Responses to Reviews:

yoitsyourstruly: It's debatable. ;) It could go either way… Jessa or Wessa. And it's back to the castle in this chapter. Yay!

SilverCarstairs: Thank you for your review, it was a work of art! I'm glad you think my story is something different, since that was definitely something I was going for. And I'm really happy you like Clara! It's daunting adding an OC, but I literally planned her from the start… then waited until chapter 16 to introduce her. I don't think the story would be quite the same without her. Thank you again for your kind words, it made me smile before a particularly long day that I was dreading. :)

fangirl1: Thank you! And it could be either ;)

Jillessa Heronstairs: Haha one eye is good. ;) I'm excited to read your new works as well!

Jem woke up to a living nightmare. His shirt was covered in sweat, and the blanket was wrapped around his legs; evidence of his battle with sleep the night before. He had found a brief escape from reality in his dreams, before being thrust back into the present as Clara knocked on his door.

"Jem!" She called out, her voice sugar sweet. "Time to wake up! We have a big day ahead of us. And if you don't come out soon, I'll have to come in there," she added, sounding perfectly happy to do so.

Getting out of his bed quicker than he ever had before, Jem called out, "I'll be out in a minute."

Glancing around the bedchamber – his bedchamber - since the King had assigned it to him the day before, he still couldn't believe the size of it. It was obviously made for the nobles, and had tapestries hanging from the wall, depicting scenes from a forest nearby. The embers were slowly dying in the fireplace set in the corner of the wall, and he could feel the chill now that he was out of the bed.

Running a hand through his hair, he opened the closet, surprised to find the rows of clothes were the perfect fit. His shock turned into worry, as he wondered what other things Mortmain might know about him, if he knew details as intimate as his size.

Choosing a simple outfit, and a red cloak to go over the top to keep him warm during his walk through the castle, he fastened the cloak to his collar, using a round buckle. Glancing around the room one last time, he paused to take a deep breath. This was going to be a long day.

Opening his door while Clara was in the middle of knocking again, her frown turned into a grin. "There you are. How did you like your new room? Was it cosy?"

"It was fine, thank you," he replied politely, schooling his features into one of courteous interest.

She linked her arm in his, leading him down the hall. "You look dashing in the royal colour," she remarked, smiling at him side-on. Her smile seemed sincere, but he knew he couldn't let his guard down and trust her when she held the power she did.

He decided not to reply to her statement, not even sure what he would have said, if he were to open his mouth. Instead, he voiced the other question that had been plaguing his mind all night.

"Is Tessa alright? Is she still in the… dungeon?" He asked, wincing when he said the last word.

Clara merely smiled secretively. "You don't need to concern yourself with her anymore. But I can assure you that my father will take good care of her. You needn't worry."

Although her words were less than reassuring, he sighed and decided to bide his time, not wanting to upset Clara on their first day working together, especially when it seemed she wouldn't tell him anything. However, he resolved to ask her again every day, until she gave him a proper answer.

Walking briskly, Clara led him through a labyrinth of hallways, and down a winding staircase that seemed to go on forever, before they arrived at the infirmary.

Jem took a moment to glance around the room in awe, impressed by the large size, and functional layout. At the Clave, they'd only had a makeshift room, and back at King Elias's castle, the castle had not been made with war in mind, and consisted of a more compact sized room, with just the bare necessities.

Clara laughed, her eyes glittering, as she pulled him into the room. "Come on, we don't have all day."

Deciding to observe initially, Jem walked around the room, surveying the extent of the injuries of the guards sitting and lying in the beds, as well as examining who was in charge of the infirmary, and how the staff interacted.

When he was satisfied with what he had learnt, he re-joined Clara, and they walked over towards the man who has clearly in charge. He was an older man, who Jem suspected would have spent most of his life as a physician. As Jem watched, he ordered around the younger helpers with seasoned command in his voice, seemingly sure of himself.

When he saw Jem, he hurried over, wiping his hands hastily on his apron, surprisingly appearing nervous to see Jem. His hair was streaked with grey, and his kind eyes were a pale blue, like a washed out aquamarine.

