"What happened? Did you poison her somehow?" The guard looked at the chef as they picked up Des and placed her on one of the tables.
"Not on purpose but she seemed to know what it was. Get the doctor quickly."
"Serion already ran off to get him. Please don't think any guard will think you caused this on purpose, if you had tried the shield would have put you out. The shield doesn't play with the safety of the Royals. What did she eat?"
"She said the mushroom was darkroot? Do you know what that is?"
"No I don't, do you still have some?"
"Yes, in the kitchen. Let me get it in case the doctors want to see what she thought it was." Two wizards in green robes ran through the dining room coming to a stop next to Des. As the chef entered the kitchen.
"What happened?" One of the wizards stopped and started checking on Des.
"Chef thinks it is something she ate, darkroot, he said she called it he should bring what is left of the ingredient."
"Darkroot mushrooms? That's not possible; they only grow in the tower."
The chef came back carrying the box of mushrooms. The wizard who had not talked took his hand off Des and picked up a mushroom, "You sure that is safe?"
"Yes, though she does seem to be right. What else did she eat with it?"
"Sorry, yes she also said to say she had cinnamon with it. Though I had used the mushrooms in the omelet and the cinnamon in the cherry pie."
"They don't have to be consumed at the same exact time. Normally the effects wouldn't be seen this fast. Did anyone else eat the mushrooms?"
"Not yet she was the first one down, actually she ate the one I had been making for myself so I didn't even try them yet. That seems like a very dangerous way to try and target one person who you couldn't be sure would even have breakfast here."
Both wizards paused and looked at each other, then with a sigh they said more, "Worse, untreated that mushroom could have killed 10 percent or more of the elves that had eaten it and we wouldn't have known until it was too late to do anything."
The wizard that had touched Des before put his hands back on her again. He frowned in thought clearly trying to work. The other wizard took up a spot across the table. "Do you really believe there are reds that are that crazy as to think that is an acceptable risk?"
"Some reds believe that fighting demons is the only truth in the whole of the universe, do you really think they wouldn't see her bond to him as a betrayal and any who support it just as guilty?" The wizards shook their heads. "It was only luck that she couldn't sleep, and chose to get something to eat."
"I don't think she had originally planned to eat, she just enjoyed talking with someone. At first I got the feeling she was just going to ask for something for the prince."
"That sounds believable, seeing as how she normally only eats to put others at ease. All except the wizard who was still touching Des jumped and turned landing to face the prince, they all bowed deeply, even the guards. Blushing at being caught talking about Des. While she was clearly not aware of what was going on around her. "At ease, with the bond complete I can hear the shield better. If I thought the palace shield had emotions I would say it is very terrifyingly pissed off. It has let me see what you have been discussing: are you going to be able to treat her, Zeron?"
"I don't know, my prince. I am not as well trained on demonic physiology and hers seems to be changing as I watch."
"You said lady Des told you what had poisoned her, correct Chef?"
The chef bowed again as the cold eyes of the prince fell on him, "Yes, sir."
The prince looked back at the wizard, "So there would be reason to believe that Des might know that it might be deadly to demons but only sicken a human?"
"Why would that matter?"
"Have you witnessed Des turn herself from Islee to demon from? There are even some reports that she was completely human while interacting with humans on mission."
"I have heard about it but illusion is one of the first spells most wizards learn."
"I don't think they are illusions, Zeron. Which would explain why hers is changing as you watch, and why she is unresponsive. She is focused so much on what her insides are doing she doesn't have the processing power to worry about outside as well. If I am right she is forcing wherever the poison goes to be human. So treat her as if she is a human because as far as any reaction with the poison will happen, it will be the same reaction as that of a human."
"That is crazy, changing on that level could kill you if your cells don't switch correctly. It would take massive amounts of energy." the wizard raised a hand when the prince's eyes narrowed. "I will treat her as you say of course my prince. I have no better course anyway, right now. There also doesn't seem to be time to find one. Just want to make sure you understand that is crazy."
"I think it is less crazy than you might assume, Des has complained before that she felt like more than one person shoved in one skin. Having complete DNA sequences of two different races might explain that feeling, if you had a hard time controlling what traits get expressed when." The prince frowned looking off to the side but seeing nothing. Other guards had entered these the ones that were looking for breakfast before starting their shift. One of the kitchen staff showed up and got the courage to go to the chef.
