The Arranged Marriage (24 page)

“It is Argarth, he is
dying.”

“Dying?” He asked in
astonishment

“He doesn’t have long to live
according to this Ison, he has summoned us both
immediately.”

“He doesn’t have long? But he was of
perfect health when I left.” He was stammering, he knew it, but the
thought of losing the man who had quickly become of importance to
him was terrifying. Then he thought of Rohesia and the sudden need
to get back to her side.

“I will ready the horses,” Ison said
quickly, moving to the door. “Can you order some of your men to
collect Yena? Word must be sent to her also.”

“Yes of course,” Roscaar said, his own
head full of worry. “Leave that to me, you get the rides ready to
go. I will be with you shortly.”

Rohesia was losing it she knew that,
but she was damned if she was going to let Nani and Dracheon know
it as she returned from fetching the fresh water. She hadn’t let
anyone near her father, aside from Nani and Dracheon, since hearing
the reason behind her father’s ailment. She thought back to when
Nani had told her.

“I have something to tell you my
lady,” Nani had said after they had finally settled a collapsed
Argarth into his bed chamber. Rohesia had helped the servants carry
him there after they had discovered him on the floor in his
study.

“I have seen his symptoms somewhere
before, shakes, vomiting, the inner burning that he has complained
of when conscious,” Nani had held on to Rohesia’s arm when she had
told her. “I have taken some of your father’s blood and checked it
with a tonic and Gaja leaves. When mixed with most poisons it turns
the liquid purple.” Rohesia remembered the fear in Nani’s eyes.
“Your father’s blood; it turned purple Rohesia.”

“Poisoned? Are you
certain?”

“Yes, I am.”

The fear had hit her
instantly.

“But how?” She had said, astonished.
“Who would do such a thing?” But even as Rohesia had said it, the
image of the ring from Yena’s study had flashed into her
mind.

“I do not know, “Nani had replied.
“But what I do know is it would have most likely been in liquid
form to affect him this quickly. Any poisons I know of would be
detectable in food but dissolvable in liquid, disappearing into any
strong taste.”

“But all father ever drinks is liquids
from the castle, your tonics and,” A memory of her father drinking
brandy not long before he had collapsed came back to
her.

“His brandy,” She had whispered, the
tears threatening to fall. “What can we do Nani? I’ll do anything,
I can summon a physician, order any supplies, what should we
do?”

Nani had let her own tears fall
then.

“It has gone too far, too quickly
Rohesia. We cannot bleed him because he would pass away instantly
from the shock. The only thing we can do is keep him comfortable
until the end.”

Rohesia had shaken her head
violently.

“No, Nani there has to be something we
could do. I can summon a physician,”

“Rohesia, he has another day or two at
the most. By the time the physician got here he would be so far
gone that,” Nani had stopped herself from saying the inevitable
aloud.

“I must go to him,” She had said then,
her tears hardening her heart. “I want you to ensure this corridor
is left in peace and only you and Dracheon are allowed down here.
No one else.”

“Rohesia, the servants can help, even
if it’s just to fetch things for us.”

“Someone in this castle poisoned him
Nani, or was ordered to, and until I find out who, I want no one
near him apart from you, me or Dracheon. Understand?”

Nani had nodded, understanding the
harshness in her voice.

Rohesia had then entered her father’s
chamber as quietly as she could with the fresh water in
hand.

“Father I’m here, are you
awake?”

“Yes I am,” He croaked, and she had
tried hard not to fall down against him and cry until she could cry
no more; but her father wasn’t aware of the poison and distressing
him at this point was unnecessary.

“Would you like some more water, or
milk? Nani said it is important to keep taking fluids.”

“I know I am dying Rohesia,” He
whispered to her. “And I need you to do a few things for
me.”

Her stomach felt as if it had swelled
into a balloon as the pain of her father dying before her
threatened to take her over.

“Anything.” She had whispered
back.

“Summon Roscaar and Ison here to me
immediately. There is something I must do.”

“Father I don’t see how,” She had felt
the hard grip of his hands on hers.

“Please Rohesia, now.”

The message had been sent with a red
seal not long after.

* * *

“Roscaar and Ison will be here soon
father.” Rohesia whispered as she started to bathe down his hot
skin. He groggily acknowledged her presence.

The fight in him the past day had been
strong and Rohesia had not left his side. She had refused to let
anyone do anything for him and took it upon herself to tend him
through his spasms, to change his clothes when they were dampened
with vomit or sweat, and to hold him and rub his back when the
violent jerks of sickness took its worst. She had been careful to
follow Nani’s advice when force feeding him milk in order to make
the vomiting easier on him, and changed the bed sheets if they had
been soiled through total loss of his motions.

Nani had tried time and time again to
try and move her from the bed but she always refused, and continued
to go through the pace of tending to the one bit of family she had
left.

Ison and Roscaar quickly made their
way into the castle as soon as they had dismounted their horses.
Kaya met them upon arrival and told them where the king lay ill.
She made it clear to them that the servants had been banned from
the quarters. Ison wandered why and made haste to
Rohesia.

“
Oh my lord,” Nani ran to
them both as soon as she saw them approach. “I am so glad you’re
here.”

“Is he in there Nani?” Ison asked as
he pointed to Argarth’s chamber.

