The King's Gamma (#Wattys2024)

Fifty Four

Marcenia/Ppalgan POV

The man in the bed had darkened orange hair that stuck to his forehead.

He was what was called a God's chosen. His constitution was much stronger than a normal man, and I could finally understand why so much of the poison had been added to his chamber. I quickly opened one of his eyes, equally startling red eyes stared unfocused at me. His lips moving minutely, as though he was speaking without sound. Blackened blood crusted around his nose and mouth, having streamed down to his neck and bare chest. His skin itself was ghastly pale, seeming almost grey at this point and perspiration appeared everywhere. His body smelled of the poison in the air and many others.

I gestured to Moon and she quickly retrieved a bowl, waiting at the door for me to take it from her. Her mask assisted in keeping most of the poison out, but if she were to enter she'd succumb to it as well.

I took the bowl, withdrawing a small blade that I used for gathering herbs from my pockets and made a cut on the King's arm. The blood that came out was darkened to the point of seeming black. I carried it outside, watching the swirling liquid in the sun as I sniffed the scent in it as well. With the bowl I walked to where they'd set my herbs down and picked several herbs before I sniffed them as well. The physicians that had been gathered as well immediately went crazy as they stared at the herbs in my hands.

"Those are poisonous! She is intending on murdering the King! General Ki, you must arrest this wrench!" the voices merged together as they continued.

The General and others watched as I made different bundles. I ignored them completely when Moon quickly stood between us.

"Miss Ppalgan will never do that!"

"Then explain!" the one I'd presumed to be the head physician insisted.

"I've seen Miss Ppalgan do this many times. If the villagers brought her a concoction she would identify the herbs used in this way."

"So, you mean to say that she is identifying which herbs are present in the black liquid?" the General asked, likely more assured at this time at the decision of bringing me with them.

"In the King's blood."

"What?"

"She had to take some of his blood to be able to correctly identify... My knowledge is limited when compared to Miss Ppalgan's. But, I can tell you that judging by the bundles, this is not the only poison in his system."

I quickly gestured to her.

"Miss Ppalgan says the poisons have been fed to your King for at least a year. His illness is likely worsened because of this. People in the palace are not to be trusted."

"Can he be cured?" the general had gotten closer, watching over me as I worked.

I nodded, no gestures were made this time, I simply continued to work on the herbs in front of me.

It took some time, but I eventually made around twenty piles of herbal mixes. Once again I sniffed the blood and then went over the herbs again, when finally I was satisfied. I reacted quickly, making the mixes for the antidotes much faster this time. Again they watched as I went over the herbs and made small changes, before finally starting to decrease the number of herbs needed. Moon was prepared long before I even turned to her to instruct her. I quickly started the concoction on the small stove and instructed her on how to proceed. Whilst she was busy tending to the concoction, I returned to the bedroom where the king lay.

Without restraint, I pulled his clothes from his body, leaving only the blanket to cover his genitalia. I turned him onto his side, scanning his back quickly, then to his other side, scanning his chest in the slowly fading light. I then checked his legs, hearing a gasp from the door. I ignored whoever was protesting at the door, finally finding what I expected to. I turned to the door, seeing the men who had brought me here watching cautiously, Moon pushing through them with the concoction. I pointed to the general as well as the man named Ses, and waved them in with Moon.