19

"Not back here again," Delilah groaned as she regained her senses. The portly woman wrapping a bandage around her arm covered up most of her vision but she knew where she was instantly; the infirmary. When she had thought of attending another Ball she had imagined her life to be entangled by dances and court gossip not pain, misery and arrows.

"Well, you should not have made it a habit to end up here," Prince Damian's voice reached her from her right. He was leaning against the wall in that corner. His jacket and cravat were missing and Delilah wondered how many times this month she would have to see the man in this state. She had thought she had already gotten an eyeful from the last time but it seems the man would find one reason or another to disrobe in front of her.

"It is not like I do it deliberately. I have never been this accident prone," Delilah said stuffily. Her vision still lurched with every time she moved her head.

"I seem to have this affect around ladies. They just like to swoon whenever I'm around," Damian smirked as he examined his fingernails and the Lady who was finishing the bandaging giggled.

Delilah was going to respond appropriately when a loud crash reached their ears. The Prince's expression told her exactly what she feared the noise to be. He straightened and rushed out of the room but not before giving Delilah a look that she read as permission to follow him. She gingerly patted her bandaged arm and got up on her feet to follow him. She was alarmed by the ongoings in the other room.

Prince Damian was glaring at the cowering medical practitioner.

"Why are you treating him like an animal?" Damian punctuated slowly. He observed the leather straps that the healers were in the process of tying around his father's limbs, "Who gave you permission to add those straps to the medical inventory?"

"He is acting in a deranged fashion that is beyond our control. Your Highness, you must try and understand that our sovereign might be losing his mind," The harassed healer exclaimed in a high pitch. The man took a step backwards out of pure instinct as Damian stalked towards him.

"My father is not insane. He was absolutely fine until last winter when he started getting treatment for a sore throat. To jump from a sore throat to insanity in four months is preposterous," Damian growled marching to the end of the room where he rested head against a wall looking like the pressure of watching his father so ill was taking its toll. Another wail from his father got him to look up again.

"Get out," Damian roared fiercely, abruptly making Delilah jump. She wondered if she was included in this order but decided that she would pretend otherwise.

"But, but, your father, he will harm himself if we do not restrain him," The healer pleaded. The other healers nodded frantically trying to make the Prince see reason.

"I can help," Delilah spoke up out of the blue and all eyes in the room turned towards her. Even days afterwards she never understood where the courage to speak up, in such an ignited situation, came to her. She gulped audibly but instead of quelling under the scrutiny she gathered her skirt and walked towards the man struggling in his bed. She still was in awe that she was leaning against the bed of the Ruler of their Kingdom.

"Please," Delilah turned to one medical attendant, politely, "Would you kindly get me a cup of Passionflower tea. If that is not available then a mixture of chamomile and Lemon balm would substitute nicely."

"Tea? How can flavoured tea help your Majesty? He needs some intensive chemicals to align his mental facilities," The healer in charge questioned her with a great degree of skepticism. The King roughly shoved his arm in her direction but she swiftly avoided it.

Delilah pulled out the familiar bottle of Lavender from the side table and popped it open, "There is much wisdom in plants that even you as a healer must acknowledge their benefits since so many of your medicines come from these very plants?"

"But we are progressing away from them. There will be a time when a medicine bottle might have nothing plant like in its contents," The healer argued.

"Man is innovative in his need but forgetting his roots would be a folly," Delilah uttered softly. There was no bite in her argument or any judgment. She really did not wish to enter a heated debate.

At the mention of the word roots the Prince looked like he had woken up from a stupor.

"I believe there is nothing more that you can do in this room," The Prince announced and the men walked out of the room looking defeated.

Delilah placed the lavender bottle under the twitching older man's nose ignoring his loud wails. He continued to look around wildly as if fighting imaginary demons that tormented him to the brink of insanity but finally his clenched fists lost their fight.

"It's going to be all right," Delilah spoke gently not thinking that he would hear her words.

"My son," The older man croaked, suddenly, his eyes now less agitated and less pained, "Damian."

"He's here, he's with me," Delilah spoke and urged the Prince forward who was gaping at them.

"Father," Damian rushed from his stance against the fireplace and ended up on his knees next to Delilah.

"You must be calm, Prince. He's needs you to be calm," Delilah whispered softly.

"Father," Damian murmured, "Do not die on me. There are still so many bets I need you to pay up on.”

