Web hosting Custom Email SiteBuilder

12 March 2000

He paced the Grand Hall anxiously, hands clasped behind his back. It was the ninth week since his only Son and heir had taken seriously ill. The ninth week since healers from every corner of their planetary system had come to the young male’s bedside to ply their trade in an attempt to heal him, and perhaps earn a substantial reward from the Monarch. To date, all had failed and the heir’s life slipped one step farther away. Another male approached the pacing Monarch, catching his attention. The graying male bowed from the waist in respect to his Monarch, his face grave.

"Majesty..." he began, unable to continue due to a lump in his throat.

"They’ve failed, like the others, haven’t they, Chancellor?" he questioned as he began to pace again. The Chancellor bowed his head, saying nothing. "They were our last hope." he sighed.

"Majesty, there may be another, though slim, chance. I have heard of a healer from a far away planet, in another galaxy from here. She is supposed to possess the knowledge of life and death itself. Many Royal Houses have approached her for help."

He rounded on the Chancellor. "Find her. Bring her here. She’s the only chance my Son has left."

A glowing silver ship slowly descended from the night sky, not a breath of wind coming from it to disturb the mighty pines around it and the lakeside cottage. An elderly man sat on the cottage’s front porch, casually watching the ship land. He wasn’t surprised by it. He had seen this happen more than once in his lifetime. This was only the latest ship to arrive on this quiet lakeside. With a silent hiss the ship touched down and a ramp slowly descended from it’s underbelly. A lovely young woman, her flowing suede coat flapping gently as she walked, walked down the ramp first followed by a strange floating creature. Its skin was a rich pink color, its eyes wide and clear blue. Both stopped at the bottom of the ramp and bowed to each other in respect.

"Chu’ash talu." the floating being intoned in a chime like voice.

The woman nodded a sweet smile. "Droshala." she replied in a soft voice.

The being floated back up into the ship as the woman moved away and, moments later, the ship shot back up into the velvet of night, disappearing in the blink of an eye. The young woman strode towards the cottage, smiling at the man on the porch. He shook his head in slight disbelief.

"Don’t matter how many times ah see it, lass, ah still finds it hard t’ believe. Alien contact. An’ th’ fact they ask fer you by name... whoo wee!"

She dusted her jeans off of a glittering white powder clinging to them. "I know, Grandfather. It's an ego trip each time."

"Ah'm just surprised our radar satellites haven't picked up all these ships comin' an' goin'. So what'd the Elosians give ya fer yer help?"

"Well, they heard through our TV signals that gold was a precious commodity here." She pulled a rather large pouch from her coat pocket. "This contains enough nuggets of twenty four karat gold to make sure we live comfortably for quite a while. Here." and she tossed the pouch to him. "You can have it."

"Hey now, Areal, you know this is fer you more than anyone."

"I know."

"So why give it to me?"

She shrugged. "I'm fine with what I already have in life. Besides, you're better with finances than I am." she ended with a smirk.

The old man chuckled. "Aye, the curse of being a math professor fer so many years."

She mock frowned. "Didn't do anything for your English."

"Ah speak English just fine, lass. It's th' rest o' th' world who has a speech impediment." He suddenly looked up at the night sky. "Looks like yer night's far from over, lass."

Areal turned to look where her Grandfather was staring. A strangely elegant and angular ship descended from the multitude of stars, its engines as silent as the Elosian ship that had left only minutes before. It hovered over the house for an instant, then located a clearing large enough to allow it to land.

"Ever see one o' these before?" she heard her Grandfather's voice in her ear as the ship seemed to float lightly to the ground.

"No, this one's new. Word of mouth goes far among intergalactic species it seems."

"Aye. Wonder what these fellows'll look like."

"We're about to find out."

A ramp extended outwards from under the ship, lowering to the hard earth, a door sliding open at the top of it. Three beings were back lit in the door, their physiques broad and powerful, humanoid looking. But the closer they came the more the two humans could see these beings were not even close to being human. They were almost bear like in appearance, covered in a soft looking fur. The lead creature was a graying black color. He stopped before Areal, seemingly sizing her up. She braced herself for the initial language problems associated with first contact.

