II. The Impact of Her

~ Thirty-Five ~

I barged into the room, the doors swung open and hit the walls behind them.

A loud bang echoed throughout the room.

"Robert!" Bethilda exclaimed. "I didn't know that you were already here."

I paid no mind to her and walked directly towards Mother. "I have your medicine, Mother," I smiled as I sat beside her. I kissed her forehead before I showed the ledoras plant, still wrapped within a leaf.

"Is this real?" Mother asked as she looked at me with pride.

"Yes, Mother. It is indeed the ledoras plant," I answered, carefully opening the leaf. "This is what the Medicine King told you to take. I asked him about it and now, I found it for you."

"How does it work?" she asked, eager to take the herb.

I then explained, "You can take it as it is or we can brew it. However, the guardian of this plant said it's better to eat it. I planned to brew it but I didn't want to lessen the strength of its healing extract. You don't have to worry about chewing. The plant is soft enough to eat."

Mother lent out her hand and I slowly helped her sit. I put a few pillows behind her back to support her.

"Dear sister, I don't think that this is a good idea," Bethilda intervened. "Only the Medicine King and your son know about this said herb. This can poison you even more," she continued as she sounded desperate. It was blatantly clear that she didn't want Mother to take the plant.

I turned to Bethilda and glared at her. My brows furrowed as I bit my inner cheeks in an attempt to stop myself from saying anything against Bethilda. She wasn't worth the energy to oppose.

"Bethilda, there is nothing to worry about," Mother put a hand on Bethilda's arm as she reassured her. "I trust Robert's decision. He's never done anything to harm the family. And you should trust him, too."

Bethilda pulled back her arm as she slowly stood back. "Of course," she bowed her head.

I offered the plant to Mother and eagerly accepted it. After a deep breath, she looked at me and ate the plant. After she chewed the herb properly, she drank some water and we waited for the effect. Suddenly, she put a hand on the side of her head. Her eyes blinked slowly as she said, "I am a bit... drowsy now. I wish to have some rest."

I nodded and helped her lie back down. As soon as her back felt the soft mattress, she snored. It was as if she was only now having a good rest. Bethilda and I then left the room.

~*~*~*~

I was about to leave when Bethilda called out to me, "Robert." I groaned to myself before I turned around to face her.

"Where did you find such a plant? And how come you know so much about it?" Bethilda asked as she walked closer to me.

"Why are you - all of a sudden - curious about the ledoras herb?" I answered with another question.

She replied, "That plant isn't familiar to me. Without us knowing, it can cause more harm than good to your mother. At this point, we can't risk trying anything for her health. One wrong decision and everything will follow suit. I'm not certain on how much studying you did in order to find this plant. But for now, allow my tea to do the healing."

"Here is the problem between me and you, Bethilda," I took a step forward, "You don't trust my plan and I don't trust your tea. Mother trusted my decision. And by the looks of it, she is having a good, proper rest right now. Let that be the end of this conversation," I said as I turned around and walked.

"Robert," she called out once again, making me stop once again. I didn't bother to turn around this time. Bethilda continued, "In order for your mother to recover, we must cooperate with one another. We are a family. We shouldn't be against each other."

"If you want our cooperation, the very least that you can do is to stop interfering with our ideas to help Mother," I snapped and waited for a response. But she didn't say anything else so I went ahead and continued walking.

I might have sounded rude and disrespectful towards her but I didn't regret it. She was merely a visitor and she acted as if she had the right to speak about everything. I understood that Mother was her sister. But when it came to the health of the king and queen, it should be left under the care of the Medicine King.

At the same time, her arrival coincided so well with Mother's illness. What was even more strange was the fact that Mother got worse when Bethilda arrived. And I would never allow her presence to destroy my family.

This monarchy has stood strong for generations. And it would never be torn down by a woman who looked like a humongous warthog that wore a dress with such a big arse.

~*~*~*~

I finally arrived back in my room. However, to my surprise, Elizabeth's things were nowhere to be found. Perhaps, her room was finally returned to the way it was.

'Finally, I can have some rest,' I thought to myself as I headed to my bed. I was about to lay down when someone knocked on my door. "Who is it?" I asked as I sat on the edge of my mattress.

The door opened and Gonzalo entered, carrying a silver plate in his hand. "Your Highness," he bowed before me, "A letter has arrived for you. It came this morning." He then handed over the letter.

My brows furrowed as I received it. There was no indication as to where and who it was from. "Who sent it?" I asked as I looked back up at Gonzalo.

"Nana Olsa didn't say. She simply told one of your guards to give it to you," Gonzalo replied.

"Nana was the one to receive this letter?" I asked another question, even more baffled. Usually, Nana never received letters from me. The proper process would start with the royal messenger. He would then hand my letters directly to Gonzalo or my page. But Gonzalo was the one I trusted in sorting letters. "Are you certain that Nana doesn't know anything about its origin?"

Gonzalo shook his head. "Nana told the guard that it must be given to you privately."

I nodded. "Thank you, Gonzalo."

He bowed and left right away.

I opened the letter and it read,

"Robert, I don't know if you are still looking for me.

"I don't know if you are wondering where I am or if you're still curious to see me.

"But, I want for you to know - to understand - that my absence in your life may be the best thing for us all. I want peace and I know that you would want that as well.

"Forget about me. Continue on in life.

"Laura."

Slowly, I felt the paper slip from my hand as I stared into nothingness.

Her absence was needed?!

How could she think like that?! I never said such a thing towards her!

Without a moment to lose, I rushed to the stables. I needed to get to the bakery as fast as possible. She should never feel that she didn't matter to me.