The Vagrant King

Chapter 10

After Regulus left, Julan was kept in the bedchambers. The sleeping tonics wore away eventually, and Julian was left with the silence of more hours in an empty room. The guards and servants did not speak to him beyond simple pleasantries. The doors to the balcony were forced shut with a thick chain. Any possible weapons had been removed while he slept. Even the iron fire pokers were taken. Julian spent his day exploring the bedchambers. The door to Regulus' study remained locked.

Percy, the castle physician, visited to deliver tonics and ensure Julian did not faint again. When Julian had battled a fever after his imprisonment in the windowless room, Percy was a steady presence at his bedside. The healer had once seemed grandfatherly and kind, quietly taking care of Julian without complaint. Julian's opinion quickly changed when Percy had silently followed Regulus' order to poison Julian into a deep slumber even as Julian begged him not to. Julian now found the old man odd, creepy, and another mindless disciple of Regulus' tyranny.

"Are you still feeling dizzy when you stand suddenly?" Percy inquired during one of his afternoon visits. Even in Regulus' absence, he had kept up the pretense of caring for Julian. It didn't last long. Whenever Julian grew too argumentative, Percy mumbled an excuse about visiting another castle resident and left before Julian could lose his temper further.

Julian was sitting in an armchair by the hearth, his feet propped on the footstool. "It has only worsened since you poisoned me," He said sourly.

True to his stoic nature, Percy did not acknowledge the biting remark. "Is strength returning to your legs?" He asked, smoothing down the front of his sensible brown surcoat.

"How should I know?" Julian shot back, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "I cannot walk anywhere. No one will let me out of this wretched room."

"The King was worried about you overexerting yourself in his absence." Percy said, turning away to prepare the ingredients for yet another foul-smelling elixir of roots and strange flowers.

Julian jumped to his feet and moved next to Percy, determined not to be ignored this time. "But he's gone." Julian insisted, watching Percy stir shavings of an orange root into a light brown liquid. "No one knows when he's returning from the Eastern Isles. It could be ages from now."

"Hush, boy." Percy responded calmly, tapping a little silver spoon on the rim of the chalice. "Don't fret. He'll return soon enough."

Julian huffed in irritation and turned away, running his fingers through his hair. He felt a sudden flare of loathing for Percy, the pathetic, old man. In Regulus' absence, Percy had become his gatekeeper, his tormentor, the only thing standing in the way of freedom.

Julian observed Percy out of the corner of his eye as he quietly stirred the potion and pretended nothing was amiss. Julian hated him. Perhaps more than he had ever hated anyone.

"I don't know how you live with yourself." Julian declared brazenly, watching carefully for Percy's reaction. "The King is a madman, and you follow his orders like you have no spine. I'd rather kill myself."

Julian noticed with grim satisfaction as Percy's shoulders stiffened. Percy didn't say a word, but he tapped the little silver spoon a little harder than necessary against the cup's rim.

Julian had not yet had enough so he sidled up next to Percy and rested his hand on the table next to Percy's tinctures and vials. "Honestly." Julian lowered his voice as if sharing a secret among friends. "Better to be a dead man than a living coward."

Percy shook his head slightly, but said nothing. He set the cup next to Julian's hand and began to pack his things into the leather satchel, strapping in the vials and placing the petals into tiny rucksacks. Julian watched him with growing irritation.