Travel Through Time

Travel Through Time Chapter 21

  "We're being watched, and if I'm not mistaken, he will have a wound on his cheek" the Prince squeezes my hand "Un."  I haven't seen Un but I guess he is around, "I will have to leave some knives in your quarters just in case I forget mine" I mutter.  "I will have some brought to my room" I lean in and brush my lips against his cheek.  "The eyes have gone" I whisper, we reach Consort Suk's palace and enter into the courtyard.  His Mother is sitting in the garden, we greet her and she smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes.  We sit and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand again, I pick up my cup and look around.  I see movement from a roof top in another courtyard and I jump turning my back in the direction of the movement.   I cry out as an arrow hits me just below my right shoulder blade.  I hear Consort Suk yell something and then the world goes dark, I come to the surface of consciousness a couple of times but each time the pain makes me fall back into the black pit. "Why is she not waking up?" I hear a familiar voice say. "The Royal Princess has made it through the dangerous time.  We just have to wait now and keep giving her the medicine" I hear feet moving away, I fight to open my eyes as I don't want the Prince to leave me.  I groan in pain when I try and move my right arm, my left hand is held and I feel the warmth it offers. "She's waking up" a female voice says close to me, my hand is passed to an even warmer hand, this hand I know and I fight to open my eyes.  The room is bright and I blink, "thank goodness" the Prince says and puts his forehead to mine "you scared me again" "sorry" I rasp.  He closes his eyes breaths in and then kisses my forehead, he lifts a cup to his mouth and then pulls my chin so my mouth falls open a little and puts his lips to mine and gives me the water held in his mouth. "Thank you" I smile my voice is still a little raspy.  He lifts the cup to his mouth and then gives me some more water. "That's enough I'm still here" I here a female voice says, the Prince sits up and I see his Mother standing there. I try to get up but grunt and collapse the pain from my back radiates through my body. "Don't move" the Prince scolds and then glares at his mother, I squeeze his hand and he look's back at me again.  I tell him to stop it with my eyes and his soften, "I'm sorry for worrying you" I tell Consort Suk. "I'm glad you survived.  Please come and visit me when you can get up and about" I nod "I'll take my leave" she bows her head and leaves.  As she leaves through the main door, Keon-hi peeks around the side door "has she gone?" she asks thickly.  The Prince nods and she comes into the room and stands by the bed. "Your talking?" she smiles and nods she strokes my cheek and tears come to her eyes.  "Sorry for scaring you" I say again she shakes her head and strokes my cheek again.  "Stewberry milk?" she say's "strawberry milk" I correct she nods and I nod my head.   "Can you help me sit up?" I ask the Prince. "No, the doctor said your lung was effected so you have to lay there for a few more days" I pout then ask "how long was I out?" The Prince looks upset as he says "5 days, the arrow carried poison as well, thankfully the doctor was able to identify it from the smell on the arrow head and made the antidote."  I take in what I've just learnt, no wonder I feel sore all over, I think. "Gruff voice look, at the people around him" I say before feeling the weight of my eyelids forcing them to close.  I wake up when it's dark, with the Prince laying next to me with his arm around my waist.  My throat feels dry and scratchy, I cough a little, which wakes the Prince. "Do you need a drink?" I nod and he gives me water which I swallow while he kisses me.  He gives me some more and I get another kiss after he has given me the water. "You need your medicine, Hun" Hun comes in with a bowl on a tray, I wrinkle my nose at the smell.  Hun bows and leaves, the Prince takes some cooled medicine in his mouth and gives it to me.  He does this a few times, "would you like some strawberry milk to take the bitterness away?" I nod and he gives me some milk, "thank you" I feel my eyes closing "a little water" I ask and I'm given water which I swill around my mouth before swallowing.  I smile as I feel darkness take me again.  I wake again when the sun is high in the sky, Keon-hi is sitting next to the bed. "Hi" I greet her, she smiles and holds up a letter for me to read. "My dear wife, I have some work that cannot wait.  I will be back soon, Keon-hi has a straw so you can drink your medicine and water.  Love your Prince.   I smile at the letter "thank you, can I have a little water?" Keon-hi picks up the medicine first and I drink that, making her laugh at the face I pull at its bitterness.  I then have some water, Hun comes in and bows "broth Royal Princess, the Royal Prince also gave me this to help you have it" he picks up a bamboo straw.  I nod he puts it on a table, bows and leaves.  Keon-hi blows on the broth to cool it, "how is your tongue?" I ask "bether" she says "better?" she nods "have you taken the leather pouch off?" she shakes her head no, "you will be able to talk better and eat more things" I tell her.  She holds the bowl and straw for me to drink.  I have a little "no more thank you" I look at Keon-hi "will you let me take it off and look at your tongue?  I promise it will feel so much better with it off" I try and reassure her.  She nods her head and I know she is a little scared, I give her hand a squeeze as she sits on the side of the bed and leans closer.  I try and not wince as I move my right arm, she sticks out her tongue and I undo the tie and gently remove it.  