Sitting on a king sized bed, Max remained confused, but perfectly still as he curiously watched a slightly panicking Master Mage busily cast one healing spell after another.
The Duchess had arranged for a room as soon as they had arrived. The decorated chamber was twice the size of Max's apartment on Earth and comparatively much cozier. Translucent silk curtains draped over the windows, letting the mellow sunlight grace the room. Covering a polished marble floor, a thin carpet, designed to act as a perfect insulator for the cold winters, was beyond comfortable for the feet. Exquisitely carved wooden wardrobes were placed on the side, not a speck of dust on them.
Employed by the castle, Steve had come running into the room soon after Max had settled in. Unusually agitated, he had promptly examined Max's wounds and begun treatment, his wand emanating a soft light as he dealt with the numerous flesh wounds. Broken bones were the hardest to heal, but mastery over healing spells made it easy to dampen the pain.
Max felt his chest lighten, finding it much easier to breathe. "Thank you Steve. I feel much better now." He flashed a smile and said.
"Are you sure?" Steve worriedly asked, "Maybe I should cast another round just for safe measure."
"No. Really, I'm fine now." Max replied with a strange look. Despite its power, healing magic still had its limitations. It could only repair and regenerate to a defined extent. The last stage of recovery always depended on the afflicted victim's body.
As a Master Mage and a proud graduate from Ancient Rune Academy, Steve had never lacked confidence in his own abilities. But today, for the first time in years, he had a face to face with the Duchess. The strength of her aura, her grim gaze... together, they had overwhelmed him. Never had he experienced such fear. Her orders were absolute. "Heal the boy." She had said which instantly left him scrambling towards his patient's room.
After another re-examination, Steve felt relieved. He had done all he could. While secretly questioning Max's identity, he left. For the Duchess to be so worked up, just who is this boy?
Max had never been so comfortable. The cool room, the warm blanket wrapped around him and the soft bed. The combination was enough to rid him of all discomfort. For reasons he couldn't understand, he felt a sense of security and let his guard slip. Sighing, he fell into a trance, reminiscing about the handful of people he had left behind on Earth, a wry smile on his face as a face flashed in his mind. "Who would have thought that there would ever come a day when I would actually miss that sorry excuse of a Godfather?" He muttered.
Soundlessly tiptoeing in, Sarah stood to the side, wistfully staring at Max. Her lips arched into a smile as her thoughts raced. 'Has he remembered something? Should I ask him?' Snapping out of her daze, she let out a small chuckle. "How are you feeling? Did Steve do a good job?"
"Uh, yes." Suddenly cognizant of her presence, Max sheepishly answered, "Physically, I should have no problems."
"That's good." The long awaited conversation between the two doppelgangers was cut short by an old man in a suit. Davis walked into the room, hurriedly approaching Sarah and whispering into her ears. Frowning, she said to the man, "Thank you Davis. But, for now, he stays here!"
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Davis had a serious dilemma. The Duchess's command ran in direct opposition to the Duke's.
"But the Duke –"
"I will speak to Joseph!" Sarah cut him off.
"I – I understand." He could only relent.
Sarah apologetically smiled at Max. "I'm sorry." She said, "Something important has come up and it looks like I'll have to keep you waiting a while longer."
YOU ARE READING
The Envoy of Darkness
Fantasy"Everyone loves a good fantasy, but my life was turned upside down by one." What would you do if you had the ability to control the air? How about if you were suddenly brought to a world where, despite your powers, you're at the bottom of the food c...
