The Forgotten Field Novel - Chapter 109
## THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL) – Chapter 109
Chapter 109
THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL)
The healer observed Talia intently and then spoke cautiously:
“The Grand Duke was by your side the entire time, but he left in a hurry when news arrived that bandits had appeared outside the castle walls.”
Talia’s shoulders tensed sharply upon hearing those unexpected words.
She had no time to feel embarrassed about having exposed her feelings. She stood up abruptly and tightly grabbed the edge of the healer’s robe. That sudden movement caused a sharp pain in her chest, but at that moment, she did not care.
“What? Bandits? When?”
“About two hours ago,” the healer replied calmly.
Talia asked nervously:
“How many are there? Is the situation dangerous? How many soldiers…?”
As she questioned in a hurry, she suddenly felt her vision go blank and bit her lips. Her body leaned forward without realizing it, and just as she was about to fall out of bed, a strong, sun-bronzed hand firmly caught her by the shoulders.
Talia looked at the healer, her forehead drenched in cold sweat. The woman laid her back down on the bed with a firm movement.
“I will apply a healing spell on you, so lie down and calm yourself first.”
“Varkas…”
“The Duke will be fine. The bandits do not exceed a few dozen, and he leads the strongest knights of the East.”
The healer’s serene words calmed Talia’s tension. She regulated her short breath and looked toward the white glass window.
If he had left two hours ago, it was very likely that he had already finished suppressing the bandits by now. Yes, last time, when he led a large-scale subjugation campaign, he returned in half a day as if nothing had happened. There was no need to worry in vain.
She repeated this in her mind to soothe her anxiety, and then a slender hand with rough skin rested on the back of hers. A lukewarm warmth flowed into her body.
“I have also applied a healing spell to you, but internal wounds do not respond well to magic. Avoid sudden movements for a while.”
Talia closed her eyes in silence without responding. The healer observed her for a few moments and then left the room quietly.
Shortly after, the nanny returned carrying a tray with food. At her nanny’s insistence, Talia was forced to take a few spoonfuls of vegetable porridge. She felt a sharp pain in her stomach, as if she had swallowed a needle. She lay complaining in bed for a while and did not manage to fall asleep until dusk.
She regained consciousness as darkness began to descend upon the surroundings. She woke up very thirsty and froze upon seeing a large silhouette outlined in front of the fireplace. Varkas was standing by the window wearing a light shirt, without her knowing at what point he had returned. Fortunately, he did not seem injured.
Talia exhaled a sigh of relief, but suddenly held her breath. His eyes, serene as a frozen lake, contemplated her in silence. She did not understand why her heart skipped a beat for an instant, even though his appearance seemed completely normal.
The man, who had remained motionless for a while, approached the bed slowly. Talia swallowed hard involuntarily. The man, looking at her with a strange calmness, turned toward the shelf, took a pitcher from the tray, and poured a glass of water.
“How is your body?”
“Fine.”
Talia took the glass timidly and replied, feigning tranquility. Her intention was to rebuke him harshly: “Didn’t I tell you? I said I didn’t want to take that medicine. You forced me, and that’s why I ended up like this.”
However, the words she was about to let out crumbled in her throat. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, seeing that he looked more serious than usual, and added cautiously:
“It’s not that big of a deal. They said my stomach was only slightly damaged.”
Varkas’s expression changed for an instant. He looked at her with stern eyes and said harshly:
“It is not simple damage. Your condition was so grave that you vomited blood.”
Talia was surprised by his sharp response. He took her by the shoulders and continued to rebuke her:
“If I had noticed just a little later, you would have suffocated due to the blockage of your airways. Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?”
“Because… I always feel pain, so I didn’t know it was that serious.”
Varkas’s face tensed even more upon hearing her justification. He looked at her as if he were holding something back, then walked toward the window and inhaled the cold air. After a while, his voice sounded calmer:
“I have decided that we will stay in this castle for a while so you can recover.”
“And what about the inspection tour?”
“We have already visited all the main cities.”
He rubbed his temples with his finger and replied coldly:
“So focus solely on recovering your health.”
Talia looked at him with a rigid face and then nodded reluctantly. His authoritarian tone annoyed her, but she did not want to argue with him seeing him so tired. She murmured in a muted tone:
“Alright, stop being angry. I am already tired.”
Varkas opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, but closed it again. The flickering light of the fire licked his fatigued face. He sighed deeply and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Don’t just sit there holding the glass, drink it. You lost a lot of blood. You must keep drinking fluids even if you feel uncomfortable.”
Talia felt comforted by his softer tone. She completely drank the water he had poured for her. Her stomach contracted with a sharp pain due to the sudden stimulus, but she did not show it and tucked herself into the sheets.
She felt a warmth behind her back. She remained motionless.
Varkas lay down behind her, pulled her toward him naturally, and extended his hand to gently massage her tense belly. Her eyes grew warm at his affectionate touch. Did this stem from pity? Or from a sense of guilt?
As usual, Talia tried to analyze his intentions, but stopped thinking. It didn’t matter. She no longer wanted to torture herself with negative thoughts. She just wanted to accept this warmth exactly as it was.
Talia blinked in the darkness, then slowly turned and hid against his chest. Varkas wrapped his arm around her back. She could hear the regular beating of his heart through the thin shirt. Talia listened to that strong pulse and cautiously placed her arm around his waist.
The castle, which used to be as silent as a tomb, was plunged into bustle. Lukas entered the hall and frowned upon seeing the kitchen crowded with traveling merchants. Among the merchants carrying food ingredients, he caught sight of a familiar face. He walked with a firm step toward the chaos.
“What are you doing here?”
“Ah, Lord Lukas.”
Darin, who was negotiating with the merchants, turned around with a cheerful face.
“Have you finished all the tasks the Duke assigned to you?”
“All of them.”
Lukas replied abruptly:
“I completed the morning training without interruption, tended to the horses, and polished my brother’s armor and weapons until they shone.”
“Good job.”
Darin patted him on the head as if congratulating him. Lukas brushed his hand away with a slap and asked with a bleak expression:
“Then, what is the reason for this mess?”
“We brought special food ingredients for the princess. It seems she cannot eat much of the food from the East, so we had to buy some ingredients from the merchants of the central region.”
Lukas looked at the sacks filling the kitchen and frowned. How much could that woman, who was so small, eat to warrant buying such an amount? Did they plan to stay here for an entire season?
He looked at Darin with serious eyes:
“Is her condition that bad?”
“According to the healer, it seems her stomach was completely wrecked.”
Darin let out a deep sigh.
Chapter 109
THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL)
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