Castle Butavia

Castle Butavia- Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Berdotte awoke as her maid Anna gently wiped her forehead with a cool damp cloth. As she tried to sit up she nearly passed out again as a wave of dizziness struck her. Anna caught her and steadied her then turned to Ria who was standing at the bedside.

"Here, girl! Hurry up and hand me that glass of wine you've been standing there holding all this time." She took the crystal glass from her and gently held it to Berdotte's mouth. "That's it. Careful now this is from your father's private stock. It's a little stronger than what you're used to."

Berdotte coughed as the strong liquor burned down her throat and settled in a warm pool in her stomach which quickly spread and began to warm her body from the inside out. She realized she was cold and she was hungry. Anna answered her before she even asked.

"Thank goodness you're awake child. It's been three days you've been asleep but I daresay that much activity would have tired out a grown man. Except for Charles, that man seems to have nerves of iron. I daresay he's not been troubled by anything, still goes about doing your father's business just as if nothing happened. Can't say the same for the other poor young man." Anna sighed sadly then nearly jumped off the bed as Berdotte grabbed her arm. Instantly Ria was by her side on the bed and holding her.

"What about him?", Berdotte croaked her voice hoarse from the alcohol and unuse. "What about him?" she said again as Anna didn't answer. She turned to Ria, tears pooling in her eyes. "Please tell me. Is... Is he..?"

"Shhhhh, Princess," Ria soothed as she held her and rubbed her back. "He's still alive. He just hasn't woke up yet. We thought at first your father had killed him with that blow or caused serious brain damage maybe a concussion even. Charles told us that it wasn't possible but he can't figure out why he hasn't awakened yet."

"Ria what happened after I passed out. "

"Well, we got you taken care of, Lord Alric, Malia and myself brought you here and she and I changed you." She smiled somewhat wickedly, Berdotte noticed the remark and blushed but she also felt a little relieved her friend still had her usual sense of humour. "After we kicked Lord Alric out of course," she continued. "You see, we could tell he wanted to stay and enjoy the view but we wouldn't let him. After we had you taken care of, I went to check on Charles to see how he was doing. Charles was doing fine almost as if nothing had happened to him. But...."

At this point she paled a little and stopped talking. Berdotte felt her shiver a little and hugged her back comforting her. "Go on." she urged gently. She watched Ria's face slowly return to normal and to her surprise there were tears in her eyes this time.

"Oh, Princess," she sobbed. "It was horrible. He was chained to the bed as Charles cut away his shirt. His back, it's all scarred, even the King was shocked. They took me from the room as Charles pulled the dart from his back. I found out later it was poisoned and Charles isn't sure what kind it was, or even if he got all of it out. I heard some of the soldiers talking, they said the scars were caused by Emirean slavers. He must have been captured when he was young. The King told me it was common for slavers to beat those they caught until they went mad. Sometimes torturing them for days until the person breaks."

"Help me get up, Ria. I must see my father and the rest and... I would like to see him as well."

Ria helped her get up and helped steady her as she was yet suffering the effects of the wine and wearisome from all that had happened. She led her down the hall towards her father's rooms, where they had taken Ember. Along the way they were joined by Lord Alric and Malia, Lord Alric taking her other hand, a move not well liked by the two girls with her. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and smiled at her. She returned it weakly then turned away from him but he brought her attention back.