Sword and Salve

Rose Elken

I sat there bored out of my mind as I swung my feet back and forth while I ran my fingers through Jem’s fur. Humming to myself as I named all the herbs I had in my store alphabeticaaly as I attempted to entertain myself.

“You did not have to come, Rose, you barely even come down to this place when I ask you to watch me.”

I shrugged my shoulders as I turned to Stephen, watching with curious eyes as he sharpened his sword. Jem huffed as he stretched his paws forward to lie down, mirroring my thoughts to the point.

“I would not have come down here today even if it were not for Xander, who stated that the Royal Healer should be present at all of his practice matches should something happen to him.”

Stephen hummed as he continued to sharpen his sword, his eyes not leaving mine as he ran his fingers close to the sharp blade, sparks flying as he scraped the metal.

“Are you not worried for me then, Rose? Since you do not come to oversee my practices matches?”

I giggled as I nudged him playfully.

“The fact that I am not with you for this male ego-driven event just speaks volumes of the confidence I have of your abilities, Stephen. It is just that your brother loves to abuse his power to annoy me in any way he can.”

His eyes lit up at my words, lowering his word as he moved bloser to me before Xander called his name, instructing him to take his turn. Stephen huffed while I laughed as he traded places with his brother, scowling at his brother's back.

I rolled my eyes as Xander walked to take his places, laughing as I inched away from him due to the heat that radiated off his body. Jem stood up, stretching and shaking his entire body before moving to sit in front of Xander, silently instructing him to pet him while I looked at the both of them incredulously.

“He does not let anyone but me touch him, almost taking off Stephen’s hand the last time he tried. But for some otherworldly reason, he is content with letting the person that wounded him stroke his fur.”

Xander just shrugged as he placed his sword aside, using both of his hands to scratch behind Jem’s ears. The wolf in question leaning into his touch as if they had been friends since birth.

“What can I say? I am beloved by all.”

I rolled my eyes and snorted.

“Oh please.”

My body stilled as he removed a hand from Jem, the heat from his body causing me to shiver as moved closer to take a lock of my hair between his fingers, twirling it as he leaned back.

“Will my angel give me another kiss if I am wounded today?”

I took a deep breath to prevent myself from stuttering at his words, trying to keep my pride, as I yanked my hair from his fingers, refusing to look him in the eye.

“I have no idea what you mean.”

He laughed once more causing a few people from the further spectators stands to turn their heads while I ducked my head down causing him to laugh even louder. Without a care for my embarrassment, he took a lock of my hair once more and played with it.

“I believe you do, Rose, I can even get Orion to repeat the entire scenario word for word of how you took advantage of a poor defenceless king.”

He smirked as I turned to him with an incredulous expression on my face, he was truly something else.

“Poor defenceless king? Do you even hear yourself? Besides, I was just accommodating the wishes of a ‘dying’ patient, nothing wrong with that.”

Jem whined as Xander took his other hand away from him, stalking over to jump on the bench to lay his head on my lap, closing his eyes as I scratched behind his ears.

“So you will only grant wishes if your patient is at death’s door?"

“Of cou---”

I stopped myself as I turned to him with narrowed accusatory eyes, his tone of voice betraying his innocent facade.

“If you allow yourself to get injured solely for the opportunity to annoy me, I will let you bleed out in my study.”

He sighed while twirling my hair in his fingers, pulling down the ringlets only to watch them as they bounced back up.

“I thought all healers took an oath to do no harm, are you lowering yourself to go against it? Besides, is not watching our practice matches entertaining for you? Most who I bring often say it is the most entertaining thing they have seen.”

I sneered as I turned to watch Stephen.

“I was never an official healer, Xander, just one that was forced to enter the palace by the King…”

I raised an eyebrow at him as I turned to him, but he merely looked away trying his best to feign innocence once again.

“And you became an even better healer, I see no wrong in what the King did.”

I sighed while I rolled my eyes.

“Second, why in the world is men fighting with metal pointy sticks supposed to be entertaining, and the sound of metal against metal sends chills up my spine. Third, those who you bring either want to be Queen of Avarelia or want better their standing in case they have to ask you for a favour in the future.”

Xander drank in my words, his expression unreadable as he left my hair fall from my fingers.

“The third point I have been well aware of all my life… but if watching this does annoy you that much, you are free to leave.”

He did not look at me as I nibbled on my lip, feeling guilt gnaw at my heart as I stared him… not knowing why I felt this way.

“Perhaps I just need to look at things from a different perspective to enjoy it. Thinking of it as a learning experiences of where a sword could cut someone, and think to myself the steps I would need to take to heal them.”

I sat stunned at the words that left my mouth, wondering how on earth did I manage to warp the situation into one that actually benefitted me. Xander looked down at me with a thoughtful expression, his hand playing with my ringlets once more.

“A morbid thought for a maiden, but I guess a practical one for a healer…Why don’t you go back to your study and bring your journal, that way you can record your thoughts for easy reference. It would make life easier if you actually had to treat someone instead of trying to rack your brain for instructions on a wound that you have no prior experience treating.”

I hummed at his suggestions, surprised that I had not even thought of that.

Xander opened his mouth to speak before the instructor called out for him. He sighed before picking up his sword, bending down to place a kiss on the inside of my wrist as I blushed. Looking around frantically to ensure that no one saw this, my cheeks burning hotter with each second his lips lingered against my skin. My stomach fluttering with an unfamiliar feeling as I pushed at his soft black hair for him to leave.

Our eyes met as his lips left my wrist, I could not help but laughing as he bent over in a mock bow, winking as he caught my expression. Nudging at him to get back up before anyone saw the King bowing to a mere healer.

“You truly are an odd one, Miss.”