"Ouch... ouch! That hurts!" Eli’s pained cry echoed through the room as the pack of ice pressed against his face, eliciting a sharp sting.
"Oh, co on! Don’t be such a baby!" Emily retorted.
Amongst the group of revived guards, gatekeepers, and knights, Eli, the youngest of them all, seed to be the crankiest.
"Just go slowly, please! It still hurts!" Eli pleaded, his discomfort palpable.
"I will if you stop complaining!" Emily snapped back, her patience wearing thin.
Drystan, unable to resist a jab, chid in with a teasing tone, "Poor you, Eli. You’ve got such a fierce person nursing you!"
Emily’s glare pierced through the knight as she bristled at the remark. She didn’t find being called a fierce person amusing in the slightest.
"A fierce person, you say?" her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Fine then! Nurse him yourself!"
With determination in her eyes, she stood up, ready to leave. Her frustration drove her to distance herself from the situation.
"Miss Baker, just where are you going? There are plenty of patients here, and I only have two hands. I’m unable to attend to them simultaneously. Can’t you be a little patient and ignore the knight’s not-so-funny joke?" Ayden, the overwheld assistant healer, pleaded with Emily.
Feeling a sense of obligation, she reluctantly decided to sit back down and continue her task. "Alright, I’ll stay! Just because I owe you a big favour, Mr Norman," she conceded.
Rafe, passing by at that mont, noticed the tension and intervened.
"The knights can be annoying sotis, but please ignore their remarks. After all, they have been fighting for our safety," he advised, attempting to diffuse the situation.
Feeling a pang of embarrassnt at Rafe’s words, Emily blushed. She respected him greatly and didn’t dare to go against his advice.
"Yes, Mr Amares. Please forgive my rash action," she responded politely, acknowledging her mistake.
"Uuuu... I thought she doesn’t know how to be soft-spoken," Drystan continued teasing, provoking her glare.
"Stop it, Sir Mills. She’s here to help, not to beco a subject of ridicule," Rafe responded, coming to Emily’s defence.
The sincere support from Rafe made her smile, and she was grateful for his words in the midst of the teasing.
Rafe approached Drystan, who sat shirtless on the chair, revealing red marks and grazes on his body. Though not severe, they indicated potential bruises soon. The healer handed him an ice pack and instructed him to press it against them to minimise their effects while he tended to Drystan’s wounds.
The other patients that had been attended to and those with milder injuries had left the treatnt room to rest in their respective places. The knights who had suffered more remained in the treatnt room.
"Just what kind of devil did you encounter to end up in such a predicant?" Emily asked Eli with curiosity.
Before Eli could respond, the door was knocked and swung open upon Rafe’s permission. Anryr pushed it from outside, revealing Anna holding Callis in her arms, accompanied by Elis.
Kyren, Kiev, and Noah followed behind them. The knights rose to pay their respects, but the grand duke signalled for them to remain seated.
"Speaking of the devil, there she is," Eli whispered, catching Emily’s attention.
The maid’s eyes darted to Callis, and she couldn’t help but be surprised by the princess’s beauty. However, her heartbeat quickened even more when she laid eyes on the handso Kiev standing behind the princess. Her mouth slightly agape, she found herself srised by his appearance.
Then, her gaze shifted to another figure with raven-black hair and deep blue eyes standing beside the prince. He, too, possessed a striking handsoness that made it difficult for her to look away.
"Who is this? Another maid, I presu?" Kyren suddenly asked upon noticing Emily’s presence, causing her to snap out of her reverie.
Noah stepped forward to explain, "She’s the woman I brought from Ardel, the one who saved Da Verns from the fire. I ntioned her to you before."
"Ah... I see," Kyren nodded in understanding.
Sensing the need to greet them in person, Emily approached and bowed respectfully.
"My na is Emily Baker. I was a maid in Ardel. Pleasure to et you, Sir," she addressed the grand duke and then turned to Kiev.
"Emily, this is His Highness, the grand duke," Noah introduced as she straightened herself.
"Pardon? His Highness? Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know! Please forgive for addressing you incorrectly, Your Highness," Emily sincerely apologised, bowing again.
"It’s fine. We haven’t t before anyway," Kyren reassured her.
The grand duke then called the healer’s attention and ordered, "The princess of Sabel Island here requires treatnt. Please take care of her."
Rafe nodded and swiftly approached. With his trained eyes, he looked Callis up and down and inquired, "Where were you hurt?"
"At the shoulder, the right one," the derian Princess responded.
