How to cure a Dark Lord

What was I going to do now?

I ran back into the infirmary and met Avery who was also looking worried. I knew that she was worried for the same reason that I was and she couldn't have done anything without my consent and supervision.

 "Miss Frieda, you're back. You took so long." she said, relief written all over her face as I walked into the room.

 I nodded. "I'm sorry about that. It took quite long to bring the boy to a stable condition. But let's begin now." It was best for us to get started because better late than never.

 We set the pot on fire and began to put the ingredients in, one by one in order. The last thing to go into the brew was the nightshade and I had the opportunity to slip it in when I asked Avery to get me a cup of water.

Soon the medicine was ready one hour late and I quickly filtered the materials not needed and put the liquid in to the teapot.

Walking (more like running actually) out of the infirmary, I made my way past the courtyard and into the castle.

"Excuse me. Have you seen the butler?" I asked one of the maids I had seen Mirabel with.

"He went up to the fifth floor, Milady." she replied and with a swift bow, she scurried out of sight. Of course Gilbert would be at the fifth floor by now. He usually attends to the Dark Lord by this time.

Making a beeline for the spiral staircase, I took the steps two at a time despite it being exhausting as long as I got up quickly.

Down the well furnished hallways, I stopped at the ornately carved double doors that led to the Dark Lord's lair and raised my hand to knock. Gilbert opened the door after a few seconds looking visibly displeased.

"Miss Frieda," He said as he saw me. "Where have you been? The king has been waiting."

He didn't wait to hear an explanation. As soon as he was done scolding, he let me into the Dark Lord's chamber and I stepped in, content to stay by the door.

The room wasn't very dark today and I noticed the king sitting at his desk beside the door that led to the balcony. He was writing on a piece of parchment using a quill.

This was the first time I had seen the man so quiet and focused on something and I figured that he was doing pretty important work.

When he looked up and saw me, he motioned for me to come forward, toward the desk.

I gingerly walked over to where his desk was. Gilbert excused himself and left, leaving me alone with the Dark Lord.

Even as I had come forward, he said nothing and continued to do his working, signing some parchments and reading the content of some.

He tilted his head as he wrote, his slender fingers gripping the quill and his pitch black hair fell to one side of his face as he wrote.

His lean but strong arm rested on the desk as his wrist moved, making marks upon the paper. My gaze went up his arm, to his snow white dress shirt that he hadn't buttoned fully, giving anyone who dared to look a teasing view of his chest.

It killed me to admit it but I would be a liar if I didn't. The Dark Lord was actually a very beautiful man to look upon.

More so as his smallish, thin lips were pursed as he concentrated on his work.

"It's rude to stare so much, even though you are awed by my beauty. I'll try not to take offense." He said without looking up at me.

There was no one else in the room so he was definitely talking to me. And that was how the ounce of good thoughts and admiration I had towards him vanished into thin air.

"Well I'm here to serve your medicine and you're too busy to acknowledge me. What better way to spend my time than stare?" I replied him and to prove my point, I kept staring at his smooth skin of his neck and wrist. Did he know the harshness of the sun at all?

"In that case, I have something better for you to do. Drop the medicine on the table over there, I'll have it when I'm done working..."

"But you have to drink it..." I tried to say.

"While it is still hot because when it cools, it will lose its potency." He rolled his eyes while mimicking me. Then his eyes met mine with a sly smile. "Did I get it right?"

I gave a soft glower at his direction. "That is not how I sound like."

"That is not how I sound like." He did another high pitched impression of me. "I'm sure I got that last one right."

It sounded sickening to hear a man who originally had a voice that was as deep as the bottom of a well try to make a high pitched impression and my irritated expression seemed to make him amused.

It was easy to be infuriated being around this man and I had to keep calm.

"Now, would you stop standing around like a dead tree and help me? The sooner you help me sort these papers out, the sooner I can take the medicine and you can be on your way."

I just knew that this was my punishment from the deities for being late. But today was the first day and it was not intentional. I was busy trying to make sure someone was okay.

But even still, I would serve my punishment diligently and honorably. I went over and knelt before the stack of papers

he had put on the floor beside him.

"Give me that paper that requires signing." He pointed to a piece of paper without even looking down.

"How do I know the papers that require signing?"

"You will see it when you re... Wait, let me ask you. Do you know how to read, physician's daughter?" He asked me.

I shook my head dejectedly. "No sire, I was never given the opportunity to learn."

I heard the rumble of a soft laughter escape his lips. "What a pretty liar you are, physician's daughter."

I looked up at him. "How do you know I'm lying?"

"I've seen you read medical journals at the castle library for days on end." He told me, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

At that moment, I remembered the secret desk at the library. Oh my goodness.

"So please pass me that paper that requires signing after you're done reading it." He smiled, amusement written all over his face. I just sighed and passed him the paper he needed. Just let him go Frieda. He's not worth it.

"Your Majesty, I have a question to ask you." I asked against my better judgment after a moment of absolute silence between the two of us.

"Even though I know I'll end up being offended by it, I feel curious to know what's on your mind. Ask your question." He said to me his attention was on the parchment he was reading.

What was that? Did I know I should avoid interacting with this man for my own benefit?

"On a second thought, I'd rather not your highness."

"It was not a request Frieda, ask your questions."

Whether it was the seriousness and danger lurking in his tone or the fact that he called me by my name, I knew I couldn't get out of this one. Why do I keep doing this to myself?

"Why do you hide yourself from the people? No one save for the few elite servants know who you are. It's almost as if you're shy."

Still focused in his work, he replied to my question. "I am not hiding from anyone. Rather I'm doing them a whole load of good being away from them."

"And that is because..."

"That is because I can't trust people to not ruin my perfect mood. And that'll make me we want to tie them to a rock and throw them in the sea, or put them in a barrel of centipedes and close the lid, or ask them to walk on hot coals until I am satisfied."

I listened to his say all this with a serene look on his face while chills ran down my spine and I knew this wasn't a bluff. He was more than capable of carrying out his threats. Else he wouldn't be worth of the title, The Dark Lord.

"Give me the other paper, I'm done with this one." He ordered.

And this folks, is the reason why the Dark Lord shouldn't live no matter how insanely good looking he was.