Chasing The Cure

Chapter 10: One Step Closer

Archie read the letter over and over again. Sammy found his cure. Archie knew he would probably never see Sammy in this lifetime again, but at least he was alive and well now. Archie had been avoiding facing his father, but now he had some good news to convey to him. He was sure that the old man would love to know that his son was still breathing.

Another thing caught Archie's attention. The mention of the Western doctor, and how Sammy said that her touch was magic. Archie figured that maybe Sammy was not being literal, but that he considered it magic just because she somehow managed to miraculously cure his illness. However, the capital had the best physicians in the entire nation, and if they could not treat Sammy, or even figure out what kind of ailment was killing him, then what did she have that was so special?

Archie was convinced that it was magic.

Archie exhaled deeply, he did not know where Sammy was, so he could not write back to him. He could not ask him where this doctor was, but this gave him more of an incentive to look for her harder. Archie could not wait to tell Kenric about this either. He knew Kenric would not be pleased upon hearing Sammy's name, as he still had not, and probably never would forgive his friend for letting Archie get lashed.

But that did not matter, what mattered was that they finally had a lead. A lead that they needed to follow.

Archie was still in his head as he finished his work and picked up his bow and quiver, heading over to the place in the forest where he usually practiced. He was supposed to meet Sir Christian there too, who was already waiting for the stable boy as he set up targets.

Sir Christian was taking part in all of the tournaments, and whereas he was a good shot, he was nowhere near as good as Archie and probably needed more practice than the stable boy. Though he told Archie that he was more interested in jousting, anyway.

"I heard that Lord Blake is participating in the tournament too," Sir Christian muttered as he shot an arrow at the target marked on a tree, missing it by a few inches. "I cannot wait to watch him lose."

"Should I know who that is?" Archie questioned, sitting down on the grass.

"Just a very, very arrogant noble. He has never fought in a single battle yet considers himself to be some valiant warrior," Sir Christian scoffed. "As if. I know men like him. He would be running with his tail tucked between his legs the moment an enemy charges at him."

"Wow," Archie chuckled. "You really do not like him, do you?"

"He always likes to remind us how in King John's times all knights had to be of noble blood," Sir Christian muttered. "He treats the few of us that come from 'lower class' families as if we are dirt. Like we do not deserve our title."

"That's bullshit!" Archie exclaimed, furrowing his brows as he felt offended on behalf of his friend. Sir Christian was a brave soldier and a good man. There was nobody that deserved being a knight more than him.

"Tell me about it," the knight muttered. "Anyway, I am certain he will be taking part in the archery competition, and the moment you beat him...oh how I wish there was a way to capture his reaction. If I could memorialize it forever then I would."

"I shall try my best," Archie shrugged casually. He did not want to seem cocky or overconfident, but he really wanted to win against whoever this Lord Blake was. Just to see his face as he loses against a commoner, out of everyone.

The two men practiced mostly in silence after that, and Archie's mind once again drifted to Sammy's letter. Even with the ball and the tournament right around the corner, what Archie cared more about was finding a way to break King Godric's curse.