Descendants of the Kings (Book 2)

Ch 9: A broken mirror

Cw for needles and blood
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Their arrival at the palace was welcomed with a state of absolute upheaval.

It was just shy of midnight, but the hall was busy as if it were noon. Maids came and went carrying basins, cloths and tools, messengers bustled around like hell was on their heels, arms laden with parchments. For such a usually quiet place, this was almost chaos.

Almost immediately, Ella was engulfed in a tight embrace. Or rather, her arms were, as Katram didn't give her a chance to hug her back before she pulled back and assessed her.

"Oh, Miss, you're back!" She racked dark eyes over her figure, tutting as she did so. "Were you harmed as well? You are covered in blood!"

Ella gave her a whisper of a smile. "I'm fine, Kat. I really am. But I need help."

She moved aside so Katram could see Aedion, who carried the still-sleeping Quill. Ella gently tugged Daffodil forward, who shyly looked up at Katram, thumb firmly stuck in her mouth.

"Mother above." She hastened over to Aedion, peering up at the young boy with a worried notch between her brows. "Who are these children? What happened to the youngling?" She pressed a cool, blue hand on the boy's forehead and tutted. "Fever. He's burning up."

"Healer Sulimona is busy. The knights were wounded and she is taking care of them, but I can tend to the youngling myself." Katram wasted no time in bustling up the stairs, instructing a maid to take supplies up to a room. "Lord Aedion, take the boy up to the guest's hall."

She was a mighty, tiny commander, and they all followed suit, Aedion dutifully doing as he was told.

Daffodil tugged on Ella's dress, her heart-shaped face puckered in worry. "Is Quill going to be alright?"

Ella gave her a smile, injecting it with reassuring firmness, despite how bone-tired she was. "Yes, he's going to be fine. He's just a little ill. Miss Katram is going to take care of him, she's very good. You'll be safe here, sweetie. Promise. Nothing bad is going to happen." The girl nodded, her big tawny eyes following her brother's figure up the stairs.

"Thank you, miss," she mumbled. "For saving me and my brother."

"Thank you for being so brave. I couldn't have done it without you." Ella retorted, making Daffodil grin shyly, big eyes twinkling briefly.

"You must be very tired, it was a long day. Why don't we get you cleaned up, and then we can go see Quill. How does that sound?" When the girl agreed, Ella took her hand and led her up the stairs, to a room near her brother.

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Ella sighed and closed her eyes. She leaned against the wall outside the room where the children were. Daffodil had just fallen asleep next to her brother, in a bed big enough that they could roll around and not fall off.

Both children had been given clean clothing, a bath by one of the maids, and Daffodil had had a big, hearty meal, followed by plenty of soup. Katram insisted soup was the cure to everything. Quill's fever had gone down, after some tonics and potions, and Daffodil had been unharmed save for a few scrapes, which had been tended to as well.

Ella knew the real damage to the children was inside. That couldn't be healed with any amount of tonics, potions or soup.

She remembered what the goblin vendor woman had said. Their house burned down, their father battered irreparably, and their mother... likely dead. It was a grim outcome for the children.

Steps sounded gently down the tiled floor. Ella didn't have to open her eyes to know who it was.

"Rough night? You look terrible."