I stood by my bedroom door listening. Papa had a visitor tonight. It wasn't a strange thing that papa had a visitor at night. There were people who came occasionally from far and near and were often emergencies. They came because they needed papa's services. Papa was a physician.
He used to be the head physician for the royal family before I was born and when he retired to this secluded part of the kingdom, he still continued to treat people's ailments. He was well known in our little town, Kerva and beyond.
Something about the way they whispered told me that the hooded man standing outside was no ordinary visitor. I moved closer, taking advantage of the shadows to hear what they were saying.
Ā "I can't do this thing you're asking me." Papa said hushedly.
Ā I heard the groan in the stranger's voice. It seemed he was injured since he spoke through gritted teeth.Ā
Ā "Why? Didn't you promise your loyalty to my late father? Why are you turning your back on your promise now?"
Papa was silent for a while. Then he took in a deep breath and spoke again. "Yes, I did promise my loyalty to your father. But back then, the dark lord had not come to existence."
I heard the scoff in the stranger's pained voice. "So you're afraid of the dark lord?"
I blinked. What kind of man was the stranger that he was not afraid of the dark lord. Everyone in Kerva was terrified of the dark lord. Even the little children knew of him, he's a tyrant and the mention of his name only caused fear in the people's hearts. And he said he was not afraid?
Ā "Why wouldn't I be?" My father replied. "You are young and rash. You have nothing to lose. I however have something I want to protect."
Ā We didn't have any valuables. Papa didn't believe in keeping material things. He believed that what man should strive for was his daily meal, shelter and the clothes on his back. So with Papa's beliefs, what could he be so important to protect.
My curiosity got a better part of me and I didn't see the rat scurrying towards me until it was almost too late. I moved aside to let the mouse pass and as I did, the floorboard squeaked. Papa and the stranger turned quickly to find the source of the sound. Luckily for me it was pitch dark so they couldn't see anything.
Soon the two men went back to their discussion.
Ā "I have allies in the surrounding kingdoms who are willing to help me fight. Soon the dark lord will no longer be a threat. Keep your fears aside and help me." The stranger told papa. The man must be a soldier. Maybe one of the former generals the dark lord had displaced.
Ā "I believe in you. But right now, he has eyes and ears everywhere. They might come and..." Papa reasoned.
Ā "I will protect what it is that you need to be protected. Leave it in my hands." The stranger said resolutely. Papa must have found it hard to argue with him anymore. He agreed.
Ā "You must keep your word." Papa told him and they shook hands. Whatever they were discussing about was now a sealed deal. Papa opened the door wider to let the man in. I couldn't wait to see the rest as my cover would be blown. I tiptoed back to my room and shut the door.
As I laid on my bed, I heard the stranger groan from time to time and I figured that Papa must be treating his wounds. Whoever this new patient was, I couldn't wait to meet him tomorrow. Maybe I would find the source of his bravery.
*Ā *Ā *
The next morning, I woke a little after dawn which was quite early. I had much work to be done today and also, I was a bit excited to see who our visitor from last night was. I pushed to door to my room open gently so I would not make a sound to disrupt the person's sleep. When I entered the main hall of our house, there was no one there. Papa must have moved the person to the detached guest room behind the house.
I took my waterpail and headed to the nearby spring where I normally got water from. This was a part of my daily routine. A sight stopped me in my tracks at the spring. I covered my mouth in shock and the water pail fell from my hands, rolling away
There was someone in the pool beneath the spring. It was a man and he was completely uncovered. I knew it was wrong to look and that I should look away. This was my first time seeing a man without his clothes. Was this what they looked like?
I forced my eyes to look away as the man sat in the pool. He was trying to take a bath. He had his back turned to me so he couldn't see me. Maybe if he could see the shock on my face right now...
The man was tall and had toned arms and he struggled to keep one of his arms out of the water because he had a bandage there. He must be Papa's visitor from last night. His brown hair was cut short as expected of a soldier. From his side profile, he looked to be not too old, but then not too young.
But enough staring already. Papa was going to scold me if I finished my chores late. I had sick people to tend to.
Ā I went after my pail, picked it up and walked back to the spot where I stood earlier. Then I cleared my throat to get the man's attention.
He turned, his eyes scanning the environment at the source of the sound. When he saw me, he seemed a bit guarded.
Ā "Who are you?" He asked.
Well I should be the one asking him that. The whole of our village knew me. He was someone I had never seen before.
Ā I mustered my courage and replied in a clear voice. "I'm Frieda. The physician's daughter."
The man narrowed his eyes as if he didn't believe me. But then he nodded. "I'm sorry. I never knew the physician had a daughter and you look nothing like him."
I frowned. Who was this jerk exactly? Who told him that all family members had to look alike?
Ā "Well, whether I look like him or not, I am his daughter. And also, you might not know but this spring is not where you can take your bath. The villagers drink this water."
The man, who looked to be in his early thirties by the way, looked remorseful when he heard the water wasn't for bathing. But he couldn't come out, he was stark naked.
Ā "I'll excuse you." I said, turning to go back home so I could give him space to do whatever it was that he wanted.
Walking back to the house, I patted by flushed face and willed myself to calm down. I couldn't shake out the image of the man from my head. It kept playing and playing even if I didn't want it too. I met Papa at the entrance of the house. He wasn't awake at the time I had gone to the spring.
Ā "Good morning Papa. " I greeted with a smile. Papa waved me off and kept looking for something or rather, someone.
Ā "What's wrong Papa? What do you seek?" I asked coming closer to him. He shook his head.
Ā "I had a new patient come in last night. Now I wake up this morning and I can't find him. He's not from around here so he could have gotten lost."
"I think I know where he is." And that made Papa turn his attention to me. "He's at the spring bathing." I informed him.
Ā "Bathing?!" Papa cried. "Typical of those pesky royals. Why would he bathe in the spring? The people drink that water!"
I was glad I wasn't the only one who felt that way about the issue. Wait a moment, did Papa just say royals? Our patient was from the royal family?
No wonder he was so brave. Even his demeanor was totally different. He was a royal. He must be a prince then. I now understood why he urgently wanted treatment. If the dark lord found him roaming around in the kingdom he would be killed. He ought to be on exile, in hiding.