Black Blood

Lying in bed for two days without any movement is not something I would like to repeat. The only times I get out of this bed are when I go to the toilet. Alisha is forced to help me to the toilet. I can’t stand up, I can barely walk. The pain is manageable, but anything but light. It is slowly improving, which for the first time makes me grateful for my accelerated healing.

The third day is when I start to see improvement. I can sit up straight and walk a little on my own. The only clothes I can wear are a wide nightgown and pants. I am grateful for the fact that Alisha lives alone and wants to help me for no apparent reason. Her knowledge is far-reaching, she is smart and kind.

I have found out a few things about the twenty-two year old lady over the past few days. She is half elf, half mage. She works as a nanny for various children in the village, but is studying medicine. She is extremely clever, knows a lot about magic and is highly independent for her age.

‘So if I understand correctly, the women at that altar were his mistresses,’ I ask as I take a sip of my tea. Alisha starts laughing as she picks up the second onion and starts cutting.

‘Yes, he has six, not counting his real wife,’ she says, laughing. Slowly I begin to learn more about the way things work in an elven village. The king turns out to be a narcissist like my father, has seven wives, fourteen children and keeps a tight reign. At birth, most elves follow their parents’ profession.

Women, however, have only three choices when it comes to a job: servant, warrior or nurse. If you really want to achieve something, it is best to become the king’s mistress, then you will receive the highest respect.

Insulting the king, questioning him or putting him in a negative light means punishment. It all sounds terrible when I list it like this, but the people here seem to be happy with the regime. Most of them adhere strictly to all rules and don’t ask questions. The village appears to have a peaceful existence, little happens. I am not an advocate of a strict regime, but apparently it works here.

‘How does his wife cope?’ I ask. Alisha takes the sliced onion from the cutting board and throws it in the pan. She turns to me.

‘Nalu, her name, is the only one of his wives the king doesn’t expect to walk around half-naked. She is highly respected by the people, but also by the king. She is his first wife and the only one he married for love. He keeps her and the other six strictly apart, you never see all seven together. On important occasions or formalities, he always has Nalu by his side and the others are nowhere to be seen. Her opinion of the other women is unknown, though it is said that she is not happy with them. It’s not that she disapproves, but she has become a lot less amicable over the years, or rather women.’ I nod. I knew that Christiaan was anything but faithful. The first time I found this out I was angry, but as time went by I hoped it would make him leave me alone more.

‘How is the work as his servant?’ I asked interestedly. The month of service I agreed to before the flogging still stands. My stay for the past week and a half is not counted towards that service. A warrior comes by every day to check my physical condition. When he declares me healthy and strong enough, I am to be employed. He came this morning and declared me well enough to start tomorrow.

‘Like everything here, the rules are strict. The working days are long, the hours absurd. It depends on where you are put to work. Room service is considered the toughest. You start at seven in the morning and work until ten in the evening. You are always on call, so it often happens that you are pulled out of bed at night to clean something. The name says it all, you clean rooms and take care of everything the king or his wives ask for. The kitchen service is heavy. You take care of all the meals. Most of them are paid, but given your situation I don’t think you will get anything.’ Alisha is long in her explanation, that much is clear to me by now.

I don’t know how I should feel about my upcoming job. I have never worked before so I can hope that the king will spare me a little. After the flogging I prefer to stay as far away from him as possible. Whether I am angry with him, I do not know, although I think I should be. Afraid, anyway.

‘Ooh yes, by the way. If you’re wondering where your dragon is. He’s at the edge of the village with the horses,’ she says as she continues to make our dinner. I had offered to help, but she refused my help. Novak and Rave have been floating around in my head non-stop for the past few days.

However, I have not been able to find the courage to ask how they are doing. I don’t want to hear that Novak is dead, I can’t take that. It’s a relief to hear that Rave is in good shape. This is the moment to ask about it. I gather my courage, take a deep breath and close my eyes.

‘Do you know the condition of the boy I arrived with?’ I fiddle with the white fabric of my nightgown. Meanwhile, Alisha has cut up all the vegetables and is stirring in the pan.

‘You mean Novak? He’s in the infirmary, but I don’t know what his condition is.’ I immediately lift my head and look at her in disbelief. Does that mean that Novak is still alive? Is he awake? Do they have an antidote? But above all. How does Alisha know his name?