Seeds of Discovery (15 page)

This time, William threw the punch, and Maxwell jumped into the fray right behind him. Even Linnea managed to get in a well-placed kick to Tolliver’s groin before they were pulled apart by several castle guards.

“Enough!” Stephen stepped between them. He gave a stern look to Thomas before turning to Tolliver. “I will not allow accusations such as those to be directed at my family.”

“What, Stephen, you can’t accept that you have raised your son to be a spoiled brat who can’t share his toys?”

“I have tolerated you for your mother’s sake Tolliver; do not press my courtesy further. To engage in fisticuffs with my sons is poor enough conduct, but to malign the character of a young lady under my safekeeping is unacceptable. I will invite you to return to your rooms, Tolliver. Perhaps you will have time to reflect on the kind of conduct that is befitting of the leader of a kingdom.”

Stephen let his steel gaze linger on Tolliver for a long moment before turning away and returning to his guests.

Everything happened quickly after that. Four guards led Tolliver back to the castle, and Simon escorted Quinn and the four siblings who had been involved in the brawl around the castle and over to an outbuilding that Quinn had never seen.

Blood was dripping down Thomas’ face as they trooped into the building, which Quinn recognized as some kind of medical clinic. They passed through a reception area and back into a larger room. Five cots and small, metal carts filled with various medical supplies lined one wall.

William led Thomas over to the first bed and made him sit down. Thomas was still shaking visibly, his fists curled into tight balls.

Nobody spoke for several minutes. The only movement in the room came from William, who was working on Thomas’ cut.

It was Maxwell who finally broke the silence. “Well, that wasn’t good.”

Everyone burst out laughing.

Quinn and Linnea were awakened early the next morning by Mia entering the room.

“Sorry, Miss Quinn and Lady Linnea. I didn’t want to wake you, but I was told I had to come in here and start getting Miss Quinn packed and ready.”

Quinn sat bolt upright.

“It’s alright, Mia,” Linnea said, rubbing her eyes and struggling to sit up. “We meant to be up early anyway. What time is it?”

“It’s going on half-past six.”

Linnea groaned, but Quinn was already halfway to the bathroom, anxiety twisting her insides.

After the incident at the Naming Ceremony the day before, Stephen and Charlotte had decided that it was not safe for Quinn to remain at Rosewood Castle while Tolliver was in Eirentheos. It had become clear that he had made a special target out of Quinn, and Stephen wanted her as far out of Tolliver’s reach as he could get her. The public spectacle had also created another issue -- people asking pointed questions about exactly who Quinn was.

Apparently, Stephen’s announcement that Quinn was “under his safekeeping” carried heavy implications.

“It isn’t your fault in any way, Quinn.” Stephen had been adamant after she tried to apologize. You have not done anything wrong. And I don’t regret what I said today, nor would I take it back.”

“We do regard you as under our care, just as one of our own children,” Charlotte had added, with tears in the corners of her eyes and a tender look that Quinn didn’t completely understand.

“Please don’t feel we are sending you away, dear one, our only worry is for your safety. You are always welcome here in our home, please remember that.”

So today, Quinn was to be packed and ready, and sent off with Nathaniel, William, and Thomas as they made the rounds of outlying villages to deliver medical supplies and provide assistance to the small medical clinics they had helped establish.

Linnea was quieter than usual this morning as she helped Quinn get ready, braiding her damp, auburn hair in an intricate pattern that she said would stay in place while Quinn traveled on horseback.

Mia, too, was somber, though her mood had no impact on her efficiency. By the time Quinn had finished taking a quick shower, Mia had already packed a small leather bag for her; it was waiting on the perfectly-made bed, next to an outfit she’d be comfortable riding in. Quinn wasn’t even sure what was in the bag; it wasn’t like she’d brought anything with her to Eirentheos. She had learned better than to object to accepting gifts here, though, so she didn’t ask.

Linnea had just put the final touches on Quinn’s hair when Simon arrived to escort Quinn down to the meeting point. Nathaniel, William, and Thomas were already there, having left individually to avoid attracting a lot of extra attention. Linnea wrapped Quinn in a fierce hug.

