A Sorceress From the Future

Chapter Five

“I can help.”

My voice felt alien as I approached the round table. I felt eyes burrow through my petite figure but I had addressed only one person. Barry c****d his head sideways his face etched with an unfathomable expression. Luke had half dragged half carried me to where the council men were having a meeting. After the female servant, Shanela, had announced the devastating news, Luke had rammed his fist into the dungeon wall before growling like a behemoth. Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, Luke had unbound me. Along the hallway, he let out a disgruntled voice before mumbling a reluctant 'yes'. Apparently, we had a deal.

“Are we really listening to a sorceress? What if she is the one who cast a spell on the King?”

Banter filled the room as the members discussed the King’s fate. How could they waste time arguing while their leader's life hang in the balance? Shouldn't his life come first?

“Enough!”

Luke’s foghorn voice boomed across the room. With two quick successive steps, he was right in front of me his emerald eyes flickering with worry. For once, his features seemed, humane.

“We all know that their kind can conjure spells and remedies within a snap of their finger. What if this is a part of a bigger ploy? What if she tries to take over our Kingdom?  Perhaps the Ninth Order...”

There it was again, the preposterous chatter from the members. Did I really look as if my life goal was to rule over a freaking Kingdom?

“Shut up! All of you!”

The shock was evident in the air as Barry commanded silence, without stuttering, again. He then faced me, the familiar shyness returning to his features.

“Please, h-he is all we have. S-save him.”

I bobbed my head, never had I seen such profound love. Luke seemed to share the same sentiment as his brother, despite his apparent loath for me.

“Is there a private place where I could examine him? Also, I would need a number of ingredients and a set of tools in order to help him recover.”

“There are the physician’s chambers. I guarantee you will find all you need there.”

Luke signaled the guards to come assist him in carrying his father. 

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Growing up in a home void of love might as well be the worst experience in the world.  My father did not beat  me up  because I had tried to commit suicide but because I had failed to die. It was at the age of eleven that I developed my mantra, something to console me every time he brought pandemonium upon me. Puberty knocked in and my father took a new found interest in me, a vessel for drugs. I condoned it since he was my father, he was all I got. It was only until recently that I had finally turned against him, trying to end his reign of terror but the world was a cruel and unforgiving place or so I thought.

My thoughts hit a brick wall when the stench of herbs invaded my nostrils. Luke had been correct; this was a layer of all kinds of medicine. Luke and his men placed the King on a white linen bed with Lawrence and Barry in tow. Soon after, a man appeared from what appeared to be an inner room dressed in a brightly colored robe. He took a moment to scan the room before his eyes settled on me. I felt small under his scrutiny.

“Look at me child. “

I lifted my suddenly heavy eyelids to regard the man before me. He was old yet his kind face resembled that of a child’s. His chic and breezy nature reminded me of Prince, my all time favorite singer.

 Bouts of coughs filled the room causing both the physician and I to rush for a remedy among the laid down ingredients. Within minutes, I had crumpled down a number of plants and  added a solution making a  remedy for the coughs. The physician had tried to put a halt to the series of coughs  to no avail. I dashed towards the King, my mind working on alpha speed to provide a permanent cure for the illness. Shoving the remedy in Fin’s hands, I made my way to the back of the room trying to spot a set of tools I could use. At the moment, my thoughts were relentless on how to use ancient antiques as a modern means of administering medicine. As much as what I did resembled a form of sorcery, it was really just science.

“Any time now princess!”

Did Luke just use an endearing name to address me? The tips of my mouth lifted up as I spotted a clean needle and a plastic tool which when altered would take the shape of the hind of a syringe. My fingers worked effortlessly as I reshaped what I had to suit my needs.

“My sons…I do not have much time.”

“Hush f-father, our f-friend is m-making a remedy for y-you.”

The assurance in Barry’s voice made my heart swell and to add a cherry to the toppings, he had referred to me as a friend.

“I love you both so much…”

His voice faltered once more, the wheezing intensifying. His breathing became ragged and the physician tried to alter his resting position in order to pave way for proper air circulation. It all happened in slow motion, the King’s breathing evened, his arms falling limply on the bed. Barry began hyperventilating while shaking his father ferociously. Lawrence tried to calm him as Luke stood there completely frozen, his eyes flickering with anguish.

I dashed towards them muttering a prayer underneath my breath. For once in my life, I understood the concept of family. I understood love and that sparked a glimmer of hope in my heart, the human race was worth it after all . Plunging the syringe next to the King’s heart, I locked my palm with Barry’s.

 He immediately calmed down as everyone watched the syringe pushing the medicine inside the veins surrounding his heart. Two painful minutes passed, two long minutes of anticipation mixed with trepidation , everyone felt the weight of the looming  loss. If this didn't work...

“Son?”