Pharaoh's First Love

40

Shelyn weakly opened her eyes. So blurry but she knew his voice. Arms weakly reached out to him. And further mumbles about a dream. Two men and black horses. A letter and a fire. Now Shelyn had not left him except this morning to come here and guards can vouch for letting her in. The doctor who found her too. There is no way she had time to start a fire on the other side of the palace. Not to mention no one truly believed she was blessed since it went against Calion. But the goddess who blessed her was a symbol of life. Beauty. Killing her parents would be the opposite.
But isn’t it normal Shelyn would be connected to things of life and beauty like nature?
"Pl..ease..." she whispered.. "don..t send me away..." she begged.
The nurse enlightened him to the wilting of the flowers, the air seemingly popping around them just before he arrived, how it potentially seemed to be emanating from Shelyn herself. Leaving Calion to further wonder to what extent this girl had power. And was it a curse as what was looking to be the case? Still, he doubted it. Also, if Shelyn had such abilities surely, she would have used them when she was held against her will by Mirien and her servant. Or have used powers to help heal Helm or keep them safe.
“I’m not sending you away as punishment. But Helm has potentially done something to bring trouble, not only to himself, but your parents and yourself. Two victims have been taken today and I do not intend to allow a third. You’re in no state as of now to tend to Helm and it would be best, we allow the doctors to look over him until such time that he can awake and answer questions. Your own… sickness is concerning as well. You can hardly keep your eyes open, what good do you think you’ll be able to do for him? Additionally, have you been using your powers?” He asked a simple question. He needed to know if she did these things by will, or if they merely happened out of her own control.
The nurse also informed him of the concubine touching Shelyn. Though she said nothing else on that topic.
Shelyn pulled his head closer leaning his ear to her lips were she replied that she didn’t know. And again, begged not to be sent away.
Yun now came to the room. "Brother? There is a problem...we can’t find the doctor's wife...her body is nowhere to be found...some of the people say that saw Shelyn being carried off on a black horse.."

Again, something Shelyn wouldn’t know. But she told Calion moments ago about black horses and two men. A letter and a fire. But here she was in his arms. The only other woman was her mother, who had blonde hair and pale skin.
So, had Helm truly done something? Or was he being set up? Was his mother kidnapped or did she go along?
Calion was silent for a moment, wondering to himself as to what may have happened. Did the people who kidnapped her mother think she was Shelyn? After all the mother was quite a bit younger than her father. So not only did it seem these people after Helm were willing to commit arson and then murder, but now also abduction.
“I want the palace sealed from visitors until further notice.” He said to Yun, forgetting about their petty brotherly feuds. “Keep Jin by your side. Send a troop of six out on horseback in the direction the black riders ran off to and have them scout for tracks. I imagine they are not yet done if Shelyn and Helm are still alive and I wouldn’t be surprised if there is another attack in the coming days, that being said…” He shifted his eyes over at Helm. “There’s only so much life I’m willing to sacrifice to save one who brought this upon themselves. It’s imperative Helm wake up and tell us the truth… or…” His gray eyes looked to Shelyn. Quietly wondering how much /she/ knew and how much she was keeping from him.
Calion was a shrewd leader. While he’d prefer Helm to heal to keep Shelyn happy he didn’t necessarily think it was worth saving the male’s life if it meant others would have to die. And depending upon what Helm did the male might not be worth protecting to begin with. All he wanted was to keep Shelyn, whether Helm and her mother were rescued would depend.
Yun nodded and hurry to put his brother's plan into action. Luckily his brother was nearsighted. If it all went as planned Shelyn would be crawling to him in no time.
Shelyn's arm fell limply back to her side as she fell asleep once again. Her sweating had stopped, and her breath had calmed down again. Her dreams were empty though she still tried reaching out to Helm.
Of course, Helm was unreachable. Again, he grunted in discomfort. The nurse moving to his side to check him. Giving him water and calling to him in attempts to wake him. Withholding the medicine so that he might wake rather than be forced back to sleep.
"Mister? Can you hear me? Randal? I need you to open your eyes please."
The nurse spoke clear so he could understand. Trying to coax him out of his sleep.
“What exactly is wrong with her?” Calion asked as Shelyn passed out again. It didn’t quite make any sense as she seemed fine just yesterday and this morning. He was growing a bit perturbed over the situation. He wanted answers, from either her or Helm and both conveniently were passed out while their own family fell apart.

