She helps me lower back down to the bed and rest my head on the pillow.
By my body language, she can tell the medicine is working and she asks me a question.
I nod my head as though I understood her and smile at her weakly, and find myself drifting off again.
* * * * * * *
The next time I awake—I have no idea how long I've been sleeping, but I feel better rested, not as weak as before.
I see her entering my room, and she sees me awake again and she smiles at me. Then she calls Seberkyne into the room, and they chatter to each other as they glance at me.
Uh, I am in the room, you know!
I make the effort to sit up, and both leap to my bed side! With their hands out to catch me if I fall, which, I can see now, moving so soon may not have been a good idea on my part. I get dizzy, and with their guiding hands, lay back down.
I'm getting a little frustrated, now. I'm not quite as strong as I thought yet, but stronger than the last time I was awake. I huff out a sigh and roll my eyes, and the lady speaks softly to me, tucking my arms back under the blanket and making over my hair with her hand to comfort me, that I am making progress, and I should be on my feet in no time.
At least, that's what I'm hoping she's saying to me.
I sigh again, and nod my head and sniffle.
Then she caresses my cheek again, and leaves—I don't know her name yet! And Seberkyne sits down on the bed beside me and looks at me intently. Kindly. He smiles at me, and begins speaking softly to me.
I don't know what he's saying, but the tone of his voice is very soothing to me, and I suppose he's telling me he's glad that I'm still in the land of the living.
I smile at him for his kindness, and I relax. My healing will have to take time. I have to let it take its time. I wonder if my new friends will leave me here, if we haven't arrived to their destination yet.
I guess my expression of slight alarm catches his attention, and he puts a hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle pat, shaking his head and continuing to drone on in his deep voice—no, no, he's not just droning on.... he's singing softly to me! Singing! And he has such a wonderful voice, too....
* * * * * * *
Later that day... or is it the next day now? I don't know, but I am awake and my nurse enters my room, followed by Seberkyne again. She checks on my bandaged arm and uses her hand to gently turn my face in different directions as she looks closely at my face. She checks my eyes, and she smiles warmly at me. She softly kisses my forehead.
Appearing satisfied about my improving condition, she mutters something to the old man, and he agrees. Then they both turn to me and as one, motion with their hands, pointing to their mouths.
Am I hungry? You bet I am! as my stomach now roars for attention!
They hear my stomach growling, and they give each other a knowing look and smirk and chuckle.
Seberkyne leaves my room, and my... nurse? doctor? caregiver? goes to a drawer in my room, pulls out my tunics and kilts, and arranges them on my bed for me to choose from.
With her help I sit up so I can see—I can sit up again! Although I do get a little dizzy, I can shake it off this time. She stays by my side until she's sure I can stay up on my own, and I smile up at her for her attentiveness.
I feel a little chilled by the air, so I choose my dark brown long sleeved tunic with gold trim, and my red and brown kilt over that.
She takes off my blanket and helps me put on my tunic—I wince as that movement produces a sudden sharp pain in my arm, then she helps me to put on my kilt. She seems to know what she's doing about that. But then, who took off my clothes in the first place when she took care of me? Seeing my pained expression and that I'm cradling my arm, she then takes a white linen cloth, folds it a certain way, then with my arm across my chest, proceeds to make a sling for my arm with the cloth.
After she's done with that, and she's kneeling down in front of me, smiling at me, she's careful not to touch my tender arm with her hand as she places both hands on my shoulders. She runs her fingers through my hair, brushing it back a little, then she stands to her feet.
I expect she's going to bring my boots to me as the stone floor is cold, but instead of my boots, I see her bringing sandles to me. Kneeling at my feet again, she slips them onto my feet and smiles broadly at me. She has not stopped smiling at me since I first saw her at my door!
What? Are you just so happy that I survived that attack from the goblins?
A little self-conscious from her attention, I decide to introduce myself to her. I place my good hand over my chest and say my name.
She nods her head, and, goodness! her light laugh just lit up the room by several degrees! And her smile went from ear to ear.
Of course she knows my name! The men, Seberkyne probably, had to have given her my name when I was brought in and put in bed. Or, is she just so tickled at hearing my little boy voice for the first time?
Then she caresses my cheek again—she loves touching my cheeks (I don't mind, by the way!) and she places her hand over her chest and says her name to me, “Sharae.”
“Sharae...” I say, sounding out her name, and warmth spreads down my spine down to my toes.
A beautiful name, for a beautiful lady.
She then stands to her feet, and goes to another drawer, and picks up an object. She turns back to me and approaches, and I see a thin golden circlet in her hands, which she lightly places on my head, where my headband is normally worn.
Then she stands erect and holds her hand out to me.
I swallow nervously, take her hand, and she helps me to stand on my feet. I'm a little wobbly, and she places a crutch of some kind under my right arm to prop me up.
How can I be so weak from such a small cut on my arm?!? I wonder in amazement as I try to move around with the crutch, with Sharae hovering by me every moment in case I fall.
