A/N: "You want weapons? We're in a library! Books are the best weapons in the world." -the Doctor
TheRanger'sDaughter: Haha...I had already posted 19 and when I read your review to 18 saying you wanted to see Russ I just laughed. I don't think anyone suspected Maggie. She was always kind of in the background.
AER: Yep...definitely heard that yelling.
Aubrey: Aw...you're not a potato. You're likely just super mature for your age. Don't worry. One day you'll leave your family's home and go explore the world and find there are really people like you out there.
Raider: Hehe...chunky reviews. I must be extra deprived of sleep because that mental image is far funnier than it should be. Yes, Jin is heavily influenced by her native culture, where rank and influence is highly sought after. Yeah...the fact that RA is essentially LOTR fanfiction makes me feel Flanagan may actually read RA fanfiction. Reasonable, right? Sometimes I wonder if he's ever read these. Of course there will be more weddings. Look at how many spawn they have running around! Capes and hoods are making a comeback...at least where I am. I already own 2 hooded capes. One is a Native American pattern. The other is tan plaid and paired with my British 1920s hat I feel like Sherlock Holmes when I wear it. I tried short hair once...bad decision for me. I swear I looked like a boy and I had nothing to hide my foundation lines with (I'm that weird shade of pale between normal and vampire that has no complimentary makeup, so the change of tone is really obvious unless I hide it with my hair). I think I had a similar moment when I read Allegiant, having to go back and reread over and over again...though that was more because the whole ending thing threw me off guard. I mean...I'd expected it to happen, just not in that way. I kept thinking they were in a sim...no way is this real...nope. It was real. Well, real in the fictional world of Veronica Roth.
RedRebel: Welcome back! Hehe...the royals' intentions will be made clear soon. Not now, but soon.
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.
Elizabet hovered in the doorway of her should-be sister-in-law's room. Gabby and Prince Ace were tending Lorelei, freeing up Hibernian healers for the others injured in the arson. Though they were both full physicians, Gabby fell back at Prince Ace's assistant. Treating burns required sight, and her trying to 'see' with her hands would only put Lorelei in more pain. Instead Ace headed up the washing, disinfecting, and wrapping of charred flesh while Gabby focused on pain control and soothing wrap prep. The two worked well together, communicating in both hushed whispers and soft touch. Ace directed Gabby with gentle nudges and putting his fingers on her arm or back and Gabby used some kind of agreed-upon signal in the pitch of the song she hummed to calm their patient. She'd knocked Lorelei out hours ago, but the pain forced her to come to twice so far. A Hibernian nurse flitted in and out as she made her rounds bringing more supplies and disposing of waste.
Gabe stood behind Gabby, biting his thumbnail with dried tears on his cheeks. He'd wept a long time when Lorelei was first brought in, but now he stood in stony silence waiting to hear her condition. Lorelei, the woman who was supposed to be a beautiful bride that day, wouldn't be leaving this room any time soon. Most of her left side was black from both burns and ash, and her hair…Elizabet wondered what they'd do about her hair. She'd be scarred the rest of her life from this arson attack. It was nighttime now, and they still had no idea who was responsible. They knew there had been just one aggressor in the bridal suite, a man according to Jasmine and Mara. There's no way he made it into the bridal suite without some kind of system of backup, though. He kidnapped Maggie thinking she was Mara. That was a lie they planned to use to their advantage.
By this time tomorrow, the entire kingdom of Hibernia would be on the lookout for Princess Mara. Captain Warden would be the main point of contact for a ransom, which Mason and Scout advertised they'd happily pay. The two put on a grand show out in public, letting everyone know how distraught they were over their missing daughter and how they'd already dispatched an entire company under Hazen to bring her home. An entire company had been dispatched to seal their borders, as had a dozen of their ships. They simply weren't under Hazen, who wasn't anywhere near ready to command a company despite his natural leadership abilities. They were under a fresh faced young battlemaster who could pass as Hazen to those who only knew him by description.
