A Little Chat

"Colvyr!" Aurora screamed. She lunged to retrieve the child and disengaged his teeth from the old woman's nose. The action cost her dearly as her injured arm and leg screamed in pain.

Like a recoiling spring, she snapped back to her chair with the tot in tow. Devrim was there to catch the boy, and, with his body, stop his wife's backwards momentum so that she did not fly out of the chair. The rest watching did not even have time to react as they looked on the whole scene in shock.

"Naughty little boy. We don't bite people!" The Empress scolded through pain as she hugged her body.

Colvyr fussed and squirmed, trying to find his way back to the old woman on the bed as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Let the little one alone. He is probably teething again…"

Every head swiveled to the bed. Nanny's eyes were open slightly as she rubbed her nose. Thankfully, the child's attempt to get his caretaker's attention had not broken the skin.

"Nana!" Colvyr cheered, happy to see his scheme had worked.

"Hello, you cheeky little angel," the woman pretended to scowl.

"Nanny," Aurora echoed the boy. "We are so happy to see you awake! How are you feeling?"

Although she was finally conscious, Nanny's voice was thick with slumber. "I feel like someone clawed out my insides." She looked down, remembering the events of two nights ago. "I suppose they did." The woman coughed and groaned. Her mouth felt like cotton.

Seeing her need, the doctor rushed to her on the opposite side of the bed. Holding the large glass up to the lips to slake her thirst, the Doctor helped her drink as much of the healing water as possible. However, he was overeager and after a moment she pushed the cup jerkily from her mouth.

Almost as much water flew out as had gone in.

"Do you mean to drown me?" she spluttered.

Unable to retain control, the doctor dropped the cup in his hand. Water went spilling across Nanny's body, soaking her nightdress and the blanket covering her.

"I'm sorry, Nanny. My intention is always to heal not--" the doctor stopped as Nanny held up her hand.

"Look away, Your Majesty. I need to change my gown." Nanny said to Devrim, with a tone of command that only she could use on the Emperor.

Devrim stiffened and tightened his grip around Colvyr. "Anna and I will get you fresh clothes and linens right away. I am glad you are awake, Nanny. We all are."

Nanny harrumphed, but there was a softness in her eyes that showed she appreciated the kind words. When the lady-in-waiting, Emperor and prince were gone, Nanny spoke more softly. "I do not want to alarm you doctor, but my stomach is tingling. I would me most grateful if you took a look."

The fact that Nanny was being so polite worried the doctor more than he would admit. With a calm demeanor, he lifted the Councilwoman's dress and furrowed his brow. Aurora craned her neck to see.

"What is it? Oh!"

Where the water had saturated, the wound looked less angry. The tiny droplets seemed to have absorbed some of the purple sickness from the edges of the gash before being stained nearly black.

"Is it still tingling?" the doctor asked. He took a cloth from the night table and began dabbing at the blackened water. The skin underneath looked much better than it had before.

"No, it has stopped now. Though my pain is less than it was. What happened?" Nanny tilted up her head to see her stomach. However, since she had no idea what everything looked like before, she had no way to know that this was an improvement.

"Of course! The healing water can work topically. I have always valued its internal healing remedy and never used it on minor wounds. Who knew it could work outside the body as well?" The doctor's face shone with revelation. He had made a great discovery, or so he thought.

Aurora, on the other hand, felt very guilty. "I knew, doctor. When Devrim was badly injured by the griffin, we placed him in one of the rivers of in the land of magic. His wounds were gone before he drank. I suppose I never mentioned it before, because there is always so much else going on whenever we need the water."

The doctor did not even really seem to hear her. He nodded and tapped all his fingers on his forehead. "We need a lot a healing water. Some for both of you two and also for Fate Hanna."

"Why do you and Hanna need water too?" Nanny asked quietly. Then she realized that the Empress was not sitting in a regular chair. "You were attacked as well! Why are you up and about? Get back in bed this instant, young lady."

The old woman would have scolded her former charge further if the water in her newly quenched throat had not caused her to choke and cough. When she had finished the bout, Aurora tried to comfort her.

"Yes, I was attacked by a second wolf creature, but I will be fine. So will Hanna. There is no need to mother me from your sick bed." Aurora turned her eyes back to the Doctor and returned to the subject at hand. "You said you need more healing water. How much do you have?" The Empress raised her eyebrows.

"Not much, I am afraid. Although I have a larger supply since the University stopped needing it for experiments, I have been using almost my entire allotment on the patients from the attack. The next amount from the elves is not due until the next season change. The fairies are supposed to bring some with them for us. I do not think we will make it that long."

"I will send a message ball to Brinn and King Ithel to apprise them of the situation. We will get more water soon. Until then we will bide our time and hope for some natural healing."

Devrim, Anna and a few servants and healers returned to clean up the water and Nanny. Colvyr was noticeably absent from the Emperor's arms.

"Where is the young prince?" Aurora asked with a hint of concern.

"Velia is finally feeling better and ready to take over her duties again, or so she claimed. I made sure that three other nursemaids attended Colvyr as well." Devrim rubbed his wife's shoulder as he kept his back to Nanny while she was changed.

"Velia is alive?!" Nanny sounded shocked. As she laid back on the bed, she explained. "I was sure she was a goner when that thing spoke to her. How did she survive and protect the prince?"

"Velia's leg was broken by the wolf. It was Hanna that protected Colvyr... Wait! Did you say the wolf spoke?!" Devrim's jaw dropped as the realization hit him. "Velia did not mention this."

In fact none of the people who had survived the attack had mentioned the wolves speaking. The general feeling was that maybe the creatures were not capable.

"What did he say?" Aurora held her breath.

Nanny closed her eyes for a moment to focus. She was suddenly felt very tired. "Where is he?"

"Who?" the doctor asked.

"No. That is what the wolf asked Velia. He wanted to know where the prince was..." Nanny's voice trailed off as she fell asleep. The doctor checked the woman's heartbeat and gave the Emperor and Empress and encouraging smile.

"Let her rest," the physician said quietly.

Devrim grabbed ahold of the wheeled chair and the two rulers, along with Anna and the doctor exited the room. Nurlan, who had left the bedchamber to guard outside the door during Nanny's changing, joined them expectantly.

Aurora stopped him. "Guard Nanny until you can get someone you trust to take over for you. Then meet us in the Council's room."

Nurlan bowed and did his mistress's bidding without question.

"We have to protect everyone involved," she mumbled more to herself than anyone present.

"Agreed. On that note…" Devrim lowered his voice so only the two people closest to him could hear as the moves down the hall. "Anna, can you go and retrieve Colvyr quietly and take him to your quarters for a while. No one will look for him there and perhaps your own children would like a playmate for the afternoon. I will send extra soldiers to watch over you, of course."

"Absolutely, Your Majesty. Thank you for your trust. I will act with haste." Anna curtsied and quickened her pace ahead of the royals. She hoped to get the child out before what she assumed would come next could occur.

Devrim slowed down slightly and addressed one of the soldiers in the hall. "Find Captain Caleb." The Captain materialized a few corridors later. "Caleb, I need to you bring the nursemaid Velia to the Council's meeting room. We need to have a little chat."