Old Wounds

On the next day, Alana is sitting on the deck of her bedroom reading a book while Zain is sit on her side also reading a book. 

Alana looks down to the front yard, Baron is walking on the front and Leo and Francia are following behind him, and Dante behind them to keep them watched. 

Alana can't deny that seeing Francia made her want her to inflict pain on her attacker, but it won't make anything better. She pities Francia more than anything else. 

Leo looks at Alana, then bows deeply in a sign of appreciation. Francia has a quiet and blank face, but when she looks at Alana she shows her mixed feeling on her face. 

Francia follows her father's lead and bow deeply as well. 

- You can leave now. Remember, Leo. I appreciate your partnership and you're always welcome. But your daughter is forbidden to step in my kingdom. - Baron speaks. 

Leo nods. 

- Thank you, Baron. I appreciate. She won't come here again. You're always welcome in our Kingdom too. - Leo says. 

Alana watches them walking away.

- Is something bothering you? - Zain asks Alana. 

- I always knew that royal families could be harmful and do horrible things. I just didn't imagine they could get so blind. I hope they start making good choices now. - Alana answers. 

- The illusion of power is like an addiction to the wrong person. When someone is raised with power and having no limits, this person can be more dangerous than a dragon. - Zain says. 

- It's true. I hope that if we have kids one day we can raise them to be good people. - 

Zain smiles. 

- You will. I'm sure of it. - 

—--

After a few more days Alana is fine and capable of walking around again. The people from the castle is happy to watch their Queen fine, even more because Baron is visibly calmer with her. 

Alana decides to go to the kitchen, make some snacks and bring them to Baron, who has loads of accumulated work from the time he was taking care of her. 

She knocks at his office's door and goes inside when he approves it. 

- You don't have to knock to come in, love. - He says, with a tender smile. 

It's so good to see her fine and healthy again. She carries a big silver trail to his table and shows him the snacks. 

- Made some snacks. Hope it can help you have more energy. - She says smiling at him too. 

- You made these? - 

Now he's curious to try them one by one. 

- Yes. I was bored since I still can't train or take care of my garden. - 

He wraps her waist with his arm and brings her to his lap. 

- I'm sure I'll enjoy them. Even more with you here with me. - Baron says and kisses her cheek. 

- Can I try one? - Dante asks from his corner. 

- Sure. I brought some for you. Imagining you would be here. - Alana answers. 

Baron takes a little plate and put only a few snacks on it and pushes it to Dante, making Dante laugh understanding the message. 

- All right. All right. I'll leave. Thank you either way. - Dante says, taking his plate and walking out of the office. 

Alana feeds Baron and hears about his worries and plans. Now he shares everything with her, and he loves to feel calmer with her and hear her opinions. 

They hear a knock and Zain comes inside, followed by two other males behind him. One wears dark gray long vests and he has dark blond hair and a short beard. The other has a black hair, tied in a ponytail, and he wears dark green vests. 

When they look at Alana, they're amazed with her energy. The same way Zain reacted when they first met. 

Baron didn't like to see two males staring at her. 

- King Baron. These are Garon and Tales. They're both my wizards I trained since they were kids. Garon is a leopard and Tales is a crow. They're the ones I told you that I would call to keep Alana safe. - Zain speaks. 

- I see. Welcome to Galard. I don't need to present My Queen to you, I think you already presumed. - Baron says hugging her waist and pulling her closer in a possessive way. 

- Her energy.. - They softly say. 

- It's huge. I know. She's the Phoenix. She is still learning, but she learns fast. - Zain speaks. 

- It will be our honor to protect you, Lady Alana. - Garon says bowing to her, followed by Tales. 

- Queen Alana. - Baron corrects. 

Even if he knows Alana loves him, and he had proofs enough of that, he still doesn't feel comfortable with men that has a clean of scars face talking to her.

- Alana will become his Queen. - Zain tells them. 

- I think I never saw a more powerful couple in my life. Even in books. - Tale says, impressed. 

- Either way, our objective will be teaching Alana and also keeping her protected. Being Queen of Galard is already dangerous, but also being a Phoenix will call even more attention. Her life was already put in danger when a jealous ex of Baron attacked her with a poisonous dagger. - Zain says and Baron growls at that last remark, making Zain chuckles. - Her identity as a Phoenix is unknown by others and we must keep that way. - 

- Yes, master. - Garon and Tales speak. 

- I was going to ask about that. Because we heard in other cities that the Dragon King will marry a Witch. They just didn't mention she's a Phoenix, but people imagine she's powerful enough to have caught the Dragon King's interest. - Tales says.

- I imagined that the word would spread soon. As long as no one knows her true identity. - Zain speaks. 

- After winter we will be going to visit Veridia Kingdom, prepare yourselves to come with us. - Baron says. 

- Not wanting to meddle on your decisions, but do you need to bring her on your diplomatic visits? - Zain asks Baron. 

- She's safer with me. But in this case we're going there to rescue Alana's family. And I'll also put King Argus in his place because he's making movements behind the curtains against us. I need her to confirm their identities and also show me places she knows that might be useful for me to know in Veridia Castle. - Baron says. 

- I understand now. Good. We will be ready. - Zain nods and smiles at Alana. 

Zain knows her past and he imagines she's happy that Baron will rescue her family. After talking a bit more, Garon and Tales left the office. 

- Zain, can you try seeing if there's a piece of something in my old scar now? Not sure if it's because of what happened and the way I fell that day, I feel that it's like a needle poking me. - Alana says. 

- Sure. It will be better doing it now that it is still bright. - Zain speaks. 

- I'll go with you, then. - Baron says. 

- I'll be fine. I don't want to bother you with something small. - Alana tells Baron. 

- You're small, but not in my heart. - Baron says with a smile. 

- Oh.. Smooth. Love does miracles indeed. - Zain says walking away. 

Baron rolls his eyes and Alana giggles hugging his waist. 

In Zain's room, Alana lays down with her back up and she raises her shirt until they can see the specific scar. 

Zain examines it and touches it, and she feels the sharp pain when he pressed it. 

- Yeah, I'm sure there's something there now. - Alana says. 

- I think your body is trying to push it out naturally after being healed as a defense healing process. Your whole body was being healed after being poisoned otherwise. However, I'll have to cut it open to try to find whatever it is inside. Nothing is showing outside besides the scar. - Zain speaks. 

- I imagined. You can do it, I can heal afterwards. I just want to get rid of this annoying needle. - 

- All right. You really are not afraid of pain. - 

Zain cleans the area, Baron holds her hands and they're impressed she didn't make a sound. She just pressed Baron's hands tightly. 

Zain takes a bit of time exploring the cut and that is making Baron impatient. 

- Nothing yet, Zain? - Baron presses. 

- Wait.. - Zain says, concentrated. 

Finally he could hold into something with a little tweezer. He pulls it outside and they gasp when an actually long metal thing left her body. 

- Oh Gods. It's so long. Looks like a metal barb. - Baron says. 

- This happened after being whipped with a metal wire. So it might be a metal barb indeed. - Alana speaks after giving a relieved sigh. 

She heals and Zain cleans her back again so she can dress again. She checks the barb and gets shocked. 

- It is the size of my pinky finger. That's why it never stopped hurting. I'm happy this is out of me. Thank you, Zain.  --She says. 

- You're welcome. - 

Alana feels great now that she's not feeling a needle poking her back anymore. Now she can focus on healing entirely because she wants to return to training.