Chapter 27 - 23

Alexei looked over at Flora who had begun to check over Calibri's body.

"His sleeve, Alexei. Look at this. He had a talisman pinned on him." Flora said.

Alexei looked over at Calibri's arm. His right arm had a glowing orange marking along the sleeve. It was no doubt imprinted into the pale skin below.

"Debilitating Talisman?" Alexei asked.

"Yes. Let's get him inside now. We need to fix this before it gets worse." Flora said.

Alexei and Flora nodded at each other and moved to pick him up. "He's running a fever already." Alexei said, glancing at Calibri as they half-carried-half-dragged him into his allocated room.

"And his ears are bleeding. Let's get him to his bed-chamber."

When they entered the dorm room, they found themselves in a large, neat living area. The smell of vanilla and cherry blossoms was potent, as was the smell of the pine floor.

The room dividers were made of white and pink paper and beautifully carved, intricate-looking furniture could be seen in every room. Although there were quite a few rooms to look at, Alexei and Flora looked only a matter of seconds at each. They only wanted to locate Calibri's room.

Soon they came across a large door with golden writing engraved into it, spelling out Calibri's name.

"Here." Flora said. She reached out her hand and opened the door, leading them into a fairly large bedroom. While the interior was beautiful, again, they had too little time to take it in.

Alexei carefully placed Calibri on the bed and started removing his clothes.

"I'll go get some water. Here," Flora started, then pulled out a small bag. "Medicines are in here. I'm certain Calibri has some on him too."

"Yes. I have some as well. We should let Felix and Kreian know immediately."

"Let's try to absolve him of that Talisman and then see if he's still unwell." Flora said. She'd found another door leading from the bedroom into a bathroom.

Alexei unshrunk all the items and placed them on the little table next to Calibri's bed. Then he turned his attention to the glowing mark on Calibri's arm.

From what he'd been taught, he knew that by removing the talisman, he could reverse the spell it placed on a person, but he wasn't sure if there would be any downtime that Calibri would have to face, or if he would even feel better. From his knowledge, Calibri had never had a talisman placed on him before.

He took a look at the markings and thought for a minute. Why didn't Calibri try to remove it himself? Alexei bit his lip.

No wonder. He didn't understand what was written on the Talisman at all. What did it even say?

Flora came out with a towel.

"Did you remove it?"

"I don't know how to. I don't understand it at all."

Flora stared at the mark, frowning as she started to dab Calibri's face.

Alexei leaned closer to it. "I really don't know. We can't do anything about it for now. Let's fix the other symptoms."

"Start with his ears. I will start giving him medications. Then we can change him into these robes." Flora said looking at robes folded neatly at the bottom of the bed.

Alexei nodded. Flora was a skilled healer, and her father was one of Calibri's personal healers, if anyone knew what medicines Calibri needed, it was Flora.

The two worked in silence for a while.

"We should pass him energy too." Alexei said after they'd healed his ears, wiped away the blood and given him medication. Flora nodded. "I wonder how long the talisman will last."

"Hopefully not much longer. His fever has reduced by quite a bit though." Alexei said, Checking Calibri's temperature again.

Suddenly the two heard the sound of the door of the dormitory open. They looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Who else is staying here?" Flora asked.

Alexei pursed his lips. "I'm not sure."

"Was it not that strange man with the red hair?" Flora asked.

"Was it?"

"Heyyyyyyy Caliiiiibriiiiiiii!!! Guess who whooped Kols ass and then got whooped by Haoooochennnnn?" A voice called.

"It is, it definitely is." Alexei said, answering his own question.

"Do you like our room? Smells great right? Wait, are you still here?" Cloud called.

Alexei looked at the door.

"Do you think he'll come in?"

"That would be too rude. You cannot enter someone's bed-chamber unless given permission."

"Helllooooooo? Are you in your bedroom? I'm coming in!"