Instead of replying the man closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. Damian blinked rapidly but Delilah reined him in before he could start jostling the older man.

"He's sleeping, look, he's breathing in and out in a reasonable cadence," Delilah explained, "He seems to be reacting to something; He has to be. He is still in his senses because he knows you. He reacted to your touch but something is not letting clarity seep though his mind."

"He is getting the best medical care in the world. He has the best, most reputed healers at his side. He hasn't been able to keep down solid food for months so all he has been having are medicines and soups," Prince Damian spoke in a stilted fashion quite unlike his natural smoothness of tone. The man unexpectedly turned towards her, "How do you know all this?"

"I do not know much. I only have an amateur's knowledge, nothing more."

"I should have known the Lady who took a dive down a balcony just for roots would be special," Damian cracked half a smile though his eyes still looked dull to Delilah who suddenly realized their proximity.

"I am nothing special," Delilah answered plainly. It was only the truth.

Damian got up from his knees and gave Delilah a hand up. She took it graciously since her knees were beginning to tire. She noticed her ripped sleeve and bloody clothing and wondered how she would explain this to her cousin.

"I shall see to it that the tea is prepared. I have already tried so many different healing techniques with my father that it cannot hurt to try this one," Damian muttered before walking out of the room. Delilah nodded

She was taking a seat on one sofa in the room when a female voice called out her name from the doorway. Her eyes widened when she realized who the person addressing her was.

____________________________________________________________

"Why was I brought here?" Cecilia got up the instant Prince Damian walked into the medicinal smelling waiting room. She surveyed his state of dress and her gaze lingered on the blood on his hands.

"Your cousin has been injured," He spoke quickly so he wouldn't be interrupted, "But she's fine and conscious now."

"Conscious?!" Cecilia exclaimed with eyebrows reaching up as high as they could on her forehead. Damian continued to retell the incidents that led to them to the infirmary.

"Are you certain it was an assassination attempt and not a stray arrow?" Cecilia asked with the intention of keeping herself calm.

"Most certainly, a man took off the moment the incident occurred and I would have done my best to apprehend him if I were not more concerned with your cousin's safety," Damian answered.

"And the arrow only grazed her?" Cecilia prodded and the man in front of her nodded somberly.

"If- if she hadn't been s-standing at that exact point, who knows…" Cecilia trailed off and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I beg you to be calm, she is in no danger any longer and will have her spirits dampened if she sees you in this state," Damian tried to be reassuring but failing. Cecilia broke out into sobs and she sat down on the seat she had only just vacated. Cecilia nodded with a sniffle before trying to keep her emotions in check. Damian stood in silence not sure of what to do next. He had no siblings so he no idea what his response to her emotional state should be.

"What are your intentions towards my cousin?" Cecilia asked abruptly once the sobs subsided. Her green eyes were narrowed upon him. This question was so unexpected that Damian started when she spoke.

"I cannot believe we're having this absurd conversation at this time," Damian turned away, trying to control his temper. His clenched fists gave him away.

"Neither can I, but it is a necessity since my cousin was injured in your company in a secluded area. I may not remember half the lessons Delilah's been trying to have me learn but I know this would not be considered acceptable behaviour not just for any Lady."

"We were looking for you!" Damian spoke forcefully, "If you hadn't run off like a wild child we wouldn't be in this situation."

"I admit it a lapse of judgment but we were trying to buy Del a surprise gift. I thought I would be back in time and when I did return she was already occupied by you. I decided not to interfere though the slanderous gossip that consequently reached my ears made me regret this decision. And besides she could have garnered support from many other venues; she has more acquaintances then she would like to believe who would be happy to help her find me," Cecilia persisted in her interrogation.

"She did not look well. I could not have left her wandering around looking half dead. She seems to be quite susceptible to the heat," Damian stated plainly looking very uncomfortable.

"I know," Cecilia looked away with sad eyes but her tone remained stern, "I would rather that in the future you should remember that she has a reputation to uphold even if she is not looking for a husband. She would not forgive herself if she managed to get caught up in innuendo and gossip from your admirers."

"I assure you she is not any danger in my company," Damian said with gritted teeth.

"I beg to differ," Cecilia eyed his bloody hands, "Just remember my words whenever you even look at her-"

"You would actually dare to tell me to not enjoy your cousin's company?" Damian's mouth was now a strong line.

"No, I do not think it's any of my business to interfere-" Cecilia answered with a sneer.