A FEW MOMENTS LATER, Liam and Juan found themselves following King Elwin and his court advisors, the lords and ministers, into a bedchamber. It was large and cold, and there in bed was a woman, frail and pale. The maids curtsied and the doctor and two assistants bowed the moment they saw King Elwin. The woman in bed, Queen Selphie, opened her eyes then, and King Elwin sat by her side. He took her hands into his and said, “How are you faring, love?”
Queen Selphie worked up a smile and said, “Good.”
“You don’t look good to me, my dear,” he said. “Must you tell false of your health to your husband?”
She said, “I want you to worry naught. I’m sorry.”
“Do not apologize, my love,” King Elwin said. “I have good news. The supply expedition to Athol has returned, and they came with aid from Norsewood. They offer food supplies to last our nation until the end of next year.”
Queen Selphie widened her eyes, and suddenly, tears flowed down her cheeks as her hands trembled in his. “I’m so glad. Finally, we have help.”
She started sobbing severely and a coughing fit came, so much so that she couldn’t breathe and started wheezing severely, her lips turning blue.
Doctor Elre and his assistants rushed forward to aid her while King Elwin turned to Liam. “Lord Liam, please help my wife.”
“Please, Lord Liam, help my sister,” Lord Ievis said. “She has been accosted with this coughing illness for many years now.”
“My king,” Doctor Elre said. “As I’ve said before, I fear her majesty is getting worse and it won’t be long. You must prepare yourself.”
King Elwin said, “We have Lord Liam now. He will heal Selphie.”
“Indeed, he will,” Lord Ievis said. The other lords and ministers nodded their heads, too.
Doctor Elre turned to Liam and asked, “A human doctor?”
“A healer blessed by the deity,” King Elwin said.
“Is that so?” Doctor Elre stared at Liam for a moment and then said to King Elwin, “I’m against this youngster who calls himself a healer anywhere near her majesty. He’s human. All they ever do is trickery. Your majesty, you know how dishonest they are.”
“I know how dishonest humans can be,” King Elwin said. “Just as I know there are elves out there who are just as dishonest and do tricks. You have taken care of Selphie for many years, and I appreciate that, but she has not been healed.” He turned to look at his wife who was currently breathing hard, and her face looked pained, her lips turning a darker shade of blue. Liam, seeing the ghastly appearance of the queen and the difficulty of her breathing, could surmise a few things, having learned the basics of anatomy and its function as well as signs and symptoms of diseases from Vicky. It was the lungs.
He stepped forward and said, “Please stop this nonsense. The patient is suffering. If her lips turn any bluer, she will die.”
“What?” Doctor Elre said, and turned to look at Queen Selphie, as did everyone else.
Liam said, “I need to examine her now.” He pulled out two face masks, handed one to Juan, who without question took it and put it on. As he put his own on, he marched forward, brushing away Doctor Elre and then the man’s assistants. Since Queen Selphie was still coughing, he pulled out a handkerchief and covered her mouth. Sputum caught in the linen, and he used that for testing, pulling out the Health Check Tablet from his satchel.
When the magical circle appeared and started glowing, everyone in the room stared wide-eyed, astonished. Except for Juan, since he had seen that sort of thing many times and was used to it.
