“Remember? Remember what?” And just that suddenly, it all came back to her. Fala. Gyula. The attack. Tora fighting Fala. Wray fighting Gyula. Falling into the river, that dark, cold… no she wouldn’t think about that. Instead, she pushed against Wray’s chest, leaning back so her eyes could scan him, searching for the slightest injury.
“Are you hurt?” she asked.
“I am fine Kim." He reassured her.
“Tora…" She asked. "Is Tora all right? He was fighting Fala.”
“He too is fine Kim.”
“And Caitir?” She continued to press.
“She is in the outer room. Safe.” Wray assured her and pulled her close again.
"The guards." she asked, starting to relax. When Wray remained silent, she looked up at him. "Wray?"
“They are in the hands of the Goddess, my Kim.” He told her, instantly regretting his honesty when she paled.
“What?” she whispered weakly. "All of them?"
"Yes. The darts used on them were filled with Skua poison. They were dead before they hit the ground." Wray told her, silently thanking the Goddess that it hadn't been in the dart used on her.
"Why?" Kim felt her eyes filling. "Why would Fala and Gyula do such a thing? They were their fellow warriors."
Wray did not know what to tell her because he did not know. Therefore, he pulled her close and let her cry. Cry for the warriors who had lost their lives. Goddess, there wasn't another female like her in all the universes and she was his!
From now on, it would be his mission in life to make sure she was never, ever harmed again, not by word nor by deed. He would never fail her again.
"This wasn't your fault Wray." Kim whispered, her head still resting on his chest. She could feel the tension in him and knew he was blaming himself.
"It was!" He declared. "Because you are mine! Entrusted to me by the Goddess herself and I failed to protect you!"
"You didn't." Kim denied, pulling back to look up at him through the steam. "My being here is proof of that."
"You fell into the river Kim and I didn't even notice!"
"You were a fighting Gyula at the time," she reminded him.
"I wouldn't have been if I had killed him on Pontus as you wished." He told her angrily.
"No." She said firmly. "That would have been wrong."
"That does not matter, not if it meant you were safe."
"Don’t say that. Never say that Wray because it does matter.” Kim cupped his cheeks, making him look at her and in his eyes, she saw the pain and guilt, he carried over what he hadn't been able to prevent. “If you could have done that, you would be no different than Fala and Gyula, who used a Law for something it was never meant for. It would have made you like Lucan, who thought he was above the Law just because he was the Emperor. That’s not who you are! You are an honorable male Wray, a truly fit one and because you are, the title ‘Emperor’ means something again, something good. It’s one of the reasons I love you.”
"You still..." Wray found he couldn't go on.
"Love you?" Kim finished the question for him and gave him a rather irate look. "Of course I do! There is nothing in all the known universes that could ever change that! Certainly not some little dunk in the river."
"It wasn’t some little dunk Kim!" Wray growled refusing to let her down play what had happened to her just to ease his guilt.
"I know that Wray,” she conceded, “but it doesn't change the fact that I love you and I always will. You make whatever I had to go through to get here bearable Wray. I’d never have survived, wouldn’t have wanted to if not for you.”
“Goddess Kim…” Wray growled and captured her lips for a deep kiss. Her words… he would never get tired of her giving him her words… even when he didn’t agree with them… but these… these he would hold in his heart forever.
Kim sunk into the kiss. She needed this, needed to feel Wray against her, driving away the cold and the dark, as he had with the Ganglians. As he did when she had a nightmare. Wray was the only one that could do that. Her hands roamed down his chest and would have slipped between them when he pulled away, stopping her.
“Wray…”
“No Kim. Not now. You have been through much and now I need to care for you.”
Kim had opened her mouth to argue, but his words stopped her, as did the fatigue that suddenly returned and reluctantly she agreed. “Later?”
“My vow.” He promised.
Wray kept Kim in the cleansing unit until her hair was gleaming and every speck of river muck had been removed from her body. He carefully inspected every scratch, every bruise and silently cursed that he had let Gyula die too easily.
