Chapter 1
Time seems to move so much slower in the dark. My cell had no windows, and a solid iron door that let the barest amount of light through. It was cold, damp, and rats could be heard making their way around outside the door. The only way I could come close to marking the time was by when they fed me. Twice a day a guard would slip a small bit of bread and water through a slot in the door. That schedule was the second reason I knew something unusual was happening today. The first being that they opened the door fully instead of just the food slot.
A key turned in the lock and it clicked, the knob turning and the door opening forcefully. I wasn’t prepared for the light that came through the door as my eyes weren’t given time to adjust, so I was momentarily blinded and I turned away in pain for a moment. Looking back, I saw two figures standing in the doorway. One was one of the normal guards, but the other… a small, frail, elderly woman in a deep red robe that hung loosely on her body stood next to the guard. She spoke in a soft but commanding voice; that of someone who knows how to use their position of power.
“You are Liena Morrigan?”
“That’s correct.” I replied, biting my tongue before I could continue to say What’s it to you? A scar on my back tingled as I remembered what happened last time I made a crack at the guards.
“I am Priestess Meline. I understand that you are a practitioner of herbalism and alchemical medicine.”
It was true. I was the Royal Physician for the last ruling family, but since King Hemric was overthrown by the Captain of his Royal Guard I had spent the last… gods know how long in this cell. Long enough for… for me to have no one to go back to when I got out. I kept quiet, waiting for the Priestess to continue speaking.
“I’ll get to the point quickly as I detest speaking with heretics. A member of the Clergy, the son of the High Priest, is ill. He has contracted Agsidil. Every one of our healers has tried to cure him but to no avail. We do not agree with your practices, but they may be the only means of healing Master Osiris.”
Furrowing my brow, I looked at the woman incredulously.
“And why should I help you?”
Meline sighed, looking as if what she was about to say pained her greatly.
“If you assist us in curing Master Osiris, you will be granted your freedom.”
I scoffed. Freedom? It’s hardly freedom if I’m released into a Kingdom whose citizens are taught to detest me. However, I figured it beat sitting in this cell the rest of my life. Hesitating a moment longer, I gave my answer.
“Fine. I agree.”
“Excellent. Come with me.”
She motioned and the guard moved toward me. Placing an iron grip on my arm. The priestess exited the cell and we followed. We walked through a series of winding hall ways. I had momentary reprieve from the cold as we passed open doors, fireplaces burning within various rooms. Down a set of stairs and through a few more hallways, we finally came to two sets of doors side by side. The first were glowing blue with tables on either side on which sat white candles. The second were black with a golden glow. Tables sat on either side of these as well, but the candles were purple. Gesturing to the first set, the priestess spoke.
“These lead to Master Osiris’ room. The other set lead to yours. I will be taking my leave now, guardsmen Leon will get you acquainted. A servant will be sent in a n hour to make sure you look… presentable.”
The last part was accented by a disdainful look at my ratty clothes, matted hair, and too pale skin. The woman turned and walked back down the hall as the guard lead me inside. The room was nice, much nicer than any I’d ever stayed in. A desk sat immediately to the left of the door, a stone ledge sat to the right sitting perpendicular to a violet velvet couch against the right wall. On the other end of the room in the left corner sat a bed with fittings the same color as the candles outside and the couch. I couldn’t help but take note of the room’s primary accent color; The same color as my people held in such high esteem. I had no doubt the choice to display it so prominently wasn’t a coincidence. To the left of the bed was a full body mirror and across from it was a wardrobe. There were two sets of doors in the room other than the entrance. One on the left wall and one on the back wall. The guard denoted the left set as leading to the Clergymen’s room. Great, I’ll have easy access to him. The back set apparently lead to a balcony which might not have been so bad. The small tour finished, the guard left and I stood in the middle of my room thinking. I agreed to heal a member of the church… the Church of Toskaraia… the cult who backed the revolution… was I really going to be able to do it? Could I force myself to help one of those that killed them? Lost in my thoughts, I moved to the bed and sat down. I must’ve been more distracted than I thought because it wasn’t long before a knock came at the door, causing me to jump and snap back to reality. A loud crash and the sounds of coughing and retching came from what was supposedly the Clergymen’s room. Glancing at the door connecting the two chambers, I wondered what exactly I was going to be dealing with as I answered the knock.