"You are the healer, Areal of the clan Raven?" he demanded.

Areal blinked. English? He had spoken English! "I am she. How may I serve?"

The lead creature seemed relieved all of a sudden at her willingness to help. "Our Emperor's only Son is gravely ill, has been for nine of your weeks now. He is fading fast and none of our healers seem to be able to do anything. We have heard of you ability to heal, no matter the species. Will you help?"

She nodded with a sweet smile, then turned to her Grandfather. "No rest for the weary. I'll be back when I'm done… which might be a while."

"You take care, lass."

"Always." She turned back to the creatures. "Lead the way, Gentlemen. We have a Grand Duke to save." and she followed them into the ship.

The two who had remained silent went to the head of the ship, into what Areal guessed was the cockpit, while the third went out of his was to make her comfortable. Where he indicated for her to sit were piles of what looked like palm computers. At a closer inspection she discovered they were medical files and journals. She smiled. They had anticipated her need for this material to better diagnose and hopefully cure the Grand Duke. Areal went right to work learning about this species physiology. She was mildly surprised to find everything was written in English. She paused and looked up to the graying male sitting across from her.

"Is English your native tongue or was this all translated for my benefit?" she questioned.

"This is our language. I must say it's a sheer stroke of luck that we speak the same tongue."

"Too true. Makes things so much easier. Speaking of making things easier, have you witnessed any of the Grand Duke's symptoms?"

"Only on the fifth week."

"Tell me what you saw."

"Well… glassy eyes with wide pupils… rapid breath as if he couldn't get enough air into him… hallucinations…"

"Hallucinations?"

"Yes, to which he goes into violent fits and convulsions. And his heart beat is very rapid." A slight frown had creased her brow at all this. "Does this sound familiar to you?"

"Sounds almost like a textbook case of poisoning. I figure all rulers have their enemies. This one should be no different."

"Our healers have found no trace of poison in his room and no trace on him of how it could have been administered."

"I have my idea on that, but I have to examine him first before I can be sure."

"Can you cure him?"

"I think so, yes. Poison is usually quick to act. The whole fact he's still alive after nine weeks means the poison is being given in small doses to make it look like he's just ill. As soon as I'm sure how it's being given I can stop it and then help him recover. That'll take longer than how he fell ill unfortunately."

"That news reassures me, healer." he smiled in relief.

"Please, call me Areal. Everyone does. And what do I call you?"

"I am Chancellor Marik, the Emperor's advisor and friend."

"And the Emperor and Grand Duke? What are their names?"

"You must never use them in their presence unless you are given their permission. The Emperor is Hunter. His Son is Theodor, often referred to as Teddy."

"You race…?"

"We are Ledians, a vast Empire counting over twenty eight planetary systems in the galaxy neighboring your own."

She whistled low. "We're going far. The Empire must really love their Grand Duke."

"He is the only heir and last Royal Blood to our Monarchy. The next in line after him is a corrupt house no one wishes to have rule them."

"Then look to them to have planted the poison." She had a pause. "Tell me something, we're going to another galaxy, so how long is that going to take?"

"Less than an hour."

"What?"

"We use subspace corridors to travel well beyond the speed of light."

"Like a wormhole."

"Yes, yet far more stable. At this time we're probably three quarters of the way to Ledia. Are you well versed in our physiology now?"

She scanned over the palm computers with a nod. "You're identical to humans actually. Except for the outward appearance of course."

"Of course. This will not be a problem since your knowledge is more xenobiology?"

She grinned. "Hey, if I can heal a Delvinian Padou of the tenth level, healing human or humanoid physiology will be a piece of cake."

Marik sat back with a slight chuckle. "By the Maker, you're unlike any healer I've seen before."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Good. Most healers are more concerned with spirits and the energies acting upon an individual, creating strange and foul smelling concoctions. You, on the other hand, address the problem like a physician. You strike me as a healer who has had medical training."