All this while the real Princess Mara was made to pack up and go into the care of Tucker and Caitlyn, who unceremoniously packed up Carter and Lina and left without formal goodbyes. From the Academy Tucker would dispatch Special Operations agents and Caitlyn would dress Mara in an Academy uniform and hide her among the students there.
Prince Ace and Gabby finished their work and stepped back so Gabe could have a moment with his fiancé. Her family waited down the hall. Elizabet had bypassed them by taking an unknown servant's entrance. She joined her little brother while the Araluen physicians washed themselves up in a basin along the far wall.
"Gabe?" Elizabet whispered.
"Gabby?" Gabe asked, ignoring Elizabet and addressing the physician with whom he was most comfortable. Gabby didn't turn, but she tilted her head up in acknowledgement of him. "Will she be alright?"
Gabby continued scrubbing at her arms. "I don't know," she answered honestly.
"Her chances are good," Ace added. "Our enemies now are infection and fever. We'll need to keep her cool and change her wrappings twice a day. She's going to be in a lot of pain…Gabby, what do you need to manage that? I'll make a list for the nurse."
Without missing a beat Gabby rattled off ingredients to Ace, who jotted them down on a piece of paper. Gabe turned back to Lorelei. Elizabet approached her brother again, this time taking his arm.
"Gabe?" she whispered. He looked to her. "You alright?"
He shook his head.
Elizabet squeezed his hand. "I'm here for you, little brother."
Gabe hugged her tightly. Elizabet returned the gesture just as Lorelei's family invaded the space. She'd been allotted one of the larger rooms, but still it became crowded with her parents and two sisters rushing in.
"What happened?" her mother demanded.
"We heard Princess Mara was taken. Is this part of that?"
"Yes," Elizabet answered honestly. Princess Mara was safe, but the fewer people who knew that the better. Ace dried his hands on a towel while he gave them a full rundown of Lorelei's condition, Gabby interjecting as necessary.
"Who are you two exactly?" Lorelei's father demanded.
"Prince Horace the Second of Araluen," Ace answered. "You may call me Ace if you like. This is Gabby."
"Your…assistant?"
"My partner," Ace corrected them. "She's talented at managing pain and infections, two crucial skills to your daughter's survival."
Elizabet and Gabe both let the word 'survival' roll of them. Ace had said it more so Lorelei's family would respect Gabby than because her situation was bleak. He'd just said a moment ago her chances were good if they could keep infection and fever at bay, afterall.
"But she's…" one of the sisters began. The other cut her off with a sharp elbow to the ribs.
"I assure you I'm good at what I do," Gabby advocated for herself.
"Stop," Gabe demanded. Everyone looked to him. He stepped towards his would be in-laws. "Ace and Gabby are both personal friends of my family, and both are excellent physicians. I asked them to tend Lorelei. Together. Ace is bound to Araluen by his title, but we have been trying to lure Gabby to our side since my parents were in power. She has saved both me and my sister Elizabet and Queen Scout and dozens of other influential people in our realm. I trust her with Lorelei. If you don't, feel free to leave. So long as she is in Hibernia she has orders from me to tend Lorelei."
"Oh," Lorelei's father said with a touch of awe in his voice. "You're that blind physician."
"With respect sir, there aren't many blind physicians she could be," Ace pointed out, earning a slight grin from Gabby. She became all serious again, finding Ace's arm and coming to his side.
"I'll stay by her side to manage her pain throughout the night," Gabby assured them. "The first twenty-four hours are hardest. I'm afraid I can allow only medical staff in her room for the duration of this time, but you all may have five more minutes with her before you get the boot officially."
Ace and Gabby moved to the hallway, where Kane had come at some point waiting. He whispered to Ace and Gabby while Gabe, Elizabet, and Lorelei's family told Lorelei good night.
"What?" Gabby whispered to her husband upon hearing his news. "Robin's gone after Maggie?"
"With Russ, Reese, and Hazen," Kane finished.
Gabby sighed. "I hope she can keep the peace between those three long enough for them to find Maggie."
"You aren't the only one hoping that."