“Yes he is,” She stopped them before
they could go any further. “But my lord, Rohesia is in there and I
am so worried about her,” She lowered her voice. “She has banned
all of the servants apart from Dracheon and me, but she will not
allow us to do anything. She has not slept in two eves,” She
twisted her apron in her hands, feeling disloyal telling them this,
but she was so worried. “She has not had rest or eaten since it
happened my lord, and I fear she is ready to break.”

Ison put his hand gently on Nani’s
shoulder to reassure her. He understood her pain.

“Do not fret Nani, rota the servants
and you take some rest. I will deal with Rohesia.”

“But my lord,” She stopped him. “The
reason she has banned the servants is because I have discovered
Argarth has been poisoned, and we think via his brandy. He doesn’t
have long.”

Ison shared a look with Roscaar and
they dismissed Nani before making their way hastily into the
chamber.

Whatever Ison was expecting to see was
nothing like the image that appeared before him when he walked into
the room. He noticed Argarth at first, lying in the bed with his
eyes closed and taking shortened breaths. His weight had declined
and his face was as white as the sheets. But even though Ison felt
his stomach ache from the sight of Argarth lying there, weakened,
it was nothing compared to what he felt when Rohesia turned towards
them.

Her features were drawn with darkened
patches under her eyes, but what scared him the most was the look
on her face. She was moving around the room as if in a hypnotic
state and didn’t even notice them until Ison was nearly upon
her.

“Rohesia?”

She started at his voice.

“My lord? I didn’t hear you come in.
My father sent for you but he is not awake at this time. I shall
send for you when he wakens.”

She started to motion them towards the
door when Argarth spoke.

“Leave me with Roscaar and Ison,” He
asked her as they both quickly made their way to his side. Rohesia
looked at Ison then as if he had been the one to poison her father.
He felt the inside of him go cold as she exited the
room.

Ison managed to find his wife in the
library as soon as he had finished the business that Argarth had
requested of them. His own emotions were in turmoil but he had them
under control. His thoughts were now on Rohesia and he needed to
see to her before he did anything else.

“Rohesia?” He said as she looked upon
him entering.

“Have you finished with him
now?”

“Yes, Nani has made him comfortable
whilst he sleeps.”

“Very well, then I must go back to
him.”

Ison stopped her as she went to
pass.

“You need rest.” He told her, the
authoritative tone in his voice taking force. She snatched her arm
away.

“I am perfectly fine. If you don’t
mind I would like to go and sit with my father who will be dead
shortly. That’s not too much to ask is it?” She said through
gritted teeth.

“You can see to him after you have
rested.” He said quietly.

“I will see to him now,” She shouted
before shaking her head. She hesitantly put her hand on his arm. “I
am fine Ison. I will rest later.”

His stomach was twisting as he noticed
the pain etched into her eyes and all he wanted to do was scoop her
up and keep her safe from all of this. But he knew he
couldn’t.

“I will come to collect you
later.”

Rohesia nodded and made her way across
the library, never reaching the exit as Ison watched in slow motion
as she collapsed to the floor.

Ison felt the lump in his throat
gather as he lifted her up from the floor and quickly carried her
to their chamber. He shouted at the nearest servant to summon Nani
as he hurried her on to their bed and laid her down, gently tapping
her face to wake her whilst his mind was all but ready to go
insane.

“Rohesia,” He tapped her again.
“Please wake up.” He felt like shaking her, screaming at her not to
leave him and praying that she had only fainted through exhaustion.
She would be fine, he thought to himself as Nani made her way into
the room and then raced off again to get her salts and tonics. She
had to be fine.

“Here, there you go.” Nani advised as
she held on to Rohesia once the salts had taken their effect. She
looked back at Ison. “I have ordered the cook to prepare her some
soup which she is to eat, and I would like to give her a quick
examination if you do not mind my lord?” It took him a moment to
realise she wanted him to leave the room.

“Of course, I will be waiting
outside.”

It didn’t take long for Nani to come
to the conclusion of what she suspected. Rohesia lay there waiting
for the news.

“What?” She asked as Nani looked down
at her with a gentle smile.

“You are with child Rohesia, nearly a
full cycle.”

Rohesia felt a tear run down her cheek
at the irony of losing one life and gaining another.

“Don’t tell Ison,” She whispered as
she looked at Nani seriously. “I will tell him when this is
over.”

Nani suddenly looked
concerned.

“But he should know
Rohesia,”

“He will know, just not right now. I
can’t deal with it right now.” She whispered.

“Very well, if that is your wish. But
I will not see you deprive yourself and that babe of food and
nourishment. You will make your way down to those kitchens before
you go back to your father, do you hear me young lady?”

Rohesia laughed briefly at Nani
scolding her, a laugh that was threatening to turn into
tears.

“I will, but I have to go back to him
Nani. He doesn’t have much longer.”

“Yena may be here shortly.”

“I don’t care. No one is moving me
from that room this day.”

“Father, are you awake?” Rohesia
whispered as she made her way back into his chamber. She had
managed in a short amount of time to convince both Nani and Ison
she was well, and to eat the soup and bread that cook had laid out
for her.

“I am Rohesia,” Argarth advised as he
removed his hand from the covers to hold on to her own. “Are you
well?”

“Yes father, I am. But I have some
news.”

“What is it my dear?” He asked
weakly.

“I am with child father, your
grandchild.”

He leaned up as much as his strength
would allow, gaining better sight of her.

“Truly?”

“Yes father, nearly a full
cycle.”

“Oh my sweet, sweet girl, I am so
happy for you.”

“Thank you papa,” She whispered to
him, using the name she had addressed him with as a
child.