Heart Over Sword - Chapter 87

Medicine that the humans had no access to.

Evanna’s eyes shone with the new possibility. If her comrades were to fail or the gem’s myth was not real, then this might be helpful.

Might. Evanna reminded herself of the many visits from the physicians, all shaking their heads, not knowing what was wrong with her mother. Over the months, she watched as her health slowly declined, the colour in her features became grey and hair becoming dull, her movements slow.

Reselda seemed to sense the hesitance in Evanna and took on a much calmer tone with her, “What is it you seek, my lady?”

Evanna composed her features once more and turned on the spot to face the she-elf. “I have a few questions. It is regarding a friend,” Evanna begun.

Reselda eyed her and looked down at her belly, then outside the shop door. She took a step closer to her, taking one of her hands in hers, squeezing gently. “Do you wish to speak in confidant?” Reselda lowered her voice and looked at Evanna intently. Evanna peered at the guards and bit the inside of her cheek. “They cannot go against my rules of the practice,” she continued.

Evanna nodded her head, and Reselda gestured towards a door that suddenly appeared behind the counter. That wasn’t there before.. Evanna blinked her eyes. Maybe, she was far too interested in the rest of the shop that she did not notice the door. Shaking her head, she walked towards the door, only to stop in her tracks when the guards came bustling through the shop entrance.

“*You may stay right there. Unless you wish to see me speak with the king?*” The guard’s eyes widened at her threat. “*Good. I have my blades so I can protect her.*”

“*Oh, she does not need protecting. The lady is the prince’s..*” He looked her up and down with a sneer, “*guest of the night.*”

Evanna balled her fists and gritted her teeth, but she composed herself once more when Reselda looked at her, shocked. The princess pretended to look at her, confused. Then watched as the healer glanced back to her belly in stunned silence before telling the guards to stay there.

Evanna walked through the door, gliding her hand on her belly, wondering if she had put on weight or was bloated. But her stomach was as flat as usual.

Reselda walked past her, “Please take a seat,” She gestured towards the leather armrest. Reselda took sat down in the opposite one, parchment and quill ready. The room she sat in was relatively small, or was it average? She had just come back from the extravagant library after all.

However, unlike the shop, this room was light and had those glowing lights to make it even brighter. There was a single clear patio door that leads to a small balcony that fitted a small circular table and mainly had a vegetable garden, herbs and flowers growing, barely letting any room for a path to the table. But it looked cute and cosy, something Evanna imagined Reselda liked.

Evanna sat down on the leather armrest; her eyes glanced at an interesting painting of the human body hanging on the wall. Though it was very odd, there were strange, shaped drawings among the body’s centre.

“That is an anatomical drawing. What you are looking at is the inside of the body,” Reselda filled her in after Evanna’s attention was solely focused on it.

Evanna’s brows rose, and she turned her head back to the healer, “The inside?” Reselda nodded her head once, with a bored look upon her face. Of course, it wasn’t new to her, but to Evanna, it was! “How do you know what the inside looks like?” She enquired.

Reselda tilted her head and looked at her oddly. “By opening a body, of course..” Evanna’s eyes widened at what she heard, making the healer sigh and explain herself further, “It is the only way in which we can move forwards in understanding more about our body. I was not there when the bodies were dissected, but it was prince Arawn who had the brilliant idea.”

Evanna’s brows drew together at this, “The prince? So.. was this originally a torture technique?” She paled at the idea.

Reselda giggled at her comment. “Well, that certainly would be a good technique. I am sure they have used it, thought I doubt the person would last very long without their organ.. No, many years ago, the prince realised they were getting rid of many bodies, and he knew we, the healers, were talking about seeing what was inside of a person. So, whenever they killed someone, as clean as possible, of course, we would receive the body and get to work.”

Evanna just stared at her before finally finding her voice once more. “But what about the families of the deceased?”

Reselda smiled gently, “If they were one of our own, then they would receive their son or daughter a few days after their death.”

Evanna was still stunned by the revelation as she looked back at the painting. “How long ago did this happen?”

“Oh, hmmm, about eighty winters ago,” Reselda hummed.

The elves were more advanced than them by eighty years, possibly a lot more.

“Anyway, I do not wish to hurry you, but your babysitters will not be too pleased waiting so long,” Reselda brought Evanna’s attention back to her.

“Oh, yes,” Evanna looked down at her hands clasped together in her lap. She sighed and looked up, “My friend, she has been ill for many months now. Her health has been rapidly declining. Physicians have been to see her, but none can diagnose her. All they have said is she will not last much longer,” Evanna’s eyes stung, but she took a deep breath in and looked at Reselda, “possibly four to five months left. Max.”

Reselda nodded her head; her eyes were full of compassion as she looked at the princess. “I see, and what are her symptoms?”

Evanna listed her symptoms and how, on some days, she would appear her sunny self, and on others, she appeared back to being unwell, deathly even. Reselda nodded her head pensively and let the feather’s tip of her quill rest on her chin.

“Is there anyone that does not like your friend?” She asked.

Evanna’s eyes widened at such an odd question, mainly since they spoke of her mother’s symptoms.

“Well, I suppose she may have a few enemies..” Evanna thought back to the Queen and her sister. Possibly a few nobles, but they could never utter a shameful word to her without her sharp tongue turning them into embarrassments. Nobody wished to be the palace gossip, and so they kept their whispers to themselves.

Reselda nodded her head. “Maybe they are being p-”

A bell rang loudly in the room, indicating somebody had entered the shop. Reselda stood up, apologising until a light knock tapped on the door. “*Please come in.*”

One of the guards entered, “The prince has requested your presence, lady Evanna.” He bowed but stayed where he stood, his eyes still on her, meaning their session was over.

Evanna sighed and stood up. She bowed to Reselda, “Thank you for your time.”

“You are welcome, my lady. Please do come any time you wish to seek help. As I was about to say, your friend might be-”

“I am sorry to interrupt. But his highness is not a patient man, and heads will roll.. His words, not mine,” The guard held his hands up sheepishly.

Evanna waved Resilda goodbye and walked quickly behind the guard, who led her towards the front of the palace. They stepped through some double doors, and she found herself looking at the long walkway and gardens she saw from the opposite hill the first time they had a glimpse of the palace. Evanna descended the marble steps, her guards falling behind her once more as she slowly approached the prince’s broad back.

He turned around, and Evanna stopped; her face paled, and her eyes widened at what was coating his face. She looked behind him and saw a man on the ground, his head rolling across the grass, letting blood seep into the earth from the man’s spraying neck. She glanced back to the prince, and the sharp look behind his eyes made her instinctively take a step back. Blood was splattered across his features and white hair.

“Lady Evanna, what took you so long?”