Physician to the Dragon Prince

CHAPTER 6 – My heart will never bow to you

CHAPTER 6 – My heart will never bow to you

Radur’s POV

I forced her to take a seat in front of me. She looked at me, her eyes full of amusement. I could sense what she was thinking about me. She was assuming that I was doing all these things to cover her father’s death, but I was unsure how to make her understand that I didn’t kill anyone. I knew that she was not in a position to believe me, so it was useless to attempt to convince her. Surprisingly, I could feel her heartbeat when she came with the food tray and my dragon purred like a cat in front of her. I wanted to make her surrender to me, but Zammorai was looking at her from within me, observing her feisty behavior with awe. I was truly amazed to see his odd behavior.

“Eat anything you like,” I said while picking up a slice of bread and a bowl of porridge.

“Your Grace, if anyone sees this and reports to the King, I will be hung to death and your behavior will be also questioned.” She was looking for reasons to get away from me.

“No one is permitted to come in until I permit them to, so stop looking for reasons to slip away from the situation and have your breakfast with me,” I ordered with a deep tone. I truly enjoyed dominating her.

She slowly brought her hand forward towards a bunch of grapes. This is not going to work. She isn’t going to eat the main meal.

“Are you going to eat the fruits first? When are you going to eat the main meal?” I stood up, pushing my chair back roughly. I was angered by her behavior.

I took a plate and placed a roll of bread, a bowl of porridge, some roasted meat, and a boiled egg on it, before lowering the plate onto the table in front of her.

“Forgive me, Your Grace, but you do not have to do these things. I came to serve you, but you are serving me instead,” she voiced out while standing up from her seat.

“Who asked you to stand up? Did I order you to stand up?” I pointed my index finger at her and signaled her to sit back down before returning to my seat.

“Now, have your breakfast and if you utter a single word before finishing it, I swear on my Dragon Goddess that you will not see sunlight today and have to stay with me in my chambers!” I threatened her. She quickly cast her eyes down and started to eat her breakfast, making my lips curve into a victory smile. I knew that she wasn’t going to accept things easily and I had to work hard for it.

We silently had our breakfast. Finally, I offered her some grapes and berries. She accepted them and ate them all up. Poor soul, she was so hungry.

“Your Grace, if you are finished, shall I clean the table?” she requested, standing up and bowing slightly to me.

“You know what? It’s been years since I had my meals peacefully and with a good companion,” I expressed emotionally. It was the truth, I had my meals alone all these years in this chamber. The slow breeze of wind blowing into my chamber from time to time was my old companion.

She looked at me with hazel eyes before starting to clean the table, “you have enough people who love you. Do you think that I will believe your words?”

“I know that you are not in a position to trust me, Emma.” I sighed and leaned my head against the chair. She gazed at me but I couldn’t read anything about her feelings. It was empty, there was no hate nor love.

“Your Grace, may I have your permission to leave now?” She bowed slightly, casting her head down.

At the same time, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” I called out and the huge doors opened to my chambers as the Royal Physician entered.

“Your Grace, Agatha informed me that you requested my presence. Is everything all right, My Lord?” he explained as he bowed to me.

“Patonim, my friend, I heard that you came last night. Agatha told me and I wanted to see you. How is my father doing? Is he all right?” I hugged him dearly, he was one of the most trustworthy friends I had. He saved my life many times and I owed him for that.

“Your Grace, the King is healthy and fit for his age. He sent his regards to you. Why did you call me this morning, Your Grace?” Even though I called him my friend, he never crossed his line and always showed his utmost respect towards me.

“I wanted to introduce you to someone here.” I turned to face Emma and motioned her to come forward with my finger. She obeyed, walking towards us, her head still looking down.

“Forgive me, Your Grace, is this your mistress?” he questioned, looking at her.

“What? No! Not in anyone’s dream. In what outlook do I look like his mistress?” she voiced out in a burst towards him and I laughed.

“Mind your tongue, Emma! You are speaking to the Royal Physician.” I raised my voice and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Forgive me, Your Grace. Forgive me, Master.” She bowed to us apologetically.

“Emma, this is the Royal Physician, Patonim. He is my friend, more than just a physician. Patonim, this is Emma, my new nurse,” I introduced both of them to each other.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Master.” She bowed to Patonim with a bright smile. It was the first time, I had seen such a wide smile on her face. Plus, she bowed before Patonim deeply, but not to me.  