I see myself in the reflection of a looking glass, and aside from the crutch and sling around my arm, I look like royalty! Especially with the crown on my head, if that is what it is.
Before we leave my room, I remember my necklace, and I tap my chest with my good hand and look up to her with a questioning expression.
Sharae looks puzzled at me a moment, until I use three of my fingers to mimic the three claws of my necklace, in the position my necklace was last in. Then she understands, and looks apologetically to me, then slowly shakes her head and says something to me.
I don't understand, has my necklace been lost? Or am I just not allowed to have it right now? I cock my head to the side and frown at her.
Patiently she takes my hand and gently pats the back of it, nodding her head and then leads me out of my room.
She guides me down a hallway, and I get the impression that this house I'm in must be pretty big. We pass by room after room, and hallway after hallway in different directions. OK, we seem to be in a palace of some kind, not a simple house. That explains the stone work in the construction of the place.
We finally come to another room, a spacious room with several tables set up and chairs around them. Are we in the presence of royalty?
And there are all my friends! They were huddled together speaking with one another as we entered the room, and they all turned toward us and cheered to see me up and about.
They cross the distance to me and gently pat me on the shoulder—my good shoulder, and offer words to me and smiles all around.
I see Dakanii come up to me last, breathing a huge sigh of relief and gently taking me by both shoulders (careful not to touch the tender spot on my arm), he locks his gaze with mine and speaks a few words to me. I don't need to know their language at this point to know that he's glad, and relieved, to see that I'm doing better. All of them must have been so worried about me while I was out.
Servants enter the room, and go about setting up one of the tables in the room; the longest table. Plates, bowls, cups, glasses, utensils, followed by food. And what food! Just about every kind of creat
ure that I have seen on this world (yes, including what appears to be a young sky-wolf), roasted on platters, loaves of bread, and fruits and....
I begin to wonder if the table is going to collapse under all that weight!
Then the master of the house, the king elf (if that is what they are), enters the room richly dressed in what looks to be crimson silk and gold, with no facial hair like the men have, and greets my friends as though they are his good friends as well, followed by several of his people. Clasping each hand warmly and speaking kind words to them.
Then he turns his attention to me, and Dakanii introduces me to him. The king's name is Shéron.
“Sean!” the king greets me in his own deep voice with his arms open wide, and I get the impression that these are very expressive people.
I try to bow respectfully to him, but he catches me before I would have lost my balance! Then he chuckles to me as he holds me up with my crutch, while kneeling in front of me. All the adults gasped when I nearly fell, and now they are chuckling around me in relief that the king had caught me. And then, he gives me such a warm and gentle embrace! And whispering in my ear.
I don't know why, but tears start flooding my eyes again! Ugh! Turn off the water works, already! I am a warrior!
But... I am also... a child. A little boy...
And I feel as though I have returned home, finally! After years of being away. I feel King Shéron's arms hug me tighter through my sobs, and after a few moments I look to the king's kind face in puzzlement. How can I feel at home here? Are these my people? I don't think so! I'm not an elf. My ears are not pointed like theirs. And my skin is not the same color...
The king gently wipes my tears away from my face, then stands up, and introduces me to his entourage, and they in turn bow respectfully to me, then he introduces me to his fair queen, Kylia. She graciously nods in my direction with a beautiful smile, and I return hers with my own. King Shéron then motions everyone to the table.
We all take our places around the table, with me seated at the king's right hand; an honor I wasn't expecting, and Sharae to my right. Queen Kylia is seated to the king's left, and Seberkyne is seated to her left, then Dakanii, Anjax, and so on.
I'm a little embarrassed that I still have not learned the other two men's names that are with the group!
A word is said over the table by the king, then we are served by the servants, who pile on different foods on our plates and pouring liquids into our cups and glasses, while the king's minstrels strike up a lively tune as we eat.
I am amazed at the amount of food I see here, and a little dismayed at the idea that I can't eat all this. I look around the table to the other plates in front of my friends and everyone else, and see that their plates have even more than mine!
Seriously?
Everyone digs in, eating with the utensils, their fingers, whatever they can find to use, licking their fingers and smacking their lips at the delicacies the king has provided for this feast.
I sample the food in front of me, and I can see why they would let themselves go with the meal. This is delicious! But, I seem to recall that my meals shared with Midnight in our camps was more subdued and quiet than with these people. More dignified?
I gasp—
Midnight!
I look about the table frantically, but I see nothing that would resemble a panther on any of the platters. Certainly not his size.
Whew! I close my eyes in relief and sit back in my seat for a moment.
The king and Sharae notice my actions and look a little concerned, then ask me a question. I look up to the king, then to Sharae, and shrug and smile at them sheepishly.
The king then turns to Seberkyne and asks him the question, and the old man nods and discusses with the king his answer. I return to my food with my good hand and eat my fill. It is just so good!
