The Violet Flamberge

Inferno Flamberge: Chapter 7

A/N: Hello again, please vote on the chapters and comment, especially if you see anything grammatical. Remember, this is a first draft and I haven't went through it thoroughly yet, but do let me know if you see something. Also, my novel "The Chronicles of Starlyn" has been released! So if you can, please go buy a copy. It's available on Amazon and Kindle for now, and will be available in the rest of the eBook stores in about 3 months if "Kindle Unlimited" doesn't end up being worth it for me. Please, please, please, leave me a review on Amazon for it, as well as goodreads! Reviews help me tremendously. Thanks! Links will be in comments!

Chapter 7

Taasheka sat by Starlyn's bed, holding a leather bound journal and quill. She took notes of each meal, sleep schedule, and strength carefully into the journal. She tried various mixtures of herbs, but noticed a significant change when giving Starlyn dandelion leaves and yellowroot. The mixture got her thinking and she began gathering beans, spinach, and dried fruit. Starlyn's improvement increased significantly, but not enough to be considered an iron deficiency.

Taasheka left Starlyn in the room in Sophie's care as she wandered the city of Legain. She carefully went over her notes, looking for anything that would have more effect on Starlyn's health. She'd gotten into arguments with Noraes about giving her meat, he strongly declined, stating her beliefs as a kheshlar. Taasheka knew Starlyn had some form of iron deficiency, and red meat would be the best way to get iron into her system. Without meat, it was much harder. Beans, spinach, and even broccoli had iron, but the body didn't absorb it as throughly as red meat.

She paused to look around her, studying her surroundings carefully, before pushing open the butcher's door. The business was empty except for the butcher behind the counter wearing a white apron stained red and a cleaver embedded in a wood cutting board in front of him.

"What can I get you, ma'am?" the butcher asked.

"Quality red meat. I need iron intake."

"Iron? You'll want venison then."

"Venison?" she asked.

"Yes. Deer and elk have the most iron."

Taasheka furrowed her brow as she bit her bottom lip. "What about beef?"

"Beef is high, but venison has as much iron as and and a half portion of beef."

Taasheka pressed her lips together tightly. She knew some about the kheshlars and their love for animals. In the knowledge she had, she knew they loved all the animals, but they had a special bond with deer. If she was caught feeding Starlyn meat, could she lie and say it was beef? She shook her head.

"Still, just give me beef. If it turns into an emergency, I'll come back for venison."

He nodded. "Do you want liver or steak?"

Taasheka raised an eyebrow.

"Liver is a little bit higher in iron content."

Taasheka exhaled slowly. "Give me two premium cut steaks and a small bag of livers."

He nodded. "Coming right up."

Taasheka left the butcher and went to the market to pick up coffee beans for Noraes. She stuffed the wrapped packages of meat in the middle of the coffee beans in her leather satchel before waling back to the palace.



Taasheka seared the beef and livers throughly before dicing them into small pieces. She tried her best to make the pieces as small as she could. She placed a large stainless pot on the stove and tossed the meat inside along with water, Lima beans, potatoes, carrots, and several other vegitables she could find. She hoped the mixture of the vegetables would hide the meat inside, but she imagined she would be fired before the day was through.

She made a large bowl of the soup and went into Starlyn's room to relieve Sophie.

"I know I was harsh to you when you first arrived, but I want to thank you for your help. I've seen an improvement since you've arrived, and the breaks from watching her are very helpful for me," Sophie said.

Taasheka smiled, wondering how the maid would feel when she discovered what she planned. "I just want to help."

Sophie nodded before leaving the room.

"Starlyn?" Taasheka asked.

Starlyn stirred in the bed, her eyes fluttering open. Her health had improved. She regained strength in her body enough to sit up on the bed.

"Taasheka? Where is Noraes?"

"He is away, tending to the kingdom. He will be back as soon as he is able, I assure you."

Starlyn nodded.

"I need you to sit up Starlyn, it is time to eat."

Starlyn groaned and held out her hand.

Taasheka smiled as she set the bowl on her chair and helped Starlyn to a sitting position. Taasheka handed over the bowl over to Starlyn. She accepted it with a frown before taking a bite. Her lips pinched together and she took another bite. Taasheka tried her best not to smile when Starlyn finished the entire bowl of soup.

"Your cooking has improved, Taasheka."

"Thank you."

"Do you have any more?"

At that, Taasheka's eyebrows raised to her hairline. "Yes, milady. I will make you another bowl."

"Thank you," Starlyn said.

Taasheka hurried to make Starlyn another bowl. When she brought it it Starlyn she finished it shortly as well, color returning to her face, making her skin tone from a pale white back into the kheshlarn pale blue. After eating a total of four bowls of soup, Starlyn sat on the bed full of energy.

"You need to stay in bed, milady."

"But I feel so much better. Let me get up."

"No, milady. You may ask Noraes when he arrives, but please don't get me in trouble by not listening."

Starlyn smiled. "Very well. Do you have anything I can do? Are there any books?"

Taasheka's eyes widened. Noraes does have a library, but I do not know if I'm allowed in there."

"Tell him I made you." Starlyn grinned.

Taasheka dipped her head. "As you wish."

She slipped out of the room and walked to the closed study door. She glanced around before carefully opening the door. Once inside, her jaw dropped. A single chair sat in the middle of the rustic room with a circular wooden table next to it. Bookshelves lined the walls all around the room to the ceiling with a ladder she could slide to access the top shelves. All the shelves were labeled with tags to determine what the books were about. She tiptoed forward, noticing the large window in front of the chair. Here, Noraes could sit and read while looking outside of his castle. Taasheka wondered if the books in the study were from the former king, or if Noraes had brought them all in.

The corner of Taasheka's mouth pinched as she wondered what kind of books Starlyn would like to read. She walked over to the history section and pulled out three volumes about the history of Legain, imagining Starlyn may be curious about the human city.

She quietly closed the door and raced to Starlyn's room. Starlyn grinned at her when she saw the books.

"You've found some," Starlyn said.

Taasheka's eyes grew wide. "I found a lot, milady. Sir Noraes has an entire library. I grabbed a few volumes about the history of Legain. I imagine you may be curious about our city."

Starlyn raised her eyebrows. "Yes, that does sound like something I would be interested in."

Taasheka handed over the books carefully. Starlyn eagerly opened one and began reading. Taasheka smiled before sitting back down in the chair to write in her journal about Starlyn's progress.