She smiled. "Guilty as charged. I did go to medical school, but was failed due to my unorthodox approach to healing. I continued my studies on my own and earned my galactic reputation after a Luxan crashed near my home. I healed his injuries and he was in his best shape ever when his transport retrieved him. He must have bragged."

"I am most happy he did or we would have never known about you."

She had a thoughtful look. "You know, I'd like to speak to those other healers. Something about their approach… It could be they were paid off to be so incompetent."

"I will have that avenue investigated." He jerked slightly at the sound of a soft trilling. "We are now entering Ledia's atmosphere." he told her as he stood.

"That was fast."

She followed him to the cockpit and gasped at the sight through the vast window. It was a vast green world, dotted with blue patches of water here and there. Thick white cloud swirled around in the atmosphere, at times hiding the exact size of vast cities that gleamed gold in the bright light of a yellow sun.

"Welcome to Ledia, Miss Areal." one of the pilots announced.

"By the Goddess, it's beautiful!" she breathed in awe.

The other pilot chuckled. "Same reaction I had when we first saw your world, M'ame. We have a green marble, you have a blue marble. Just as pretty though."

"Take us straight to the Palace, Karife." Marik ordered.

"Yes, Chancellor." the first pilot replied.

He banked the ship gently to the right and a gleaming crystal edifice suddenly came into view. Again, Areal gasped in awe.

Marik chuckled. "It's built from one solid block that rose naturally out of the ground here. The inside of each chamber is lined with a light refracting metal to ensure privacy and minimize the light magnifying effect of the crystal."

"An engineering wonder." she voiced softly.

"We like to think so."

The craft easily sailed over the high crystal walls of the Palace to a vast open courtyard where it drifted down effortlessly. There was a small group of the same bear like beings waiting there for them, the one in the lead obviously being the Emperor by his rich attire. When the ship came nearer Areal got her first look at this ruler. He was of an advanced age, midlife perhaps, his build muscular and powerful looking. His fur was a rich brown coloring with hints of gold.

She smiled. "If the Father looks like that then the Son must be a heartbreaker."

Marik chuckled. "Our young heir is courted by all the noblewomen for light-years around, and not just for his impending rise to power."

"Thanks for the warning." she grinned and followed him out of the cockpit to the ship's boarding ramp.

The Chancellor descended first and bowed from the waist to his monarch. "Majesty, as I have promised, I have brought the Earth healer."

Much to everyone's surprise Areal dropped down to one knee in a low bow to the Emperor. "I come to serve."

"Rise, child." He then took hold of her shoulders when she stood. "Tell me, can you really heal my Son of this illness?"

"I'm not convinced it's an illness, Sire. From what I've been told, to me, it looks more like a poisoning. But I'll know more once I've examined your Son and spoken with those healers with him."

"Of course. Follow me, quickly."

The lone human on this world had to jog to keep up with the quick and wide strides of the Emperor. They crossed the expanse of the courtyard in mere seconds, entering the Palace and heading for one of many lift cars carved into the crystal. The lift sped at a dizzying speed to one of the upper levels before coming to a controlled stop. Again Areal had a hard time keeping up to the ruler's fast pace until they reached a guarded door.

"Where are the healers?" Hunter demanded.

"At the Grand Duke's side, administering another potion." one guard answered.

"No!" Areal cried out as she burst through the door.

Standing over an immobile figure lying in a massive bed, three males were preparing to force the seemingly sleeping figure to drink some strange liquid in a bowl. Areal raced forward and snatched the bowl away, stopping them. They looked at her in shock and surprise. She completely ignored them and sniffed the bowls contents. Then, she dipped just the tip of her pinky finger into the liquid and tasted it. This done she pressed two fingers to the sleeper's neck to feel for a pulse. She looked to the three males in sudden horror.

"You were going to give him fox glove? What kind of healers are you?"

They didn't answer, still too confused.

"Miss Areal, what were they going to give him?" Marik questioned.