“Looks like you are happy to get to know him,” I pointed out with a furious tone.

“I always respect people who heal others rather than destroy lives for their own bloodthirst,” she replied, glaring at me angrily as she finished her sentence.

“Am I missing something here?” Patonim looked between us with a questioning look.

“Certainly, my friend. Fear not, I will explain to you later, but from now onwards Emma will be my personal nurse. Patonim, I feel that you have been extremely busy lately, working endlessly without taking a break. You have too many responsibilities on your shoulders, so I want you to teach her the responsibilities she has to do related to my well-being,” I explained to him.

“Pardon me, Your Grace, but does she have any medical experience?” Patonim inquired respectfully.

My eyes looked at Emma, “she served as a Royal Nurse to her king in her kingdom, Dartburry.”  

“Oh, Your Grace, I heard that you saved the people there from the wrath of your brother and father. She is a lucky one, I guess.” As soon as she heard Patonim’s words she got startled.

“Forgive me, Physician, I think you must be mistaken. He is the one who attacked our peaceful kingdom and killed half of them including my father.” Her voice was laced with anger at first but it slowly turned into grief and sadness.  

“Mind your tongue, young lady. Do not speak to His Grace like that. You don’t know how kind he is towards innocent people,” Patonim exclaimed, staring at Emma.

“Patonim, it’s all right. She will learn to respect me soon,” I responded with a mocking smile.

“I will physically bow you, but in my heart, I will hate you until my last breath!” Her words felt like someone stabbed me right in the heart. She was fuming in rage and her fists were clenched tightly.

“I am warning you, Emma. Stop being so rude towards His Grace!” Patonim raised his voice.

“You two better stop. Patonim, I need you to teach her the tasks you carry out related to my health and I need you to finish it as soon as possible because she is going to stay with me until she learns to respect me.” I directly looked at her and she looked away immediately.

“Forgive me, Your Grace, but I have never treated a dragon, I have only treated humans. What if I give him the wrong medication or care for him incorrectly?” She was looking for holes to escape from my cage, but I wasn’t going to let her go easily.

“I will handle it. You will do as I say, and don’t you dare disobey my commands,” I warned her.

“Patonim, take her to your medical room and teach her. Oh, and ask Agatha to come here,” I instructed, nodding at Patonim.

“I will, Your Grace. Emma, come with me.” Both of them bowed to me and left my chambers.

Approaching my table, I sat on the chair to look into the kingdom matters. There were some taxes issues that I needed to involve myself in since my knights couldn’t handle them. I was busy examining the issues when Agatha knocked on the door.

Permitting her to enter, she approached me and bowed, “Your Grace, did you request my presence?”

“Agatha, there will be a feast to celebrate the victory over Dartburry. Actually, I never wanted to celebrate this bloodshed success, Father wanted to do it.” I sighed deeply, shaking my head disappointedly.

“Sir Barren has briefed me about it, Your Grace. I will prepare the things needed for the feast. Anything else, My Lord?” she asked me.

“I need you to teach Emma about all this because she will be serving me until I say so. Also, I hope that all the noble families receive the invitation to the feast,” I said while signing some documents.

“I think Sir Barren and General Kubota is working on that, My Lord. Pardon me for saying this, Your Grace, but I feel that Emma is a good girl. She is just very disturbed because of the death of her father,” Agatha expressed humbly.

“I know that Agatha, I can feel her more than you. Do you know that my dragon is calm when she is in front of me and Zammorai never gets angry when she speaks to me rudely?” I confessed to Agatha and her face contorted into surprise.  

“Your Grace, that is quite strange to hear. Zammorai is a dragon that expects respect tremendously. I am amazed to hear that!” Agatha was right. He had slain the neck of others that spoke disrespectfully to me.

“Anyway, do not speak about this with anyone, especially not with Emma. I want her to learn to respect me first. Send me my lunch with Emma, she is now with Patonim. I requested him to teach her about medicine,” I ordered. 

“Of course, Your Grace. I request your permission to leave now, My Lord. I have some feast duties to fulfill.” She bowed before me humbly.  

“You can go now, Agatha,” I instructed and leaned back on my chair.

The feast was tomorrow night and I decided to have a look at my kingdom tonight with Zammorai. I believed that he also needed to stretch his wings.