The Knight Queen

Chapitre Neuf: Beaucoup Plus

   Ë̤S̤̈T̤̈Ë̤L̤̈L̤̈Ë̤ P̤̈Ä̤C̤̈Ë̤D̤̈ the room, the gears in her mind spinning non-stop.

   The man had started with 'the'. Which means the person has a title. Who could it be? And how on earth were they able to get inside this fortress? It is the most heavily guarded castle in Troyes, even more than mine, for goodness' sake! How were those bloody Martinians able to get in? 'Tis impossible!

   "Votre Majesté," the Physician called out and Estelle, at once, snapped out of her thoughts and rushed over to Rafael's side. She grabbed his hand tightly in hers, willing him to open those lovely, hazel eyes of his. If she would have known earlier, she could have never torn her eyes away from that entrancing mix of colours in his eyes. She would have cherished every time they had sparkled, every time an unidentified emotion flitted past them and every time they had reduced to nothing but delicious hazel goo every time he gave her that look. The look that spoke about multitudes of volumes that Estelle hadn't yet been able to decipher.

   "How is he, docteur?" she asked, her tone sounding feeble despite her efforts to appear strong. The Physican's face had been intense, but at the moment, it broke into a smile.

   "Don't worry, Majesty. He is going to be alright," said he and Estelle very audibly sighed. "However," the Physician began and Estelle's heart chilled.

   "Aye?" she answered, her eyebrows furrowing and her voice once more shaking.

   "The stab on his neck is very tender and it will require special attention. I have concocted a salve for you to apply to him every night. It needs to be rubbed into his skin softly and with just the gentlest of pressure. Oh, and his back as well. He was stabbed quite a number of times, but, they're not as severe as the one on his neck. Give him a lot of green vegetables and liver since they contain quite a lot of iron and it will replenish his blood supplies. And also check him constantly for inflammation, Majesty," the Physician said, packing his paraphernalia into his briefcase and stood up. Estelle did so as well.

   "Docteur, I am forever indebted to you. However may I repay you?" said Estelle her voice filled with gratitude as she bowed her head to the Physician. The Physician's eyes snapped wide open, as his Queen bowed to him, nothing but a lowly servant. A smile spread on his face, a fatherly smile the likes of which Estelle had only seen on her Father's countenance.

   "Monetary funds would be just enough, Majesty," he answered before bowing to her and Reginald who had made himself disappear into the corner of the room, brooding over something. 

   A knock soon followed and Reginald straightened up, coming to Estelle's side, his sword on the ready. Estelle, too, approached the door and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, that was just dangling by her waist—she had long since changed into her regular attire: a pair of breeches and a loose-fitting shirt.

   "Come in," said she, cautiously and the both of them relaxed when a soldier walked in.

   The man bowed twice and saluted then straightened himself up to look Estelle in the eyes. She nodded and the man's confidence seemed to wane.

   "Majesty, I . . . ," he began, but, Estelle already knew what he was about to say.

   They hadn't found the perpetrators.

   Estelle sighed, loosening the tight grip she had on her sword. Underneath her breath, she cursed and she was quite shocked to see that Reginald had nodded his head to what she said.

   "Majesty, we tried. We searched the entire castle and even dispersed the entire guard to scour the village around for those villains, but . . . I am sorry we have failed you, Majesty," the soldier dropped down to his knees—his armour rattling as he did so—and placed his head atop his folded hands, in front of Estelle's feet.