Yearning for the Moon

Chapter Eighteen

Unfortunately, time wasn't on my side, though I don't know why I ever thought it would be, I wasn't lucky enough to get a chance to heal, I feel like I had only been lying stiffly on the ground for a short time. Aching all over my body, feeling the excruciating itch of the potion slowly knitting my bones back together, and healing everything else I had damaged. When Fluorite comes into my vision again, I could just barely twitch my fingers now, no where near healed, but from the expression on her face, I wasn't going to get a longer chance to heal. "Maeve has been trying to tell you someone is approaching, I am afraid you must leave, even if you are not yet fully healed, I recommend trying not to move very much once back in your body." Yeah, I could already tell this wasn't going to feel great, with agonizing pain and effort, I rub the tattoo on my wrist and send myself out of the spatial world.

I allow my eyes to slowly open just in time as whoever had been approaching opens the door and stands in front of me, my entire body is aching, though I know there will be no physical marks, the marks on the inside are no less painful. With more effort than it should take I tilt my head up and look at the intruder, Cassius stands before me smugly, looking pleased to find me sitting on the ground.

But it wasn't for his benefit and I let him know that by my bored expression as he looks at me expectantly. "Did you come here for something or do you just intend to bother me with your presence?" He scowls instantly at the disrespect, but I couldn't care less, he wouldn't do anything to me, not when he needed me, and he wouldn't do anything to the Silvstron's he had hostage for such a little slight, no he needed to hold them over me to prevent bigger outbursts.

"I am the city lord, I am owed proper respect! You should thank me really, you will marry my son and gain prestige." I laugh out loud, it just comes out in an instant, unable to believe his arrogance.

"I am a renowned herbalist who won the competition against all the herbalists in the Valena Empire, many of them much older than me, I am the first pill refiner in a thousand years, and you think marrying your son will give me prestige? I am sorry but I believe your son will lower the amount of prestige I have, not raise it, you are just a City Lord, not a king, and he is simply your son, how important do you think you are?" I can see the rage building on his face, mostly because I bet, he knew I was speaking the truth, herbalists were renown in the Valena Empire, and as a pill refiner I was likely on the same level if not above the rare Grand Master Herbalists.

"My son is no commoner! And here in this outpost in the tainted lands, I am King, the Queen has no command here!" I roll my eyes at his arrogance, that same Queen would probably kill him if she heard his words, and the only reason he told me them was because his pride was hurt, and he thought no one but his loyal followers were listening.

"Sure you are, now did you just come here to compliment yourself or did you come with a purpose?" I mean truly it seemed like he just wanted to compliment himself, I mean I was repeatedly insulting him, but come on and just get to the point already.

"I just wanted to inform you that your wedding will take place tomorrow, and your dowry will be received in the form of pills." I smirk at him in amusement, unable to believe his audacity, I mean truly, did he even realize what he sounded like?

"You don't think it will be suspicious that there is a rushed wedding between your son and I? Don't normal noble marriages takes weeks if not months to plan and you want to do it in a few days, way to make people think there is nothing wrong." I was projecting confidence but my entire body was still overwhelmed with pain, it was all I could to keep a straight face and my voice flat.

"If anything it will make people assume you are pregnant, which you will be soon after the wedding, so no harm done to my family." I just stare at him blankly, not at all amused by his words, if he thought his son was going to get anywhere near me even with his threats, he was sorely mistaken, but let him underestimate me, we'll see who wins in the end. With that said and taking my silence as submission, he leaves me alone, or at least he thinks he does.