Chapter 5 The morning after
The next morning everyone in the kingdom knew about the incident the day before.
Most of the people couldn´t believe that something so cruel happened infront of their faces and nobody saw it.
The greengrocer told everybody who was willing to listen that the little girl was propably attacked from a wild animal. The forger on the other hand thought that the girl was an escapee from Khivars prison.
But nobody knew exactly what happened and therefore could only guess what the young girl had to go through. Add the fact, that nobody had an idea who she was and where she came from and the people had something to talk for ages.
Rath didn´t care about the gossip that spread around the kingdom or the whispered words in the castle, everytime he went by the guards. He only cared that the girl was alive and on the way to get better.
He was so relieved to hear that the wounds looked worst than they were and the patient was stable for the moment.
Flashback
The whole royal family sat around the big dining table. Dinner was finished a long time ago, everybody was sated and ususally that was the moment the family parted and everyone went their own way before bedtime. But not today. Rath and his father decided to tell about the incident. Furthermore they could explain why Rath looked like he crawled through a dirty tunnel and calm his mother who was worried that something happened to his son. Thanks to the red herring of his father she let it slide for the moment. But now everybody was curious what Rath had to say.
" So Rath", the King gave his nephew all his attention." Your Father told me you that something happened this afternoon"
Rath let his gaze roam around the table to every member of his family. " I found a injured girl. She was barely alive when I brought her to the hospital ward", he saw the way Ava, Vilandra, his mother and Queen Lutecia held their breath with horror." She looked really bad".
" Where did you find her?", King Salem was stunned to no end. Nothing ever happened in this kingdom. Everybody lived peacefully together and conflicts were resolved verbally.
" She was drifting on the sea with a little boat", Rath saw the picture again. The bloody leg and the discovery after.
" Do you know who she is?", Queen Lutecia didn´t want to imagine what the family must go through right now. Not knowing where their daughter was or if she was alive.
" No. I don´t have a clue about that", Rath shook his head. But he would figure it out, one way or another. And then they could send a message to the family.
Abidale took the hand of her son and squeezed it in resurrance." That doesn´t matter right now. What matters is the condition of the girl. Do you know something?".
Just as Rath wanted to answer his mother there was a knock on the door. Usually nobody dared to disturb the royal family at dinner. But after the horrofying story they didn´t mind the little break. After King Salem shouted a quick "Come in" the royal messenger entered the dining room. He was slightly embarrassed to bother the dinner. But he had urgent news.
" I´m terribly sorry to disturb, your highness. But I have news for Lord Rath", he dropped a courtsey before his king.
Rath, hearing his name mentioned, jumped off of his chair and went to the messenger" Is it the girl? How is she?".
" I was told to inform you, that the girl is alive"
Rath, relieved about the news, felt like a huge stone had dropped from his heart." When can I see her?".
" The healer told me that she has to rest now. But tomorrow you can go see her", the messenger told him.
" Thank you" and Rath meant it really.
The messenger bowed again before his king and made his way out of the room. The others looked after him and waited till the door shut before they stood up from their chairs. Abidale embraced his son. She was proud of him. He didn´t had to do it, but he saved a life of a stranger. Now all they had to do was wait and then they could finally find out who she was and where she came from. Everything else would take care itself after this.
End of Flashback
Rath had decided after everyone went to bed, that he would visit the girl as soon as he could.
And that he did now. After the breakfast was finished he excused himself and made his way to the hospital ward. Halfway there a bad feeling overtook him. It was a mix of rage, sadness and confusion.
Rath didn´t think to much about that. As empath he was used to feel what others where feeling. He shook his head to banish his uneasiness and continued his way.
Just as he rounded the corner to the hallway of the hospital ward, he discovered two guards on the ground. They were lying against the closed door of the consulting room. Immediately Rath ran to the men and checked their pulse. Thank godness they were alive, just knocked out.
Suddenly he heard a strange noise from the room infront of him. Carefully he wanted to grab after his weapon, but he realized he had forgotten it in his room.
" Damn, damn and double damn!", he cursed quietly. Usually his mother had to remind him to take off of his weapon halter before he went to bed. And today of all days, where he needed the weapon the most, he forgot it on his nighstand. If he had more time he would bang his head against the wall. But time was running out and he had to something right away.
Quietly he tiptoed to the door and tried to open it without to much noise. But the door had other plans. She creaked really loud and before Rath could put one foot in the room a hand grasped him around his throat. Out of reflex he tried to loosen the hold on his throat. But his attacker was pretty strong and Rath was in disadvantage because of the sudden assault.
" Where am I and what I´m doing here", growled a female voice in his ear.
" You are in the kingdom of King Salem", Rath was amazed how much power the girl had. He knew the moment she began to speak that it was her. For someone who was on the brink of death a few hours ago she had a deathly stronghold." You were pretty hurt when I found you", Rath had to struggle to breath. Slowly the breathing became harder and harder.
Just as he was about to pass out, the girl released him. Rath dropped coughing on all fours. Damn that was a close call. A few minutes more and he would have kissed the floor. That´s what you got for saving a life, a near death experience. He decided to never do something stupid again.
" You know, a little thank you would have been better, don´t you think", Rath tried to hide his embarrassment. He was taken by surprise by a girl half his size. Hopefully nobody would learn of this little incident ever. No wonder the two guards had no chance against her. Slowly he stood up from the floor and whipped the dirt from his pants.
Then he made the mistake and saw in the face of his attacker for the first time. In the moment their eyes meet the breath was knocked out of him. Never in his whole life had he seen such a beautiful girl, besides his sister and Vilandra. She was not so tall, she would reached to his shoulders, her hair was bound to a pigtail, the lips were full and red and made to be kissed. But what really got him were her eyes. They looked like two sparkling emeralds. And the message in them was clear. One wrong word and your dust.
" Do you have to stare at me like that", the girl glared at the intruder. It seemed like he had never seen a female before. She had to repress the feeling to strangle him.
That snapped Rath out of his state. She was cute. At least as long as she shut her mouth" Excuse me. I don´t stare". He didn´t. Really.
" Yes, you did", replied the girl angry.
" Alright, if it shuts you up. I stared. Now are you happy?", Rath didn´t have the patient now to play this game. It was bad enough when he played it with Ava and therefore he knew how long that could go." But I didn´t come here to fight. I wanted to see how you´ve been".
The girl gave up her fighting stance and relaxed slightly." I´m fine. A little wiped out, but fine".
" Do you remember what happened to you? Or why you were alone on the boat?", Rath thought that after the girl lost her crazy look she was willing to answer some of his question.
The girl shook her head sadly." No. I don´t know".
" Alright. Do you know your name at least?"
The eyes of the girl went wide by that question and her face screwed up to a mask of horror. Rath could feel her panic." No. I can´t remember a thing. Why can´t I remember my own name. What happened to me". The girl buried her face in her hands and began to cry.
Rath felt sorry for the poor thing. Not knowing who you are and what happened was really bad. He wanted to help her. But he didn´t know how. He wished Zan was with him he would knew what to do. It would be better if she would fight with him, with that he could deal. He hated when girls cried. But he had to do something. After he battled a few moments with himself he did something that he would denying till his death. He embraced the girl and let her cry on his shoulder.
TBC