Only after repeated assurances from Kim that she was finally warm did Wray allow her out of the unit. He then proceeded to dry her with the thick cloths until her skin was rosy and her hair dry. Finally wrapping her up in one he carried her into the resting chamber.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“No.” Kim said, glaring angrily at Wray.
“Kim.” Wray was at his wits end. When he carried her back into their resting chamber she had nearly been asleep, exhausted by her ordeal. He laid her down, covering her with blankets and she gave him the most loving smile as she let her head sink into the pillows, then she saw Yakar… they were now at a standoff.
“No Wray!” Kim sat up, remembering only at the last minute that she was naked under the blanket and grasped it at the last minute. “He doesn’t touch me. He doesn’t look at me. He doesn’t scan me. Nothing!” Her arm slashed down to emphasize the ‘NO’ as her eyes shot angrily to the Healer. She hadn’t forgotten how he had treated her before. How he looked at her or his words. She would be damned if she let him near her now.
“Majesty, I have something that will calm her.” Yakar said in that ‘superior’ voice of his. “I can examine her then.”
“Did you not just hear what I said Yakar!” Kim demanded, her voice cracking as her anger grew. “You will not touch me! And don’t talk about me as if I’m not even in the damn room! I do not need calmed!” she screeched her voice getting even higher. “Try it and you will be the one needing the repair unit!”
Yakar gave her a shocked look, then his eyes hardened and he reached into his bag.
“Wray!” Her eyes shot to his.
“Put it away Yakar.” Wray ordered his eyes never leaving Kim.
“Sire?”
“I said… put… it… away! The Empress does not wish to be treated by you so you will not treat her. Caitir find her some coverings.”
“But sire, I am the Imperial Healer.”
“Not for the Empress.”
“But sire… she needs to be treated. She could be severely damaged.”
“I’ll severely damage you if you keep talking about me like that.” Kim said, doing her best imitation of a ‘Wray’ growl, startling Yakar enough that he jumped.
“Emperor…” Yakar tried again.
“There is another Healer.” The hesitant voice had all three heads turning to find Caitir standing just inside the door.
“What Caitir?” Kim asked, her voice quieting as she looked at her friend.
“There is another Healer you might find acceptable Empress.” Caitir said, her eyes moving quickly from the hard eyes of Yakar to Kim’s questioning ones.
“Impossible!” Yakar claimed. “I would know. I know all the Healers!”
Caitir’s eyes moved uneasily back to Yakar.
“Ignore him Caitir.” Kim said, giving the Healer an angry look then gestured her to come closer. “Talk to me.”
Keeping a close eye on Yakar, Caitir moved closer to the bed and the Empress. “His name is Curador, Empress. He is quite old…”
“Curador!” Yakar didn’t try to hide his disgust. “He hasn’t been an active Healer since I was in my training!” Yakar turned to the Emperor. “Sire, you can’t possibly be considering this.”
“Silence!” Wray ordered, giving Yakar a hard look and Yakar’s mout
h snapped shut.
“Caitir?” Kim gave her an encouraging look.
“He is quite old Empress, but he is… kind. He lives just outside the walls and treats those Lord Reeve’s Healer refuses to.”
“What do you mean… refuses.” Kim asked and saw Caitir's eyes flash to Wray.
“Answer your Empress, Caitir.” Wray ordered frowning.
“Yes Emperor.” Caitir looked back to Kim. “Lord Reeve’s Healer only treats members of House Reeve. Those that are not members he refuses.”
“Those like you and Jael.” Kim filled in.
“Yes, Majesty.” Caitir said, lowering her eyes.
“He’s treated you?” Kim asked.
“Yes.” Caitir said, raising her eyes to Kim but in that simple word, Kim heard a great deal. She heard Caitir’s trust and belief in this male. Something Kim had never thought possible. If Caitir could trust him, Kim knew she could.
“Send for him.” Kim said looking to Wray.