The healer’s forehead creased with concern as he evaluated the complaint.
"I might need to examine your body to determine the extent of the injury," Rafe explained to Callis.
"What do you an by that? Are you suggesting she should undress here in front of other n?" Kiev’s voice carried a ferocious tone as he glared at the healer.
"Of course not! We have partitions here. I won’t allow other n to see her," Rafe clarified, trying to ease the prince’s worries.
"But you’re a man too! My sister is a maiden! How can I allow you to see and touch her body?" Kiev’s anger flared, and his protectiveness over his sister was evident.
The other knights looked at Kiev with disdain, except for Eric, who remained neutral.
"I am a healer. How can I provide proper treatnt if I don’t assess the injury?" Rafe reasoned calmly, trying to find a solution.
"Don’t you have a female healer for this kind of task?" Kiev inquired, searching for an alternative.
"We don’t, and there is no female healer in Cassian. The closest we have is a midwife, but that is a different speciality. So, will you allow to examine her or not?" Rafe asked after explaining the lack of options.
"No! Absolutely not!" the prince firmly rejected the idea.
Callis turned to her brother, her voice filled with pain, "Brother, it hurts so much! Can you please allow him to take a look?"
"Callis, I can—" Kiev began to protest.
"Brother, we’re in soone else’s territory," Callis quickly interrupted before the prince could finish, reminding him of their situation.
Kiev sighed, realising the validity of her point.
"Please, I won’t ask if I can endure it," the derian Princess pleaded with her brother.
"Fine! But I’ll accompany you," Kiev agreed, wanting to ensure his sister’s well-being.
"You need to wait outside the partition. No next of kin is allowed during treatnt sessions," Rafe explained.
"Why not?" Kiev questioned, feeling frustrated.
"Because you’ll hinder my task. We haven’t even started, and you’re already complaining," Rafe responded, emphasising the need for focus.
Kiev grunted in frustration, but before he could say anything, Elis intervened, "If you don’t mind, I can be the chaperone," she suggested softly, capturing the prince’s attention. "I may not have as much knowledge as Mr Amares, the healer, but I assisted him with Da Verns’s surgery."
"I would agree with that. What do you say?" said the healer, delighted with the maid’s bright suggestion.
Kiev considered the offer and eventually agreed, though he warned Elis and Rafe, "All right. But don’t even think of doing anything funny!"
The healer interjected, asserting his professionalism, "I am a sworn healer, appointed by His Majesty, the previous King of Cassian, Your Highness. It is against my duty to take advantage of any patient, and I would be hanged if I ever did that."
"All right. I take your word," acknowledged Kiev despite his dissatisfaction.
With the matter seemingly settled, Rafe led Callis and Elis to a partition at the end of the room, disregarding Kiev’s grumbling. The other knights observed the scene, with Damon and Eli lying on the beds while the rest sat on the chairs, receiving their own treatnts.
"Ayden, please continue treating the rest of the patients. Miss Baker, please assist Mr Norman," Rafe instructed as he prepared himself for the examination.
"Yes, Mr Amares," Ayden acknowledged while Emily moved to assist the assistant healer with his treatnt.
The healer ticulously washed his hands with soap and water from the basin, a standard practice before handling a new patient, and then dried them with a clean towel.
"Sit down for now, Anna. It may take a while," Kyren suggested. "Or would you prefer to wait in a more comfortable place?"
"It’s all right, Kyren. I feel the need to be here," Anna replied, determined to support Callis during the treatnt.
"Please wait here," Elis instructed Kiev, who followed behind, halting him from coming further.
She pulled the privacy screen, closed the space from the other occupants’ view, and helped the derian Princess sit on the bed.
The maid then cleaned her hands with soap and water, preparing herself to assist with the examination.
Kiev remained still and waited, aware of the knights’ watchful eyes upon him. Damon and Eli looked at him with a mix of irritation and disgust.
Eric had inford them about the temporary cessation of the fight due to the grand duke’s intervention. Nevertheless, the anger that rose from their defeat still remained.
Rafe instructed Callis to unbutton her clothes inside the partition, explicitly focusing on the injured area. Feeling shy, the princess hesitated.
"There’s no need to worry. I will only examine the injured part," the healer reassured her. He then turned to Elis and requested, "Miss Canton, please assist her."
Rafe turned away, allowing Elis to help Callis undo the buttons, revealing her injured shoulder. Elis then covered the rest of the princess’s body with a blanket, ensuring her modesty. The gentle and caring manner in which the maid attended to her made Callis feel more comfortable.