“Now, make sure you keep Thomas in his place; make sure he remembers he’s in the presence of a lady. He’ll have me to answer to if he doesn’t mind his manners.”

Linnea’s serious tone made Quinn chuckle. She turned to Mia, “Mia, thank you so much for all of your kindness. You’re never around long enough for me to say it, but you’ve truly treated me in such a way that I’ve felt like a princess since I’ve been here.”

Mia’s rosy cheeks turned a darker shade of pink, “It’s been my pleasure, Miss Quinn. You are a princess in my eyes.”

“Are you ready, Quinn?” Simon asked, hefting the leather bag onto his shoulder.

“Yes, I suppose I am.” She hadn’t gotten to know Simon very well; he always seemed to be busy, and it felt a little awkward to be alone with him.

Linnea squeezed her hand tightly and then let go. Quinn felt two pairs of eyes on her back as she followed Simon into the hallway.

*          *          *

The atmosphere at little clearing in the woods was nothing like it had been in Quinn’s bedroom. William and Thomas both were buzzing with excitement at being out in the open air, ready to travel. Even Nathaniel was smiling as Simon and Quinn walked into the group.

“Ready, Quinn?” Thomas’ grin was contagious.

“Sure … I think. Where’s Chestnut?” Quinn’s eyes scanned the clearing for the horse. Not seeing him, she looked back at Thomas just in time to catch the end of the conspiratorial look he had shared with William. “What am I missing?”

Thomas made a soft clicking sound, and a horse stepped out from behind some trees, but it wasn’t Chestnut. “I know you were promised a trip to the stables to take your pick, and that never quite happened, but I think you and Dusk will get along rather well.”

Dusk was a beautiful mare, though Quinn couldn’t identify the breed. She was smooth and silky, a deep gray color that was almost black, but shimmered in the sunlight. Quinn was in awe; she couldn’t resist walking straight over to Dusk so that she could touch her glossy coat.

“Here,” William tossed her an apple, which she caught easily. Dusk reached over and snatched it out of Quinn’s hand before she could turn all the way back around to offer it to her.

Quinn laughed. “Cheeky, isn’t she?”

“She does have her own personality,” Thomas agreed.

“Do you all have everything you need?” Simon asked, as he and Thomas loaded Quinn’s luggage into one of Dusk’s nearly-full saddlebags.

“We have as much as we can carry. It will have to be enough for now,” Nathaniel answered him. “You’ll send word of how things go here?”

“Of course. And you’ll let us know if you figure anything out with this illness in the villages?”

“Yes.”

“Well, travel safe then. Quinn, it was a pleasure meeting you. I am sorry I didn’t get a chance to know you better.”

“It was nice meeting you too, Simon.” He nodded, and then held out his hand to assist Quinn into Dusk’s saddle. The others mounted their horses as well, and Nathaniel led them out of the clearing.

The ride to their first destination, Mistle Village, took about two hours.

It had been many months since Quinn had ridden for that long, and, although they took it at a slow and steady pace, she was feeling it by the time they approached the outskirts of the small village. Dusk didn’t seem fazed; she’d barely broken a sweat.

Nathaniel led the group up to a long, single-story white house with a wide covered porch that wrapped the entire building. A small wooden sign that read “Mistle Village Medical Clinic” hung from the porch railing. They brought the horses to a stop in a grassy, fenced paddock on the north side of the clinic. Nathaniel and William dismounted.

“Thomas, you should stay here with Quinn and tend to the horses, while we check on things inside,” Nathaniel told him. He turned to Quinn, “That was some good riding. You kept up with us the whole way without a break. All those years of riding lessons seem to have paid off.”

“Thank you.” Quinn felt a little awkward at Nathaniel’s praise. She had almost forgotten that he was part of her life in Bristlecone, as well.

 Nathaniel smiled. “I’m sure you’re tired after all of that, though. Why don’t you go relax and rest in the shade for a little while?”

Quinn nodded. She was hot and tired.