I look around to everyone else, and they are all eating and drinking and telling stories to the other members of the king's entourage. I don't know if they are all related, or just friends, members of the ruling class...
I even see Dakanii talking to someone across the table from him, and mimicking with his hands for emphasis; he's using his hands as though he is holding a bow and arrow, and then in rapid succession, acts like he got off three or four shots. The person he is telling this to gasps in amazement. As I watch him, he now acts like he was about to let another arrow fly, but instead, he slowly puts the “arrow” back in its “quiver” on his back, then he flings his hand out in front of him, as if he had thrown something from his back and chatters something in staccato fashion (right at the person he was telling this story to), and that person flinches as though Dakanii had done that very thing! Then that person looks to me with stunned amazement, and Dakanii looks to me and winks with a proud grin.
Ah, he's telling the story about the first night I met them, when I saved them. Dakanii was demonstrating to the person how I had saved them.
I return his smile and shrug my good shoulder a little.
As the dinner progresses, I'm starting to get the idea that I'm the guest of honor at this banquet.
Soon the king turns back to me from Seberkyne and sighs, nodding his head in understanding. Then he strokes the back of my head with his hand and murmurs something to me soothingly. I look up at him and smile.
The king then moves a glass filled with liquid toward me. A reddish colored liquid.
I take the glass with my good hand, and I look up to the king, who now stands to his feet, says a few words to the group of people, and motions with his glass towards me and says my name.
Everyone else lifts their glasses and say my name in unison, then they all take a sip.
I look to the king, and he nods his head for me to try it and smiles encouragingly to me.
I sample it, and it is good! Fruity, with undertones of something else I can't identify, and it gives me a strange feeling on my tongue, as well as my throat but pleasant. I never had anything like this!
I look around the table, feeling a little self-conscious as all eyes are on me, and I see that all the men I have been traveling with are just beaming with pride, then raise their glasses to me again and share a private toast.
But, unfortunately, I can't finish my meal, as I'm getting tired now. Fatigued, I look up to Sharae with an expression that must have told her I that I need to go back to my room to lay down.
She looks to King Shéron and says something to him, then turns to everyone else at the table when the king nods his head in permission.
Everyone else smiles at me and nods, and waves at me, saying their goodbyes as I'm excused from the table.
As tired as I'm feeling all of a sudden, I wonder if she's going to carry me the whole way back to my room. But, with a quick command to one of the servants, a chair is glided over to me... a wheelchair? Crude, perhaps, made of wood and cushion, but functional.
Sharae helps me get out of my chair, I nod to the king as I get up from the table, and then she puts me into the wheelchair and whisks me back to my room.
Back in my room and on my bed, Sharae removes the gold circlet from my head, the sling off my arm, then helps me take off my kilt and tunic, takes the sandles off my feet, and then helps me get into bed.
I sigh with deep contentment as my head touches my pillow, and I smile sleepily at her. She returns my smile with her own, and smooths out the blanket over me as she tucks me in. Then she stays with me, brushing my hair away from my face and caressing my cheek, lightly humming a tune to me until I go to sleep.
Chapter Seventeen
A week later.
I'm feeling so much better than I have in a long while.
I'm not in bed, I'm actually outside enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Birds and creatures are flying in the wind and making their sounds.
I'm sitting on a bench in a courtyard of the palace and I'm checking out my arm, now with the bandages off. There is a little bit of a scar, but it can hardly be seen at all. I'm wearing my long sleeved r
ed tunic with gold trim with red and brown kilt. My boots are still in my room, and I wear the sandles that were presented to me.
I don't wear the gold circlet, as I know it hasn't been given to me. It is simply their custom for their guest of honor to wear it during banquets. To help me feel special. Now I'm wearing my brown leather headband again, and I'm feeling stronger daily. My necklace hasn't been returned to me yet, and I'm getting a little anxious about not having my weapons with me. I feel naked without them. But I understand that weapons are only worn by guards within the palace grounds. Understandable.
During the past week, I finally learned the names of the other two men of our group, Jenna, and Bogamin. I had no choice but to learn their names as I was kept in bed for several days!
But they understood.
And when I could, Seberkyne resumed teaching me more words as I recovered.
With Sharae's help in my tutoring, Seberkyne was able to let me know that I had been poisoned when I got cut. Goblins love to douse their blades with the foul venom from some horrendous creature, and I understand that it was a close call for me when they brought me here. After I had passed out, Dakanii had told Jenna to have his horse saddled for him, then he took me on to this city for help as the others packed all our equipment and came after us once they were done with that and caught up with us.
I also learned that the palace was located in the center of the largest city I have yet seen! And protected all around by high walls. The name of the people here are the Kikkierii, and the name of this city is Kikkierilon. The kingdom that the men come from that I am traveling with is called Navarae, from the west. And the name of the land, the world itself, is called Avarii. Although I really don't want to talk about them, but the race I earlier identified as goblins are actually called the Boreth here, and they are a nasty people.
Avarii- the Golden Child Page 9