Flora and Alexei gasped. Nobody could know that a simple talisman to make someone nauseous had this effect on their Prince. Nobody could know about his condition at all.

The door handle began to move, and Alexei bolted towards it, slipped outside, and slammed the door, looking at Cloud with wide eyes.

Collecting himself, he bowed with a smile. Cloud drew his hand back to himself and blinked twice at Alexei, looking between the door and him.

"My apologies, his Majesty will be with you shortly."

Cloud tilted his head.

" Why aren't you in your own room?" Cloud asked.

Alexei smiled. "His majesty required my assistance."

"Eeep!"

Flora has made a sound of shock.

Cloud's eyes widened, then a knowing grin formed on his face.

"Ohohohoooo, you naughty, naughty fellas!" He said, starting to laugh.

Alexei frowned at him. What was 'fellas'? And why were they naughty?

"I am afraid I do not understand."

Cloud laughed and put his hand on Alexei's shoulder. He had a very firm grip. "Don't worry, you don't have to hide it. You three were going at it in there right? A little rendezvous before the class?"

Alexei genuinely did not understand.

"Going at what?"

Cloud exhaled and gave him a "Really?" sort of look

"There's a girl in there right?"

Alexei glanced at the door but made no move to step away.

"Yes, there is."

"The three of you were in their together, doing something naughty, I even heard her making noises."

Alexei nodded. "Yes, she made a sound of surprise, but I assure you, we were not getting up to any sort of mischief."

Cloud laughed again and wiped some blood off his temple. His armor was covered in dust and blood too.

"It's alright, I won't tell anyone. Just didn't expect it. Haochen keeps going on about how pure Prince Calibri is."

There was suddenly the sound of someone vomiting.

Alexei closed his eyes. Why didn't they cast a silencing spell on the room? Cursing his foolishness, he looked back at Cloud who suddenly didn't look so jovial anymore.

"Wasn't that Calibri?"

Alexei blinked he needed to lie. "W-Well…"

He couldn't get the lie out.

"Is he sick, what's wrong with him?"Cloud asked, moving to open the door.

Alexei stopped him. Cloud clicked his tongue. "I've seen naked people before, don't worry."

Alexei still didn't move.

There was a loud vomiting sound again.

"His majesty does not like intrusion."

Cloud quirked a brow. "He and I are dormmates, but you're here. Doesn't that make you an intruder, love?"

Alexei pursed his lips.

"Look, whatever they're doing must have ended by now if he's throwing up like that. He's your prince, shouldn't you check on him? Because if you won't, then I will."

Cloud made to open the door again, but suddenly the door opened on its own, and Flora came out with a smile.

She bowed respectfully.

"Alexei. Let us leave."

Alexei stared at her for a moment, then looked at Cloud with a small smile.

"We'll take your leave then." He said and bowed.

Cloud narrowed his eyes and looked into the room, but there was no sign of Calibri anywhere.

"Huh?"

He spun to look at Alexei's back. "Hey? Didn't you say he'd be out shortly?"

Alexei paused and asked Flora to continue walking out.

"I did not. I said 'He'd be with you shortly', and he will, in the hall." Alexei said.

"I heard him in that room." Cloud said.

Alexei shrugged delicately. "Perhaps you did, perhaps you did not."

"No, my hearing is great, I know that was him vomiting." Cloud said, turning to walk into Calibri's room. The door to the bathroom was open, so he entered. Inside, he saw another door, which led to his own room since the bathroom was the shared bathroom between the two rooms.

He went to open the door, but found that it was locked. With a confused look, he ran back out, but Alexei had already left the room.

Cloud stood in the living room, not understanding. He'd definitely heard Calibri, but why wasn't he in the room? There were no robes on the bed, so he must have changed, but there were no windows in the room, so if he did not use the door, how did he get out of the room?

A strange thought occurred to him, did that girl shrink him somehow?

He shook his head, that kind of enchantment didn't work on people. Even if it did, why would she need to sneak him out of the bedroom?