"What happened last night?"

Cress didn't reply, her mind trying to procure a reason that sounded reasonable, plausible and completely unlike what had happened. 

What had happened? Her hands had glowed and killed the man with some mystical powers? Could she talk to birds now?

Cress had checked the chocolate for any sort of drugs she might have taken that might have caused the hallucination but had found nothing. Hence, she was trying to blame the happenings of that night on her lack of sleep. Lack of sleep does that people doesn't it?

"Diana? What happened there?" Taemia repeated softly looking at her with nothing but concern.

Cress cleared her throat. "I don't remember well, someone tried to attack me and then-" She paused unsure of what to say.

-And then I got these powers and burned the guy with my magic hands. Do you think I can talk to birds too?

Luckily, Taemia took her silence for pain and when she spoke her voice was softer than before. "Hey, it's okay. I'll make sure that no one disturbs you"

Before Taemia could leave, Cress found herself asking a question that horrified herself. "Can I see him?"

Taemia looked at her as if she were to refuse but then thought better of it and nodded. "If you are sure."

"I am sure," Cress said with a failed attempt at a smile. 

She needed to see him make sure she didn't dream about what had happened. That she hadn't hallucinated even though she desperately wished that she had. 

She had to.

***

A knock came over the door and almost instinctively, Cress sat up straighter her body letting pain rush through it and remind her of her condition.

"Come in," Taemia called out and the Vaidya entered, his feet moving slowly and his face bent down.

He turned his face up to meet theirs, his face neither dulling and nor brightening as he looked them. The faintest sign recognition came in his eyes as he bowed down. 

"Princess Taemia," He said before his eyes moved over Cress. A small smile came to rest over his face as he bowed once again. 

"Princess Diana." He said giving her a quick nod as if welcoming her. "I heard about your return. I trust you have been well?"

Cress took in his old features and the odd thin wired spectacles that rested on the edge of his nose as if they were ready to fall over. An ordinary yet precious locket hung around neck indicating his position as the Vaidya. He was dressed in plain grey robes and carried the look of a man who didn't care much for himself and spent the least time possible in making himself look socially presentable. The unkempt long white beard and specks of stain on his grey robes only proved it true. 

The warmth in his eyes made Cress feel guilty about not devoting any thought to him in the past two summers. She had forgotten that it wasn't only her parents who had played a part in raising her. Most of her days as a child were spent sitting next to the Vaidya watching him treat his patients and help him in collecting herbs. 

Those visits had stopped when Cress was old enough to realise the difference between a person of his status and a person of her blood. After her realization, the visits had been reduced to none and his invites were declined with excuses that seemed plausible.

Cress didn't let her emotions show on her face and made sure that she didn't look him in the eyes. She let a small smile play on her face as she spoke. 

"You presume wrong. My encounter with this fellow here left with more bruises than I would like." 

She indicated to her lower chest which had been wrapped up with bandages. The good news was that her ribs had been bruised not broken but every breath caused her chest to tingle with pain. 

Her hand moved to her arms and face indicating the small cuts and scratches which she hadn't noticed before but now had been wrapped up in bandages.

"I'm sorry my lady" Sincerity dripped from his voice.

Before Cress could say anything, he bent rummaging in his brown satchel and pulled out a green plant. It was unlike any other plant she had encountered, it looked as if it had been made out of different material altogether. 

It was fleshy at the end and narrow at the top. It looked like a large unnatural leaf which had been cut off. Transparent viscous substance dripped from the end. 

"What are you going to do with that?" Taemia asked.

He didn't reply as he placed the plant on the table beside her bed before pulling a towel and placing it on the table. Using his fingers, he tore the fleshy bottom part and then removed the green cover leaving the viscous substance. He then placed the transparent substance on the towel and motioned for Cress to bring her bandages hands forward.

Cress hesitated before moving her hands towards him. The Vaidya gripped her wrist and opened the wet cloth wrapped around her palm. The cloth dropped to reveal slightly swollen and charred skin with blisters and angry red welts. 

