(Frog/Kayell)
I could feel the worry in my mother's voice, and yet I couldn't help but have my heart lifted because she knew. She didn't know everything of course, but she knew enough.
The change hadn't been nearly as painful as I remembered the first to be, and I thanked whoever was listening that my thoughts were still together.
So now, I waited with Naetalia just outside my mother's quarters as the servants had gone to let her know we were waiting. Well, that Tally was waiting at least. I patiently was sitting inside the pouch she had me in. Have I mentioned how I'm not liking this waiting thing? I just want this to be over and done with. I want my family safe. I want to be myself again. Maybe Tally would consider letting me see her after all this?
Okay, maybe my thoughts aren't still all together.
I want that damned man and woman out of my palace!
...........
The doors opened and a servant ushered Naetalia in. Queen Elyiana turned from where she stood by a window and gave a faint smile.
"Come in, dear."
She looked at the servant who had walked back in and then at two more who were occupying the room.
"Leave us."
They nodded and curtseyed before walking out.
When the doors had shut, the woman motioned for Naetalia to come closer.
"Please just tell me, I know you have seen him. Is my son safe?"
"For now, yes."
The Queen nodded.
"We," Naetalia paused trying to find the words. "We're working on getting him back to where he needs to be."
"My husband is dying."
"Surely there's something, someone who can help," Naetalia didn't want to believe it was final. "Aren't there servants put in there who you can trust?"
"The servants can't be trusted anymore. There are still a few loyal to the King and I, but they are very few. As it is, there are none left who watch over him in his illness. I suspected it was given through the food, or drink perhaps. By the time I realized it, Kayell, well, that man had seen to it that those loyal subjects had been removed from Rhomell's chamber. I would have gladly kept him in our own, but they claimed not to know what the illness was, and feared I would catch it."
"What can we do about it?"
Elyiana motioned towards an open doorway in the chamber. At the command, a silent figure stepped out. He was a tall, thin man with dark features. He seemed like someone who Naetalia would not like to see by herself during the night.
"That servant friend of yours, her name was Shelly, was it not?"
Naetalia nodded.
"We've found her in the village of Mantleton. It's a day's journey to the west. Do you know of it?"
She nodded again.
"The impersonator told me he would be traveling to Hartscord, going the opposite direction, for some business arrangements and will be gone for three days. He left just after breakfast."
"What does Shelly have to do with this?"
"She used to work in the kitchens, so if we were to get her back, it wouldn't be thought out of place if I were to put the King under her care. In that same village there is an apothecary, one who not only deals with poisons, but with the cures as well."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I was hoping you would be able to help me. I cannot leave here, not as things are. And I only half trust the sources that gave me the information on your friend. I need someone to go who has seen her before, who knows her."
"What about this apothecary? Can he be trusted?"
"I would trust him with my life," the Queen said with a distant smile. "And I have before. He is loyal to me."
The Queen removed a small ring off of her finger and handed it to the young woman.
"Give this to him and there will be no questions asked."
She held her hand out to the man who placed an envelope in it.
"Then hand him this, and he will know what to give you. Dren will accompany you to see you safely there and back. He knows where to find the apothecary and your friend."
Although she was nervous about the journey, Naetalia's heart leapt at the thought of leaving the castle gates.
"Tell me, I've heard that you often ride on horseback more often than the carriage, is that so?"
"Yes," Naetalia smiled. "I could never journey with my father as often if I didn't learn. Although he yelled at me from time to time as I got older."
The Queen chuckled softly.
"Men just don't see how times like this it might come in handy. You would move faster on horseback, if you think you can go that far."
Naetalia smiled.
"I've traveled on horseback for a week once, I think I can manage this."
"I was hoping you could. There are horses prepared for you. Please hurry."
"I'll have to get dressed, but I shouldn't take long."
"And be careful," Elyiana said worriedly. A smile flickered over her face. "I don't think my son would be too happy with me if he knew I let you get hurt."
"I don't think he would be too happy if either you or the King were hurt because I did nothing either."
Naetalia leaned over and kissed the older woman on the cheek in a farewell.
"I'll be back as soon as possible."
..........
A.N.- Would love some more reviews as to how you liked it or not. I THRIVE on reviews, well, good ones more than not so good =) I changed the format just a little bit. I kept having a problem getting all the line indents to show the way I wanted them before. Hope this makes it easier to read.