“You will let him examine you?” Wray asked not trying to hide his hope or his surprise.
“As long as you stay with me, yes.” Kim told him.
“I would be nowhere else.” He told her.
“Emperor!” Yakar started, but with a look, Wray silenced him.
“Veron!” Wray’s roar, had his Captain coming at a run. “There is a Healer called Curador. He lives outside the walls. Find him. Bring him here. He will treat the Empress.”
“Yes, Majesty.” Veron responded, then immediately left to fulfill his Emperor’s order.
“Sire!” Yakar tried again, he had to make him understand. “Curador isn’t qualified to treat a member of House Reeve let alone House Torino!”
“That is not your decision, Yakar. The Empress decides who treats her and you are not it.”
“But sire… she is female.” Yakar spit out the word as if it was a disease that he might catch.
“Leave Yakar!” Wray ordered angrily, tired of the male's attitude towards Kim. “While you still can.”
Yakar paled at the Emperor’s threat and with an angry glance at Caitir and Kim, backed out of the room.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Curador stomped angrily through the halls of House Reeve escorted by four, four warriors, as if he were some unworthy male! And he still didn’t know why he’d been summoned.
There was no respect between him and Lord Reeve. Curador thought he was a blight on what was once an honorable House but then he’d thought that of Lord Reeve’s manno too. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise.
Curador had been a confidant and friend to Lord Reeve's manno's, manno Lord Shan and his trusted Healer. Shan had been a fit and worthy male, but his first male… he was so idiotic that he gave his first male the name of his House, Lord Reeve Reeve. Idiot!
“This way.” One of the warriors said, gesturing towards the guest quarters instead of Lord Reeve’s chambers.
Curador had had enough and stopped in the middle of the corridor. “Where are you taking me?” He demanded and gave the warrior who ran into his back a disgusted look.
“It does not matter,” one of Lord Reeve’s warriors started, glaring angrily at the old male.
“The Emperor demands your presence.” Veron interrupted and Curador finally took a good look at the insignia on that warrior’s chest. It was the Emperor’s insignia!
“The Emperor is here? On Vesta? He is in need of a Healer?” Curador was shocked. How had he not heard this?
“Yes and he is waiting.” Veron told him.
“Then move!” Curador ordered shoving the warriors in front of him aside. “What are you standing there for? He demanded.
Veron couldn’t believe the gall of this aged Healer, but he said nothing. One who had lived this long would be shown respect. Even if Veron wasn't sure he deserved it. Was the Emperor sure he wanted this male treating the Empress?
Curador ignored the warriors standing in the outer chamber and move directly to the closed door of the resting chamber. His stride, showing none of his age as he shoved the door open.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim was shocked by the appearance of Healer Curador. Caitir had said he was old and while his red skin seemed to be slightly faded and his face was a mass of wrinkles, he still stood tall and proud, his hair was still jet-black, although it did seem to be thinning.
“You have need of me sire.” Curador said, bowing slightly and in his voice, Kim finally heard his age. It was rough and rumbled as if it had been tumbled over rough rocks and finally worn down.
“Not me.” Wray corrected. “My Empress needs treating.”
“Empress?” Curador hadn’t heard that either and his eyes flew to the two females in the room. The one standing, he recognized as Caitir, obviously not the Empress so he turned his eyes to the female in the bed and didn’t even try to mask his shock.
“Hello.” Kim said quietly and while she felt Curador’s eyes running over her, taking in everything at once, she felt no slight or insult, as she had with Yakar.
“Hello.” Curador replied without thinking.
“She needs to be treated Curador.” Wray said his patience at an end. “Now!” He ordered.
At the Emperor’s order, Curador immediately stepped towards the bed, pulling out his repair unit, then he paused to really look at the female. At first, he thought her to be a very young Tornian and had, for a moment, thought Wray was following the Emperor Lucan's path but now he could see she wasn’t Tornian at all.
“You’re not Tornian.” He said shocked. She couldn't be the Empress unless she was Tornian.
