gave her the arrow. Penthia took it gingerly.
"Poisoned… Any other's hit with these?" she asked.
"Yes… but they died from their wounds," Cain said, a hint of sadness and guilt in his voice. Penthia nodded and moved to her mortar bowl, adding various ingredients to the poison she scrapped off the arrow. It smoked a putrid green color and smelt foul. With a small "Aha", she added one more dried plant and the smoke turned a lovely blue, although the smell didn't improve. She poured the cure into a wooden bowl and placed it at the queen's lips.
"My lady, drink," she whispered, cradling Lavender's head. The queen reluctantly opened her mouth and Penthia poured half of it into her mouth. She encouraged Lavender to swallow.
"That should stall the poison. It might even reverse some of her symptoms. Max- Hand me some clean bandages," Penthia whispered, dipping the bandages her manservant handed her in the liquid. She took Lavender's hand and followed the poison up her lady's arm. Penthia drew her dagger and held it to the fair white arm.
"What are you doing?" Ahamo asked, appalled. Cain had drawn his gun.
"I'm attacking the poison from all possible routes," Penthia said, cutting. She quickly bound the cut and sat back.
"Now we play the waiting game," Penthia said. "She will be fine if she wakes up by tomorrow night."
The night was tense. The queen's family stayed with her, going between shocked silence and loud sobs. The others, Gain, Glitch, Raw, and the manservant stood back and watched, afraid to speak or move. The healer went in between the two groups, singing under her breath. She appeared the calmest of the group. She was the one to break the silence of the sickbed at dawn.
"My queen, the poison is retreating and the sedatives have worn off. Really, it is time to wake up and let us sleep," Penthia said to the still form. The Royal family gave her a dark stare. However, as if by magic, the queen stirred and opened the eyes which where her name sake.
"I have not had that good of sleep in ages, my healer, why did you ruin it?" she asked sleepily.
"Your family has shed too many tears, go to your own quarters and rest so everyone else can. You may return should you feel any worse," said the healer. The queen sat up and with the help of her family, returned to her quarters. The members of the Royal Court that had remained flanked her, except for one.
Glitch remained behind, sleeping in a corner. The previous day had worn out his half brain, and he had fallen asleep sometime around midnight.
"Max, put him up onto the bed. He deserves some comfort," Penthia said. He didn't stir with the large man picked him up like a rag doll and placed him on the bed. The healer pulled blankets up around his shoulders and attempted to smooth down his hair.
"Oh Ambrose…"
PLEASE R&R