The general, ever so stoic, agrees at last. I wish I could know what he was thinking about in the preceding silence.
But knowing that the moon-glow is safe from these people gives me security. Maybe Era can figure out what to do with the moon-glow should she find it. Or maybe, I'll be able to escape sometime soon and use the moon-glow to fund our future.
I hope that she can manage on her own for now. Era always had a gift for creating wonderful garments out of nothing. We would crawl through the garbage and find any old piece of fabric thrown out, and by the next day Era would have constructed something beautiful for herself or for me. When we were younger, while I talked magic with papa she would practice her stitches all curled up in the squishy armchair by the fire.
I smile at the bittersweet thought of my sister. How is it that only a couple of days have passed since I've last seen her, but I already feel that I'm in another chapter of my life?
She will be okay
, I have to tell myself. Maybe I'll return to Era having moved to the city, rich old ladies wearing her designs.
"Welcome back, general." A young groom emerges from the stables, deftly bending at the waist to General Erik. Erik gives a curt nod to the groom, dismounting smoothly and helping me slide off the horse. I wonder what the groom thinks of me, foreigner with wrists tied in the king's campgrounds. If he thinks my presence as odd at all, it's not evident on his face.
"General?" He gives a hmm in response, digging through one of the leather packs on his horse. "Will my restraints ever be removed?"
General Erik pulls out a small bottle that I recognize. It's the last potion I left him before running back to Era. I smile internally despite myself. The healer side of me, I assert.
"You're not going to run off, are you? Or fight anyone?" General Erik seems a little distracted, rummaging through the packs and pulling out items.
"I don't think I would win anyone here in a fight," I say, eyeing the figures roaming around us. Everyone seems to be large or tall, dressed in colored robes. At the very least, everyone is larger and taller than me. Even the few women I see around us seem to be larger in stature than myself.
The general slashes my binds with a knife I didn't even know he had in hand and I rub my wrists warily, glad to finally be free of my binds. "In here, Miss Selene. I have matters to attend to, but we shall see each other by evening." I'm ushered into a tent. Men and women, all dressed in white robes, are present. They turn towards the entrance, and much like the groom did, give swift bows to Erik. He grabs me by the shoulders, having me stand tall and presenting me to the silent room.
"This is Selene. She is our guest, to be treated with the highest respect. Please assist her in washing herself and provide her with clothing." He says something else briefly in their language. With that, the general spins out of the room, leaving me alone with these people.
After Erik leaves the room, these people seem to find their voices once again. Murmurs spread, and a man and a woman step forward. The woman grabs me by the elbow, and leads me out the door. "Please, follow me." The words sound foreign in her mouth, her accent shining through. She must not speak my language often. I bite at my lip. I assume that those dressed in white must be servants of some sort.
The woman guides me to a lake, just near the outskirts of their camp. The man joins us, holding soaps and what looks like robes similar to their own, only in an emerald green. "I will assist," the woman says, making to help me undress.
My cheeks burn. "No! I will do it myself. Must he be watching?"
The man blankly looks at my pointed finger, saying something to the woman. "Yes, we do not watch," she translates before adding her own words. "You don't worry, healer. We will keep you safe."
The general must have told them my intended station. I gulp, nodding my thanks and grabbing the soaps from the man. I'm not sure what is ahead of me, but I take my time washing myself, stripping off my pinafore and shirt with the popped buttons, massaging the soap into my scalp and combing out my long hair. Though my safety and privacy has been promised, I settle myself into the water as deep as I can stand, hoping my flesh is hidden away from any prying eyes.
The king's camp seems dry and dusty, so different than the lush forest I'm used to being surrounded in, and when I climb out of the water after as long as I can idly enjoy the water, it feels as if I barely have to dry myself with a cloth before the water is already steaming off of my skin.
The woman helps me dress in the green robe, light and gauzy materials that do much better at keeping me cool in the hot sunlight. Some foreign underthings to slip on first. A long white underskirt is tied under my armpits and over my breasts, stretching almost to the dusty ground. A robe of the same kind of silky fabric is tied around my waist on top. Looking down at myself, it seems a little too large for me. I glumly notice that the woman's robes fit her much less... childlike. Perhaps as a point of respect for my anxieties, the man keeps his back to us.
Afterwards, they escort me back towards the tent and I let out an unwitting yawn. The man notices and says something to the woman, who says to me kindly, "Healer may rest here until General Eryx returns."
Eryx?
"Thank you." I give a grateful smile and settle into one of the tent's corners. I don't feel much like making conversation. That is, if any of the white-robed figures can communicate with me at all.
Too late, I notice that the tent has gone quiet once more. I whip around to see what has happened, and nearly come face to face to a crotch.
"Miss Selene." General Erik bends down, offering me his hand, probably choosing to ignore my cheeks which have reddened considerably.
"Thank you, general." I take his rough hand, allowing him to help me up. Past him, the servants don't give any attention to our interaction, but offer another round of bows as Erik leads me out into the cooling air.
"It's time for you to have an audience with the king." The general has an hand on the small of my back, guiding me towards the largest tent at the other end of the camp. "King Azrath has been informed of what has happened, of course, with limited details about your moon mushrooms."
"Thank you." I'm beginning to feel like I'm a talking doll, tossed around and having to thank everyone around it.
"Is there anything you would like to know? Before we go in? I'm sure you must have some nerves." Erik has briefly paused, the two of us just a few feet from the entrance of the tent.
"Eryx?" I blurt out.
His mouth tightens, and my heart stops. I can't afford to anger the only one here who's trying to stand up for my interests. But then I realize that he's laughing. "How did you figure that out? Yes, my given name is Eryx. I tend to adopt Erik when I'm around foreign audiences. It draws less negative attention."
"I picked it up from one of the people who helped me with my bath." I look down at the ground. "I'd also like to know... Is there anything I must know about your king?"
The general frowns. "The king can be... Volatile. He is a confident man, but doesn't like to be displeased. It is never a good idea to tell him no."
Nerves shudder through my body. I would have never imagined I'd be meeting royalty, much less as a forcedly hired healer. "Thank you for answering my questions, general."
"That's all? You have an audience willing to answer any of your questions and this is it? You must have a lot of confusion."
"I'd much rather get this over with, in all honesty. I'm not sure there's anything you can tell me that would help me feel prepared for meeting your king. Are you being nice to me because you're handing me off forever? To soothe your guilty conscience?" I can't help the snark that leaves my mouth.
"I will see to it that you are treated with respect, Miss Selene. I may be in and out of the camp at the command of my king, but I will still be around. As a healer, you shouldn't be mistreated by anyone of our kingdom. In fact, you may become more valuable to the king than I am, and I do know that our ruler thinks highly of me." The general looks at me expectantly, as if he hopes to smooth down my jagged nerves with his words. I don't have much else to say in response.
"I appreciate it, general. I really do."
And with that, I'm led into the king's tent.
Inside is decorated with more than I could've imagined would fit into the tent. Lux furs, elaborate tapestries, and wrought metal sculptures stud the interior. Plush cushions are placed in a circle on the floor, and against the farthest wall sits King Azrath. His skin is very dark, not at all like what I've seen in my lifetime. His hair has been shorn tightly to the scalp, head adorned with a simple band of metal.
"Eryx!" Azrath stands to embrace his general as a friend. I'm shocked by the king's height. He is much less broad than the general, but stands a head taller than Erik does. The king towers over me so much so, that I nearly forget my manners before I dip into a panicked curtesy.