I could feel the worry in my mother's voice, and yet I couldn't help but have my heart lifted because she knew. She didn't know everything of course, but she knew enough.
The change hadn't been nearly as painful as I remembered the first to be, and I thanked whoever was listening that my thoughts were still together.
So now, I waited with Naetalia just outside my mother's quarters as the servants had gone to let her know we were waiting. Well, that Tally was waiting at least. I patiently was sitting inside the pouch she had me in. Have I mentioned how I'm not liking this waiting thing? I just want this to be over and done with. I want my family safe. I want to be myself again. Maybe Tally would consider letting me see her after all this?
Okay, maybe my thoughts aren't still all together.
I want that damned man and woman out of my palace!
...........
The doors opened and a servant ushered Naetalia in. Queen Elyiana turned from where she stood by a window and gave a faint smile.
"Come in, dear."
She looked at the servant who had walked back in and then at two more who were occupying the room.
"Leave us."
They nodded and curtseyed before walking out.
When the doors had shut, the woman motioned for Naetalia to come closer.
"Please just tell me, I know you have seen him. Is my son safe?"
"For now, yes."
The Queen nodded.
"We," Naetalia paused trying to find the words. "We're working on getting him back to where he needs to be."
"My husband is dying."
"Surely there's something, someone who can help," Naetalia didn't want to believe it was final. "Aren't there servants put in there who you can trust?"
"The servants can't be trusted anymore. There are still a few loyal to the King and I, but they are very few. As it is, there are none left who watch over him in his illness. I suspected it was given through the food, or drink perhaps. By the time I realized it, Kayell, well, that man had seen to it that those loyal subjects had been removed from Rhomell's chamber. I would have gladly kept him in our own, but they claimed not to know what the illness was, and feared I would catch it."
"What can we do about it?"
Elyiana motioned towards an open doorway in the chamber. At the command, a silent figure stepped out. He was a tall, thin man with dark features. He seemed like someone who Naetalia would not like to see by herself during the night.
"That servant friend of yours, her name was Shelly, was it not?"
Naetalia nodded.
"We've found her in the village of Mantleton. It's a day's journey to the west. Do you know of it?"
She nodded again.
"The impersonator told me he would be traveling to Hartscord, going the opposite direction, for some business arrangements and will be gone for three days. He left just after breakfast."
"What does Shelly have to do with this?"
"She used to work in the kitchens, so if we were to get her back, it wouldn't be thought out of place if I were to put the King under her care. In that same village there is an apothecary, one who not only deals with poisons, but with the cures as well."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I was hoping you would be able to help me. I cannot leave here, not as things are. And I only half trust the sources that gave me the information on your friend. I need someone to go who has seen her before, who knows her."
"What about this apothecary? Can he be trusted?"
"I would trust him with my life," the Queen said with a distant smile. "And I have before. He is loyal to me."
The Queen removed a small ring off of her finger and handed it to the young woman.
"Give this to him and there will be no questions asked."
She held her hand out to the man who placed an envelope in it.
"Then hand him this, and he will know what to give you. Dren will accompany you to see you safely there and back. He knows where to find the apothecary and your friend."
Although she was nervous about the journey, Naetalia's heart leapt at the thought of leaving the castle gates.
"Tell me, I've heard that you often ride on horseback more often than the carriage, is that so?"
"Yes," Naetalia smiled. "I could never journey with my father as often if I didn't learn. Although he yelled at me from time to time as I got older."
The Queen chuckled softly.
"Men just don't see how times like this it might come in handy. You would move faster on horseback, if you think you can go that far."
Naetalia smiled.
"I've traveled on horseback for a week once, I think I can manage this."
"I was hoping you could. There are horses prepared for you. Please hurry."
"I'll have to get dressed, but I shouldn't take long."
"And be careful," Elyiana said worriedly. A smile flickered over her face. "I don't think my son would be too happy with me if he knew I let you get hurt."
"I don't think he would be too happy if either you or the King were hurt because I did nothing either."
Naetalia leaned over and kissed the older woman on the cheek in a farewell.
"I'll be back as soon as possible."
..........
A.N.- Would love some more reviews as to how you liked it or not. I THRIVE on reviews, well, good ones more than not so good =) I changed the format just a little bit. I kept having a problem getting all the line indents to show the way I wanted them before. Hope this makes it easier to read.