"This is Walter," Clara said, by way of an introduction, addressing him as if they were friends. "He's worked here for ages. Since before I was born actually," she added thoughtfully.

"I was present at her birth in fact," he said, with a twinkle in his eyes. "I even helped deliver her."

Jem laughed at this, and glanced at Clara, although she merely rolled her eyes and continued. "Walter is getting older, as you can see, so he would like to pass his knowledge onto you before he retires."

Jem's eyes widened in surprise, and he stared at Walter, shocked that he would offer such a thing. He would likely be a wealth of knowledge, although Jem doubted he'd know much about the healing 'gift.' However, he couldn't have been more wrong, he realised, when Walter addressed him.

"I have studied medicine and remedies quite extensively, and have come across some pointers in my research, on using your 'gift' to its optimal effectiveness," he said, smiling kindly at Jem.

Feeling like a child again, Jem's eyes lit up, and he could barely contain his excitement, as questions poured out of his mouth, like, "What have you learnt? Do you know the extent of the 'gift'? How long I take to fully recover?"

Walter held up a hand to halt the incessant flow. "I will teach you all I know over the next few weeks, don't worry. But first, let me show you around."

Jem inclined his head, and fell into step beside him, listening attentively.

"Firstly, we separate the fatally ill from the minor injuries," Walter explained, gesturing to the two sides of the room. "Obviously one group needs more constant care than the other." He went on to explain where the herbs and other assorted ingredients were kept, as well as the salves and bandages. Jem also met some of the other workers, who carried out Walter's commands.

Walking past a bed, Jem paused when he saw the fatally injured soldier. He was obviously in great pain, his face taut and pale, set in a grimace. The most glaring obvious problem, however, was his difficulty in breathing. Every breath was an effort, and he winced as if his lungs hurt. Walking towards him, Jem reached out his hand, about to lay it on him, when Walter stopped him.

"There's many people here for you to heal, and it is only your first day. Maybe it would be best if you don't overexert yourself," he suggested, watching to see what Jem would do. "And you don't yet know the extent of your abilities either."

Jem glanced around the room, seeing the overwhelming number of people he could help, but his glance was drawn back to the man in front of him. How could he choose who to heal when there were so many of them? A rattling sound was heard as the man struggled to take in another breath and Jem longed to heal his injuries; it was almost like an ache in his own chest.

Tearing his gaze away, he looked back at Walter, wanting to respect his opinion as well. "What do you suggest I do? It doesn't look like he will last long without my help."

Walter nodded in agreement. "But you won't last long without my help either, so let me lend you my strength. Together we should be able to fix his lungs."

Jem was pleasantly surprised that Walter knew about his other ability, of drawing someone's strength. He would be reluctant to give most people this information, but he felt he could trust Walter.

Feeling hope blossom inside him, Jem pulled up a chair, so he was sitting beside the nameless man. Clara stood nearby and folded her arms, although Jem could tell she was interested, despite her outward appearance of nonchalance.

"I've healed someone's lung before," Jem said in a hushed voice, so as to not wake their new patient. Thinking about Will, he felt a cold feeling of loss, but quickly pushed it away. "My friend's lung was punctured during a sword fight."

Walter sat down beside Jem, listening carefully. "This is a difference case, however. He has an infection, which is affecting both his lungs."

Impressed by Walter's knowledge, Jem leaned forward in his seat, taking the soldier's large hand in his own, and closing his eyes. He could see that part of the lungs had filled with pus and fluids, and his vision pulsed red, symbolising what must have been the infection.

As he started channelling his 'gift' into the soldier's injury, he felt Walter take his other hand, and a small tingle of energy worked its way up his arm. He could tell however, that Walter would tire sooner than Will, due to his older age.

Taking his time, Jem worked on fixing the lungs, careful to draw out the fluids, before battling the growing infection. As he reached the last reserves of his and Walter's strength, he panicked as he struggled to breath, the horrible sensation of not having enough air overtaking his thoughts. He couldn't stop coughing, and his chest ached. However, he felt someone else lay a hand on his shoulder, and immediately, without having to think, he drew strength, and easily finished fixing the soldier's lungs.

