Forgotten Wife

CHAPTER 30: MY DESIRE

Several days had passed since Setherian had told Rebecca that maybe he would end up falling in love with her, those words had left Rebecca thoughtful, although seeing that her relationship with the king remained the same she wondered if all that had been a dream or an illusion created by her desire for someone to love her. As the days went by and her relationship with Setherian did not change, she finally stopped thinking about it, dismissing it as a mere illusion.

A month later Fergal went to see Setherian.

-I think I've found what you asked for- he said.

-And what took you so long?

-It's not easy to find a way to treat a wound as deep as the one the princess received and not leave a scar when you can't use magic, I've had to look for countless plants to do what you asked me to do and I'm not so sure of the results either, but I think it will work.

Setherian stood up and said to him.

-Give me the medicine, I'll take it to him myself.

Fergal handed him the ointment he was carrying in his pouch and said.

-You must apply it on the wound every day, it is not a magic medicine so the results will not be seen immediately.

Setherian left, when he got to his room he found Rebecca on the balcony, the soft spring breeze was ruffling her long red hair, she looked beautiful being bathed by the sun's rays, he approached her and said.

-What are you doing up? You should be in bed.

-I'm tired of being in bed.

-You haven't recovered yet, you should be more prudent, did you get up alone?

-No, one of the maids helped me up, but I wanted to be alone so I asked her to leave.

-Have any of the maids been rude to you?

-No, but I like to be alone, I didn't want her to stand behind me all the time like a shadow.

-Let's go back inside.

Setherian was about to carry Rebecca in his arms and take her back to bed but she said.

-Wait your majesty, I don't want to go in yet, let me stay here a little longer, please.

-All right, but just a little while longer.

Rebecca leaned her arms on the railing and stared at the palace gardens, he asked her.

-What are you looking at?

-The flowers, they're very beautiful, don't you think so?

Setherian had never paid much attention to that sort of thing, he took a quick look at the garden, it was in full bloom, there were endless flowers of different colors making the garden look full of life, as he looked at it he said to Rebecca.

-I guess you are right, it is beautiful, do you like the flowers very much?

-Yes, I love them because they are full of life and color, whenever I see them they make me feel that I am still alive too.

To Rebecca's mind came the memory of when she had been pushed into the rose bushes, of the pain she had felt when all those thorns had stuck into her skin and tangled in her hair.

-But I don't like roses, though, or any flower that has thorns- she told her.

-What else don't you like?

Rebecca raised her gaze to the vast blue sky, saw a bird soaring through the skies in total freedom and wished she could be free like that bird, if only once, and replied.

-To be locked up, I have been locked up deprived of my freedom since I was a child and I hate it, I hate living like a caged bird whose wings have been clipped.

Setherian felt he was trash just as King Quin was, he had done what she hated most, he had locked her up like a bird, denying her freedom. Setherian took her in his arms changing the subject and said.

-We must go in, you can't overdo it, your wound might open up.

He carried her to the bed, laid her down gently and said.

-Fergal has made a medicine for you, it's so that you won't have a scar.

-I don't really care about that, it's in a place you can't see.

-But I will see it and when I run my hands over your body I will feel it.

-I suppose that would displease his majesty.

-I just don't want you to have a scar, I don't want you to have a permanent reminder that you were hurt.

-Even if there is no scar, I don't think I can forget it, sometimes there are scars that no one can see, but that does not mean they are not there, there are wounds and scars that do not mark the body but the soul and there is no ointment or medicine that can erase them, you just have to wait for the wounds to stop bleeding and heal over time.

-But sometimes you can forget them.

Setherian pulled up Rebecca's nightgown, removed the bandage and checked the wound, it was still red although it looked much better, he applied the ointment with his fingertips, very carefully so as not to hurt her.

-When I recover, will I be able to go home?- She said to him.

Setherian began to put a new bandage on her and asked her.

-Has anyone been rude to you or ignored you?

-No- Rebecca replied.

-Then why do you want to leave the palace? If there is anything you don't like tell me and I will have it changed, ask for what you wish and it will be done.

-What I wish for, his majesty cannot give me.

When he had finished putting on the bandage Setherian kissed her and said.

-If I love you.....

-It is not that either.

-Then what is it that you wish for?

-Freedom.

Setherian was willing to grant her anything the princess asked for, but there was only one he could never grant her and that was her freedom, Rebecca knew her wish was impossible and told him.

-I know my wish is an impossible one, so I only ask that you let me return to my home in the farthest corner of the palace, for there I can feel free even though I know that freedom is only an illusion.