Chapter 24   Awake

The room was packed with medics and healers from all the kingdom. The aroma of medical herbarium filled the air. Dozens of bottles with different tonics and infusions occupied the tables and dressers in the chamber where Am laid unconscious. People went in and out the dormitory constantly: the king, the queen, Lord Roderick and Prince Alaster.

The healers restricted the visits for Am's condition was delicate. Only Jocelyn remained day and night next to her daughter's immobile body.

Three days passed since Am's sudden blackout in the Masquerade. It was a big commotion. A second after, Lord Roderick was carrying her up to the stairs and Prince Alasther guided him to the dormitory she was now occupying. They tried to revive her, applying thousand things, but everything was in vain. The maiden was subdued in some kind lethargic state. Her breathing had decreased day after day as well as her pulse. None of the medical crew convoked by the king could find or even guess the reason...or the cure.

The medics examinated Am periodically. They prepared potions and tonics every minute trying to wake Am up. Jocelyn cried her daughter feeling frustrated and impotent.

Lord Roderick didn't leave the castle, offering all his gold and possessions to the person who could wake her up. He looked in a deep distress. His eyes were red for the lack of sleep

and sorrow. The duke walked up and down the hallway feeling despaired. He had sent for medics or healers from each corner of the kingdom and its borders.

Lord Roderick often contemplated Am and how her body had decayed so quickly in the last three days. Her face appalled and her skin became translucent with sickness.

King Ataro and Queen Cephora also felt anguished for the maiden's condition. Both of them came every then to get reports from the kingdom healers. They tried to comfort Jocelyn, who attempted to stay calm, but she couldn't bear watching her only daughter leaning inert in that bed. The royals put all the kingdom's resources in her hands: medical and monetary.

Prince Alasther went in and out the room. He hadn't slept in three days and he could barely eat. The handsome prince felt irritable, and his annoying fiancée bothering him with the wedding theme, exasperated his temper even more. She harassed him constantly. 'Can't she understand that I just want to be alone... with Am...' Alasther thought.

He felt as worried as Lord Roderick. In fact they competed for space and time in the alcove Am rested. Both of them exchanged infuriated stares every time they met in the dormitory. Their silence spoke more than their words. It was a war for the leading role, but Alasther knew he was losing his spot. Lord Roderick was more friend of the family than he was. The duke conversed with Jocelyn with ease and she trusted him. And now he was betrothed to a woman he didn't love... a woman not like his beautiful Amalthea who seemed to be losing her fight for staying in this world... with him.

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That night, the prince went straight to his chambers without eating dinner. He just wanted to escape from the pesky Lady Katharina. She was talking about wedding invitations and gowns and he was not in the mood for that. Now he was standing by the big glass window in his room, looking to the clouds that suddenly covered the stars making it extremely dark. His memories flew to the moment he first saw Am, walking in the salon looking so radiant and alive... and now she looked so pallid and aghast. He felt the urge of leaving his room and going to Am's... and finally so he did.

He knocked the door gently. "You can come in." Jocelyn said. Her voice sounded harsh with drowsiness, for she hadn't slept either in three days. The medics had gone for the night and she was alone with her daughter in the room. She was about to stand up to greet the prince but he interrupted her.

"Jocelyn, no, please, remained sit. You look tired. Have you eaten?" Alasther spoke softly to the woman.

"No, I just can't your Highness." Jocelyn spoke in sobs.

"Why don't you go and refresh yourself. Go to the kitchen and tell the maids to prepare you at least a tea. You are going to faint or get sick too... I'll stay with her until you come back." The prince proposed.

"Yes, I think I can have a tea and bring some more water and towels. Thank you Prince Alasther. I will be back soon." And Jocelyn left promptly the room.

Alasther sat on the edge of the bed, next to Am. He could feel the coldness of her still body. He grabbed her hand gently and caressed it. It felt the total opposite to the warmth and softness of her skin when he first danced with her... or the tenderness of her naked body that day in the river.

"Oh my my beautiful Amalthea... I would give my life for yours now if I could! What is the origin of this illness? What evil has befallen upon you and wishes you to take you away from me! Oh my God tell me what can I do to bring her back to life? I wish only to see me reflected in those green eyes again as I lean closer to you while holding your hand. Let me be spelled by your voice again. Amalthea, I want you alive. I need you with me... Because now that your spilling through my fingers like thin sand I've realized how much I care for you. Now I know that what I feel for you is love", the prince whispered, his voice broken while he caressed agonizing girl's face.

It was improper by all means, but Alasther needed to lean closer to feel at least her feeble breathing. The handsome man got closer, and closer... and then... he kissed her. The man pressed his lips softly on hers. A tear rolled down his face to feel them cold and lifeless. Motionless, then he studied her face waiting, wishing fervently for some reaction on her. But this was not like in fairytales. The fair maiden sleeping didn't wake up with the true love kiss. She only laid there, no sign of reacting to his kiss whatsoever and that broke his heart. The lump in his throat got thicker to see that Am's life was vanishing and his with hers...

The next morning, the room was filled with the medical crew again. They were giving her infusions by mouth or putting ointments on her forehead and chest. Other measured her pulse and heart beats and made observations and took notes. This was something they've never seen before. The beautiful maiden had been in that lethargic state for four days.

"Just let me pass. I can be of help to the flanna if you allow me!" A female voice yelled from outside the room. Queen Cephora and Jocelyn looked at each other. The queen moved towards the door opening it "What is this all about! Who is this woman screaming in my castle? Don't you see we have a sick person in this room?"

"Your majesty," a servant kneeled to the queen  "This woman is a healer. She says she can cure Lady Amalthea."

Cephora studied curiously the woman. She was dressed in garments correspondent to the clans of the kingdoms beyond the sea. She didn't look as a healer, but more as a witch.

"What is your name?" The queen asked.

"My name is Maev... and yes, I am a witch."

"And you dare to come here! You know witchcraft is condemned in this kingdom?" The queen spoke defiantly.

"You have a dying girl here in this room, don't you, Queen Cephora? I came to help, since you called for healers... I came to heal." The old woman answered firmly.

"Fine, let her pass." The queen commanded.

The woman walked in the room and stood by the bed's feet. She looked at Jocelyn, who stared at her with fear. "Don't be afraid... She will live. It is not the time for Flanna to depart from this world." The woman addressed Jocelyn giving her a smile.

Maev took a blue gem from a bag she was carrying. She walked to stand besides the bed, very close to Am's body. She did some sort of ritual, extending her arms and lifting the stone up in her hands. The she started chanting in some ancient tongue and passed the stone over Am's body, starting from her head and down to her feet.

Maev spoke. "Someone tried to silence her voice! Hate and evil are possessing her entrails... She has been poisoned! A powerful sorceress casted a spell on Flanna to make her silence!" The witch turned to some of the healers and commanded. "Bring me just good herbs: lavender, chamomile, rosemary and sage." None of them moved a finger. The woman reacted furiously. "Don't you want this nymph from to wake up! I need those herbs now to help her!"

The queen commanded. "Do as she says. Get the herbaria in this instant!"

Immediately, the herbs were delivered. Maev mixed all the herbs in a mortar and crushed them. She then applied the paste on Am's forehead and chest amongst chants and praying in ancient tongues. Next, she grabbed Am's right hand and commanded. "Wake up Flanna! Wake up from that sleep!  Evil is not in your body anymore. Wake up Flanna. Wake up!"

Everybody was astonished. Jocelyn started crying loudly with joy... Am opened her eyes...