"You might know this stuff under another name." she answered as she glared at the healers. "It's also called digitalis. It speeds up the heart rate and at the rate his heart's going right now it would've killed him." At a nod from the Emperor the guards raced forward and arrested the three male healers. One of them began to protest violently and Areal approached him at this. "Who hired you to kill him?"

"The House of Cololda." he answered harshly. "The Emperor is weak to seek peace with out neighboring systems. Annihilating them is the only way to ensure peace." and the guards took the three away.

"Idiot." she muttered after him.

"My Son has been poisoned, all this time." the monarch breathed in horror.

"You couldn't have known, Sire." Areal soothed as she sat on the edge of the bed next to the Grand Duke. "It takes years of training to pick up on the smallest of details that point to poisoning. The good news is you came and got me in time. Any more treatments by those turncoats and he wouldn't have survived much longer." She turned her attention to the Grand Duke, listening to his breathing and heart, checking his lips and breath. "I don't trust the kitchen staff any more than those healers. With your permission, Sire, if a stove and raw food-stuffs could be brought in here. I want to witness his every meal being prepared to make sure he gets better and not worse."

"I will stay as well, Majesty." Marik announced. "He needs trustworthy individuals watching over him."

The Emperor grinned. "And there's no one I trust more than you, old friend. Make up the list of items you may need, Healer. My Son's life is now in your hands."

* * *

A delicious odor wafted through the room from the small cooking oven set up in one of the room's corners. Chancellor Marik was bent over the stove, at work preparing the first clean meal for the Grand Duke. While he worked Areal sat next to the future heir's pillow, carefully watching him sleep. He was shirtless, revealing a broad and powerful chest covered in a mat of cream brown fur. His bear like muzzle and the inside of his ears were a rich cream color. Even if he was of a different species than her own, Areal could clearly see what attraction he held for the females of this world. She let her fingers brush the soft fur of his cheek and he twitched slightly. She smiled. His first reaction to stimuli in the last eight hours. This was a good sign.

"Did he move?" Marik questioned.

She looked up in surprise, only to find him watching her. She fought the blush trying to color her cheeks. "He twitched. Means he's on the right track."

He chuckled. "I should think so. For the past eight hours he's had your undivided attention and care. If he doesn't benefit from that then nothing will help." Marik watched her gently thread her fingers through the Grand Duke's fur and hair, a small grin on her lips. He smirked. "I warned you he was attractive."

She stiffened in surprise. "What makes you think I'm attracted?"

"Your actions."

"Concern, that's all. I make it a policy to never let myself fall for a patient. Too many conflicts." Areal thought she felt movement and looked down at the sleeping heir. Sure enough he was moving, as if in the middle of a struggle. "He's having a fit!"

The alien Chancellor ran over and pinned the Grand Duke's legs down while Areal moved to pin his arms to keep him from hurting himself. He screamed as if in pain, struggling as wildly as possible considering he was being restrained. His eyes snapped open, a look of confused fear swimming in his eyes. The human healer took this opportunity to place herself in his field of view. He blinked at the sight of her.

A conscious reaction, she thought with some satisfaction. "Calm yourself, My Lord. You're safe. There's nothing here to harm you, I promise." she soothed as gently as possible.

He relaxed slightly, staring at her in fascination through a haze of exhaustion. "… must be… dead…" he managed to breath in the most gentle and yet masculine voices she had ever heard.

She blinked. "What makes you say that, My Lord?"

The young heir managed to raise a hand to grip her arm. "… angel…" he breathed, then he slipped back into unconsciousness.

Areal stared at him for a moment, stunned, before facing Marik. "You never told me he was a sweet talker too." she smirked.

"Only because he's never done this before with any female. I believe he's taken a liking to you."

"You're jumping to conclusions, Marik. He's only seen me for, what, twenty seconds? Hardly enough time to form an opinion."

"So, then, what's your opinion of him, having had eight hours now?"

