The Pharmacist and The Prince

Modest

modest/ˈmɒdɪst/ : unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements.

A bombshell. This was the real definition of a bombshell.

This plague was a product of her world. Somehow, an illness that could only exist in her world was rampaging in this world. But…

“If the plague is from my world, then how does it have any effect here? Like, I understand why you can’t cure it. Your magic can’t affect it because it’s from my world but how can it spread in the first place if nothing from one world can affect the other?”

The Bookkeeper sighed. Hard-hitting questions. She had already begun to ask the questions he couldn’t answer. “My dear young woman, that is a question I cannot provide an answer to.”

“But you know.”

“Yes, I am aware or, at least, I will be aware of the reason but I cannot pass that information to you.”

What? He will be aware of the reason? What does that mean?

“But I need this information. You want me to save your kingdom. And you offered to answer my questions. Then why are you withholding information?” Ebony was confused. He should be offering all the information he had.

“I apologize but the information is not mine to disperse.”’

Ebony sighed. One look at the Bookkeeper’s unyielding face told her that she wasn’t going to get an answer. So, she decided to ask other questions. Flipping her jotter to where she had previously written questions, she crossed off the first question and moved down the list to the others.

It was afternoon when she was done with all the questions. She didn’t receive all the answers she needed though. 

Some he refused to tell her and the others he actually didn’t know but what did she expect by asking a Bookkeeper for the epidemiology of a disease.

She stepped out of the chambers, closing its door behind her, and headed to the stairs where she found Aische sitting on a stair, with her head slumped against the wall. Ebony had totally forgotten that she was waiting outside for her and felt bad for making the maid.

Squatting in front of the girl, she shook her slightly, whispering, “Hey, Aische, wake up.” Ebony watched as the girl eyelids fluttered open and then widened in shock.

“My godde… my lady. I’m sorry, I fell asleep.” Aische jumped up and straightened her gown.

“It’s fine. I’m the one who should be sorry. I took too much time and I forgot you were out here.” Ebony said, straightening up. 

Aische looked around her surroundings and seemed to realize where she was.

“Ohhh, uhmm, it’s fine, my lady. Are we leaving now?” Aische said, ready to leave.

Ebony smiled at her antics but didn’t comment. “Yes, let’s leave. I’d like to get back to the apothecary."

Aische nodded and began to lead them out of the castle. As they arrived at the courtyard, the King or King Regent was entering through the draw gate. Behind him was his entourage with two of the horses carrying wooden wagons.

Before she could decide to speak to him or otherwise, his great white stallion had come to a stop directly in front of her. She watched as he dismounted and handed the beast over to one of the stewards.

Here, in the sunlight, she could really see how attractive he was; blonde hair that had been bowed towards her yesterday glittering away. His skin gleamed in the high sun. His appearance brought a quote from her favourite book to mind. 

Fair of skin and fair of head.

Beside her, she could see Aische drop into her lowest curtsy yet. Yes, that was what was befitting of a king but she couldn’t curtsy. She didn’t know how to.

Thankfully, before she embarrassed herself attempting a curtsy, the king stretched his gloved hand towards her. “Good day, milady.”

She took the hand and shook it, noting how large it was. “Hello, King Regent.”

The looks of horror from the stewards and the gasp from Aische told her she had done something wrong. Uh-oh, what did she do? She looked at the King but found nothing but mild amusement on his handsome face.

“Is there something wrong, King Regent?” she asked, releasing his hand.

“No, not at all,” He replied, still smiling. “You’ve been to see the Bookkeeper. Is there anything you require?”

“I am heading back to the apothecary now. I want to look at the medical materials and records present. Uhmm…throughout my stay yesterday, I did not see anybody in the apothecary. Is there a reason why?”

Reuentahl lifted his broad shoulders and dropped them in a shrug. “When we found out that our healing magic could not do anything, most people stopped visiting the house. Then the healers themselves started getting sick. Some of them are dead, some are sick, the others are home.”

Ebony swallowed. It was a reminder that the disease was very real and that it could kill her. “The apothecary…How many apothecaries are there throughout the kingdom?”

The Regent corked an eyebrow. “About nine. Why do you ask?”

“I’ll need all the medical records from those apothecaries, please.”

Reuentahl looked intrigued. “What do you intend to do with the records?”

“I want to study them to find out when the disease started and how it spread.”

“I can tell you that. The disease started on the 14th day of März when a construction worker fell sick. He lived in the southern region of the kingdom. Everyone assumed it was a simple illness but it proved incurable. After that, the disease progressed quite rapidly, spreading from the southern region to the east, north and finally the west.” As the Prince and now the King Regent, it made sense that he was well informed about this illness that plagued his kingdom.

Ebony nodded but she needed more information. Several questions were beginning to pop up in her mind.

“Your Majesty,”- that should be the right title- “may I please trouble you for a map of the kingdom? And several other…documents and records. I want to know how large the kingdom is and the total population and the population in each region. And I still need to study the records from the other apothecaries. If possible, from the beginning of the year. Will that be possible, King Regent?”

***

Prince Reuentahl paused to study the dark-toned woman. Intelligent and practical were the two words that came to his mind as he heard her requests. 

“Yes, it will be possible. We have such documents here at the palace. I’ll have them sent to you momentarily. As for the medical records, I’ll notify all the Chief Healers to make them available to you. They should arrive this evening or tomorrow morning. Is that fine by you, milady?”

She smiled, pleased. “Yes, thank you very much.”

“No, thank you, milady. I wish you success.” He turned to head into the castle. There was a meeting with his ruling council that he needed to attend.

“Uhmm, King Regent.”

He heard the woman speak again from behind him. He stopped walking and turned back. “Any other requests, milady?”

“Yes, about that. I’m not…Please don’t call me milady. My name is Ebony Johnseinne. You can just call me Ebony.”

Reuentahl gazed at her attractive face an added another word to his judgment of this woman. Modest. He remembered clearly the distress in her face and words when he had bowed to her yesterday. He knew many people would have enjoyed seeing him in that state and savoured his obeisance. But she was uncomfortable with being deferred to in such a manner.

I’m not someone to be bowed to.

Now she asked to be referred to in a simple way. Without any title. This was truly modest woman.

Unbidden, a smile came to his face. “Ebony.”