The Arrangement

t w o

☼ Aviana ☼

'Anything else, Princess?' my servant, Greer, asked.

I smiled politely. 'No. Thank you.'

She bowed and exited my room. I let out a sigh, pulling on my dark purple cloak, before I left my room, too.

I pulled the hood of my cloak up to obscure my face and avoided eye contact with whomever walked past me. That was, until I felt someone grip my arm.

I barely managed to suppress a shriek.

'Ave? Where are you going?' my brother asked, brow furrowed.

'Out riding.' I replied, raising a brow quizzically at his grip on me. 'Now, Hayden, if you could let go of my arm...'

He let go, and gave me a meaningful look. 'You're not really going riding, are you?' he murmured. 'You've never been much of a liar.'

'Well, I'm not lying. You just read me incorrectly,' I responded, turning on my heel and heading in the direction of the stables.

When I reached my beautiful stallion I felt at ease, as I ran my hands through his inky mane.

'Let's get out of here, Midnight.' I murmured, leading him out of the stables; before I mounted and rode in the direction of Misellus, one of the more poorer villages in my kingdom.

I welcomed the chilly night air, it nipped at my skin; as I urged Midnight to go faster.

Soon, I was able to make out the various lights of the village. A welcome sight, after riding through mostly darkness for a few minutes. I unmounted and tied Midnight to a tree in the forest, before I sauntered through the village, soon coming to a stop at a familiar cottage.

I rapped on the door. Not too long after that I was met by a wizened face.

'Oh!' the man's face morphed into one of surprise, but he quickly recovered. 'Thank you for coming. Please, come inside.' he ushered me inside.

'My pleasure, Bertram. I like helping whenever I can,' I replied.

'May I help you out of your cloak, Princess Aviana?'

'No, thank you. And, please, Just Aviana is fine,' I assured him and removed my cloak, and Bertram politely took it from me and hung it on a stand.

Bertram's expression became serious. 'My wife is this way.' he led me to a closed door.

His brow furrowed. 'Are you sure you can do this? You know you're not allowed to help us village-folk but you help us anyway. Even though you know it is detrimental to your health...'

I smiled reassuringly. 'I do this because I want to. I know healing slowly eats away at a healer's life essence; but if I don't use my gift, what's the point in harboring it, when it could mean the difference between life or death?'

'That's very admirable of you. My family and I owe you a great deal. Before I sent a letter asking for your help I was afraid it would be a fluke, to receive your help. Now that you're here... we have hope. The kids are in bed already so you will not be bothered.'

I nodded. 'You don't owe me anything. Allowing me to help is enough. Staying in the palace all day doesn't serve a great purpose. Now, let me see your wife.'

'Very well.'

Bertram opened the door gently. 'Honey, Aviana is here.'

The woman laid on the bed, with a cloth on her forehead, was as white as the sheet that covered her and her head was propped up by a few pillows which emulated her pasty complexion.