Chapter 86 Lucien’s healing
“argggh.” Lucien winced as the doctor removed the patch. “Careful.” He muttered, his face squeezed.
“You should have thought of that before adding more wounds to this.” She retorted, her face creased into frowns.
Lucien chuckled despite the pain. “How do you know that?”
She rolled her eyes. “I'm a doctor, Your Majesty.”
“Of course I know that, I just…” he hissed, clutching his thigh.
“Why do I think you're making this more painful than usual, Maya?” He continued.
“Maybe, maybe not.” She shrugged, squinting as she used her fingers to feel the wound in his thigh.
“You're lucky.” She grimaced, collecting a pair of scissors from her assistant who stood by the side.
“How so?” Lucien knew a lecture was coming.
“This was almost infected. It was a close call.”
He sighed in relief. “I'm safe then.” He wanted to be sure. He couldn't afford to lie in bed, incapacitated as the men prepared for war. They needed to be encouraged and he was not going to do it from the confines of his bed.
“Yes you are,” she began.
“But?” Lucien knew there was a but. There was always a but when it came to Maya.
“We have to commence surgery. A nail is lodged firmly in your kneecap. As a result of this.” She pointed at the piece of cloth he'd used to tie the injury earlier.
“Oh…” his smile was bitter. “That was the best option there was.”
“And your palms?” She glanced at the bloodied palm whose wound she'd just dressed.
“He was going to kill me either way.”
He watched as Maya glared at him.
“Isn't there another way asides Surgery? The men need me.”
“Ahh,” she smiled. “I think I forgot.” Her eyes lit up dramatically as if she'd just remembered something important.
“We could go for amputation. How about we just cut off the legs completely?”
Lucien hissed. How could he not know what Maya was capable of?
“That's not the point, Maya and you know that.” His expression was serious. “We are in very important times.”
She nodded. “Which is exactly why I think if we do this now, you could be out of harm's way in four tops, five days.”
“And what will happen in those five days?” He asked.
Maya shrugged. “Last I checked, your friends are here and have been taking charge.” She paused.
“But if you don't want to, I think it's fine. I could leave camp and head to Crestwood. I hear Lady Isabella is very fierce. And persuasive.” She added as an afterthought
Lucien smiled at the mention of Isabella's name. “You really think that's the best option to go by, Maya?” He teased.
Maya rolled her eyes. “Just the mention of her has got you smiling. I think she should be able to convince you.”
Lucien shrugged. “She doesn't need to know.”
He groaned, seeing Maya's lovestruck face. “It'll only add more worries to her plates.” His voice was firm.
“Should have brought this up, sooner,” Maya muttered as she dressed the last wound.
“I can address the men at least?” Lucien confirmed.
Maya nodded. “You have thirty minutes, Your Majesty. Especially if you want to go back to carrying swords in five days, we had better do it today.”
He nodded. “Send them in on your way out.” He closed his eyes tiredly.
“And Maya?” He opened them suddenly as if he'd just remembered something. “Thank you.” His voice was sincere.
Maya nodded. “My pleasure, Your Majesty.” Without further words, she opened the door. “Thirty minutes,” she muttered as she closed the door behind her.
Lucien chuckled and groaned, almost immediately, clutching the pillows as he sat up. He'd barely managed to make himself comfortable before the door popped open and Olivia stepped in, followed by Seth and Konstatin.
“I was beginning to get worried.” She sighed in relief as she approached his bed.
“Told you you were weak,” Konstatin grunted, making Lucien chuckle.
Lucien was not going to be fooled. He could hear the relief in the man's voice.
Seth nodded as a form of greeting, settling on the chair closer to the door.
“It's not all over. I still have to get some things out of this knee.” He pointed at the knee.
“So surgery then,” Olivia spoke.
Lucien grunted. He glanced at Konstatin. “The men?”
Konstatin sighed. “Better than I expected.”
“And the dead ones?” He pressed. “Their families deserve a piece of consolation.”
Konstatin gruffed. “Already taken care of.”
