#amoonlitmemory

The King of Lunaruz watched Emery ted to him, groaning softly when she bound his ribs tightly. He was fascinated by her, as she didn’t seem to care what he was, and was treating him like any other patient. She also wore curious attire, making her wonder if she was a hunter or a mercenary. Granted, most mercenaries weren’t also able to bandage someone. “I…I wasn’t exactly in my mortal form when I was injured, if I’m honest,” he confessed, the kingdom knowing their King could also take a large dragon form. “I appreciate you doing this, and I wanted my elder sister to be able to finish her goals. I’m not ungrateful, simply…out of place.”

She was right and he knew it. ”I also do have an heir,” he whispered under his breath, his ward having been declared legitimate and his heir. However, she was far too young to step up to the throne. “She’s simply too young to replace me if anything happened to me,” he explained in a quiet tone.

In truth, he’d been roaming the forests around the castle’s town in search of something important to the kingdom. There is an ancient temple hidden in the woods, known only to the monarchy and locals to the area, where supposedly there was a spring of water that’d be able to heal any ailment. It wasn’t a fountain of youth or immortality, but could help many other ailments. “If I told you the truth of my ‘rebellious’ actions, would you give me a second chance?” Alastair asked, pulling the flask from his rump sack.

“It-It isn’t to buy your silence,” Alastair blinked, thrusting the sack of coins and the flask of the water. “I want it in the hands of those who need it, and they’d accept it better from someone non-royal,” he insisted, his gaze serious and stubborn. “And please, use that water in the flask on anyone ill in nearby villages. It should be given to the neediest and sickest individuals, just one sip should suffice per person,” he begged, sounding almost pathetic.

”I brought the coins to leave in the forest for anyone to find them that needs them, and the flask has water from a sacred temple I was searching for. It’s supposed to heal any ailment, even ones we cannot identify,” Alastair told her bluntly, before grimacing as he stood and took Emery’s hand. ”I have two flasks — one for immediate needs nearby that I gave you, and another for our physicians and alchemists to recreate in the castle — hopefully — so this can be given out to all the families in the kingdom for free. It’ll aid the people greatly if we can recreate its healing properties.”

The night air was cold against Lydia’s skin as she stood outside Kaleb’s window, hands stuffed deep into her jacket pockets. Her breath clouded in the space between them, between where she stood and where she knew he was, just beyond the glass. The night had gone to hell— just another disaster date.

She raised a hand, knocking lightly against the glass, just like she had a hundred times before. A ritual. A quiet, wordless way of saying, Hey, I’m here.

A moment later, the curtains shifted, and there he was—Kaleb, bathed in the soft glow of his bedside lamp, eyes heavy. He opened the window without a word, and she climbed through like it was second nature because it was.

“Rough night?” she asked, voice low.

"Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?"

“Do I ask questions, or do I just help you clean up all this blood?”

Quiet in his seat, Jacob continued to watch the scene between the two in front of him unfold as he nursed his drink. He’d had a busy day and wanted nothing more than to just enjoy a tankard of ale and his own company but it would seem that the two arguing in front of him had another idea in mind. Looking down at what was left in his tankard, he chucked his neck back chugging what was left, leaving a pleasant burning of alcohol in his throat. Taking a stand as he noticed them getting more aggressive with each other, he let out a sigh and began to walk over. “Enough.” He stated, his voice calm yet with a sharpness to it. Jacob looked at them both straight in the eye as he put an arm between them. “If you’re going to behave like children, then I will be your daddy. Now, you go that way and you come sit with me.” The male instructed with a warning look that told them it would be safer not to argue with him.