Alright, there really is no excuse for basically abandoning this story, but I got bored, and sort of forgot about it. But anyways, here is the next chapter, and hopefully it will pick up the pace soon!

"I don't want to take the medicine, its gross!" exclaimed Duncan.

"The medicine will make you feel better. If you take it now without any more fuss, I'll let you have some candy." Lacey said patiently. She was more than used to dealing with children who didn't want to take their medications. It wasn't any different with this fully grown man acting like a small child.

After thinking it through, Duncan replied, "Okay! I want the peppermint kind!"

Lacey nodded and handed him the beaker. Admittedly, the concoction for pain did taste rather awful, but she couldn't add anything to it to make it taste any better. She discovered children will consume nearly anything for some candy. She walked over the desk she was storing various herbs, oils, and powders and grabbed a stick of candy. Before giving it to Duncan, however, she checked to make sure he didn't simply dump it out on the floor. He had done it before. Seeing the floor was spotless, she handed it to him.

"Thanks!" Duncan said.

"You're welcome. Now, please don't come looking for me again, you could hurt yourself."

"Okay, I won't." he replied, his tone implying he would anyway. Lacey let it be, however. There was no point in arguing. "I'll be back in a few hours to check on you. Just try to get some sleep, please." The man merely nodded, he was too busy sucking on the candy.

Lacey walked out of the room, motioning for Gilan to follow. He had helped her get the massive man back up the flight of stairs and had been watching her care for him. When he saw how the king was acting, though, he was dumbfounded. All he could do was stare. The man he had served and respected was now acting like a small child. He followed Lacey out of the room. When they reached the stairs, he turned to her and said, "Okay, what the heck happened to him?"

Lacey, thought for a second, than said, "I don't really know. A week ago, some of the children came running in here saying they found a dead man out in the forest. When I went out there to see what was going on, I found a party of a little more than thirty men, all dead. In the center of it all, was him. He was has barely breathing. He had a massive cut to his head and chest, and another on his arm. There was also a cut very close to the vein in his neck. He must have been laying there like that for over a day by the time I came to him."

Gilan was frowning at this. He couldn't believe that everyone except the king had been killed. "But why does he act the way he does? Why can't he remember anything?"

"Head wounds are very uncertain. He should have been dead; it's a miracle he's still alive."

"Well, is there anything you can do? Surely there must be something to help him regain his memory?"

"I am doing everything I can. But he can only heal so fast. There is a potion that helps with lost memory, but it would conflict with the one for pain he's on." Lacey replied.

"Well, he has to get back to Araluen, he can't stay here."

"There is no way I'm allowing you to go tromping off back to Araluen with him. He's in no condition to travel." Lacey replied firmly.

"But he can't stay here!" Gilan replied.

"Why not?"

"Because he needs proper care!"

"You don't think I'm doing a good enough job?" Lacey said back.

Realizing what he said, he quickly apologised. "No, no, that's not what I mean. I just mean there will be more healers, eith more things available."

"I know what you mean. I can assure you I'm not like most small town healers, I don't believe waving smoking herbs over someone while chanting will help heal them. But you have to understand, he's still recovering from nearly fatal wounds. In fact, most men would have died."

"But there will also be people out looking for him. Kings don't jsut dissapear, you know." Gilan said back.

She paused for a moment, thinking. Than she said, "How about this. When he gets well enough, we can take him back to Araluen. In the mean time, we'll send out a messenger telling whoever that he's here, and recovering from an attack. Will that work?"

Gilan nodded, the plan sounded like a good one. "Yes, that will work. But one thing, does this town actually have a reliable messenger? I'm not saying you're all a bunch of hooligans, but if whoever attacked him in the first place finds out about the mesenger, will they be able to defend themselves?"

"Don't worry, I know some people who will be able to deliver it safely." she replied.

"Okay, when can they leave?"

"Now."

Okay, what do you think? Good? Bad? Makes you want to kill yourself? Don't be afraid to tell me what you think! And don't worry, I'll post the next chapter faster than this one.