She smirked. "Go fish, I'm not telling." to which he laughed. "Now, how about some of that wonderfully smelling culinary masterpiece you've been working on."

* * *

Areal was near dozing when the sun finally set for the evening. The Grand Duke had eaten some, not much, but enough to ensure his energy levels would rise. She sat now, next to his pillow, leaning back against the headboard. Her mind drifted off slightly, her mind and body tired from constant work and little sleep. The week had been call after call from alien species asking for her help. It was taking it's toll on her now. Chancellor Marik had left a few hours earlier to attend to his usual duties, leaving Areal to guard the Grand Duke on her own, the two guards on duty remaining just outside the door. Just as she was about to doze off a slight rustling sound caught her ear coming from a far corner of the room.

She froze, hoping to betray nothing.

Footsteps.

Coming closer.

Breathing.

She reacted from instinct, her actions almost as fast as light. She grabbed a spear staff, she had spotted earlier next to the head of the bed, and swung around hard to connect with the intruder. There was a resounding thwack as the butt of the spear struck the side of the intruder's head. Whoever it was stumbled, but kept coming, the glinting of a knife making his intent all too clear. Areal bit the inside of her cheek. She had no other choice. She brought the spear around and thrust forward, impaling the attacker on the end of it. She released the spear and let him stagger and fall as he slowly expired.

"Goddess, forgive me." she breathed. She then went to the door and opened it to confront the guards. "You two are really not doing your job very well." she ground.

They faced her, confused, then saw the dead body lying next to the bed. They rushed into the room and began inspecting all the walls as well as the body. During this Areal turned her attention back on the sleeping heir. He slept on, undisturbed by what had happened.

She smiled, sitting at his side. Blissfully unaware. I envy you for that, she thought to herself, running a gentle hand through his hair. He suddenly inhaled sharply and turned towards her, all the while remaining in his deep slumber. Sleep tight, cute stuff. I won't let anyone hurt you.

"What has happened here?" Emperor Hunter demanded as he rushed into the room.

"An assassin, My Liege." Areal replied. "The room has a hidden passage somewhere that no longer makes it safe."

"You protected him, Healer?" he asked her.

"Yes, Sire. I wouldn't be doing my duty if I didn't."

He went up to her quickly, cupping her face and pressing his lips to her brow, greatly surprising her. "Thank you, dear child. He's all I have left of my beloved wife. I don't want to lose him."

"You won't, Sire. Not if I have anything to do about it."

"… Father…?" came a weak voice from the bed's occupant.

Both turned to find the Grand Duke staring at them with soft brown eyes. The Emperor, with tears just brimming his eyes, carefully lifted his Son into a sitting position and hugged him close.

"I had almost given up hope that you would ever speak again."

"… Couldn't… leave you… by… yourself,… Father…"

He chuckled and allowed him to lie back down. "How are you feeling?"

"… Better…" Grand Duke Theodore looked to Areal, the woman who had saved his life. "… So,… you're not… a dream…" She smiled shyly, feeling a blush color her cheeks. "… I… never got… your… name…"

"Areal, of the clan Raven. I'm the healer that was called in for you."

With a weak hand and a supreme effort he reached over to her and gripped her hand tightly. "… I… owe… you my… life,… Areal…"

She shook her head with a smile. "You owe me nothing. Get well, that'll be payment enough. Now, sleep. You need as much rest as you can get to help rebuild your strength." He nodded slowly before his eyes finally closed and sleep once again took him. She carefully freed her hand from his grip, laying his hand across his chest. "He'll need a wheelchair if ever he wants to leave this room." she voiced to no one in particular.

"Wheelchair?"

"Um… yeah, a chair with wheels to help you get around when your legs are too weak."

"We do not have wheelchairs. Ours hover."

"Oh. Well, he'll need one of those. Is there another room he can be moved to until the passage can be found and blocked?"

"Yes. When I was still courting his Mother she had come to live in the Palace. Her chambers were the only ones without a tunnel leading elsewhere. We will have him moved there."

She nodded. "It'll be safer there for him.