Letting go of his hand, he took in a few shallow breaths, before opening his eyes, and looking up at Clara. She immediately took her hand from his shoulder and shrugged at his grateful smile. "What? I couldn't have you passing out on your first day. The King would have been less than impressed."

Looking down again, his smile grew as he watched the easy, painless breathing of the soldier. As his own breathing settled down, he realised he probably took more of Clara's strength than he needed, and felt a slight tug of worry at his mistake.

Walter got up stiffly, and his face slowly split into a smile as he clapped Jem on the back. "Nice one, my boy. You will master your gift in no time."

Blushing slightly at the praise, Jem slowly stood up, feeling like he was recovering at a rapid rate.

Walter glanced at him, how Jem would have imagined his own father would have, a long time ago. "You shouldn't overwork yourself today. How about you just watch for the rest of the day?"

So Jem followed Walter, as he walked between the beds, chatting to the solders and introducing Jem to them. He tried to file the names away in his mind, for future use, but felt overwhelmed by the end of the day, and knew he would be lucky to remember even a few of the names. However, his excitement grew, as he learnt some new techniques of healing without his 'gift,' and he helped out where he could, applying salves and bandages to the more minor injuries.

By the end of the day, he felt exhausted, his mind so preoccupied, that he had almost forgotten the reason he was there. Clara walked over and tapped his shoulder, telling him it was time to leave. He looked up at Walter questioningly, but he waved Jem away. "Thank you for your help today, Jem. You deserve a rest."

In order to show his immense amount of respect, Jem bowed to him and thanked him for all he had taught him that day.

"You are most welcome," was the old man's only reply, as he went back to sewing up a gash in a soldier's leg.

Jem followed Clara, too preoccupied to pay much attention to how to get back to his room. He knew he would learn it sometime. Or not, if the Clave managed to save them. Reaching his room, he expected Clara to leave, but was surprised when she waited in front of his door, leaning against it casually.

"Well, weren't you the knight in shining armour today?" she drawled, and Jem hovered a few steps away from her, feeling uneasy, although he was unsure of what to do.

Clara raised an eyebrow, and he observed the stubborn set of her shoulders. "Don't feel like talking? Why don't you invite me in then instead?"

"I don't think that is appropriate," Jem replied, glancing away, down the hall, instead of at her.

Before he knew what was happening, she closed the gap between them, and grabbed his chin, forcing him to face her. "You do as I say," she said firmly, narrowing her eyes. A second later, her expression changed into a pleasant one, and she released his chin. In her voice, she channelled her 'gift.' "Now, Jem, invite me in."

Finding himself nodding, and walking over it his door, he opened it and said, "Would you do me the pleasure of accompanying me inside?"

Clara's grin widened, and she strolled inside, positioning herself on a velvet sofa. "Come and sit beside me," she said persuasively, patting the seat beside her.

Helpless to do anything else, he did as she said, sitting down beside her, and leaving a small gap between them.

"This doesn't have to be unpleasant, Jem," she leaned forward and whispered into his ear. "If you do as I ask, I'm sure we will get along just fine."

Flushing, and feeling uncomfortable at her inappropriate closeness, he flinched away from her. He had never had such attention from a lady before, except for the time he had kissed Tessa, and he suddenly wished he were more like Will. Will would know how to handle Clara.

"Won't people question why a young lady like yourself is in my room unchaperoned?" He tried to ask, wondering if her reputation meant anything to her.

"Oh, Jem," Clara laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I really don't care what people think of me. My reputation is already bad enough, why not blemish it some more?"

Jem's eyes widened, and he struggled to think of a smart reply to this. Since he hadn't met anyone like her before, he had no idea how to reason with her. He considered getting up and trying to get her to leave, but he was too late, as she suddenly made the first move.

Boldly, Clara grabbed Jem's tunic and pulled him towards her, planting a passionate kiss right onto his lips.

A/N: So, sorry about the cliffhanger…..

And just an extra note, in case you're interested in my writing and would like to read an original story of mine, I'm writing alternating chapters of one with my cousin. It's called Long May She Reign, and it's on FictionPress or Wattpad, depending on which one you would prefer, under the username, ToBeAQueen. The link and description is on my profile if you would like to check it out. I'd love it if you let me know what you think of it.

~ SilverJem5