"She has been asleep for over two days now, Janet. Should we be worried?" Devan questioned. He was quite concerned about Leticia, who had been in bed ever since the previous incident. She looked very pale and weak. One could even mistake her for being dead if not for the sound of her heartbeat.
"Please don't worry, young soldier," the doctor assured him. "She will wake up soon. You just have to feed her liquids for a quick recovery."
Devan looked at her pale face, then back at the doctor.
"Sure, doctor. You can leave now."
"Yes, young soldier," the woman bowed slightly and turned around to leave. But she was immediately called back by Devon, who walked into the room.
"You should not leave yet, Janet."
Janet trembled the minute she heard that voice of authority. She wondered if she was in trouble with the great General. She was just here to do her work.
Devan stood beside Leticia's bed, staring at her pale face.
"She looks dead."
"She is not, great general."
"Then haven't you gotten the medicines to heal her completely?"
"I have, great general. The liquid and herbs serve as the medicines."
"But she is not improving."
He said again, and this time the doctor kept quiet. She didn't know what to say to him anymore. She was a doctor, not a god.
"And besides, I want to know the kind of bronze she was stabbed with."
"I saw dark steel in her wounds. She was stabbed by the Mensamor steel, great general."
"I guess that was the reason for her long recovery. She was struck by dark magic," Devan said while Devon scoffed.
He stared back at her face before lifting his head to look at the doctor. "Send the women consort to me."
"The women consort?" Devan questioned, confused. Why the women consort?
"She needs to be taught a lesson."
"A lesson? In bed?"
"She will wake up soon." "Let me see her wound."
"Yes, my Lord."
She opened the wound, showing it to the brothers. The wounds were already closing up, but they were black, revealing black magic.
"She will wake up soon. And as soon as she does, I want her to learn the lesson of being a responsible woman. She needs to know that this isn't her world, where it's okay to be careless. This is North Neotite. A world resurfaced with dead soldiers. And a world where blood flows like water."
"And you actually think she will agree to take the lessons," Devan chuckled.
"She has to. Now I want both of you out of this room." He ordered.
"Yes, great general." Janet was the first to walk out, followed by Devan, who turned so many times to look at his brother before finally leaving.
Devon had an unreadable expression as he stared blankly at the pale girl. Devan also stood by the window, looked at his brother, then scoffed.
"Very interesting," he muttered before walking away.
Devon stared at her for a long time, recollecting all those words she liked calling him. She was the only girl who dared to stand up against him.
"I should have come with you when you asked for a tour. I am truly an asshole..." he smirked.
"Yes, you are," he heard her mumbling voice. She slowly opened her eyes.
Devon quickly stood up straight and cleared his throat. He was surprised to see her conscious already. And she had definitely heard him say those soft words.
"You're awake."
"Such an arrogant person. If you were a prince, it would have been perfect. But you chose to be the general instead, asshole."
"Do not call me that."
She giggled, but it was too late to realize that giggling was a bad idea.
"Ow. It hurts."
"I will call the doctor now."
"No, I think I find comfort talking to you. You should talk to me instead. I'm sure if I take a nap after a few talks, I'll be okay."
"I don't have time to talk, Leticia."
"Um?" She smiled. "You're calling me Leticia now, arrogant prince charming. Not little girl anymore?"
"I'll call you whatever I wish to. Now rest, I'm leaving." He wanted to turn around and leave, but she called him back with a painful wince
***
Oww!" I winced, and as expected, he turned around to look at me with concern. Is that another expression I am seeing from him? A worried look?
"Are you okay? Should I call a doctor?" he asked.
"No," I said, taking his arm. "I don't need a doctor. I just need you to stay with me. That's all I need. And I'm confident that if you stay by my side, the wound will heal itself."
"Is that really what you want, little girl?" he questioned.
I sighed softly. There we go again with this "little girl" title. I much preferred it when he called me Leticia.
"Yes, that's what I want, Devon."
"Okay," he agreed, sitting down beside me. He looked bored, but I didn't waste the opportunity to ask him some questions. I wanted to know more about this place. I didn't want an incident like this to happen again.
"I have some questions for you, if you don't mind, Devon."
"Of course, go ahead," he replied.
"Why do people fear you so much?" I inquired.
"You want to know about that?" he raised his eyebrows in surprise, and I nodded slowly. I really, really wanted to know. Those strange, dark people seemed to want him. And the way they kept calling him the great dragon bothered me. How could a group of such harmful, or even magical men come after a single man. They didn't even want his brother. All they wanted was him.
"That is because I am a soldier. The General."
"That is not right. That's exactly what your brother told me, but I don't believe him. There's something else and I feel you do not want to tell me about it."
"Why do you feel that?"
"Then tell me about it. I want to know."
He sighed softly.
"You should take a rest now. I don't want your wounds reopening again."
"But I still got a lot of questions to ask you, Devon."
"Go ahead."
"Do you have a wife?"
"No." He simply replied.
"Then you are single."
"Yes."
"Your parents?"
"I don't have one."
"Why does the crown prince hate you?"
"He is scared I might overthrow him. His father wants me to take over his the kingdom instead."
"So he hates you all because of that?"
"Yes."
"How old are you?"
He turned silent to that question. He glanced at me afterwards, before turning away his eyes.
"Twenty seven."
"Where were you hesitant?"
"That was because you took me off guard."
"It's just a normal question. You are only twenty seven, and you dare call me a little girl. You are only two years older than me."
"Um."
"And here I thought you are a thousand old."