Taemia winced as she looked at her sister's hands. Cress could not help but share the reaction. 

The Vaidya did not show any signs of discomfort as he took the liquid before rubbing it on her hands. 

Cress sighed blissfully as she felt its coolness descent over her not aware of how much she needed it. 

The Vaidya smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he took in her expression. "Feels good does it not?"

"Yes. It really does, what is it?" Cress asked her thoughts turning elated as the substance continued to provide her relief.

"It's a plant I found a few years ago, it's called Aloe Vera and is known for its medical properties. It is quite famous for mothers usually use it for treating the wounds of their children."

Cress frowned, "You are saying that before that no one was aware of this plant?"

The Vaidya shook his head. "Not at all, it was known. Unfortunately, it took me a while to find it."

"How can that be? Isn't all of the plants in the kingdom known to you? If it is as famous as you claim it to be then how was it that you were not aware of it?"

"I didn't find the plant in this kingdom, my lady. I found it hiding in the Safarah desert," The Vaidya said moving to apply the plant's contents on her other hand. 

"You are aware that the desert is no man's land are you not?" Cress spoke her voice quiet.

"I am quite aware of it, my lady." 

"What if the bandits attacked you? They do not like trespassers."

The Vaidya seemed to be hiding a smile as he spoke. His eyes glinted as if they were enjoying a memory, "As a matter of fact, they did my lady." His tone was humorous. "Had it not been for my skills and knowledge for medicine, I would not have made it out."

"Really?" Cress asked her voice holding excitement mixed with slight horror. It was the tone of a child listening to a tale with alive eyes and an imaginative mind. 

The Vaidya continued his tale of how the bandits had him taken and how had he struck a deal with the leader, a deal that promised him freedom. He told the tale with appropriate expressions, his voice changing with every scenario, exaggerations were made to make the story more appealing but not so much to make the girl sitting in front him mistrust his tale. 

Lost in the tale, Cress hadn't noticed her sister slipping out and back in. Only when she cleared her throat, Cress realized that she was in her bed and not in the Safarah desert. 

"Are you done?" Taemia asked directing the question to the old man sitting in front of her. 

"Almost my lady," He replied as he applied a final coating of the plant's contents of her hands. Wrapping her hand in two cloths. He stood up packing his bags.

"Wait," Cress said her brow furrowing, "You told me that it was common for Aloe Vera to be used but if the plant is found in the Safarah desert then how can it be used by mothers?"

The Vaidya gave her a slightly puzzling smile, "It is used by the wives of the bandits to cure their children, lady." His smile became hesitant as he spoke the next few words. "They also deserve some of nature's gifts do they not?"

Cress had conjured the bandits to be the villains forgetting that they were humans in the process. 

She quickly nodded, her voice still holding a tinge of embarrassment "Of course they do."

For a second, silence came to rest only to go away when the Vaidya spoke "Well, I must leave. Got a few other patients."

"Wait." Cress said, "The man, I must see him."

The Vaidya hesitated. "Are you sure my lady? I fear that seeing him in your state may cause stress."

Cress did not budge, her eyes silently willing him to carry out her order. For a second he held her gaze, his lips tightened as he nodded. 

"Very well, I shall have him brought to you."

He left the room and Cress turned to Taemia. "What are you doing here?"

Taemia arched an eyebrow. "Your love for me astounds me sometimes."

"I did not nearly die to hear you speak sarcasm." Cress deadpanned. "I meant what are you doing in the castle? You were supposed to leave weren't you?"

Taemia sighed, "You must have lost your mind if you thought I was going to go after what happened."

"But what about the revolts and the missing people?" Cress asked her brow furrowing. 

"They can wait for one more day." Taemia's voice lowered until it was a whisper. "Do you think Zagan was behind it?"

