"What was this about?" he asked referring to the body of the servant on the floor.
"I'm not sure," I responded.
"I told you need to get along with your sister," he reprimanded me. "You are the heir of the kingdom and the older sister I expect you to set an example."
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied but I didn't even do anything. I was the one standing when she lunged.
"As I always tell you; everything I do is for the family and the kingdom. I'm always thinking of what's best for the kingdom. With your mate decided I want you to start thinking of what's best for him and the kingdom. It's this way of thinking that will ensure the continued prosperity of the kingdom." He further lectured me.
"Yes, father," I simply responded. The easiest thing was to just accept everything he said.
"You cannot be the trouble making child you used to be in the past," he said as stared intensely at me. I remembered all the times he was referring to. My father then pulled away and turned to leave. "Get this mess cleaned up."
I watched as he walked away. It wasn't a mess but a person, a fellow wolf that died. He told me to think of what was best for the kingdom honestly that's exactly what I didn't want. I would find away to prevent that at all costs.
*****
That night when I returned to my room, I was prepared for bed by the servants. My mind was still on the poor servant whom Elodie had killed for no reason. How unfortunate that she had to be walking in the hallway at the time.
Once the servants were done, they left the room all expect one. She returned to my closest to put something back and told the other servants to go on ahead. After she was done, I expected her to soon leave but was instead surprised to find her coming toward me. I wondered what the problem was. As I looked at her, I grew concerned as a harrowing, stressed look was on her face. I knew something was wrong. She came to stand in front of me. I waited for her speak.
"Your highness, I know this is against the rules and I'm crossing a line but I'm begging you to help me. My brother took part in the games today and ended getting badly injured by the army. He is still breathing but he's losing a lot of blood. No matter what I do it won't stop. I fear he'll soon die if nothing is done. I don't know how I can help him. I've heard you are a herbalist who's helped slaves in the past." She explained.
She then fell to the floor and bowed before me extremely low. "Please, please help me princess I don't want…I don't want my brother to die. He's the only family I have left after my pack was raided!"
I felt a pang in my chest seeing her beg me for help like this. My mind went back to the events that took place in the arena this afternoon. Most of the slaves had been killed during the games and the ones that had survived weren't left unscathed. Slaves certainly had no access to physicians or any form of health care. If you got injured or sick you were on your own.
What's worse is that as wolfs; our wolf forms helped us heal faster if we got injured. However, slaves wore collars to prevent them from transforming so they could only rely on their human forms to heal, which were unreliable.
A look of regret formed on my face as I realized what I had to say to her. I hated what I was going to tell her but I had no choice. I couldn't help her.
Believe it or not, it was safer to let her brother suffer self-heal if possible. I just couldn't risk it. My father's words rang in my mind. In the past I used to try to help everyone I could with my medicines. It's how I was able to improve and perfect my medicines in the end. I did it all behind my father's back of course because royalty helping servants would be preposterous to my father.
I let out a deep exhausted sigh. "Look, I am truly sorry but I…" I started.
"No, Your Highness please don't tell me this, you're the only person I can turn to," she cried out.
I knelt in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. "Listen to me, I know it's painful but the outcome will be far worse if I help you and you get caught. Not only you and your brother will be killed but all the other servants around you will be killed as well," I told her.
She looked at me with a hopeless expression and began to cry.
Suddenly the door to my room opened and someone walked in. The servant and I turned to look and saw it was Maya, my lady-in-waiting. Once Maya saw us on the floor her expression changed to one of horror.
"What is going on here?" she asked and rushed toward us. "I knew something was strange when one of the maids hadn't returned after they were done attending to your highness."
I didn't say anything to Maya.
"Come now Maya told the servant. "I have a feeling I know what this is about forget it and come with me."
I contemplated for a moment what I should do. I had ointments I could give her to help her brother, but it was too risky given if she was caught, they would know it was me who had helped her. My ointments too obviously pointed back to me. But was there nothing at all I could to help this woman? I hated feeling so helpless. Knowing that I had the capability to help but couldn't was so frustrating.