"I will ask Mr Amares to turn around and have a look now. Are you ready?" Elis asked for the princess’s permission.
Callis nodded, indicating her readiness.
At the cue, Rafe turned back and approached the derian Princess. His grey eyes focused on Callis’s shoulder, carefully examining the red marks on her skin.
"I need to put so pressure to determine the extent of the pain. Let know if you feel any discomfort," the healer inford her.
With careful precision, Rafe placed his long fingers on Callis’s shoulder and began applying the gentle pressure. "Does it hurt here?"
"No."
"Here?"
"No."
"How about here?"
"Argh!!" Callis winced in pain when the healer pressed at a particular spot. Rafe imdiately stopped pushing and touched the area more lightly.
Kiev’s impatience grew, and he promptly barged into the partition upon hearing the scream, his concern for his sister overriding his earlier agreent.
"What are you doing to my sister?!" the prince yelled at the healer when he saw Rafe holding Callis’s exposed shoulder.
"Why are you barging in? I told you to wait outside!" Rafe shouted back, annoyed by the interruption.
"You can’t touch her there!" Kiev insisted, his protectiveness flaring.
"I am just doing my job! You gave your permission just now!" Rafe defended himself.
"I’m taking it back! You’re not allowed to touch her! Move your hand! Only her husband can do that!" Kiev declared.
"I understand that it’s a sensitive area, but I ant no harm, and I am not a pervert!" Rafe retorted.
"You might not know this, but in my culture, only a husband is allowed to touch his wife’s body freely!" Kiev argued, highlighting the traditions of his clan.
"I respect your culture. Here in Cassian, we also have strict traditions too. A man is not allowed to touch any maiden, too, and taking her into his bed would cause him to marry her out of honour, and I know soone who ended up in that situation!" Rafe’s words rang through the room, causing Anna to blush.
She was sure he was referring to the grand duke himself. However, Kyren remained calm and composed, seemingly unaffected by the revelation.
"I don’t care about your tradition! Release my sister now!" Kiev adamantly insisted.
"Brother, please! He’s not taking advantage of . Look, this maid is here too, watching over ," Callis pleaded, trying to calm her brother.
"Hey, just let the healer do his job so we can move on and settle our dispute!" Kyren rose from his seat and yelled.
Anna quickly held his arm, persuading him not to initiate another argunt. Kiev’s shout rang again, creating discomfort in the room.
Summoning her courage, Elis stepped in between Kiev and Rafe, her hands shaking as she approached the prince.
"Please, Your Highness! Step aside and let us do our work. Yelling and shouting will not improve things," her voice trembled as she spoke.
Noticing Elis’s shaken body, Kiev raised an eyebrow, his tone softening slightly. "Why are you trembling? Are you afraid of ?" he asked, concerned by her reaction.
"She’s uncomfortable with n," Rafe interjected, standing up. "Move aside, Miss Canton. I’ll handle him."
"No, Mr Amares," Elis asserted, mustering her courage. "It’s my duty to assist you." She then turned to the prince and said, "For the sake of Her Highness, the princess, I am asking you again, Your Highness, please leave and wait outside. I can guarantee you that Mr Amares is a kind and reasonable person. He will not harm her."
Kiev found himself torn. Seeing how much Elis was shaking, yet still summoning the courage to confront him, made him reconsider his approach.
"Fine. I’ll retreat," he reluctantly conceded.
As the prince took a step back, the grand duke’s deanour changed. He slowly sat back in his seat and crossed his arms. The tension in the room began to subside, and Anna, who had been anxiously observing the exchange, couldn’t help but display a visible expression of relief.
Elis’s complexion returned to normal, and her trembling reduced as the prince retreated. As soon as the privacy screen was closed again, a burly knight appeared at the prince’s side, surprising him.
"Miss Canton doesn’t like any n near her. She can relate to how you feel about your sister. I, too, don’t like it when a man gets close to her. I would appreciate it if you don’t co near Miss Canton," Garin, the knight, warned Kiev.
"I didn’t approach her. She ca to ," the prince replied defensively.
"I know she did. I was only reminding you. She’s soone very dear to , like a sister. So, if anyone tries to harm her, I won’t back off," Garin asserted, his tone firm.
Kiev clicked his tongue in annoyance, realising the depth of the knight’s protectiveness over Elis. He didn’t care much about the warning as he already knew the knight was in no place to be his rival.
However, the image of the trembling Elis kept playing in his mind, reigniting his curiosity. What had happened to her that caused so much fear and discomfort?
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