Chapter 14, Recovery

The fourteenth chapter of "Wilde Horses Couldn't Stop Me!"

XXIX

Carefully avoiding the royal suite and Milo, Kida navigated her way through the crowds and into her sister’s chambers.  After only a few knocks on the door, Kida’s sister closed the door and greeted her with a warm, all-encompassing hug.

“Kida, I’m so sorry.  I’m here for you.  Everything’s going to be okay,” she stroked Kida’s hair gently and half-whispered her words, “he’s a jerk.  That’s all he is; just a jerk.”

Kida started to cry and her voice was muffled when she said, “I don’t want him to find me.  Let’s go to our secret place.”

“Whatever you want, Kida,” her sister released Kida from her embrace and they left the suite, heading for the throne room.

Nevagakash Nedakh was twenty years younger than Kida and second in line to the throne after Kida and Milo unless they were to produce an heir.  Without her sister and Milo, Kida would never have been able to handle the crushing news of her father’s death.  Neva was not only her sister, but her best friend.  

Slightly taller than Kida, she had long full white hair, dark green eyes, a curvy figure and full, fleshy lips.  Her black eyebrows were usually pointing down toward her upturned nose because her face was perpetually locked in a scowl, except around Kida.  She was an angry and intimidating woman but fiercely loyal to her sister.  

Many Atlantean men had made attempts to woo her but she was very picky when choosing suitors and had only been in a relationship with two men.  Fighting was her favourite thing to do but there were rarely any opportunities to fight in the peaceful city of Atlantis, so she would often act combative in order to fight people.  Unlike the other Atlanteans, she had never approved of Kida’s union with Milo.

Once they had reached the throne room, Neva picked up one of the books that Milo had stashed next to his throne.  Milo used his small pile of books to entertain himself when his royal duties were at a lull.  Neva chucked Great Expectations at a piece of wall above the doorway to the throne room.  

“Damn, I missed,” Neva growled, “let’s try Paradise Lost.”

She threw the second book at the area above the doorway and suddenly several bright blue floor tiles in the middle of the throne room began to lower themselves slowly.  Neva hastily returned the books to Milo’s stack and then both women stepped onto the lowering platform of floor tiles.  Beneath the throne room stood a large cavernous room which looked menacing in the darkness.     The platform eventually became level with the floor, leaving a white square beacon above Kida and Neva.  The sisters stepped off of the square of blue tiles, which immediately moved up to re-join the throne room floor.  

Kida lit several candles which revealed a large, luxurious room with carpeted walls which was nearly the same size as the spacious throne room.  Each carpet was like a tapestry, with intricate designs depicting scenes from the history of Atlantis, including the Great Flood.  Milo would have been fascinated by these tapestries if he were aware of them.  There were a few comfortable chairs lining the perimeter of the chamber and in one of the corners of the room stood a table covered in goblets and various Atlantean alcoholic drinks, mostly wine.  On the side of the room toward the thrones above there was a large, comfortable bed with fluffy blue pillows and purple linens.  

Some hot springs occupied the middle of the room with an area slightly larger than the bed.  Kida, Neva and their father Kashekim had built the room more than a thousand years ago.  Before the chamber was built, Kida had noticed an unusual warmth in the middle of the throne room and upon further investigation, the King and his daughters had discovered some hot springs directly below the throne room.  They decided to build a chamber around the hot springs.  It was a difficult project that took many years, since they were inexperienced with construction and all of their building was done overnight and in secret, but it was their pride and joy and it built a secret bond between the three royals.  Steam rose from the hot springs in a delightful mist.

“Do you think Milo has any idea?” Kida asked, half nervous, half joking.

“That idiot?  Please,” Neva laughed, lightening the mood slightly.  

Kida would have usually become upset with her sister for calling Milo an idiot, but this evening she didn’t seem to mind.  In fact, it made her feel more relaxed.  

“Well the tiles that lead to this room are the only ones that are blue while the rest are green,” Kida persisted.

“Don’t worry.  He probably just thinks it’s part of the design,” Neva said, “I mean, how likely is it that that wimp violently throws objects at that exact place, especially his precious books?”

“That’s true.”

Both sisters stripped to their undergarments and entered the hot springs.  The water was piping hot but comfortable enough to swim or bathe.  It was like getting into a bed with blankets that were immediately warm.

“Nish*, Neva.  I have no idea what to do about Milo...” Kida sighed sadly.

“Do you want my opinion?” Neva said gingerly.

“I know what your opinion is, sister.  End the relationship; tell him it’s over.  But I can’t do that,” Kida’s eyes became teary.

“You still love him,” Neva stated matter-of-factly.

“Yes.”

Neva sighed and frowned, “I still don’t know what you see in him.  Sure, he’s from the surface, which is, different, I guess.  And he saved Atlantis, but he had a lot of help from his friends...  I’m just saying he’s not that special.  Not to mention the fact that he essentially cheated on you.”

Kida’s face contorted in grief, “He did, didn’t he?”

Neva pulled Kida toward her and hugged her again.  After a few moments of near silence and Kida’s sniffling, Neva stood up and pushed herself onto the floor above the hot springs.  

“Kida, what you need is a drink, or twenty,” Neva said, “You’ll forget about this entire mess.”

“You’re right.  Maybe just a few drinks,” Kida decided.

