The Prince of Ilios

Forty-Eight

River flipped through the pages of the books. She was on her sixth one, frantically looking for something anything that would give her a clue on how to heal Ellora's wound. Books were stacked all around her as Ellora sat slumped on a medical bed. Her breathing had become labored.

"Any luck, River?" She asked raising her head.

River continued flipping, "Not yet, but there are three more books I need to look through." She glanced up as she closed the book after she had finished the last page, "Ellora, you look awful."

"Thanks, Riv." Ellora had begun sweating a few minutes ago, the pain becoming overwhelming, making her sarcasm come out full force.

River went back to the books, even more worried, "I am hurrying, just hold on."

"Sure, not much else I can do." Ellora was getting lightheaded, she flopped down onto her side as her pulse throbbed in her back. Today had been an awful day for her health wise. Not only had she almost given herself a heart attack on the training grounds, but now she had a mysterious burn on her back. Bad luck.

The door flew open. Ellora opened her eyes to see Nicola come through and a sheepish Ava behind him, Oh no.

He rushed over to her, "What's going on, what happened, you were fine not an hour ago?"

Ellora knew there was no real point in hiding it anymore, "Cyrus."

"What do you mean, 'Cyrus?'" He echoed her tone.

She turned painfully over, drawing her hair up above her shoulder.

He faintly touched the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder, and turned her toward the light. In contrast to her blazing sweaty skin, his touch cooled her. The pain receding to a dull ache. She heard something like a growl, "Nicola, what's done is done."

"Hardly." He went to smooth his hand through is hair, but remembered he was wearing his crown. He ground his teeth, "There is a scorch mark, and you look like death."

She rolled her eyes, shivering from the sweat and Nicola cooling her, "Better me than someone else, I guess."

His jaw clenched and unclenched in frustration as much from what had just come out of her mouth as from Cyrus hurting her. Nicola tried to cool his temper. He did not want to make too much of a commotion, "Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Stop acting like you are expendable." He took off his crown, no longer being able to hold back the urge to sweep his hand through his hair, he could fix it later.

Ellora stood unsure of what to say.

"Prince Nicola, she's been saying the most rediculous things. It's like she is part delirious. Her skin is burning up, her face is red, pulse quick from the pain. She just began sweating." River explained.

He nodded, her real thoughts were coming out unfiltered and not in any certain order, "Since the day I met you, you have been throwing yourself into one foolish situation after another, masking it as bravery or loyalty. You are constantly willing to cave in to other's intentions or dreams, even at the cost of yourself. I understand that you care about people deeply, but it's too much."

She swallowed hard. Ellora had been told all her life that others came first, that was the best way to serve her people. She wasn't about to give up that idea to a pompous, arrogant Prince who was just beginning to know her, "I'd rather care for people deeply than throw fits in my ivory tower and pretend my life is too hard for anyone else to understand. All the while, while people in my land are starving or dying for some ridiculous cause like the Union." Her voice filled the room. Immediately, she covered her mouth. She knew it would get her into trouble one day, but she did not think it would be here or now.

"Glad to see you are doing so much better, that you would tell me what you really think of me. Sorry to have troubled you." Nicola looked like he had thorns stuck in his mouth. Instead of even responding, he just shook his head, jammed his crown back into his brown hair and marched away. Thunder and Lightning echoed all around the Palace. Ava and River looked at the scene stunned.

As soon has his hand left hers the heat came back full force and she screamed in agony.

"Found it!" River announced triumphantly. She began collecting the herbs off the shelf.

"What is it?"

"It is a tea. It won't heal the burn, but it should help with the pain. I'm sorry, Ellora, I looked as hard as I could and there was nothing about this sort of burn. You said he only put his hand on you, but the burn is an intricate design, I don't want to mess with it too much. It could be a curse of some sort."

Ellora half laughed, half cried, "Great, can you mix it with something stronger than tea though?"

Ava patted Ellora's hand worriedly. Ellora drew her hand away, every touch was burning. All except for Nicola. She shook any thought of him out of her head, she was not going to go begging for him to ease her pain if River could give her some medicine to help.

"Drink it whenever you have pain." She handed her the finished cup of tea.

Ellora sniffed it and took a sip, "I may look like death, but this taste like it."

"I could always take it away."River replied, moving toward her.

Ellora choked the rest of the concoction down in two gulps. She'd rather be rid of the pain.