Cress hesitated. Zagan being behind the assassin was the most plausible explanation she could think of but the man had been desperate to kill her. Did Zagan truly hold so much power over that man? Something in her disagreed with Zagan being behind it but she ignored the part. 

Zagan was the only one who had planned this. The one who had tried to have her murdered. He should be the one behind this.

"I believe so," Cress said with a nod. "I don't have any proof though."

Before Taemia could reply, the Vaidya came back followed by a nursemaid who was pushing a white bed on wheels. The wheels squeaked as they moved towards her. Cress looked to see a white sheet covering a body, the body of the man she had murdered.

"Are you sure my lady?" The Vaidya asked her, his fingers hesitating to pull at the sheet.

Unable to find her voice, Cress nodded. The Vaidya pulled the sheet away to reveal the man. Burns decorated his face and arms, Cress felt her stomach churn as her thoughts travelled back to that night. Her lips parted in shock, she had done this. She hadn't been dreaming.

"Are you okay?" Taemia asked worriedly.

"Yes, of course." Cress said clearing her throat."You can take him away now."

The Vaidya nodded and put the sheet back before motioning the nursemaid to take the man away. The wheel squeaked as the bed was taken away from her.

"My lady, if it is alright with you then may I ask a question?" The Vaidya began hesitantly. 

Cress nodded, her mind trying to remove the memories of that night. 

"I looked for that man's cause of death and even though his injuries are severe, it was the burns that caused his death." The man frowned. "What I found unusual was that the burns were at the most second-degree ones. If those injuries were not enough to make him succumb to his death then I wonder how the burns caused it. Mayhap it was the tipping point?"

The Vaidya shook his head as if just realising he was ranting. "How did he get those burns, my lady?"

Cress hesitated. Was telling them what happened before she was sure of it the best move she could make? Would they believe her? What if they think that she has gone crazy? 

No. She thought to herself. They will believe her. Besides, there was a prophecy about her wasn't there? The first prophecy spoken in centuries. Something like this could not be a lie, could it? 

She opened her lips to let the truth escape her throat but for some reason, a lie came through. 

"The fireplace. The burns were caused due to the fireplace. I used a burning splinter of wood to defend myself."

The lie was weak, had she spoken it in a confident voice it may have sounded like the truth. 

Taemia seemed to believe her but the Vaidya held a glimmer of doubt in his eyes. He opened his mouth to express it but before he could, Cress closed spoke. 

"I am tired. I ask you to let me be." Cress said, dismissing him.

"Of course." The Vaidya said with a bow and placed his satchel around him. 

He turned away to leave but pause before he could. He turned back to face them with an apology on his lips. 

"I am sorry my lady." He said opening his satchel and searching for something. "I found something when I was examining the man."

He took his hand out and opened his fist to reveal a small blue, red and golden cloth. Cress felt the blood drain away from his face as she stared at the royal colours of Celestia.

"Is that..." Taemia trailed off, her eyes widening in horror.

"I am afraid so." The Vaidya said his voice grim. "It looks like we have a traitor amongst us who doesn't wish for the princess to live."

Taemia and Cress looked at each other, an eerily similar expression crossing their face. One name flowed through both of their thoughts.

Zagan.

***

Okay so I know I haven't been keeping up with the weekly updates (When did I ever?) and I know you guys must be thinking that I must have a lot of time during the lockdown so I should write right?

Here is the thing, I don't have time. I have school every day of every week (except weekends) and I have a few extra classes on weekends after that I have assignments to do and partake in an activity called self-study. So I really don't have time. I haven't completed a book in months and squeezing in some writing time is becoming impossible.

I am trying my best to complete this book, it should be completed in the next two months but I can't say for sure.

Thank you for sticking around, I love you guys so much. Thank you for all those comments and votes, they make my day.

Also, 99 votes? You really are the best. 

Before I forget, I am planning to add a few more chapters based on Diana Crescent Cameria's misadventures in Vilehelm. What do you think?

Yours truly,

Sadie Kane.