Following this conversation, Godfrey offered, "if you would like, until the trials begin, I have several private rooms available. You are extremely welcome to stay here instead of having to spend coin in a noisy, overcrowded inn. It would also allow me to check in on you after such a mana expenditure to ensure you're alright."
Shaking his head, Jayr retorted, "I have a comfortable bed without the ill and injured screaming, or them being carried through bumping into everything throughout the night. Even if I must listen to a caterwauling minstrel, I think our inn would be best to obtain rest. I shall retire there for the night. Besides which, having sipped Drea's nectar, I feel younger and healthier than I have in a decade. However, if you have time later, I would speak with you of said nectar and several other things."
"Of course. It would be rude not to make time for the king's own healer," Godfrey smirked.
With this, Jayr leapt from the cart like the spry young youth he appeared to be. "While I thank you for the ride, old man, I don't need a cart. As you can clearly see, I am fine. I'll look over the patient for a few moments then meet you in your study tonight, Godfrey."
Godfrey nodded. Motioning for the junior healers to leave and remove the cart from the room, he followed behind them shutting the door to allow Von and his company some privacy.
Removing the hood from his cloak, King Garret removed his hood stepping from the shadows. Walking to the bed, he looked at Von, then to Maude. "I'm sorry, Maude. I am certain Jayr did his best. I'm sure you are aware he, like you, would never willingly admit defeat. On your behalf, I will have word passed to the healers' council letting them know I have given my consent to locate and enter the grotto at your earliest convenience."
"Thank you, my liege," she stated with a bow.
Tears of happiness came to my eyes, "Thank your ma...." A look from the king immediately reminded me, "I mean, thank you, Garret! How long will it be before I can go to the grotto?"
Looking at Jayr for an answer, Garret shrugged.
Jayr pondered for nearly a minute before responding with, "from the day Kenric was taken by carriage from the capital, it was twenty days before the rest of the party returned. They left via the west gate, but on their return, three of the horses suffered from frogweed poisoning. This means, they traveled near to the Bonechill Bog as this is the only place frogweed grows within all of Khehep. Bonechill Bog is only a few days by horse from Milltown, being within the bounds of the Iztok duchy but inside the Great Forest barony. Once the exact location is known, we can determine precisely how long it will take."
Garret looked at his healer, "send the message. By the time these competitions have completed, I want you to have the location and escort the Lady's son there discreetly."
"Yes, my liege," came the redhead's response. "I will have two of the doves sent immediately. After which, I would like to converse with the local hall, if you don't mind. I would appreciate time to query Master Whitehair on where or how he located such a potent elixir of restoration. Perhaps we can locate more for our own stores."
The king nodded. "Agreed. Miss Cooper, would you like to accompany us when we return to the capital in a few weeks. I am certain, at my insistence, and with Maude accompanying us, your parents should have no problems."
"Really? Are you sure? Thank you!" She bounded around the bed and gave Garret a hug.
Smiling down at her, Garret pulled out a pouch. Peering into it, he pulled out five silver coins. Handing them to her, he whispered, "buy yourself and your friends some sweets. As for the rest, give half to the school and the remainder to the orphanage on behalf of the crown. When you see me tomorrow, tell me how much each received. If I hear your numbers are correct and you spend fairly, I shall have you hand out the prizes to the page's families who are accepted. If you keep track of this accurately, and their names, I will let you choose who I should sponsor to the academy this year."
Monica's eyes opened wide. Five silver was more than she has ever had at one time. Usually, she would earn only a few bronze bits or several iron pins at the best of times. Once, she saved her bits and pins for four months to exchange them for three copper nobs. This was a LOT of money. "Thank you, you're... Garret! I shall know every pin." She accepted the coins with a curtsey, headed toward the door, opened it and sped away on her mission.
Following closely behind her, Jayr left the room closing the door behind him.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Garret looked at the two-remaining people. "Lady Maude, I am not sure if the grotto can truly help your son. I will tell you when my older brother went there, only he was permitted to enter. I was not present, but I was told by his escort that once he entered, some sort of barrier formed, preventing his escort from entering. More interesting, was my memory of him. The day he entered; I had a vision of him telling me he would miss me. He also stated as though he had seen the future, I would make a great and wise king. With the right advisors and council, I would rule firmly and fairly until the time of the sundering of the rift, and I should listen to and even obey my grand marshal. Her tactics would save the lives of many of my troops. I could rely on her in all things. She would always be loyal to me. After these words, Kenric had begun to say more that day, but he faded from my view midsentence." Looking at me, he added, "This is why when I heard of your mother's battle prowess and great victory, I chose to replace my fallen marshal with her."
Speaking on, he related, "that same day, my mother, the queen, received a vision as well from him letting her know he was thinking of her, stating she was the best mother he could have. Each member of his escort also received a vision individual to themselves telling them the grotto would be empty and he was where he needed to be."
Looking at me, he continued. "Von, from what I understand, from both books I have read and the vision of my brother, if you will not be healed, for everyone who holds a place in your heart, you will be able to spend a few minutes with them. This being the case, before entering think about all those you hold dear. Consider every person who has touched your life in a positive manner and think about what you would say to them if you only had a moment or two with them before leaving forever."
Standing up, Garret looked around before finishing his thoughts. "I know you wished to be part of the contests over the next two weeks. Since you can't and your wish was to enter a noble household to study, I would like you to join mine. In return, you will have the best education from the academy and be permitted to learn anything you would like. No matter what you choose to be, whether a gong farmer to a wizard, I will give you the opportunity for the best education you can be in return for your mother's service. For now, I will offer ten gold regals to any craftsperson who can create a wheeled chair for you by mid-morning tomorrow which will allow you to sit on the platform next to your mother."
Amazement filled my thoughts and my mouth opened wide. I had been through so much and received more than I wished for. I may not get healed, but if I did, I would be in a better place than I would have imagined just two weeks ago. I had hoped for a place in the baronial household, but now, I may be in the royal house instead. Closing my mouth, I finally blurted out, "I won't ever want to be a gong farmer. Cleaning privies is not one of the things I considered doing." While being a wizard might be above me according to what my aura seemed to exhibit to everyone, I would not be a gong farmer.
Garret laughed. It was a pleasant baritone rumble making his stomach move. Smiling down at me he smirked. "Good, I would hate to think of spending a lot of gold for the kingdom's best educated gong farmer."
Not knowing what else to say, all I could think of was, "thank you, you're... Garret, and thank you for the chair."
My mother too was speechless. She looked like she had been bashed in the head with a club and didn't know who to kill first. Her eyes were wide in disbelief with tears of happiness started pouring from her eyes. With reverence and admiration, she bowed before King Garret, "thank you. I shall do my best to serve the best interests of the kingdom and you regardless of the outcome of the grotto of the gods. Should the healers not give us permission, nor the location, I will be forever in your debt for your gifts to my son. My service will still be yours and I will fulfill the words of Kenric and as long as I remain unpossessed by demons, I will be forever loyal."