The Tigers Tale

Chapter Three: Secrets Revealed

Ragnar stormed into the physicians chambers, walking over to a table placed in the centre of the room where corpses or ill people would usually lay. Ragnar laid his son upon the table, the boy was sweating profusely as his breathing was fast, his eyes closed and his face contorted in pain from whatever had happened to him. Behind Ragnar was his old mistress Elise and the elderly physician Holda, who rushed to the boys side on the other side of the table to Ragnar who now had Elise standing beside him. "Alastair? Honey? Talk to me..." Elise said with pain in her voice, she could not stand seeing her son in so much pain.

"M-Mama.. It hurts.. I-I'm burning..." He said in between his fast breaths and groans of pain as he gritted his teeth together to hold back the sound of his pain, trying to be brave. The young boy literally felt like he was burning up from the inside out, like a fire had started inside of his body and began to spread throughout his young body. He couldn't take this pain, it was endless.

"Alastair, can you open your eyes for me young lord" Asked Holda as she was ready to look into his eyes, trying to see if there is a trace of illness. It took a few seconds before his eyes opened, revealing that they were not bloodshot so she can rule out illness taking over him. "It is not illness" The older woman declared as she looked him over some more. She picked up one of his small hands in her old wrinkled hands, as she examined his hand she noticed his fingers are absolutely bright red under the nail as if he was literally burning up from the inside out, causing blood to boil and the cells close to the skin brighten unnaturally. "My lord... Hugo!" She called and in rushed her apprentice who ran to his mistresses side. "Go fetch my encyclopaedia of poisons" She instructs and Hugo does so.

"Poisons? Are you saying someone has poisoned my son!?" Shouted Ragnar with anger in his voice as he stared at his Physician. The thought of someone poisoning his son? Such a young boy... Who would do such a thing?

Holda spoke as she continued to look down at the burning up bastard prince. "I am not sure milord, it is a possibility but we can not be sure" She informed him as she continued to check every little mark on the boy.

The apprentice ran to the bookshelves where many books sat, it took him a minute of searching before pulling out the right book and running back to Holda. "Here we go, what poison are we looking for madam?" He asks as he opens the book to look for the cause of the young bastards suffering. As Holda began listing off various symptoms Alastair is suffering, Hugo continued to look through the book for the correct type of poison he was looking for. It was then that he saw it, nearly to the end of the book meaning this was a new type of poison, only recently found out by the world. "Here madam!" He shouted to tell her that he had found the correct poison or so he believes, he then shows her.

Holda took hold of the book and looked over the passage. "Demons Tear..." She mumbled to herself as she read over what is written about this plant. "Yes.. Yes this is the plant used as a poison.." She said to herself in a gloomy voice as she placed the book on the table beside young Alastair.

"Right, so you can cure him right Holda? You can help him?" Asked Elise with hope in her teary eyes.

Her eyes were however met with Holdas own dread filled eyes. "I... I am afraid not lady Elise... This plant is so newly discovered that no cure has actually been discovered for it yet.." She spoke with such a low tone while regret came over her, regret that she could not save the young lord.

Elises eyes widened with horror as she began absolutely weeping, her head burying into her sons chest. The sounds of her cries filled the room completely. The King on the other hand stood there in a frozen state, staring at his boy. He didn't know what to do... He was going to lose his son... No, no he would not. "There must be a way" Ragnar said, determined as he looked over at the elder woman. "There is always a way, I don't care if I have to go down to the devils pit itself to get a cure!" He shouted out.