Artemis and Caspian: The Spy

Chapter Eighteen

Caspian smiled when he watched joy return to an elderly man's eyes. A golden light glowed against his leg as the warlock wrapped it tightly, using his teeth to break the bandage. This man was his last patient of the day. The thought elicited a giddy grin. He had patients. After healing the servant girl's arm, word about the warlock's gods given ability quickly broke across the realm, bringing him an honorable sort of notoriety. Now, it was hard for Cas to catch a moment's peace. Peasants traveled from miles around to get treatment from the savior, often waiting for hours in lines that snaked through the lower town just to rattle the palace gates with no response. The warlock tried his best to see them all. The situation had reached a point where the King was forced to intervene, employing palace guards to control the rowdy crowd clamoring at the courtyard entrance. Days seemed to blur together and they all looked mundanely similar. The warlock would wake up, sit on his floor to receive daily visions filled with white noise from the illusive sun god, peer outside his window to catch a glimpse at the colossal line waiting for him just outside the palace gates and prepare for a day of healing the sick. In all his chaos, seeing Artemis was becoming more of a rarity and he missed her. Oh, how he missed her.

The warlock finished with the elderly man who thanked him profusely, bearing weight on the once broken leg as he walked out, practically skipping. Peeking his head out of the hallway, Caspian motioned for a guard standing by to come close.

"That's enough for the day," he requested, wiping his hands on his pants. Caspian loved his work but every human had their limits and his came when the sun went down. The guard nodded and marched down the hall. The warlock made his way over to the window and watched as the same guard appeared in the courtyard to address the gathered crowd. He could hear her faintly screaming through his glass barrier about the savior's objection to taking on any more patients but promising his return the next day. Caspian felt his brow sink under sadness as he watched people dejectedly walk away, preparing to wait another night in the cold for the warmth of his touch. He was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. Thank the gods. Artemis was here to save him from his guilt.

"You know what to do!" he yelled casually at the door, excitedly shoving some materials under his bed. Until he had a better place to put them, this would have to do. His excitement quickly turned to disappointed embarrassment when he saw the person standing in his doorframe. Deacon watched dumbfounded as the warlock bent below his bed shuffling around some herbs on the floor. Catching his gaze over one shoulder, Caspian abruptly stood up, trying to regain back some sense of regality. He kicked himself for greeting the Duke so informally.
"Duke Deacon," he acknowledged, hoping the man wouldn't think less of him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" The warlock hated how formal he sounded. Making a face with his back still turned to the Duke, Caspian finished kicking the last of the herbs under the bed. Arioch had to shake his head to rid himself of the horror he'd just witnessed. These saviors had the etiquette of primitively trained barbarians. It was truly disturbing. Doing his best to let the judgemental attitude subside, the Duke put on his best guise of understanding.

"I heard about the medical miracles you've been performing and thought I'd come to congratulate you on your progress." This made Caspian smile. He really had no idea why Artemis disliked him so. The man seemed perfectly nice to him.

"Thank you," the warlock answered, flattered at the recognition of his efforts. "I do my best to serve the people of Meridan."

"Well, the people of Meridan have you to thank. I've heard whispers from the lower town. Many believe you're a gods sent miracle."

Caspian waved him off as he fought a blush that flushed his cheeks red. Gods sent miracle eh? He could live with that.

"Truly," Deacon started again picking at a bit of dust that had gathered on top of the warlock's wardrobe. How anyone lived in this disgrace was beyond his wildest conceptions. "Without you, the realm would fall into dark times. Having you here to heal the sick is essential to Meridan's survival."