Chapter 73: A King’s Word is Mighty

    The king’s wounds were dire, regardless of his misgivings about his employer’s deceitful methods, Meti’s father did his best to save the patient’s life. He offered the king a powerful sedative of his own creation before operating, explaining its properties but the condescending butler wouldn’t let him proceed without verification from the current palace physician. In the end, an elderly healer was dragged into the room to confirm the drug was not harmful before it could be used on the King. The old man was intrigued by the formula behind the drug, but it would be inappropriate to seek knowledge in such a dire situation. He held back his inquiries and vouched for the drugs efficiency. Meti’s father could finally proceed with his work, but his distaste for this place increased. 

It took several hours to carefully scrape the rotten flesh off the wound and thoroughly cleanse the area with a sterile saline solution before letting Meti handle the rest. Originally her father planned to handle the King’s treatment entirely by himself, but since the shrewd head maid had already discovered her gift, it would only be taken as an insult if they didn’t do everything they could to help his recovery. Despite her fear, even the young Meti understood this unspoken rule, so she moved towards the King’s bed and lightly placed her hand above his wound. For a brief second, she vaguely sensed a familiar presence but as she treated the wound and the claw marks began to close up that soon faded away.

In no time, with the help of her strong healing magic, the egregious wound nicely knitted itself back together, leaving only a large red scar behind.

“Ha how wonderous, you are both truly gifted!” the bootlicking butler was quick to sing praises, changing his tune after interfering with their work countless times before.

“Indeed, I must write to the church at once about the young lady’s aptitude. A gem like this can’t be lost to mediocrity.” The castle physician likely meant no harm, but his choice of words still carried some sting.

“The King’s condition is now stable, I recommend having someone come to change his bedding and discard any contaminated items related to the incident. He will need a day or two for the sedatives to wear off, afterwards he is not to do any strenuous work for about a month. I would now like to depart to check my daughter into a respectable inn before dark. We will come tomorrow morning to check on the patient’s condition.” With his work done, her father was quick to draw a line. He could no longer hide the discomfort he’s been feeling all this time.

“Good heavens, it would be rude of us to let the benefactor of our lord rest in such an uncultured squalor. I will have two of the best rooms in the guest wing prepared for you at once.” Yolanda quickly steps in to block his poorly disguised attempt to leave.

‘As if you really care.’ As the daughter of a duke Ariellia has never been subject to such patronizing words. Very few would dare to treat her this way, it’s only through Meti’s eyes that she finally begins to understand a bit of what it’s like to live at the bottom end of the food chain. She can only helplessly watch as the father and daughter are pushed around by the two-faced palace staff.

“Indeed, it would be quite ungrateful to turn a blind eye to your accommodations. I fear the King would have our heads once he wakes. Please come join me in the lounge while Yolanda and the junior maids get everything ready.” Showing off his well-seasoned tongue, the butler is able to detour their plans to leave using the weight of the King’s name.

Unhappy by the sudden turn of events, Meti’s father has no choice but to do as they suggest. He only feels relieved when they promise to select two rooms next to each other, only then can his anxious heart find enough resolve to wait until the King recovers. What was supposed to be a short trip extended from one night to several days without ever getting to see the King. Each time her father asked for an audience, the sly butler would make excuses about how the King had been sick for so long and how many matters of state had been left unattended. His words completely contradict her father’s orders for the King to remain resting in bed for the next few days and avoid strenuous situations. His skillful word play continued for so long her father was ready to cut his losses and simply leave without receiving payment, but who is the King? Where is the palace, is it somewhere you can leave just because you want to?

Meti and her father were effectively trapped in the castle for weeks before they could meet with the King. Originally, they hadn’t packed many belongings on their way to the capital, predicting their trip would be short. It comes as no surprise that they soon ran out of clean clothes and were made to wear the stylish latest designs left behind by the palace attendants. Meti and her father were naturally born with beautiful features, given the right clothes their appearance drastically changed overnight. If one didn’t know their roots, they might easily mistake them for one of the few high-born nobles that frequent the King’s inner court. Others would have been flattered by the lavish treatment but not Meti.

She couldn’t see it, but it feels like a rope slowly being tied around her neck, like a butcher fattening up a pig right before slaughter. The two hung their heads low before the King, desperately praying he would give them a few words of praise, some silver, and a promise of safe passage back to their village. She may be young, but she’s heard the sad tales of countless peasants who got taken by greed and ended up worse off than where they started while dealing with nobles.

“Why so quiet, one would think this is a hall of mourning. Rejoice for I am not dead! Be proud of your work, it is thanks to your father’s innovative mind and young Saintess Meti that I am restored. Does this not call for a grand celebration?”

“Yes, sire!”

Many nobles are quick to pick up on the King’s mood and mirror his sentiment appropriately. They have no idea who the father and daughter pair are but just looking at their splendid appearance is enough to know they are currently favored by the crown.

“Four days from now a grand celebration will be held to celebrate my full recovery and the union between my son and the young Saintess Meti!”

!

The entire hall is filled with dead silence, everyone is shocked by the sudden marriage announcement. All eyes suddenly turn to the young brunette kneeling before the King with sharp scrutiny. The person most affected by this one-sided declaration felt blind-sighted, so much so that she temporarily forgot all decorum and lifted her head to openly gape at the King. He still had the appearance of an old elderly man with receding sun-kissed blonde hair, but only now does she notice his shrewd hazel eyes, like knives digging into her soul. The arrogance in his grin shows he’s well aware of the future ramifications to her life due to his words but he’s too aloof to care.

Her father stares at her lovely face with despair etched in the depths of his eyes.

‘What have I done?’

His silent plea is left unspoken, but she knows what he means because she feels the same way too. They had only come to save a life, yet the weight of their reward is heavy enough to drag them both into the abyss. Her entire life had just been upended by a few words from a callous King.