The Pharmacist and The Prince

Ambitious

ambitious /amˈbɪʃəs/ : (of a plan or piece of work) intended to satisfy high aspirations and therefore difficult to achieve.  

As she ate, Ebony made a mental list of all the things she needed to do.

One, she needed to investigate. How many people had the “first” version of the virus? How many had the current plague? How did the disease spread from the first casualty? What conditions are exacerbating the spread and how can we deal with them?

Two, she needed to organize. Setting up nine isolation centres in a world that had no idea what isolation centres were was going to be challenging, to say the least. When she had toured the medicine house, she noted that there were no facilities for admitting patients. The only beds in the entire manor were those in the consulting room and the one in her room. 

She also had to set a lot of standards. The size of the centre, the number of beds and the mode of treatment. She would be the one to determine the standard.

Three, she had to train. From what the King Regent had told her, a considerable amount of healers were among the casualties and so, there would be short-staffing at each of the isolation centres. 

Even if the healers were all alive and healthy, they had no prior experience in this kind of disease control and would also need training. Much less now that the population of trained medical staff had dwindled. Training was essential.

Four, she had to research. She had no idea what kind of medication was available in this world or if medication was even available. And there was no point of setting up an isolation centre if she couldn’t treat the patients that were admitted there. She had to determine a course of treatment for the infected.

Five, she had to educate. From all indications, this disease was being transmitted from person to person. Social distancing, quarantining and even self-treatment. She had to educate the populace on all these issues or at least, educate the people who would educate the populace.

And last, but definitely not least, she had to inform the King Regent of all the plans and ask for permission. This was definitely the most important part. If the King Regent prevented her from taking action, then all her plans would be for naught.

This, however, was the part she was worried about the least. The two times she had met him, the King Regent seemed like a completely reasonable man. In fact, the last time they met, he seemed to be having a joke at her expense. 

Which she didn’t normally like but it showed her that he was someone who could laugh and let loose. He wasn’t a stuffy person. That was good. She could work with that.

And so, that would be the first thing she attended to tomorrow.

Tomorrow arrived and Ebony stood at the centre of the largest hall she had ever been in. The throne room, she had been informed, the hall was called. She had seen the castle from outside several times and had even entered it when she visited the Bookkeeper. So she was very used to impressive beauty that defined the place.

But now, observing the ornately decorated high arches and pillars, and the immaculately sculpted golden throne set on a platform above the floor of the room, she was certain that the throne room was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She didn’t think it could get better. Until the King Regent arrived.

He had entered from a door directly behind the throne. He sat, legs crossed, arms resting on the golden arms of his throne and stared at her from the elevated platform. 

She would be lying if she said she wasn’t unnerved. She still didn’t have any idea who the King he was acting as regent for was, but she had to acknowledge that he wore the kingship well.

Proud, fierce and firm. He really was suited to be a king.

Taking a deep breath, she began to speak.

 ***

Reuentahl von Seelsorger stared at the woman in front of him. He had been staring at her for the past thirty minutes but he still hadn’t lost any interest. The first time he saw her, it was her skin and beauty that made him notice her. The second time he saw her; her intelligence, practicality and modesty struck a chord in him.

But now, as he listened to her speak -detailing the extensive plans she had to deal with the plague- something else stood out to him.

This woman was dedicated.

It had been less than two days since he explained to her and showed her the state of his kingdom. Yet, here she stood, early in the morning, communicating her complex plan to him. It was impressive to say the least. And it showed true dedication.

“That is the basics of what I hope to accomplish. What do you think about it, Your Majesty?”

Reuentahl stapled his hands under his chin. “I think it is a very ambitious plan but I think we need to be ambitious to beat this virus.” 

He saw her release the breath she was holding and smiled. Was she nervous he would have disagreed? 

He had met with his ruling council yesterday and they had discussed for hours. Their subjects, their finances and their food supply. Everything was in jeopardy and yet, there was precious little they could do. 

Now, she appeared to him, with a plan of action; nothing the ruling council could come up with. And she was nervous he would reject? 

“So, Ebony, should we begin the construction of these ‘isolation centres’? Or will you prefer we begin another day?”

 Ebony cleared her throat, a blush painting her cheeks. “Yes. We can begin today. If possible, Your Majesty, I would like to speak to the construction workers myself so I can communicate to them what I think the centre should look like both inside and outside.”

“You came at a good time, then. I was to head into town myself. Accompany me into the town and then we can head to see the construction magickers.”

“If it’s fine by you.”

Such a submissive statement would typically be accompanied with a curtsy or a bow, if it was a man. But she stood straight, eyes locked on his, never veering. A submissive statement with a dominant attitude. Reuentahl smiled. He was beginning to like this woman.

He stood up from the throne and walked down the stairs. “It is completely fine, Ebony. But I’ll have to delay you for a bit as I haven’t had breakfast yet.”

He had spoken with a completely neutral tone but a blush rose up to Ebony's face again. Was she hungry as well? 

“Would you like to join me, Ebony?”

“Yes, I would, Your Majesty. Thank you,” she said.

He arrived in front of her and gestured to the door from which she entered. “That is good. This way, then.”