Late Arrival

By the time that Sophia made it back to the castle, she was exhausted. They had long stayed past the scheduled time. Every single patient wanted to see her. After what happened, she couldn’t turn them away even as she was being overwhelmed and wanted to escape. It did kill her nervousness at least.

After her divine display everyone in the church also heard about it. And the clinic was filled with even more people. The cleanliness no longer seemed to matter to any of them. She was only grateful that the High Priest didn’t show. But he was likely too busy to see her. Sophia could only imagine what they were saying about her.

The knights at the front gate hurried out to meet her. She feared what their superior would say seeing them leaving their post. Sophia braced herself if it made it all the way back to the castle already. “Saint Sophia! You’re back. Prince Henri was looking for you.”

She looked back to Tolen and Noan, who naturally had no more of an idea than her. “His Highness knew I was out visiting a clinic today.”

“Yes, but he said you hadn’t returned at the appointed time.”

‘Was he needing to talk to me? Or worried? He did stress about not agreeing to anything extra from the Church.’ The Prince had other duties during that day that prevented him from attending with her. Though she couldn’t imagine that he planned to escort her every time that she went out. Eventually, he had to feel comfortable enough that she could be on her own with her guards. “I’m sorry. We were delayed after I finished healing everyone. It was difficult to leave.”

Tolen stepped forward as the knights exchanged brief salutes and glances. “The Saint was being thanked by everyone that she healed. We had a mob.”

“Then it’s true?”

“What’s true?”

“That you perfectly healed everyone with a single spell?”

He almost became Sophia’s personal promoter as he glowed with excitement. The adorable side of him started to show as he joined the enthusiasm of the gate guards. “That’s right! I saw it myself. The Saint’s divine power went through the entire building! People passing by were healed too!”

“It was that large of an effect?”

Suddenly, a cough came from behind the gate interrupting the knights that had forgotten their discipline. They jumped to attention thinking that it was the Captain only to be shocked that it was the Prince. “Your Highness! The Saint Sophia has returned!”

“I can see that. And you’re delaying her return even longer.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness!” The knights all parted as the Prince walked out of the gate. Their discipline started to return to their memory as they came to attention.

Fatigue and exhaust had their claws in her hard until Prince Henri walked up in front of her. And then her body remembered everything and started shaking. ‘Why did he come to the gate? I was a little late, but Mr. Tolen and Noan were with me. I was safe. He couldn’t be worried. I knew he stressed repeatedly about not getting caught up in promising anything to the Church. Maybe he thinks I made a mistake. I don’t know if healing as I did was a mistake. Did he not like it? Was it wrong? It was easier than doing it individually.’ Ust. Hui. Feur. “Is he mad that I’m late?”

“Explain first if I should be mad.”

Sophia stepped back. “I didn’t say anything about being mad.”

“Your thoughts came out again.”

She didn’t even manage a remark before she was huddled down before him. Ust. Hui. The only forgiveness was that it didn’t insult the Prince. Her thoughts still came out. “I wish I could control my thoughts.”

“Your face is transparent already. Anyone would know what you’re thinking.”

Sophia looked up from her balled position. “Am I really that bad?”

“It’s refreshing. I welcome honesty in a hall of masks.”

“I remember you saying something with a similar opinion.”

“I’m consistent.”

“Consistently scary. What are you doing at the gate? I thought you had Princely stuff to do.”

He arched his eyebrow at her when she said that. “I see we haven’t completely excised your rough speech from you.”

“I’m still learning!” she protested, even with all the lessons high society etiquette was still a strain for her. But it did get her to finally stand up and hold ground with him. “But what are you doing here? You can’t have been worried about me.” Had she been alone, that would be understandable, but she was safe and protected.

Prince Henri coughed for a moment, but looked back towards the knights who started to return to their posts. Tolen and Noan returned to Sophia’s side. “You had a scheduled time to return and missed it. What happened?” Sophia quickly started to recount the afternoon’s events for him. She tried to be detailed, but not leave him with too much information. “Overdoing your work is hardly a surprise. But you’re going to need to learn to manage the public better or else you’ll forever be late.”

“Of course! I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

He started to walk back inside as they followed. “As you stated, you’re still learning. It’s a good lesson. Try to improve next time.”

“I will do my best!”

Once they made it into the castle, Sophia noticed that they weren’t going towards her room. The Prince directed her towards his office from what she could tell. ‘Is this why he was waiting on me? Has something happened? Is it another request? Ust. Hui. Were complaints about my healing? What is this about?’

Leaving her guards at the door, they stepped into his office. Prince stepped around to his desk while she remained standing, unclear on the purpose. “Did you need something, Your Highness?”

Retrieving a wax sealed letter, already opened, he showed it while not revealing the contents to her. “Yes. This was delivered by messenger to the castle today. It is a request for the Saint and royal knights to clear a monster den.”

Monsters remained a constant threat to the kingdom like with any other region on the continent. The lack of magic didn’t change that fact. Just that mages were not available to combat the dangers. It had to be entirely through martial means. And under normal circumstances, it was on the local lords to tend to their domains. When not in war, their standing military was used to defend the people against monsters.

However, the growth of monsters could reach a threat that couldn’t be handled by the local soldiers or hunters. When a Saint was chosen, they would be able to create protective wards and barriers that kept towns and villages safe. Depending on the strength of the Saint more could be asked of them.

But the conclusion would always be the same. The Saint would have to go to the den to purify the infestation and protect the men and women fighting. Sophia would have to fight. For the first time in her life, she would need to risk her life.