Lucien looked down. “We were found out.” He said the words hanging on their lips. “Compromised because we have a mole.” He hissed quietly in pain as he tried to move his leg.
Olivia was made to help him, but he held his hand. He was not going to look weak in front of them.
“If it makes you feel better,” Seth began, speaking for the first time. “He has been found already.”’
Lucien nodded in appreciation.
“A small lowly guard.”
“Dead or alive?” The temperature in the room dropped as a result of his tone.
Seth's lips curled. “Alive and well fed. I haven't forgotten.”
“Good,” Lucien nodded. He drew his gaze to Konstatin. “You're in charge. What's next?”
Konstatin glanced at Seth. “He's in charge of planning. I'll do the execution.”
Despite the stinging in his knees, Lucien smiled, before nodding at Seth.
“Damien’s guy is being replaced. We'll feed him bits and bits of wrong information.”
Lucien nodded in approval. It was exactly what he would have done if he were up and about.
“Spoke to the doctor and she says you'll recover in five days,” Olivia said.
“If it goes well.”
“Why shouldn't it?” Konstatin snickered.
“Plans are made to reposition. Help the soldiers heal and train them better. They seem to be lacking in some areas.” Seth continued.
He looked displeased that they'd lost some men. “And K, here should execute a flanking movement. We need to cut some of Damien's supplies. Have it hit him where it matters.”
The expression on their faces was different at the mention of Seth's fond name-calling for Konstatin.
Lucien had a smile, the general looked like he was going to wring Seth's neck out of his head and Olivia was smiling.
Only Seth had a neutral expression as if he hadn't really thought about it.
Lucien nodded, relief clouding his face. “Plans are solid.”
“I should be out of here in five hours.”
“And Isabella?” Olivia asked the question that had been plaguing their minds. “She has a right to know.”
Lucien nodded. “That she does, but we tell her nothing.” He ignored the frowns on their faces, Konstatin's especially.
He sighed. “She would definitely know, it just doesn't have to be now.” His effort in explanation fell on deaf ears as they all looked at him.
“It's a minor surgery.” Lucien continued, undeterred. “One I've undergone several times. This will not be any different.”
He grinned. “Can't believe Isabella has every one of you as her allies. Such a lucky woman.”
Konstatin rolled his eyes. “Back to business people.” He clapped his hands softly.
“I have reliable intelligence that Damien has asked for more supplies. They'll make the journey through the Hong border.”
“A few miles away from where we are,” Lucien noted.
Konstatin ignored him. “This is where the spy plays a good game.”
Lucien nodded, his brows creasing in annoyance. Konstatin was having a very good time, playing the long game with suspense.
“We're going to attack them and they will know.” He continued.
“A different address and a different time.” Seth cut in impatiently, visibly annoyed, ignoring the daggers in Konstatin's eyes.
“Passing the Northern plains means that they have to pass the Hong borders and the Black woods.”
“As expected.” Lucien nodded.
“Their reliable intel would inform them of the attcaks in the Hong borders.”
“There will be nothing.” Seth took over. “Instead, we'll wait for them to let their guards down and attack at the Black Woods.”
“Brilliant,” Lucien murmured. “Perfectly brilliant.” He continued.
Before he could say more, the door opened and Maya stepped in.
“Time's up, Your Majesty. We're ready for you.”
“Two minutes, Maya.” He nodded in appreciation as she closed the door before facing his friends in the room.
“Thank you.” He muttered as he closed his eyes tiredly, signalling the end of the conversation.
They all nodded, grunting incoherent words as they filed out of the room, making him smile. They would do anything and everything except one thing
Show emotions where it mattered.
He opened his eyes at the sound of the click in the door, only to find Seth in the room.
“Here,” Seth handed him a picture. “I had my men take this.” And without waiting for a word, he stepped out of the room.
Lucien's breath caught as he turned the picture. It was a picture of Isabella and Elias in the garden, dancing under the sun.
He held the picture close to his heart, as he closed his eyes, sighing in contentment.