The Tyrant King's Queen

Chapter 38

Playlist: Darkside by Neoni
Soldier by Tommee Profitt featuring Fleurie. Enjoy reading!!!
  
    The palace broke into a frenzy afterwards, with maids and guards rushing in and out of the king's chambers. With a terrified heart, Maya barked out orders but she still couldn't wait for the doctor to arrive before Dexter received treatment. Having had her own share of poisoning attempts, she knew how dangerous this things could be.

   "What time is the doctor arriving?" She asked, as she paced around the room, her voice strained. By now the king was already in bed, shielded from sight.

   " He should be here soon, Your Majesty." Rosa replied, equally worried. Maya glanced at Dexter who was already losing color. She can't wait till the doctor arrives. He might have been dead by then. Banishing the thought, she turned to Rosa, a frantic look in her eyes.

   "Get me all of the herbs that are available in the palace, mortar and pestle, a pot and a jar of water. Hurry!"

     She rushed back to his side, tears slipping out of her eyes. "Please, Dexter. Stay with me. You'll be fine and I would find whoever did this to you."

    He coughed again and Maya felt her heart breaking into bits, gut wrenching pain searing through her. She bit back a sob, her lips trembling. She had good knowledge about herbs and after living in that hellhole of a palace for five years, even better knowledge of poisons and antidotes.

    There has to be something she could do to neutralize the poison before the doctor arrives. Rosa arrived a while later with everything she had requested. After chasing all of the maids away, she looked through the herbs and recognizing a few, she threw them into a the pot and started to boil them with the fire Rosa had set.

     She took a couple others and began grinding them together in the mortar. Her hands were trembling the entire time, but she pushed through with teary eyes. Once the contents in the pot began boiling, she poured it  into a small bowl and squeezed the miry liquid she had gotten from grinding herbs together into the bowl. Gingerly carrying it, she rushed back to Dexter's side,  placing the bowl to his lips.

      "Here, take this. The doctor will check on you in a bit. But you have to drink this first." She began softly, urging him to take it.

      He gently collected it from her and took multiple sips. She touched his forehead and saw it was burning hot but his body felt like he'd been dipped in ice. "Try not to throw it up. You ingested poison, you need this to neutralize it." She said when Dexter began making gagging noises.

     "Get me a bowl of cold water. And a towel. She ordered coldly at Rosa as she watched Dexter drink half of the content. The latter bowed and immediately rushed out of the chambers, leaving them alone.

    "I can't have any more." He said, his voice scratchy. He pushed the bowl back to her. She collected it, placing it on the bedside table. He coughed a bit more, clutching is stomach in pain.

     " It's okay... That's enough." She whispered, holding his hands. He glanced at her, his eyes brimming with unspoken pain. " I feel sleepy." He admitted, squeezing her hands.
    
    "Don't close your eyes! Don't close them. Stay awake please...." She choked, her voice trembling. He slowly shook his head.

    " I won't." He said, his hoarse voice reassuring. " I'll keep looking at you."

    "That's it. Keep looking at me." She said, tears slipping out of his eyes. Rosa arrived with the bowl of cold water and towel and Maya immediately set to work, cleaning off the sweat of his body. Her fingers trembled as she did so, but her eyes blazed with anger.

     "I'm going to find out who did this...." She mumbled to herself as she cleaned him up. "And when I do..." She trailed off, gritting her teeth. "That person will wish they had never been born."
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    In the middle of the chaos, Nicholas had slipped out once again. He had waited till he saw maids and guards going back and forth from the King's chambers before finally escaping. He'd done it. A feeling like joy rushed over to him. But he couldn't celebrate just yet. He had to be sure the king was dead first. Then after, he would go and rescue the queen.