Word Count: 519

Royalty!au

Marlene still can't quite comprehend the sight before her. In her three years as the royal family's Healer, she's never seen anything like this. Sure, she's saved Prince Regulus from a poison plot, and King Orion is alive because she managed to heal his wounds after a spear incident while hunting, but this one is something else.

Prince Sirius is on the table, unconscious. There's a trail of blood coming from his hairline, and a fork has found it's way into his hand.

"Do I even want to ask?"

Prince Regulus shrugs. "Our cousin and her husband are visiting. My brother never did care for Baron Malfoy. They quarreled over dinner." His lips quirk into a small smile. "You ought to see Lucius."

"This won't take long," she assures him. "You're free to wait outside."

The prince doesn't need further prompting. With one last glance at his brother, her turns and walks away.

At least the wounds are simple enough, even if the circumstances are not. She makes quick work of it. The bleeding around his hairline is easy to mend, though he already has a nasty knot forming. The fork is a little harder, but at least it isn't too deep; she gets it out and cleans it, relieved that it won't cause nerve damage.

She quickly fixes a concoction of herbs and holds it under his nose. Prince Sirius blinks awake and grins at her. "That bastard must have killed me. How else do you explain the presence of an angel?"

Marlene rolls her eyes. She's heard stories of how smooth the elder prince is, though she's never experienced it for herself. Instead of commenting, she says, "Your brother is quite loyal to you. He brought you in and has been waiting for you."

"Oh, if you only knew." Sirius climbs to his feet, still grinning. "It was actually his idea."

"What was?"

His grin stretches so much that Marlene is afraid he might strain a muscle in his jaw. He looks so proud of himself too. "Everyone knows Lucius has a ferocious temper. Just a little poke and nudge, and having Regulus ready to pull me out before I got killed! Mind, I did ruin dinner."

Marlene blinks rapidly, trying to comprehend it. She shakes her head, a nervous laugh bubbling from her lips. "Are you telling me you deliberately got stabbed?"

"Well, that was a bit of a surprise. As was being struck with a dinner plate… Bad timing, I suppose."

"Why?"

He closes the distance between them, though he still gives her spade. "I was hoping you would do me the honors of having breakfast with me in the morning. There's a beautiful spot by palace lake."

She laughs again, stronger and more genuine now. She's read romance novels about men getting up to absurd antics in hopes of winning the girl's heart, but she never thought she'd actually witness it. Moreover, she never thought she'd be the girl or that her admirer would be a prince.

Logic tells her to send him on his way; books tell another story. "I would love to."