I can see the red scar but her tongue is now mended "wow, it looks great Keon-hi even if I do say so myself."  I pass her the leather pouch "go and look in the mirror" I encourage.  "Alright" she say's clearly and I can see the surprise on her face.   I watch her go to the mirror and look at her tongue, she turns around with tears streaming down her face.  I try and get up and fail, so ask "what is the matter?" She walks over and lays her head on my chest "thank you" she says and cry's.  I stroke her back and let her cry.  When she is just hiccuping, she lifts her head and smiles. "Say Un" she looks at me "Un" her voice is clear and sweet.  There is a knock and then Un opens the door "did you call me?" he asks, I shake me head and he frown's "Un" Keon-hi says Un blinks then turns his head away and clears his throat. "I'm feeling sleepy again can you walk around the garden with Keon-hi she has been stuck in here far too long?" I suggest.  I smile and nod to Keon-hi and she stands up and walks to the door where Un seems to be frozen. "Un?" she says "yes I would love to walk around the garden" I hide my smile as they close the door after them.  I tighten all my leg muscles one by one and then all together as I've been laying down for far to long.   I tighten my stomach muscles but that is all I can do, so I try and do my arms. I can only do my right hand as everything else hurts, I feel my eyes getting heavy again and welcome sleep as I hope the next time, I open my eyes my Prince will be with me.  I wake up to the feel of lips brushing mine and smile when I see warm chocolate eyes.  "Hi" I'm kissed again and he nibbles on my bottom lip.  "Can I sit up now?" I grin when he nods his head and pushes a board under the mattress and then slowly lifts it up and rests it on a long niche in the head board.  I'm so happy to be sitting up or nearly. "So much better than just laying on my back" I feel my shoulder ache but nothing to painful. The doctor wants to look at your wound and change the dressing, "do we have honey here in the Palace?"  I ask he nods "if you get some honey, we won't need the doctor you can change the dressing, it has to be a jar of unopened honey.  I will be mended in know time" I reassure him.  "Hun" Hun comes in and bows "yes your Majesty" "please go and get an unopened jar of honey and go and get some clean dressing.  Tell the doctor he no longer has to come and see the Royal Princess" Hun bows and exists the room.  "I have to read some reports would you like a book to read?"  I nod and he walks over to a shelf and takes two books from it, picks up the tray with reports on it and brings them back to the bed.  He gives me the books and places the reports next to the bed.   He climbs on and leans against the foot of the bed.  I pick up a book and read the title 'the night scholar' I open it and start to read.  Time passes and I really start to enjoy the story of a Prince that has left the palace and helps the poor by robbing from the corrupt officials.  I look up and see the Prince looking at me. "Did you look at the people around gruff voice?" I ask he nods "his illegitimate son, we found him camping out in the woods that is close to the back-boundary wall of the palace.  There was another person found with him near death from a feasting wound" he reports "wound on his thigh?"  I want to know, he nods and I close my eyes "why didn't they get a doctor?" I cry.  The Prince calmly tells me "they didn't want to ask for help in case we had people watching the local doctors or fear of the doctor reporting them.  You are not to blame they started this" he finishes and rubs my foot. "Have they been locked up now" I ask he nods and I try to read some more of my book. "Medicine time and then you can have some more broth" I'm told.  I wrinkle my nose but drink the bitter medicine and then drink the broth.  "Your Majesty I have the items you wanted" Hun calls "enter" he carries the things in on a tray bows and places them on a small table.  He takes the two empty bowls away that I've just finished, bows and exists.  "Do you want to lean a little way from the bed or lay down on your side?" "Lean a little away" I answer, he picks up the tray and moves so he is beside my right side. I lean a little way with his help and he pulls my top down so he can see my wound.  He unwraps the bandage from around me and I hear the sharp in take of breath.  "Am I going to have a horrible scar?" I turn my head and ask, just in time to see a big tear roll down the Prince's cheek.  "No, don't please" I beg he leans his head on the top of my shoulder.  "Why did you jump in front of me?" his voice sounds thick with pent up motion.  "I did it without thinking, the thought of you being injured or worse propelled me to act without hesitation, just like you would do for me" I explain.  "I've been in hell not knowing if you would wake up" he whispers "I really am sorry that I worried you so much.  I am a healthy young woman it is going to take a lot more than that to bring me down" I try to reassure and lighten his heart.  He kisses my shoulder just above the wound and then cleans it and pours the honey on a clean cloth then wraps a bandage round and secures it. "There all done, I have medicine for the pain if you need it" I shake my head "the honey will help heal and the pain" I answer.  I can feel my eyes getting heavy again, "here let my lower you down again" he lowers the board and makes sure I am comfortable before climbing over me. "Do you have more reports to read?" I ask "no, all done I'm going to wash up and come to bed" I nod and let my eyes close.  I feel him climb into bed on my left side and snuggle in with his arm around my waist. "Night beautiful" he whispers and kisses my cheek I smile and fall asleep.  Our days continue with the same routine while I recover.