In Times To Come

“They’re nothing but a legend now,” said my brother, finally breaking the silence.

“But they did exist! They could do so much; things that no one else could! They even-”

“We know what they did Sara!” he burst. He sat back down in his chair. “They did evil things; terrible things that they paid for with their lives.”

“They’re all dead anyway.” I looked to the end of the bed where Mikeal had sauntered up and taken a seat.

‘So even he knew about them?’

“No, they’re not,” I argued.

“How do you know?” he snapped back.

“Because it runs in families and, if you knew half of what you thought you did, you would know that not all of them were executed.” I puffed out my chest and pushed back my shoulders, satisfied with my victory.

“How do you know all that?” I looked at Benjamin with wide eyes. That was one question I had not anticipated.

“Lucky guess,” I said.

“You can’t guess that sort of thing,” he said angrily. “Who told you?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it quickly. The taste that erupted in my mouth was terrible.

“Swallow it,” commanded the doctor. I did as I was told. The bile burned my throat as it went back down.

Everyone was looking at me.

“I’m fine,” I choked toward Ben. I tried swallowing more in an attempt to get rid of as much of the taste as I could.

“Perhaps, children,” began Jace, “we should continue this discussion at a later time. As for right now, I would like her to rest.”

Benjamin nodded in agreement. Doctor Jace and Mikeal both gathered their belongings and headed for the door.

“Thank you, Doctor,” said Benjamin before they left.

“You are welcome,” he smiled. “Call me if you have any trouble.”

“I will,” said my brother, returning the kind gesture.

As the two walked out into the hall I could hear Zarek give his thanks as well. Seconds later, he and Captain Reed entered.

“I am glad to see you are alright, My Lady,” said the captain with a bow.

“Thank you,” I answered softly.

“Did you bring a map with you?” asked the prince.

“Of course, Your Highness,” said Captain Reed. He pulled out a large sheet of paper that had been rolled up and bound.

“Good.” He got up and took the map. “We’ll talk later,” he said, looking back at me.

They left to go discuss security and what-not, while I was left with Zarek.

“How do you feel?” he asked awkwardly.

“The same as I did ten minutes ago,” I said coldly. I could just imagine the lecture I would get from my brother later on. It made me glad that Zarek was not aware of my snooping over the last two days; he would probably be even angrier.

The room grew very quiet. Zarek had made himself comfortable in the chair beside the bed; leaning his head against the back and closing his eyes. He looked worn out. There was a twinge in my stomach, not from the pain, but from guilt; I had made him worry again-he and my brother. I didn’t like that.

I laid my head on the pillow and pulled the covers up to my neck, snuggling them against my cheeks. This quiet reminded me of back home. Zarek hardly said a word then. It was very peaceful. But if I was telling the truth, I would have to say I liked this Zarek better. He laughed when someone told a joke, spoke when something needed to be said, got angry when I did something bad. They were all things I had never thought him capable of. Seeing him do them brought a smile to my face.

He sucked in a deep breath beside me and let it out slowly. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought he was asleep. I grew up with him, though, and knew that he would never fall asleep like that, especially while I was lying here poisoned. It made me feel even guiltier.

It was hard to fall asleep with him sitting there. He wasn’t even looking at me, but I could feel my face become flushed with embarrassment. This is not how I wanted Zarek to see me; sick in bed. I wanted him to see the woman that I was. Yes, woman. I wasn’t a child anymore, even if I did act childish from time to time. That was just my personality, something I would never grow out of.

I turned my head ever so slightly to look at him. His arms were crossed on his lap and his legs were spread out toward the bed. His black hair flowed off the chair and nearly swept the floor. Out of nowhere, I had the urge to reach out and touch it, just a little.

‘As if!’ I yelled at myself. ‘I can’t reach it anyway.’

I pulled the blankets up past my nose and stared at the canopy ceiling above. After a while the swirl of the grain started to make me nauseas and I had to close my eyes. Being stuck in this bed was almost as bad as being poisoned. If there was one thing I hated most, it was being confined. I really wanted to go to the library.

‘The books!’

I moved as quietly as I could, trying not to alert Zarek. My hand swept under the blanket to my right and I felt the hard corner of a book.

‘Thank goodness.’ I sighed and relaxed in the bed. It was a miracle that no one had found them. I needed to return them as soon as possible.

I would have to come up with a plan before someone had the chance to see them, but my plotting would have to wait for later. Slowly, I was being lulled into sleep by the rhythm of his breathing.