She spoke quietly but the room was quiet so everyone heard anyway, "What do you want to do? No one is going to risk bothering this many important people for eggs."
The prince was still staring at nothing, as the chef responded. "No, nothing with mushrooms, or that might have touched the mushroom. The whole kitchen is going to need scrubbed, but first find out how those got here. Let the tower contact know that at this time we are not allowing anything from the tower into the kitchen. I would say you can at least pass out the pies that were made and try to save the ones in the oven but I am not sure."
The other wizard looked over at the chef, "As long as they did not touch the mushrooms they are fine. Can you brew some white tea, lemon, honey and ginger please? Bring it as quick as you can."
Theon raised an eyebrow at the wizard, "Magic comes in many forms my prince. This poison enters the bloodstream quickly and the body will need material to help flush it out."
The prince paused and then his eyes widened, "Damn I can be stupid. Everyone out! If you don't absolutely need to be here leave. Bar the doors! Someone find some-" Theon cut off in surprise as a goat jumped up on the table next to him and bleated loudly before jumping down again. The guards started moving right away.
Zeron looked up and around at the commotion, "What in the world are you doing now?"
"Zeron you said if I am right she will need a lot of energy, and your friend here just pointed out that the body needs materials. I told you she can eat but mostly it is just a show. Her body doesn't care about food; it could sustain itself on movement or sunlight, as much as the food she eats, everything that is but her magic. If you are right, her transforming is related to her demonic abilities and when she relies heavily on them she gets thirsty."
Zeron turned a bit white but swallowed and turned back to what he had been trying to do. "That is a reasonable response then."
The last door closed and all but the center window to the kitchen was barred. Hopefully that would be good enough to slow Des down if she woke crazed from thirst. Moments after the sound of the last bar dropping cleared there was a new sound in the room. Everyone looked around as a herd of hallas, an animal generally regarded as sacred to the elves, filled the dining area.
The prince frowned at the animals, "Hum, wonder if things like this are the real reason the palace puts so much time and effort into keeping a tame herd on the palace grounds."
"Yes, you should take some time to look up what happens to half breeds that are demon enough to need blood that bite a sentient species. Maybe that would get you to rethink the bond?"
The prince snorted, "I did that already, that is why I said sometimes I am stupid. I just didn't know the shield would do the animal herding for us."
"What happened to the mushrooms?" the other wizard had to yell a bit to be heard over the herd.
"The shield seems to have put them in my room for now. Which will keep anyone else from eating them by accident and save the evidence in case we need it again."
"Good I had feared that the animals had eaten it, if they had they might not have been any good to lady Des."
The prince snorted just a little and he was a bit tense. "You don't need to worry wizard. If you meant harm or even weren't thinking about helping my bond the shield would be running you in circles. Like I said it seems to have gone into a mode that doesn't just keep out people who are working to harm the lady but anyone who is trying to get to her that it isn't sure wants to help her. Which does make it feel like it is angry but I think an emotional response is something I am attributing to it not something it poses on its own. Either way it is a scary thought that the palace shield might not continue to error on the side of the children generally meaning well."
Zeron snorted, "Well she hasn't really been safe in the forest has she?" He didn't look up. Lady Des looked like she was sweating. Every once and a while her body would twitch like someone had kicked it.
"Right knocked out twice in as many days."
The goat jumped up on another table and stomped a hoof. The prince looked at it and smiled. Zeron released Des and folded his hands in his lap, looking up at the prince. "This is an interesting study of darkroot. Her self control is amazing but it is hard for her to keep up, I am not sure I am really helping but the problems seem to be retreating now. I think the scholars might be right, if we could get a demon to eat the two pieces necessary it would kill them. Every time she slipped in changing from before the chemical hit the cells seemed to explode."
"Only if that part was still demonic? Do you think that might be what kills so many islee and elves if they are exposed?"
"If they have demonic cells that are required for life functions that would make sense, if they are killed off faster than they repair or can replace themselves. She has sweated out most of the chemical she will probably wake soon."
Des chose that moment to open her eyes. The elves tensed and froze, trying not to draw attention. Even in human form you could tell she was dangerous.