The Frustration

I was pretty sure that I died during the battle, but somehow I did not. I woke up a few days later. It took me a while until I realised that I was in an old lady’s house, but couldn’t move, which scared me a little. Staying calm was hard to achieve, however I realised I won’t know anything until someone with some medical knowledge would explain my current state. On the battlefield I only dreamt of getting a chance to rest, but lying there and looking at the ceiling wasn’t what I was waiting for, when I had no idea what happened to the rest. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about who we have lost and if I missed their funerals, because I had no idea how much time actually passed. Days were only the presumption based on the fact that I was already moved to the city and the silence outside.

The door creaked loudly, so I moved my head in that direction, hoping to see Rob as the first person after waking up. But I couldn’t hide my disappointment when it happened to be the old lady, so I smiled happy to see her too.

“I saw that,” she said grimly and came closer to check on me. After making sure I was fine, she started to wipe my face with a wet cloth. “I know that I am not the person you wanted to see, but I wanted to finally see you wake up.”

“How long…?” I asked, scared about the answer.

“The whole week. Unconscious, in pain and feverish. You made us all worry, especially the young Rob. He was trying so desperately to not let you die, that it almost killed him. I barely was able to stop him.” The herbalist explained, cleaning hands again before changing some of the bandages. “He is still taking care of the injured and of the prince, so he is constantly on his feet. I hope you understand that he needs rest too, so you make him take it.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. “I will.”

I didn’t disturb her when she was taking care of me, even though there were still so many things I needed to know. When the old lady finished, she sat next to me and just held my hand.

“Ask. I am old and already used to convey bad messages.” Her voice was calm, but I saw that this time it wasn’t easy for her either.

“We won, but at great cost. The monsters are gone, but I don’t think our sadness and pain ever will be. Except for the king, you have lost one more friend…”

“Who?” The tears were already going down my cheek.

“Ma tribe leader and many others,” another voice joined our conversation. Edwards came through the door. The herbalists smiled at him and bowed her head.

“I asked not to do it.” The prince felt offended and sat with a deep sight, still too weak to move around freely.

The old lady decided to leave us alone and let me lay down a bit higher, so it would be easier for us to talk. I was watching the young half-elf, now resembling me more of his mother, tired of overwhelming responsibility, which must be worse than usual. After all, the kingdom was in his hands and there wasn’t anyone who could help him. Also badly injured himself he couldn’t get a proper rest. It didn’t seem for me like he actually wanted to talk, it was more like a need to change the surrounding and company.

“I am sorry for your loss,” I said first, Edward finally looked at me and smiled lightly, nodding his head.

“My condolences as well to you. All the ogres already came back to bury their dead according to their rituals, but they asked to tell you that you should visit them as soon as you can.”

“I will. Thank you.” I couldn’t believe that he was gone too and was there for Ma’ena. I promised myself that visiting his grave would be one of the very first things I would do after getting better. I looked down, I barely stopped myself from crying.

I didn’t know what else I should say or how to behave. That was weird, because he was a son of my friends, resembling them to the point that my heart was in pain from longing for them. And he seemed like a different person from the impressions I had the first time we met, rude, proud, brainwashed by father, little king’s hero, however he still was a little brat. Suddenly he put the pendant in my hands.

“My mother wanted you to have it and convey a message that she was sorry for learning the truth so late and asked for forgiveness for abandoning you. Please take it, so I could be sure that I kept that promise,” he asked, before I was going to protest, instead I hugged it to my heart.

“Thank you, your mother was really like a little sister to me. Was your life hard? Do you have any help now?”

“Yeah it was absolutely terrible in some aspects, but not so bad overall. Now I have a bit more freedom, still a lot to do, but I have already brought back the King’s Council. No way I would deal with all of this alone and if I will ever have a chance to get out of being prince and hero, I am taking it.” He was looking at me challengingly. “I don’t need any approval.”

“I wouldn’t even dare to give you one. Do whatever you want, if that would make you happy. But could you tell more about what is going on? How many…?”

“Too much. We have already buried all. Like I said, ogres have already left, most of the dwarves too. Their king brought the one and his family, who specialise in making prostheses. He lost his right leg beneath the knee, so he is still resting here and I think he kind of enjoys it. The people of Terminis are showing the real nobility even more after the battle than before. When you go outside you would experience that weird atmosphere yourself, because I have no right words to describe it. But we are getting used to it, at least for a while it would be like this.” Edward was looking around and for a moment he was wondering about something amusing. “You still didn’t ask about one person I was sure would be your priority.”

“It’s not what you think,” I tried to sound neutrally, but after Ed’s smirk I knew that I was hopeless.

“I am so done with him and his constant confusion about you and his feelings. Do something about him, before I got crazy only from looking at his face.” He stood up and left me with the matter I definitely wanted to think about later. Brat has a temperament after both of his parents.