The Healer

Chapter 6: Hubris Prince

THE CLANGS OF SWORDS, the sounds of punches and kicks, sweaty male bodies and the shining sun was what I get for a view in the veranda of my own room. Apparently, my veranda gets a perfect view of the courtyard where the Duke, the twins and the man I just healed from a snakebite last night, Davis Black, was practicing sword fighting. If this is what they do every day, then I can understand why they need a healer. I sighed.

I sipped on my tea and flipped the pages of my book. I have finished brewing the plants I got last night. I still need to do the finishing process and then it will be done.

* * *

Later that morning, I was right to stay in the clinic. Exene Magnussen came in.

"You seem to begin to feel comfortable here." he started as he sat on the sofa. 

"I did as you told me to, Your Grace," I said, standing up. 

He gave me a look. "Didn't I tell you to call me by my name?" 

"You did and I've thought about it and decided it would be disrespectful."

"Address me as you would of a fellow healer," he said as he opened a book I placed on the table. 

"You are a healer?" 

He closed the book and placed it back on the table. "I worked in a hospital before I became the Duke. I was a doctor. I gave Davis the antitetanus last night."

So that explains why Davis Black is so cool about going to a doctor because the doctor he's talking about lives in the same house.

"Then why would you need a healer? To be specific, your personal healer?"

"I am into modern medicine, you are into traditional ones. I must say I was impressed by your own made medicine when you treated my arm back then. That's when I decided, I must have this woman working for me." 

I shrugged. "Alright, Exene. Why have you come here? Is there anything I can help you with?" 

He raised his right arm. "I sprained my wrist." 

I could've retorted he can heal that by himself since he's a doctor anyway but I don't do that to my patients. Agad akong nagpunta sa kung saan ko nilalagay ang mga nilikha kong gamot. A poultice would be better. 

"I heard what happened last night." 

Hindi ako sumagot. Is he going to tell me how stupid I am for going into the forest like that at night? 

"Tomorrow, I'll ask men to start constructing the greenhouse." 

I whirled into his direction. "I can wait. No need to hurry. It was just minor trouble anyway. And besides, I have enough plants already so --" 

"The greenhouse is meant to be built anyway so why prolong it? And I don't want to hear you go into the forest again and put yourself in danger. I don't want to hear my healer getting into trouble or else..." he trailed.

I narrowed my eyes. "Or else what? Is that a warning?" 

"No. A reminder. Now, your patient is in deep pain because of a sprained wrist. Are you just going stand there?" 

Prick.

I sighed and attended to his wrist which was in fact covered with a brutal violet bruise.

"Where did you get this?"

"I was pretty sure you were watching us this morning. We were having a practice and Black hit my wrist."

"I was not watching you. You happened to practice in front of my room's veranda."

He shrugged, suggesting he does not believe it. I intentionally pressed the poultice harder on his bruise that he groaned a little.