“Come in.” I called.
The door opened revealing a tall, refined, white haired woman dressed in a simple but elegant servant’s gown in the doorway. She curtseyed to me and took a small step into the room before closing the door behind her. She carried with her the scent of lavender which filled the room. I breathed it in for a moment, not taking for granted that I wouldn’t have to smell the horrid scent of the prison anymore.
“Miss Morrigan, I am Duana. I was assigned to make sure you do not make a fool of yourself in front of Master Osiris.”
“Nice to meet you.” I said. Coming back to myself and quickly remembering the state I was in, I continued “How do you intend to make me not look a mess in a timely manner?”
“You are to be bathed and dressed in appropriate clothes. Your rags and current general… appearance are not suitable to meet someone of his status.”
“Speaking of which, how able to greet me is he in the first place? It sounded like he’s having a pretty bad time of it.”
“Oh? What exactly do you mean?”
“I believe you startled him. Sounded like the poor man fell out of his bed.”
“Ah, if that is the case, you’ll have to right him when you go in.”
“When I go in? Aren’t you coming in as well?”
“No Miss Morrigan, no one but those in charge of his treatment are allowed in due to the risk of spreading the disease.”
“Isn’t my being allowed to enter and exit his room carrying on that risk?”
“Normally it would, and in the past our healers have been made to quarantine in his room, but according to your records, and those violet eyes of yours which, now I see them in person, I must admit are a rather pretty color, tell me you are what your people call a… Druid is it?”
“Yes, a Druid.”
“Then I’m sure you can find a way to keep yourself shielded from him can’t you? It is my understanding that your kind practice some sort of witchcraft.”
While her understanding was… misguided, she was right. Being able to commune with nature allowed me to use it’s influence to temporarily resist contracting disease.
“I guess you have a point.”
“Excellent, now, if you’ll come with me.”
Opening the door once more, she motioned for me to exit the room. Following closely behind, she took off at a brisk pace I struggled to match, leading me down more corridors and coming to a set of simple wooden doors at the end of a hall. Pushing them open, Duana entered the room revealing a decent sized chamber housing a claw-foot tub filled with steaming water. I followed her in and she turned to speak to me.
“Now, if you would be so kind as to undress and get in, everything is prepared already.”
Complying, I removed what passed for clothes in the castle prison. Throwing them to the ground, I stepped into the tub and sank down, letting out a small groan. I hadn’t had a proper bath in what must’ve been months. Closing my eyes, I heard Duana moving around the room, stopping at the end of the tub by my head. She set about scrubbing my skin. Very roughly I might add. I guess it was necessary given the amount of filth that had built up on me, but still. Aside from that, it felt nice… until she had to comb my hair. My hair, that normally fell to the middle of my back in strawberry-blond waves, was a complete tangled mess, and was a dull crimson thanks to not being washed in so long. Duana had to wash it twice to make it feel clean again, before painfully running a brush through it, pulling large clumps of hair out in places where it didn’t go smoothly through. My jaw hurt from gritting my teeth, but I got through it and got out; drying off and being presented with clothes. She helped me dawn a black blouse and pants under a thick but elegant black cloak with silver trim. That finished, I looked at myself in a floor-to-ceiling mirror on the back wall, marveling at the change in my appearance. I looked much better than I had when I left my cell. The clothes hid my underfed body, and my hair was pushed cleanly back behind my delicately pointed ears. My skin, however, was still far too pale, and prominent shadows sat under my eyes. I also noticed I now had a natural hunch to my posture. Consciously trying to adjust my stance, I turned away from the mirror and looked to Duana.
“So… what now?” I asked.
“Now, you meet Master Osiris.”
Without another word, she turned and beckoned for me to follow her out of the room. We retraced our steps back to the Clergymen’s door.
“I have business to attend to. Please, do not embarrass yourself. Though, I guess if you do he’s not in a right enough state to remember.”
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me to my own devices. I looked at the imposing blue-hewed door in front of me. Steeling myself, I turned the knob and entered.