XXX

Filled with anxiety, Beatrice gripped the door handle, but hesitated before opening the door.

“Milo, what will you say when she asks how this happened?”

“Oh, damn, I hadn’t thought of that.”

They thought for a minute as the knocking continued more frantically and rapidly.

Beatrice started, “Oh, I know.  Someone in attendance at your anniversary... was angry with you and cornered you in a place where there were no guards and beat you up.  How’s that?”

“Excellent,” Milo smiled weakly.

Beatrice opened the waiting door and greeted the healer, inviting her inside.  Forgetting formalities, the healer immediately made her way over to Milo.  

Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets, “Nish!*  What has happened to you, your majesty?”

She immediately rushed to Milo’s side, inspecting him for blood, bruises and broken bones.

“An angry citizen attacked me after the anniversary celebration.”

“My goodness.  And where were your guards?  That’s what I’d like to know.” the healer asked.

“He made sure there were none in sight.”

“Unkind but clever, I see,” the healer said.  She ordered Milo to sit up on the bed and began to inspect his nose to see whether it was broken.  The king winced at every touch.

“If you want my opinion, you deserved it,” she said casually.

“What?” Milo was confused.

“Gallivanting with that surface girl while you have a wife and then coming late to your anniversary.  You should be ashamed,” the healer’s tone was cheery, but her words were aggressive.

Beatrice frowned.  She did not care for this particular healer.  Milo was nervous that he would get another beating that night.

“Anyway, I’m sorry to say this, but your nose is broken and it is beyond my abilities as a healer.”

Milo was panicking, “You... can’t fix it?”

“No, I can fix it.” 

Milo sighed in relief.  The healer continued, “I’ll make you my herbal broken-bone remedy.  In two days your nose will be good as new.”

She dug through her satchel and withdrew several mysterious-looking ingredients.

“This will take a few minutes,” the healer went into Beatrice’s bathroom to prepare her concoction.  

After about five minutes the healer emerged with a goblet filled with a dark red fluid which she presented to Milo.

“It looks like blood,” Beatrice remarked in disgust, “It’s not actually blood, is it?”

“Heavens, no,” the healer laughed, “it just has a strange colour.”

Milo eyed the potion suspiciously and took a sip.  It was the worst thing he had ever tasted.  Straightaway he spat it out, his eyes watering in shock.

“It’s awful!” Milo screamed, “Why didn’t you tell me that it would taste this bad?”

“Well then you wouldn’t have drank any,” the healer was calm and trying not to smirk, “And just so you know you have to drink the entire thing.”

“What?!” Milo exclaimed.

“Unless you want a broken nose for the rest of your life,” she urged.

Milo sighed deeply and stared at the goblet wishing it would disappear.  Then he began to chug the liquid but he was only able to finish half of the potion.  He wrinkled his face in repulsion as he gulped down what he had sipped.  He took a few deep breaths and then finished the potion as quickly as he could.  

“Please, water,” he cried.

Beatrice brought him some water from the bathroom and he grabbed it from her hands, drinking it in a frenzy of nausea.  Once he was finished the water, he looked much more relaxed.

“Sorry, Beatrice, for grabbing the water like that, but that potion was horrible,” he flinched at the memory.

“Don’t worry about it, at least your nose will be repaired now.”

Suddenly the healer began to burst with laughter, “No it won’t.”

“What?” Beatrice and Milo exclaimed.

“I made it up so that you would pay for what you did to Kida!”

“You did what?” Beatrice was starting to get angry.

“Then what was that potion made of?” Milo looked worried.

“The worst-tasting ingredients I could find; salt, fish eyes, ear wax, dirt, seaweed, crab brains, sour milk, vomit, squid testicles, urine... and I used some red dye so that it would look like blood,” she smiled malevolently.

Despite the fact that he had recently been pummeled quite violently, Milo ran to Beatrice’s bathroom and began to throw up in the sink.

Beatrice glared at the woman angrily, “Are you even a real healer?”

The healer looked insulted, “Of course I am!  It’s just satisfying to see certain people get a taste of their own medicine.  No pun intended.”

“So how are you going to fix Milo’s nose then?” Beatrice asked indignantly.

“It’s not broken.  I just need to crack it,” the healer returned to her initially professional manner, “As for the rest of him, I’ll do a quick healing and then all that he has to do is get some rest.”

Beatrice simmered, “I wish you had told me this in the first place.”

After Milo had finished vomiting, Beatrice helped him into the bed again.  

“This will pinch a little bit,” the healer said to Milo as she pinched his nose and then moved it side-to-side.  Milo shrieked in pain and some blood spurted from his nose.

“All fixed,” the healer cleaned his face for him and then proceeded to heal his wounds and bruises with her crystal.

“You’re welcome!” the healer yelled as she packed up her things and left Beatrice’s room.

“Thanks,” both Milo and Beatrice groaned.

“Sorry about that healer.  I had no idea,” Beatrice sighed.

“Don’t blame yourself.  Besides, once she got down to business she was an excellent healer.  I feel much better now,” Milo said, “Without you I would have been completely helpless.”

He sat up on the bed and gave Beatrice a warm hug, “You’re such a good friend.  I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

Beatrice turned away, “Milo, there’s something I need to... I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

* Nish is Atlantean for God.