Lorelei put the cloth in the bowl and soaked the cloth in the water then gently squeezed it. She took the wet cloth and placed it on the young man's forehead.
She repeated the action several times, then used the wet cloth to gently clean his upper body where the bandages laid no hold on.
After cleaning him up, she went to dispose of the water and brought a fresh one to clean his face with. After wiping his face with the cloth, she rinsed it and squeezed, then placed it in his forehead again.
She stared ahead, not looking at anything in particular as her mind lost itself in her thoughts.
"It shouldn't have been so... "
*Flashback*
In Lady Lorelei's magical room several days back, she stands up and walked up to a young man who sat down in the chair opposite of where she sat.
"Cullen, I entrust you with this duty as the leader of this mission, you must capture the hybrid at all cost" there was sternness in her voice as she stood in front of him with a cold and serious expression.
He knew the gravity of the situation, the hybrid had somewhat managed to escape the humans every time and the king wanted her. Well the whole magical realm wanted her.
If the humans could have her, they wouldn't feel threatened by the other magical beings. He knew the king would use her to wage war on the other realms and rule over them.
How he would control her and make her do his bidding, he wasn't sure. Except, Lady Lorelei was going to hypnotize or do something to the hybrid.
"That puny sorceress cannot harm me, I would get her My Lady" Cullen grinned as his gaze met Lady Lorelei's once again.
"Ohh my poor Cullen, don't be so arrogant, it could be your doom. Now go over the plan again" she turned and walked back to her seat.
"Ambush her, since she is always with the Elf, so I would have to wait until when they are distracted to attack or when they are fast asleep" he briefly recalled what he was to do to to get her.
"Good" was all she said as she reached her seat at the other end of the table and sat down.
"But you said so yourself, corner her, make her feel weakened, unable to control her powers and we can get her where we want her. Distracted and frightened, then everything else would fall into place. Knock her out and... "
"That is enough Cullen. Let me check her current location first, then I can send you and the others in" she cut him him short.
She felt a bit relaxed now and she tapped on her magical orb while saying some spells.
There was a shocked expression on her face when the orb lit and showed the hybrid princess.
"What is it My Lady?" Cullen said agitated at her sudden change in expression.
Lady Lorelei was always calm and collected, she had everything under control at all times, it was rare to read expressions such as this on her face.
Cullen was not used to seeing this. Ever since the appearance of the hybrid and her escape from the humans, she started showing some emotions.
Was it fear or uncertainty or whatever it was, he wasn't sure. But she was on edge, she still looked liked she had everything under control, nevertheless he knew her more than anyone.
She had been his guardian ever since he was a baby, she was a little bit open with him when they were alone than when outside.
So when he saw the brief shocked look on her face, he could tell something was wrong, something out of her calculations.
"Lady Lorelei!!" He increased his voice a bit more with the feeling of uneasiness he had.
She turned her gaze to him and briefly smiled.
"Never would I had expected she'd tame a magical beast."
"What!"
"Come close" she urged him with calmness in her voice as she looked at him, "Your mission just became a whole lot interesting" she returned her gaze back to the orb.
Curious, Cullen walked closer to where she sat at the other end of the table. He peered into her magical orb and he could see what briefly shocked his guardian.
The hybrid princess now had with her two beasts, not just any beasts, a magical white tiger-pheonix beast.
It was a magical beast found at the peak of the Elven forest. It had the body of a tiger with wings and it could spit out fire like a Phoenix.
Though they may look gentle but when angered, they can be ferocious. Now the hybrid princess had two, the mother and its cub by her side.
"This is interesting. I am doubling the men going with you on this mission Cullen. We still stick to the plan, now she has more to protect. I wonder what she would do when she cannot protect them all?" Lorelei seemed thoughtful.
"We have her cornered. All we need to do is take care of the beasts first then the Elf goes down and she as well."