The tough decision

"Are you feeling alright? You look exhausted. The healer did not do anything to do, did she? Do I need to kill her tonight?" Nicole asked as she entered the Vizier's camber once again.

The other seemed relaxed but uncomfortable, shifting around to find the best possible position to lie down and it made Nicole's heart rest in her throat.

Did she do something bad by bringing the healer here? Had she deceived Nicole with her sweet words?

"This bed is not very comfortable but I was too ill to notice. Now that I feel better, my back refuses to settle down on something this uncomfortable" The Vizier complained but she seemed happier than ever.

It made Nicole relax.

She did not know what came over her to disclose something that private with the healer but it seemed as if her faith was not misplaced.

"So, what did you think about her?" Nicole probed, trying to find more about the situation.

There had been a few minutes where she had left the other two alone and it made her curious. What could they have discussed in that time?

"She's the real deal. I don't think even the commission's healers could match her. Not the ones my money could buy at least. Makes one wonder what someone like her is doing here. Not to mention her objective for being here. Total insanity"

Nicole could not guess the look on the elder's face. Was it awe? Or was it confusion? There was too much there.

"So, we can trust her?" Nicole asked finally. She did not want those twisted words aimed her way.

"Her will is genuine so I say we trust her for now. But we need to be careful. This healer, she's a jewel we need to hoard if we want to shape Oreta into our ideal place. As long as we have her here we can make the other three bend to our will easily" the elder seemed to be plotting.

Nicole chose to stay silent as the storm brewed inside her.

Was the healer this important? Nothing she did had seemed like a big deal and it seemed worlds apart from anything the commission's healers did.

"I will order the soldiers to keep an eye on her" Nicole proposed to the elder but got wide eyes to look and a strong hold on her arm instead.

It hurt, her wrist. The other had gained enough strength after only one session.

"Deploy another way that would not alert her. We cannot afford to let her become suspicious" Nicole could only nod with wide eyes as the other calmed down and laid down in the bed.

"I understand. I shall keep an eye on the healer myself. I assume I need to bring her here tomorrow as well?" Nicole asked and the elder nodded and turned away from her.

Nicole knew what that meant and she left the other alone.

Her relationship with the elder Vizier was a weird one. She loved and resented the elder in equal measures and those feelings often clashed inside her chest.

The other was someone who had made this place better, if only marginally, but it had been enough to gain Nicole's attention. She had decided to support the other at last because that had been the lesser of all evils.

Who knew it would have ended up like this?

Now, what should she do? Should she warn that healer about the Vizier's plan and let things progress like this? What should she do?

"My Lord, please guide us further. Please let nothing happen to this city that we all love and cherish" there was no answer to her prayer because gods were unaware of them all.

Otherwise, why would they leave people of their world to suffer unequally?

The night sky was dark but no star shined in it. The clouds had started to form in the night sky, likely in preparation for an incoming storm in near future.

A flood warning would need to be issued throughout the area since the drainage system was damaged from the last devil breakthrough during maintenance.

Sleep sounded like a good idea for now. Tomorrow will come soon enough.

Nicole fell asleep as soon as she reached her room…

…and woke early. It felt like she had just gone to sleep, her body protesting the abuse she put it through but she ignored it for now. There was work to be done.

There was no sun in the sky, the clouds making everything darker than necessary but she could tell it was near noon.

She had overslept today and needed to hurry up.

"Are they inside?" The guards on duty were not the same pair from yesterday but they recognized Nicold anyway.

"Yes, mam. The three guests were limited to their quarters as per orders. Should we let them out now?" the guards looked nervous as she approached them.

"You can go now. I will take over from here" the guards seemed relieved to be let go and Nicole tried to pay them no mind.

"You are late. Iris said you would come early but it's near noon already" the dark brown-haired, shorter female asked.

"Diana, don't anger her" her partner, the light brown-haired female scolded before bowing to Nicole in apology.

"Iris, she's here already" the first female did not look happy at her partner's gesture and soon left the place to call the healer out.

Her partner looked startled at the behavior and glanced at Nicole in a studying way. Good, at least one of them seemed like they had situational awareness.

"You are finally here? Good, we shall go now" the healer made her way outside as well, her clothes much more practical than the heavy robes from yesterday. It made her look softer, mellower, and cuter….

….not that she had looked bad yesterday. She just looked more comfortable today.

"Hey. What should we do when you are gone the whole day? You cannot expect us to stay here the whole day" the first female complained, her voice loud.

"Do what you want but stay in the compound. If you go outside the area controlled by the Visier, then you are on your own" the only reason Nicole was willing to tolerate those two was because of the healer.

But it had to end somewhere and dealing with any extra trouble those two cause was not part of the deal.

"You can go to town and look for something to do there. I'm trusting you to follow what we discussed in the morning" the taller female nodded while the shorter one looked confused.

"Wait! What are you two talking about? I demand to be involved in this" there seemed to be a story there.

A story Nicole did not want to know.

"Let's go. I have a new technique we can use on the Vizier to help her recover faster" the healer, no, Iris spoke. Her tone seemed softer and friendlier than yesterday.

It was still chilling though.

"Of course. Let me grab something to eat and then we can head to my lady. Have you had lunch yet?" Nicole could not help but ask as she looked at the other.

It had just slipped out and all she could do was curse her mouth for slipping that sentence past itself.

But the other seemed not to notice her slip.

"Let's. I would also like to not get caught in the incoming rain. Also, move around and I will treat the body pains you are having" Nicole quickly turned around.

She did not want the other to see her humiliated face. She knew she was red in the face and the heat seemed to rise as the other touched her back.

This was not good at all.