— What?!
I jumped out of bed as if I had been scalded with boiling water. The last thing I expected to hear was something like this right after I woke up. Am I still dreaming?
But Elisha's worried expression, pale as a sheet, didn't look too much like a practical joke. I decided to clarify the situation.
— What do you mean, "fell from a tree"? — I asked as evenly as I could.
— I... I do not know exactly what happened, — the maid defended herself, — But when the servants found her, she was already lying under a tree with a broken arm...
I exhaled noisily, feeling the bridge of my nose, as if I had a headache at that moment.
— So you're saying she broke her arm?
— Y-yes...
— And how did you find out?
— Well... uh..... It's dislocated the other way.
— ...
The silence on my part caused the maid to worry.
— My Lady, what should we do? — she asked uncertainly.
Without further explanation, I threw on a robe, intending to go and personally verify what had happened. But then she turned around and answered briefly.
— And what else? Call Xavier...
***
As it turned out, the commoner really fell from the tree. This news hit me like a bolt from the blue. After all, only yesterday nothing foreshadowed trouble.
I organized a farewell tea party where we spent the last hours together. Today I had to accompany her to the capital, where we would finally break up, and the commoner began an independent life without me.
And suddenly this morning, out of the blue, such terrible news.
Although the commoner's hand did look bad, I hoped it was only at first glance. Maybe everything was fine inside.
I did not lose hope that everything could still be fixed quickly. But the words of the family doctor proved the opposite.
"Well, there's an open multiple fracture on the face," Xavier concluded, putting away his instruments for examination.
When the family doctor diagnosed the commoner with such a diagnosis, I was horrified.
— What are you talking about? — I exclaimed, — How could this happen? She just fell out of a tree!
Mentally calculating, the height of that tree did not exceed seven meters. This distance can be compared to the second floor of an apartment building. Of course, it was possible to get a dislocation or fracture in this case. Especially in case of a bad fall.
But I've never heard of anyone being so seriously injured from such a low altitude!
— Apparently, your ward was unlucky. I managed to fix a fracture of several bones in her right arm, as well as a tissue rupture. It's a pretty tough case.
I pursed my lips.
The commoner lost consciousness after falling from a tree and still has not regained consciousness. Thank the gods, at least there were no new concussions. She should have woken up by now.
When Xavier made his not very comforting diagnosis, I could only accept it. Well, accidents happen to everyone...
— How long will the treatment take? — I asked hoarsely.
— Hmm... For an ordinary person, it would take at least six months. But considering that this girl has exceptional recovery abilities, I think a few weeks will be enough.
— A few weeks...?
The Doctor nodded.
— During this time, she should not take off the bandage. I'll prescribe the necessary ointment. It should make the treatment more effective.
"Okay," I took a deep breath, "thank you, sir."
When Xavier packed his suitcase and was about to say goodbye, he politely reminded me:
— My Lady, I warned you.
— And...?
— That it's not going to be that easy with her, — the doctor adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
I snorted.
I got the impression that the doctor has some special prejudice against the commoner. In my opinion, it is completely unfounded.
— Nonsense, — I said, — accidents happen to everyone. It's not her fault.
The doctor sighed and did not voice his real thoughts about this out loud. In fact, it was the first time in thirty years of practice that he had encountered such a "strange" fracture...
The arm was damaged wherever possible, but the main muscles needed to move the arm remained intact.
The doctor might even have a theory: is it really just a coincidence?
It felt like a person who understood the structure of the human body had deliberately injured himself...
However, this thought remained only in his head. The doctor knew that even if he made his suggestion out loud, the duke's daughter would hardly believe him.
Surprisingly, Camilla's quick-wittedness sometimes bordered on incredible naivety.
The healer sighed. "However... What difference does it make to me? I've already done my job."
When Xavier left, I pulled up a chair and sat down next to the bed. The weak breathing of the victim and the ticking of the clock — that's all that was heard in this room for quite a long time. And then the commoner, who had not reacted before, moved her lips.
— Mm-hmm...
I lifted my head and looked at her. The girl tried to open her eyes, which she had been closed all this time.
— It's okay. I'm here with you! — I hurriedly spoke to her, — How are you feeling?
Her golden eyes turned to me.
— Now... That's better.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
— Well, thank God, — I smiled tightly, straightening the blanket, — The doctor said that you will have to stay on bed rest for a while, so it's better not to get up yet.
— good.
— You can... Can you explain to me how you fell out of a tree? — I asked cautiously.
In fact, the circumstances of this strange incident bothered me more than anything else. Moreover, how did she end up in the tree in the first place?
There was a momentary flicker of tension in the commoner's expression. After a moment, she answered:
— The cat.
— What...?
I was taken aback by such an unexpected answer.
— I climbed a tree to get a cat.
While my eyebrows continued to rise in perplexity, the commoner explained her words.
It turned out that a stray cat had somehow wandered into our territory. I was more than sure that it was an accident, because my brother hated animals and definitely would not allow such a thing. The cat could have got here through a gap in the fence, or one of the servants could have carried it through their ignorance.
Anyway, a commoner accidentally witnessed how a cat got stuck in a tree and no one could get it out of there. One of the servants ran for the stairs, but he might well not have made it, because by that time the branch on which the cat was sitting would have already broken. As a result, the commoner decided to save the animal on her own and even injured herself in the process.
After listening to this story, I was deeply impressed. I was once again surprised at how the existence of such a person is even possible. She had not only a beautiful face, but also a soul. In the end, to give all your strength and even take a risk in the name of saving some small creature... Not everyone would have the courage to do such a thing.
So I admired her and at the same time I was disappointed.
"What a pity that she was born a commoner with such qualities." Moreover, apparently, she does not have any lofty ambitions. So this world is really losing a lot.
— Now everything is clear, — I nodded, — You did the right thing when you saved her. It's just a pity that you had to get injured.
— Are you sorry?
I shuddered at those words.
There was something unusual about her golden eyes. A shiny metallic shade of color similar to hot molten gold. I couldn't take my eyes off that beauty.
— of course... You've been hurt.
When I answered like that, I saw a sudden smile appear on her face.
"Why is she smiling?"
But for some reason, it was nice to see her smile.
"Yes, you're even more beautiful with a smile."
At that moment, of course, I still did not realize how much I had misinterpreted what had happened.