Forgotten Wife

CHAPTER 12: A GREAT MAGIC

Romano stood in the small house staring at Rebecca.

-Do you intend to stay all day staring at me?

-I'm watching you, I don't know why my brother hasn't put guards to make sure you don't run away or try to do anything.

-I'm not running away, I have no place to go back to and I'm not planning anything, I just want to stay here and live a quiet life with three meals a day, a roof over my head and warm clothes for the winter.

-I'm not gonna trust the King Quin's daughter.

-I suppose my father has caused a lot of damage to your kingdom, it is understandable that they hate me. Rebecca felt hungry, she began to prepare a soup with potatoes and carrots, it smelled delicious. When the food was ready Rebecca served herself a plate, Romano's stomach roared.

-Are you hungry? Do you want some soup? asked Rebecca.

-How insolent! How could you offer me something like that?

-I guess that's a no, ¿no?- said Rebecca, tasting the soup, Romano's stomach was still growling with hunger.

-I guess it can't be helped, I'll try that concoction you've prepared, but first you try it, I don't want to die poisoned.

Rebecca poured another bowl of soup, tasted it and said to him.

-You see, it's not poisoned.

Romano's mouth was watering, he had not had much breakfast that morning and he was starving. When he tasted the soup he was surprised, the soup was delicious, he finished everything he had been served quickly.

-Pour me some more-, he said, holding out his plate.

-There,s no more- Rebecca showed him the empty pot.

She picked up the plates, took out some roasted sweet potatoes and gave one to Romano.

-What's this?- Romano asked as he poked it with his fingers.

-They're sweet potatoes, haven't you ever tasted them?

-Yes, but I remember they were orange.

-That's because they still have the skin, you have to remove it, look, you have to do it this way- Rebecca started to remove the skin of the sweet potato with her fingers.

Romano found that doing that went against everything he had been taught, but in that place no one would see him, it was just the two of them so he did what Rebecca taught him. He stayed all day with Rebecca and the pain in his leg disappeared completely, when it began to get dark Romano returned to the palace, as he always had dinner with his brother Setherian.

-How is your leg today-. Setherian asked him during dinner.

-I'm fine brother, it hardly hurts at all.

Setherian knew perfectly well that the pain in Setherian's leg never went away and on cold days like today the pain was almost unbearable.

-You don't have to lie to me, if you feel bad please feel free to tell me.

-I'm not like that brother, I'm telling you for real, it almost doesn't hurt but thanks for your concern.

Actually, the leg pain had almost disappeared that day, Roman had started to wonder if Rebecca had something to do with his improvement. The next day Roman went to the kitchen and asked the servants to prepare a basket with food and some desserts, he went to Rebecca's house, like the day before his leg hurt horrendously but after being with Rebecca for a while the pain diminished considerably. When it was time for lunch Romano told Rebecca to serve what he had brought, after finishing the meal they continued with the dessert, it was chocolate cake, when Rebecca tasted it she started to cry.

-What's the matter, didn't you like it? asked Romano.

-On the contrary, I love it, I have never eaten anything so delicious in my life.

-You are a princess, this kind of dessert must be common for a princess.

-I am a princess in name only, I have never been treated as such.

-You lie, you are King Quin's most beloved daughter, who would dare to ignore you in the kingdom of Baldoyle?

Rebecca laughed when she heard what Romano was saying.

-It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, but I have never received such affection from my father or from any other person and I believe I will never receive it, although I don't care, I just want a quiet life and go unnoticed until my last days, even if you don't believe that is possible.

Romano could not believe Rebecca's words, he had heard the report of the guards who had escorted the princess, they had said that the princess was the most beloved daughter of the king, that they themselves had proved it when she had not bowed before the king and he had only said affectionate words to say goodbye to his daughter, and had even given her a blessing. But there was something that Romano wanted to check, so he had to be close to Rebecca, it did not suit him to be on bad terms with her, so he said nothing and simply remained silent.

Romano had been visiting Rebecca regularly throughout the winter, although at first she was uncomfortable with his visits, in the end she had gotten used to him coming every day to visit her. Romano had a check-up every so often to check that the after-effects of his old wounds were not worsening, while he was being checked by the doctor Romano asked him.

-Doctor, is there any kind of magic that will cure any injury or remove any pain?

-No your royal highness, healing magic helps to heal wounds, however, when an injury is too severe or the pain is too intense, it is not of much help, unfortunately there is no such magic.

The doctor remembered a story and told him.

-Although some say that there was such magic a long time ago, but I don't think it's real if I'm honest with you.

-You could tell me a little more about that magic.

-It's not that I know much since it's just a story that my father told me when I was a child, he said that a long time ago there was a magic that was a blessing from heaven, it was the magic of light, a power granted by the goddess Juno herself, that magic could cure all kinds of diseases and wounds, it was a magic that increased strength and spirit.

-I had never heard of a magic like that.

-That's why I tell you it's just a story, I don't even think it's real, the possessor of that magic was considered a saint, but there have been no indications that someone with such power ever existed.

-Thank you very much for answering my questions.

-You have nothing to thank me for, your highness, actually I think that what I have said is useless, I am sorry I cannot help you more, -the doctor gathered his things- now if you will excuse me I have to go.

- Thank you very much for everything.

When the doctor left, Romano thought about what he had said, and wondered whether the princess would have such power, for since he was standing beside him, the pain in his leg had almost completely disappeared, and he had begun to walk better, his leg was no longer failing. If his suspicions were real, Romano wondered why King Quin would let someone so valuable go with the enemy.

-There's no point in making assumptions, it'll be better if I find out a little bit more about this.

That day Romano went to the library and was all day looking for some information about the magic that the doctor had mentioned to him.