“No.” Kim said softly, meeting his stare directly. “I’m not.”
“What species are you?” He demanded, ignoring protocol that said he should be addressing his question to the Emperor. He was too old to worry about protocol.
“Human.” Kim told him.
“I have never heard of your kind before.” He said gruffly, then his eyes widened and shot to the Emperor. "You have found compatible females..." He whispered, knowing that could be the only reason he would take her as Empress.
"That does not matter!" Wray growled. "Treat her!"
"But, sire! I do not know if such a treatment would harm her or the offspring she carries.”
"I'm not pregnant." Kim told him quietly.
"What?" Curador's head whipped back to Kim. "Preg... what is that"
"With offspring." Kim told him. "On Earth, we say the woman is pregnant. I am not and it's doubtful I ever will be." Kim gave Wray a regretful look.
"I told you that does not matter Kim." Wray said, moving to sit next to her on the bed, gently cupping her cheek. "I only want you." Turning hard eyes on Curador, he continued. "Kim was taken from her home world by the Ganglians. She was treated with the deep repair unit. It caused no harm. Now treat her!"
“The Ganglians!" Curador spat out the word then turned stunned eyes to her realizing what that meant. Understood what the Emperor wasn't saying. How could someone so small, so fragile looking have survived that?
"I'm tougher than I look." Kim told him, seeing the horror that filled Curador’s eyes and the sympathy. She had seen neither in Yakar's.
"You would have to be." Curador said, finding he was starting to respect this little female. Lifting his scanner, he began. "So how may I be of assistance to you Empress?"
"She fell into the river." Wray spoke for her. "She was not breathing for several minutes."
"What!" Curador nearly dropped the scanner.
"I wasn't breathing?" Kim asked, looking at Wray in surprise. "You didn't tell me that."
"I do not like to think of it little one." Wray said running a gentle knuckle along her cheek.
"Why was she ever allowed near the river after last night's storm?" Curador demanded his eyes full of condemnation. All females should be protected from harm as far as he was concerned. Tornian or not. That this one had not protected was an insult to all males.
"I was chased there." Kim spoke up tryin
g to stop the battle she saw brewing between the two males.
“Chased?” Curador’s confused eyes returned to her. “Chased by who?”
“Fala and Gyula.”
“Fala and Gyula!” Curador spat, his expression hardening. “Two more unworthy males you’ll ever meet.”
“If you felt that way about them why didn’t you report it when they applied to my guard!” Wray demanded.
“Who would have paid attention to the opinion of an old Healer that his Lord doesn’t even recognize?” Curador countered refusing to back down. “You only ever consider the Lord’s opinion. He’s not going to tell you truth. He wants his House represented in Torino.”
Wray was silent and considered what Curador had said. He wasn’t wrong. Wray relied on his Lords to tell him who the most worthy were. He knew some would overstate a warrior’s qualification… but to outright lie… that he had never considered. “Perhaps you are right, but that no longer matters as they are no longer a threat.”
“You’ve sent them to Daco?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Curador turned his attention back to Kim, who’d been following the conversation with wide eyes and his expression softened. “So where are you hurting, young one?”
Kim gave him a small smile, liking how he stood up to Wray but was still respectful and realized why Caitir liked him so much. “My throat's a little sore.” She told him.
“Hmm.” Curador looked at her sharply as he ran the unit over the area and realized her throat had to be more than a ‘little’ sore. “Let’s see if I can’t fix that.”
It only took seconds for the rawness in Kim’s throat to disappear and she smiled at Curador. “That’s much better. Thank you.” She said her voice back to normal.
“You are very welcome Empress.” Curador said, giving her a steady look. “You were very lucky the water was so cold.”
Kim nodded, understanding what he was saying. The coldness of the water had slowed her body’s need for oxygen and allowed her to live.
Curator moved on, speaking as he went. “Now I’ll just scan the rest of you to make sure there isn’t anything else.”