Chapter 18

After Nalani served the King's food she started feeling woozy and unsteady. She tried shaking the feeling off but it only seemed to worsen the situation. Before she could alert the King, her mind was clouded before it shut down. Leaving her legs to support her heavy unconscious body.

Her legs gave out almost immediately sending her crashing to the floor. Her body was exhausted having been working non stop for weeks without proper rest. She could barely eat from exhaustion and here she was passed out on the King's floor.

The king heard a thund as he ate. He turned quickly towards Nalani to check what was going on. He expected to see that she had dropped something as she is usually clumsy. However he didn't expect to see her on the floor. He left his food immediately and knelt beside her.

" What is wrong with her?" He was puzzled .

He checked to see if she was breathing and he was relieved when he saw her chest movement. It was very subtle that he almost missed it but it was there. He lifted her in his arms and walked to his bed where he placed her carefully.

" Is there anyone out there?" He asked loudly

" Yes your highness"

" Get me the royal medicine woman now! Run!" He commanded

" Yes your highness "

The king sat at the edge of the bed, close enough to touch and observe her. His eyes inspected her face ,neck, arms ,chest and all the way to her feet. She looked tired. Her face was dull and withdrawn while her arms were skinnier than he remembered.

Infact her whole body was skinnier than he remembered. Her naturally bright glow was gone and inturn replaced by a dull diminished glow. She was completely different from the woman he once met. The woman who had so much fire inside her that she once diffied him.

" Where did you go?" The king asked as he rubbed his thumb on her cheek.

She remained quiet and unresponsive as expected. The king felt guilty as he had a part to play in making her like this. She was the shell of the woman he once knew and he couldn't go with it. He couldn't accept this dull version of her that was on display for him and the world to see.

He wanted the first version. The version he liked the most. The version that got in his nerves everyday. He wanted that woman back. And he will be damned if he let this version go on for much longer. Having her closer to him was not benefitual to her. I mean look at her.

His hands went down her neck to her arm and stopped at her hands. As he touched her hand he was almost cut by the toughness. When he inspected her hand, it was full of blisters and cuts. It was red, rough and ugly.

" So this is what happens when you scrub the floors everyday" he noted.

He traced her blisters and cuts slowly carefully not to make them worse. Such a small woman with so many battle scars. Scars she got fighting him. He felt ashamed for punishing her when he should have known better. He should have let her be.

His anger got the best of him and here he was taking care of the same woman he punished. Maybe if he had known it would end up like this, he wouldn't have been so harsh. Although he felt guilty, he also felt a bit of satisfaction.

He was finally able to take care of her without the prying eyes of the court ,guards and the other servants. He was alone with her and he could finally look at her without getting worried other people will see him.

It was strange how he was the most powerful man in the Kingdom but sometimes he felt auterly powerless. But seeing her in this state woke the possessive side of him . He felt the need to protect her from everyone else including himself.

Was it safer for her to return to her former duties? Or was it better for her to be his personal maid where he can watch her closely? The king was in a dilemma.  What was he going to do?

" I won't dwell on this now. I will make a decision later when she is awake" he thought to himself .

He grabbed her hands in his and focused on her face.

' What is happening to me' he wondered

Normally he could careless what happens to the servants. He was not one to cause intentional harm unless it was needed. He tried to be kind to his servants but not so kind that they take him for a fool. He has seen countless servants be punished and some he had supervised it himself.

So why does he feel bad watching her sleep.

" What did she do to me?" He asked out loud.

Did she use soccery? Their kingdom was diverse when it came to spirituality and religion, so he might not know where she stands. Whether she believes in God or the universe or some other weird beliefs he has heard that were ridiculous.

Maybe he should put a stop to those belief's. He has heard of his people being scammed out of all their money by people who claim to be religious leaders. How can some people be so stupid , to believe some of the stories they were told. Anyway it was upto them whether to believe them or not.

He was digressing again. What was taking the medicine woman so long? Does she not understand this was urgent? If Nalani is hurt more than she should, he will punish the royal medicine woman for taking too long to come when she was summoned.

" Why is the royal medicine woman not here yet!" He growled

" I see them your highness, they are almost here" a guard answered from outside

" Finally" he sighed in relief.

" Your highness the royal medicine woman is here"

" Let her in" he commanded

The door opened and the royal medicine woman came in with a black bag. She bowed her head in respect before she came closer to the bed.

" What took you so long?" The king asked annoyed

" I am sorry your highness, I was quickly making a vital medicine when you summoned me, if I left it at that stage it would have been useless " she explained

" If anything happens to her I will hold you accountable. Do you understand! " he threatened

" Yes your highness " she said.

" Now do your job and treat her" he ordered

The king moved from close to Nalani and watched from a far as the Royal medicine woman checked her. She checked her pulse and listened to her heart. She checked her body for wounds and any infections. Once she made a diagnosis, she prepared a line of pure water . She cleaned her wounds and dressed them .

" What is wrong with her?" Asked the impatient King.

" She seems to be exhausted my king. She has been working too hard and sleeping less. Her body just shut down to force her in a state of rest" she explained.

" So there's nothing serious about her condition?"

" She is just tired my king. After resting for a couple of days, she will be as good as new" she assured the king.

" You may leave" the king dismissed her.

The medicine woman bowed before she left the room.

" Exhausted? Huh!" The king thought.

He did this to her. She passed out because of him. Having someone confirm it was his fault made him feel worse. He took his position next to her and watched her sleep. She was indeed beautiful. Something he was trying his best not to notice.

He could already guess how many male servants and guards hit on her on a daily basis. The thought annoyed him to the point of angering him.

" Why do I feel like this?" He asked himself again.

He watched her for hours before he was too tired to keep his eyes open. He had offered his bed so he had no other place to sleep. Without overthinking his actions too much, he joined her in bed and went to sleep.