Frostine
“Get up.” The King commanded and I blinked up at him in a daze. “Now.”
I scrambled off the floor, finally standing up and taking several steps away from the King as well as the bound wolf that was still snarling. I was almost to the door when the King turned his icy glare on me and said, “Where are you going?” I stayed still, swallowing through terror filled throat. “Get in there and bring a bowl of water and a piece of clean cloth.” He said, gesturing toward his bathroom door.
I wanted to refuse and run away but my eyes went to Rahat, and I knew I couldn’t leave him like that when he needed help. In the last few days he had truly become my uncle, like he was family. So I followed the king’s command. Keeping a wide berth between the trio, I circled around the room and went to the bathroom. As soon as I entered the warm room, I was assaulted with a smell that comes in winter, of snow and another a mix of fir and pine trees. It gave me a feeling of being in the middle of the forest with snow falling around me.
I quickly shook my head of the odd feeling, and grabbed a glass bowl from near the basin and pulled out a small towel that was hanging on one of the shelves. When I made my way out of the bathroom, I paused and looked at the mirror. My eyes looked tired, my hair- the part that was visible was matted and looked greasy, and my nose was starting to show the smudges of dirt even though I had washed this morning as Rahat had been muttering about me smelling something foul. I had not taken a proper bath since I came here, afraid that someone would come upon me and then no potion from the old witch would be able to save me.
But now as I looked around the king’s bathroom and my eyes fell on the big tub he used to take baths in, I felt a little longing for the same. To have a bath myself. Shaking my head against such an absurd thought I moved for the door. To even think that I could take a bath in that tub that belonged to the King, in his bathroom, I was certainly going mad. It was an unattainable desire.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, my eyes widened as I saw the King holding the wolf by the neck and dragging him out of the room. My heart thumped against my chest as the wolf snapped his jaw which was dangerously close to the King’s arm. I didn’t realise I was walking and crying out for the King to be careful when strong fingers wrapped around my throat and I felt my hold body going icy cold. Pulled out of my daze, I looked up and met the king's icy glare and the gold flecks in them burned brighter. His brows pulled as he watched where his fingers held me away at arm’s length. It was the first time the King had touched me and his touch burned and yet felt like ice cubes were dripping down my spine. And something tickled on my behind. “Stay away, young one.” The king said in his thick voice, making my heart jump. “This one is not a puppy you could pat. It will eat you alive even before you get a chance to blink.”
Then only I realized that in my attempt to warn the king from being hurt I had walked too close and now the King held me and the crazy wolf apart from only his hands. I gave a jerky nod and the king gave me a slight push. As the contàct severed, whatever odd tingles were covering my body disappeared, like someone poured water on burning embers, like the fire was doused before it got a chance to burn properly.
The water from the bowl splashed on my arm, pulling me out of my strange musings and reminding me of Rahat. I blinked and turned to face my uncle. I told myself to stay away from the King, to keep my distance, because something was wrong. Whenever the King focused on me it felt strange, like I was in a daze and like he was taking away my ability to think. And I didn’t know why I even tried to warn him from being hurt. He was the King for god’s sake. And Hina had said that he was unbeatable. He certainly did not need my warnings or was I concerned about him? But why would I be, I didn’t even know him properly. I guess, I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt.
I went to Rahat and crouched down on my knees as I sat the bowl on the floor beside me. I took his hand in mine. “How did this happen?” I asked as I plucked his torn shirt away and saw that there was a big gash on his arm that had stopped bleeding now.
“I was trying to save the King.”
At his words once again something didn’t feel right. “Why? What happened?”
Rahat gestured at the door where King had disappeared with the wolf. “That animal was sent to kill him. He was cursed, not a wolf of the Kingdom, but made by magic and poison.”
“But why would someone want to kill the King?” I asked as I dipped the cloth in the warm water and wiped the dried blood from his arm. As I cleaned his wound I noticed, it was slowly starting to mend “R-Rahat, your wound—”
He chuckled softly. “I am a wolf, Frost. I will heal but because I have lost a lot of blood it’s taking too much time.”
“Oh...” I murmured, swallowing another bit of information. As I cleaned his wounds one by one. And the injury on his head and near his neck, I said, “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Hmm.. what was it?”
“Why would someone want to kill the King?”
“Why, Frost? Because he is the king and most powerful. He is the alpha and there are people who want to take that power and take his place on the throne of both the kingdoms.”
“Do you know who—”
I fell silent as I felt a cool breeze at my back and even without turning around I knew the King was back. “How are you feeling, Rahat?” The King asked, his voice softer than before.
“Much better, your highness.” Rahat said, but his eyes were drooping and as all wounds of his were starting to heal the one on his neck wasn’t healing.
I looked up at the King and murmured, “He isn’t healing here.”
The King followed my finger and then his gaze narrowed. I gasped as suddenly, he grabbed Rahat and pulled him up. “What are you doing?” I cried and the King froze. He looked at me like I was insane. And I might be as I belatedly realized that I had just questioned the King. I dropped my head and mumbled, “I am sorry, your highness. I meant he is hurt and you are—”
“I am not going to hurt him, but you...” I shivered as his voice dropped and then I froze when his fingers came to my chin and he tilted my face up. Eyes focused on me, he nudged my face from one side to another. “Hmm...” He mumbled, making me swallow with fear. “Follow me.” He ordered.
I did.
He took Rahat to our room and laid him down on the bed. Then, he said, “Tell one of the soldiers to send for Atelia.” My eyes widened and I stayed still. Did he know? Did he just realize I wasn’t a boy? Was he going to question Atelia and then punish her? “What are you waiting for, young one?” I shook my head. “Then go.”
I quickly left the room and went to do as he ordered.
.
I stood at the back of the room as Atelia mixed a potion in a bowl and then held it to Rahat's mouth. When he was saving the King, that wolf had grazed his neck with his teeth and because he was filled with poison to attack the king, that's why the wound in Rahat’s neck wasn’t healing while the other wounds that healed were just scratched from the wolf's claws. Surprisingly, the king stood beside Rahat as Atelia tended to him. One would think that being the king, he wouldn’t stand by like he cared but I was starting to see that the king did care about Rahat but then an image from earlier came when King’s yellow eyes had turned icy when he had seen my injury. It seemed that the King really cared about his people. Just like Trench had said.
When Atelia was done, she nodded to the King and turned from him. But the king stopped her. “Atelia.”
I watched as Atelia’s eyes came to me before she turned her face the king, “Your highness?”
“How is the search going?” The King asked. “By this rate I don't think you'll ever find her.” There was an underlying anger in his words.
This time when the old witch’s eyes came to me for some reason I got an urge to hide somewhere. She gave me a wicked smile and answered the King, “You will find her soon, your highness. Keep your eyes and senses open.” Then she sailed out of the room.
I watched her departing figure and jumped when the King barked, “Come here, and feed your uncle. Then you are to come to my room to help me get ready for bed.”
“Me!?” I squeaked.
“Yes.” He said in a low voice. It seemed that the interaction with Atelia had displeased him and he was now taking it out on me. “You. Now, Rahat is bedridden, you will do his job and look after my needs.” With that he too left the room, leaving me quaking in fear of the unknown. It seemed my plans to stay away from the King were going to be buried in the dust. Oh lord!
To be continued...
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