章 46: Who Is Tucks?
Fingers threaded through my hair as I slowly let my eyes drift open. I was met with two bright golden eyes, so full of sorrow and worry. They shifted slowly back and forth as they looked down upon me. Nicklos had two very dark bags under his eyes. A wry smile formed on his lips as I quietly stared up at him, to tired to form words. He continued to run his fingers gently through my hair as I mustered the strength to greet him.
I glanced around the room, wondering how it matched up with the rest of the inn that we resided in. To my utter surprise, it was smaller than the grand lobby we entered in. There was enough room for one long table, completely filled with herbs and jars of ground plants. Two chairs, one resting next to the table, and the other sat next to the door. Then a metal table which I was sitting upon. Multiple plants hung upside down, tied with a thin twine to keep them bundled together. Some where still fresh with bright green stems and vibrant colored petals. Others where wilted, brown, and dried. The petals had all but withered away and fallen towards the table below.
This part of the inn must have been strictly reserved for the doctor, who I assume was none other than Tucks. Glancing at the metal tools hanging from the wall opposite of where I was sitting, gave me the impression he wasn't just some well behaved doctor with a good reputation. There where many tools from simple blades all they way up too pokers of different sized, hung carefully from a metal rack. Considering there was no fireplace in the room, there wasn't a need to use a sharpened poker for stoking a fire.
I nervously swallowed what little silva gathered in my mouth and returned my attention to Nicklos. He seemed genuinely unfazed by the presence of these tools, and continued to run his fingers through my hair. A gentle smile resting upon his lips.
"Good morning. I was wondering if you would wake up." Was he expecting me not to wake up?
"I may be pitiful, but I am not short on strength. Although, I do feel like I was dragged over a bed of nails." I moaned as I shifted on the table. My body had become so stiff from sitting still so long, that I felt like I was being pricked by thousands of nails. Nicklos chuckled as he rested his arm against my back and helped me to sit up. My leg throbbed persistantly, angrilly spreading sparks of pains up and down my leg and back.
The arrow was no longer in my leg, but it felt worse now than when it was lodged deep with in my tissue. Sitting up now, I could see the work Tucks had done on my leg. The pant leg had been completely cut away, revealing my white skin, and tightly bound leg. I couldn't help but remember the needle like pricks I felt as he stitched up my wound. From the looks of it, it wouldn't stop bleeding.
"Tucks said that the arrow was well past the tissue and nearly embedded into the bone. He recommended you move as little as possible for the week so you don't rip open the stitching." I gently ran my hands over the rough cloth bound around my leg, knowing fully well I wouldn't be able to follow those orders. There was too much to be done, and I couldn't risk relying on just the four of them alone to take care of my problems.
"How are the others?" I could only imagine that the others where tired too after having spent so long fighting, and then traveling. Over the last couple of days, not even Marquise and Michael have been able to sleep much.
"I made them rest as soon as you where done being operated on. I believe they are down stairs having breakfast now. I'll have one of the maids bring you a plate if you are hungry." I smiled weakly at Nicklos, grateful for his kind gesture. I had no appetite to eat right now though. My thoughts where solely on formulating a plan to find Maxwell so we can stop the poisioning at the ball.
"I'll pass for now, but I need everyone present. We are running out of time and Maxwell is our last hope. We need to isolate the current problem before we go after the source. If only I had more time." I grumbled slamming my fist down angrilly on the metal bed underneath me. I took a deep breath, inhaling the strong scent of roses. They wafted through the air and filled my nose, almost immediately calming my nerves. It may be a cliche, but roses where my favorite flower. At least the bright red ones where.
"I had Tucks have some delivered here so you wouldn't make up smelling herbs. I figured you would be less stressed out with a familiar smell," Nicklos grinned sheepishly as he placed his palm against my face. "As for your plans, I know you feel stressed for time, but you need to take it easy too. All our efforts would be wasted if you where to get hurt more severely than this time. I believe Maxwell isn't stupid and would probably hide with in the city walls until he can find a way to contact help. Rest assure the next few days we will be scouting the area while you rest." I snorted, amused that he thought I was going to sit still while he was out and about.
With as little knoweledge as I have of the doctor who presided here, I don't think I was comfortable sitting here. His weapons where enough to make me wary of this Tucks fellow. Just how did Nicklos find someone willing to help him in the criminal district? What was there relationship?
"Who is this Tucks man to you Nicklos? You never speak of him, and he doesn't look like just a doctor." I said warily eyeing the torture tools on the wall once again. The more I looked up at them, the more uneasy I became. Nicklos chuckled deeply, his shoulders shaking as he moved around the bed to stand in front of me. His hands wrapped around my shoulders, his amusement plastered all over his face.
"Alliah, you don't have to be freaked out by him. Tucks is one of my people. He is a medical solider that I sent to spy on the inner walls of Stratheom after the attacks on my Kingdom. He reports anything out of the ordinary, and I deal with them. Think of him as controlling the chaos. He only uses those tools on any one we can't get information out of. So rest assured he is completely harmless, and more than capable of guarding you safely." Nicklos genuine smile still wasn't entirely convincing.
But it made sense that Nicklos would set up some kind of head quarters in Stratheom. After all, the people who had attacked him where sent through the people who resided here. Then that must mean that Tucks has a general idea of what has been taking place in Nicklos's absence. If we can extract Maxwell without being seen, then we would have the upper hand in diverting the poison. Maxwell's intelligence of course being a factor in our success.
"Can we gather everyone together then? We need to formulate a plan. I am unfortunately fresh out of ideas other than summoning the other Knights and having them over throw Stratheom." I mumbled under my breath. It was tiring having to switch my plans so many times because of so many inconviences. If we could just settle on one as a group, I think that this would go a lot more smoothly.
"Alright, I'll have the maids gather them up. Just rest here a moment." Nicklos gently squeezed my shoulders before walking towards the door. I couldn't help admiring the way the thick dense cloth clung to his every muscle from underneath his clothes. They weren't meant for strong built men, but more for scrawny farmers. His black hair had become unkempt over the last few days. It was becoming thicker and longer. It used to just fall short of his shoulders, but now it was just barely brushing against it.
He really has been doing so much for me since he arrived back in my life. Whether it was following me around or sitting in my room, he was the man I leaned against. The one who listened to my problems and even helped me divert some of my issues. Despite battling his own dilemmas, he was there for me. I was starting to feel more guilt for how I was treating him in the past. I can't believe I let me anger get the best of me. I had to do better for him, if I wanted to be his future wife.
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