Claiming The Remnant

Chapter 33

[ Taiya ]

"I beg your pardon?!" Asperonin shot me a filthy look, his golden eyes furious and locked on mine. His mouth twitched in anger and his voice was rife with his shocked indignation.

"I said, get out!" I raised my chin and glowered as if I had not been a trembling mess at his mercy only a few moments ago. "I am done being spoken about rather than to and gawped at as if I were some exotic creature from across the Bechelin Sea." I was red but not from bathing and not from unwanted blushing or embarrassment. I was red from anger and it felt right.

The Head Healer looked at me first with a dark, thunderous expression before suddenly chuckling.

"It seems you are feeling better and in feisty spirits too. We shall take our leave shortly but there is still the matter of your inflammation to deal with. While you no longer feel it, I assure you it is there, and left undealt with it will result in your death." The smile that crept over his face made me want to slap him. "Would you still like us to leave Lady Esther?"

"It depends how long it will take." I didn't back down. "If I have to endure your condescending presence for much longer I think I would rather die. I need a bath." I indicated the drying vomit. "Perhaps I shall drown myself while I'm there. It wouldn't be the first time."

Everything stopped. Stunned silence filled the room. Only the fire continued to crackle and spit as though it were trying to speak to me but I was elsewhere.

The world was dark and murky. Water pushed me from all sides. My lungs were burning.

As suddenly as it came, the memory was gone and with it the rage. Once more I was reduced to a trembling mess.

"Zachary!" Asperonin called as he took out a note pad of his own and started writing. Zach appeared, stepping up out of the floor right in front of me. The Head Healer might have been the one to call him but Zach only had eyes for me.

“Lady?” He hovered, stooped to my seated level. Big concerned eyes, glowing brightly in a sort of odd green that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. “Need King?!” He whispered with an edge of alarm.

It took a moment for his question to click into place in my brain. Zach, so concerned by my dishevelled and emotional state, was offering to get me the King because he thought I needed rescuing. I couldn’t help but laugh. Everyone was surely looking at me like I had gone mad but I was just so relieved. Just as I had seen him called by Grace or Asperonin I could just say his name and ask him to summon His Majesty; the ultimate authority, to come save me from any persecution.

“Thank you Zach, but it won’t be necessary.” A genuine smile found it’s way on to my face.

“Ok.” The lad whispered, not entirely convinced, before turning to the Healer that had called him initially.

“Take this to Dr. Heathson.” Aspersonin holding out the note he had written. His words were sour and demanding. “He will give you some things to return with.” Zach went to take it but Poflorin put his hand on Zach’s arm stopping him.

“Father,” Poflorin started and stopped.

"Yes, son?" Asperonin sounded confused.

"You shouldn't speak to Zach like that.” The young Healer seemed cautious.

"I'm sure that if the boy has an issue with the way I address him that he could speak for himself. But," Asperonin spoke with quiet anger, "as you are so affected by my manner you ask him."

"I…it - that," Poflorin stammered, tongue tied and flustered.

"What? Son." He snapped.

Zach looked at Poflorin in such a way that my heart wanted to burst. The love and adoration that he felt for the young Healer was plain to the eyes of all in the room. Without hesitation Zach snatched the note from Asperonin's hand and planted a sweet kiss on Poflorin's cheek before dissolving into the floor.

Father and son both turned an intense red. Clearly the reasons were different. Tension darkened the room as the two Healers faced each other. One flushed with the blush of love, the other seething with anger.

"How long has this been going on, you and this, this…" Asperonin spoke suddenly, breaking the silence we had all endured in Zach's absence.

"Lower shade? Deceiver? Thief?" Poflorin supplied, holding Zach's hand as soon as he reappeared.

"Rin is the thief, he stole my heart." The words from Zach came slowly, he spoke carefully. Not because he was unsure what to say but so that he would not be misunderstood.

Mates. A voice that was not my own whispered in my head. A soft familiar echo drenched in a dream-like quality. Come to us, together we will make the world bloom…

Mad… I was going mad. The memory loss, the mirror and now the voices, not to mention ‘Mates’. That was nothing but myth; a concept, as of yet unrealised, spouted by the Fae.

"Make no mistake Father, if you force me to choose - I will choose Zach." The young Healer stood straight, looking his Father in the eye. Jaw clenched and fury etched into his features Asperonin gave his son one final cold stare before wordlessly turning away.

Tarrin and Lyle shared a look between themselves, followed by a sympathetic glance at the two lads. They followed the Head Healer out, saying nothing.

Poflorin began to tremble, I suspected that the confrontation had taken a greater toll than he was willing to show. Josephine looked on with sombre eyes seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

"You are all that you should be under the Sun and upon the Earth." The words came from nowhere, dancing on my tongue and into the room. Ye Gods. As if there wasn’t enough madness in my life already and enough drama unfolding in front of me! Now I was spouting the teachings of the Temple without a second thought.

"Thank you, Lady Esther. It is very kind of you to say. I apologise that this morning has been so…"

"Dramatic!" Zach blurted and Poflorin smiled.

"Would you still like us to leave?" He asked with sincerity. The anger had gone but the indignation lingered. However, I couldn't find it in my heart to hold it against him, especially when I didn't think that his behaviour had anything to do with me.

"It's ok, you were just trying to connect with your Dad."

"Regardless, it should not have been at your expense." He told me, sounding older than his years. "Zach, did you get what my Father asked for?" Zach rolled his eyes and handed Poflorin a note. "It seems Dr. Heathson wasn't best pleased with my Father's demands and will be coming to see to you personally." After crunching up the paper he tossed it into the fire.

"Do I have time to get cleaned up?" There had been enough embarrassment for one day, it would be nice to meet this Dr. while actually looking like a Lady.

"Yup, Han bath." Zach said dancing about. I wasn’t entirely sure what Zach meant.

“Han started filling that pool you call a bath right after you vomited down yourself. It should be about ready.” Josephine announced in a bored tone. “Are you waiting for me to walk you there?” She rolled her blue eyes.

Zach and Poflorin both looked shocked.

“Honestly Jojo, this morning has been more than enough without you joining the fray.” Standing, I shook my head. “This is pure insanity.” I said to myself, trying to walk straight. I felt well but my legs disagreed as I made my way to the bathroom. No one moved to help (which was fine by me) and not a single word was whispered while I was still in the room.