“And can’t he be woken up? A shot of adrenaline perhaps? I get he needs his rest, but it won’t kill him to be up for five minutes, and it would probably take some stress and worrying off Shelyn as well.”
And then there was Mirien he had to consider; it was disconcerting the woman would go so far as to violate Shelyn while she slept. After all, if anyone was going to take her it would be Calion. Granted, he likely needed to have a conversation with her to truly inform her as to Shelyn’s status. She was a servant yes, but… he wasn’t going to necessarily treat her like the common girls that came into his harem.
His eyes laid fixated upon the nurse as they were the only two actually awake within the room now, undoubtedly the nurse likely was nervous. After all she was stuck in the room with the pharaoh who could at any moment ask her to perform the impossible such as fix Shelyn or wake Helm. Not to mention the rumors that spread of him laying claim to anything he deemed he wanted at a particular moment.
"I...I am trying my lord...the doctors said he probably wouldn’t wake soon. I have withheld the medicine in hopes he can wake up for a moment...but I can’t promise it won’t put his body in a great deal of stress..." she looked at Calion then to Shelyn. She did a few passes on the girl. And checked what she could.
"It seems she simply fell asleep finally...her fever has passed. It might be easy to wake her to get her to eat now if you want to try. But the doctor noted she was to stay in bed a few days to ensure she ate and drank properly."
She continued before writing down a few notes.
"How about I go see if I can find oatmeal? I hear she really likes the kind the cook makes. Unless...you know she would love something else my lord?"
She was trying to put her lord in good spirits.
Yun would simply need to wait until his brother left before he finished would Helm off. He needed to be sure he did it when Calion sent staff away. That way it’d look like Calion was responsible. Then Shelyn would hate and blame him. Pharaoh killing off valuable decorated soldiers. And Yun rid of all the people in his way that keep Shelyn from being his.
“Applesauce, with some strawberries cut up in it. I have a feeling she might like such things.” Calion said, sitting by her bedside, lightly tracing along her arm with his eyes focused upon Shelyn. Truthfully speaking he was mildly annoyed with the commotion taking place. There was a war going on and it seemed as if now all that chaos made its way into the palace.
He lost two good doctors today, a soldier who may or may not be a traitor, and now even his new servant who he’d taken less than 24 hours ago, and she was passed out from stress and worry, completely useless in such a state. His patience would eventually wear out, but for now he would wait. Truthfully, he was looking forward to time spent with Shelyn, but figured she wouldn’t be able to fulfill her ‘duties’ as a servant until Helm was awake. Furthermore, now Shelyn would likely need to tend to her own brother’s recovery… taking even /more/ time away from her duties serving the pharaoh.

“I should just move you to my room while you rest… this room is uncomfortable and at least there I can tend to you myself…” He mumbled, figuring she wouldn’t hear anything as his fingers moved to lightly caress along her neck.
The nurse nodded and bowed then hurried off.
Shelyn gave a soft shiver. It tickled. Just a bit. Enough to make her stir some. At least the bruise on her neck was nearly faded away. Her blonde hair in tangled waved from not getting a chance to comb her hair yet. A shameful state she left herself in. To allow him to see her in. But she was just so tired.
Helm finally gave a discomforted hiss as his hand moved up. Or rather tried too. His eyes fluttering as he tired focusing on where he was. The over asked question, "where...am I?" Passing his lips in a cracked, dry tone. His booming deep voice seemed weak. Something that wasn’t him, if that makes sense. "What...am I doing here?"
Calion’s brow rose as his attention was stirred to the sounds of Helm. ‘Well, about time…’ He thought to himself, standing his tall frame up and leaving Shelyn for the time being. It’s not as if he minded her hair in a mess, there was something attractive about her looking the part of a servant when he knew deep down, she was blessed.
“Helm.” Calion said, walking to the male’s bedside. “It is your Pharaoh. You’re currently undergoing some treatment after suffering what appears to be a brutal attack. I need to know what exactly you’ve gotten yourself into. Your family’s life is at stake, including Shelyn’s. You would do well coming forth with what you know if you want me to protect them.” He said, keeping the fact that his father had died, and mother had been kidnapped a secret for the time being. If Helm cared for them, he would likely be forthcoming to the Pharaoh so that Calion could put in place measures to protect all those he could.
“You’ve angered someone, already we’ve suffered attacks by people after you. And if they can’t have you… they appear to be going after your family. Naturally I won’t give Shelyn up so easily, but I need to know if you’re worth protecting as well.”