Castles - Book 5 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Twelve

The breakfast room of the royal suite was silenced by the announcement: "The Princess, Jobyna."

Surprise shadowed Elliad's face when he saw Brian with Jobyna in his arms. It was obvious the girl was in great pain. Her face was gray, her eyes were sunken and her cheeks hollow. Beads of perspiration speckled her ashen brow.

Stepping close to her, Elliad took her hand solemnly in his, kissing it. Jobyna's eyes met with Ranée's icy stare. The young girl was in too much pain to notice, but for the first time, Ranée's gaze held fear.

"What happened?" Elliad queried.

"I fell and twisted my knee," she replied, her pained eyes saying, 'as if you don't know.' Jobyna tried unsuccessfully to stifle a cry as Brian placed her by the chair she was to occupy. She swayed and would have fallen if Brian had not steadied and supported her.

Elliad ordered Brian to carry Jobyna to a couch. He wanted to know if this was some kind of pretense. Pointing to a chair, he waited while Brian brought it close to the couch. Sitting, he said, "I need to see it."

"No! Please don't!" she cried, struggling to sit. Elliad pushed her back, beckoning his mistress. Ranée sat on the couch, pressing her shoulders down. Jobyna was in too much pain to struggle. She felt her skirt and petticoat being raised.

"Get Sleven, Brian," Elliad commanded.

"Clear the room! You too!" he declared, giving Ranée a push. He sat, waiting until the room was empty. Jobyna saw Ranée complying reluctantly. She backed away, upset at being dismissed so rudely.

"Did I do that?" Elliad asked, adding, "Speak the truth."

"My leg twisted when you pushed me," Jobyna replied.

Elliad walked to the door and peered into the corridor. Closing the door softly, he crossed back to the couch. Taking his prisoner's limp hand in his large one, he whispered, "You made me very angry last night. I wanted to hurt you, but not like this."

Misinterpreting his words as an apology, Jobyna thought his injury must have changed him drastically.

"I was going to tell you after breakfast that you can write today to your brother and ask him to send you King Leopold's Gospel Book. I'll have some messengers take your letter to the nearest Frencolian knight they can find." He put his finger to her lips. "This is just between me and you." She nodded dumbly, believing she was dreaming and her ears were deceiving her. This was the first kindness he had shown her since his great pretense of playing John the doctor, back in Frencolia. The thought of being allowed to write to Luke made her able to smile through her tears.

"If Luke sends a letter, will you let me read it?" Jobyna questioned.

"But of course," he replied, frowning as he raised his finger to his lips. Footsteps resounded in the corridor. "Sleven is the best doctor I have ever known." Patting his shoulder, he continued, "He fixed this and says it will be good as new soon."

Brian entered the room with the doctor, who bowed to Elliad. Jobyna recognized Sleven as the man Elliad had spoken to about removing Berg's arrow, the one who uttered those fateful words, "I have done all I can."

"So, this is the little princess I've heard so much about." His accented voice was cheerful. He looked at her face then at Elliad, "Don't they feed you very well? Or don't you eat what they give you?" Not expecting an answer, he pressed the swelling on her knee firmly and prodded it this way and that, making her writhe and moan from the pain.

"What happened?" his kind voice questioned.

"I fell backward. It twisted," Jobyna answered, her voice void of emotion.