Thomas was on the ground quickly, offering his hand to help Quinn down. The proud trail-guide side of Quinn thought about protesting all the help, but when she swung her leg over the saddle and felt how stiff it was, her grateful side won out.

“Thanks, Thomas,” she told him, after he had to steady her for a second on her wobbly legs.

“Of course.”

“I’m going to have to get used to long stretches of riding again. There’s not much of a chance to keep up with it in a mountain winter.”

Thomas’ grin was amused and kind as they walked over to a large shade tree. “I’m sure. I forget how different it can be there. William is so used to it now … and he spends so little time there, comparatively, that I don’t know how much he notices about your world, really.”

Quinn considered that for a moment. She had only been in Eirentheos for four days, but in some ways, that short span felt like a completely different lifetime. Already, she could not imagine not knowing Thomas or Linnea, or the rest of their family.

With a sudden shock, she realized that she hadn’t given much thought to home since she’d been here. Apart from the other night with Tolliver, when she had wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with her mom, thoughts of her real life in Bristlecone had pretty much been on the back burner ever since Thomas had told her she would only be missing one day at home.

Of course, everything here was new and interesting; there had been plenty to keep her mind occupied. Maybe, too, it was because it was so all-encompassing, being somewhere she couldn’t go home from. She had no way of contacting her mother, or anyone else. While she was here in Eirentheos, she had to just be here. And when she did leave … the thought caused an odd pang in her stomach.

“I suppose it’s a little different for William when he’s there,” she said. “He always knows he’s going to be going back and forth. He’s probably worried all the time about what he’s missing here. Besides, he has Nathaniel with him, and his medical studies to keep him thinking about home. My world probably doesn’t mean much to him.”

“True,” said Thomas. “After all, how much does our world mean to you?”

Quinn swallowed hard when she realized that she didn’t know the answer.

“So what is going on here, exactly anyway?” she asked, changing the subject. “I get the feeling that the three of you are worried about something here in the village, but you haven’t really talked about it.”

Thomas’ expression grew serious, and he stared off for a moment, looking at something in the sky.

“Is it something I’m not supposed to know about?”

“No...It’s not that. It’s just a strange and scary situation for us, and we hate having to involve you.”

“Well, I’m here now. Are you going to keep it from me the whole time?”

“I suppose you’re right,” Thomas took a deep breath. “Strange cases of illness have been cropping up in many of the Eirenthean villages, including here in Mistle Village.”

“Strange how?”

“Strange because we don’t know what is causing it, or where it’s coming from. It doesn’t appear to be contagious, because it is only affecting random people - only children, actually, which is one of the things that are so concerning. But so far, there haven’t been any cases of more than one child in a family contracting it.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. We don’t think
it’s
food either, for the same reason. All the children in a family would probably be eating the same foods. Most of these families have several children.”

“Is that common here?” Quinn wondered, thinking of the royal family’s thirteen children.

“What? To have many children? Yes. Children are very important in Eirentheos. We consider them to be blessings to our country.”

Up on the porch, the wooden screen door opened and closed. Thomas and Quinn both looked up to see a young woman standing there. She wore a long, simple cotton dress, covered by a white apron. Her thick brown hair was pulled back into a long braid down the middle of her back.

Thomas stood as the woman walked toward them, and Quinn followed his lead.

“Welcome, Thomas.”

“Hello, Essie. It’s good to see you again.”

“Always a pleasure to see you as well, Thomas.”

“Essie, this is Quinn. She’s traveling with us for the next week or so. Quinn, this is Essie White, one of the doctors here in Mistle Village. Also, she’s married to my cousin Jacob, who is the other doctor.”

“Hello, Quinn. Welcome to our home.” Essie’s smile was warm and kind, though her eyes looked weary.

“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, Essie.”

“Come on into the house, you all must be hungry for lunch after that ride.”

Quinn followed Thomas and Essie up on to the porch and all the way around to the back of the house. Essie led them through the back door into a small, cozy kitchen. It was homey; a clean, flowery tablecloth hung over the edges of a circular table in the corner of the room, a glass vase with a bouquet of purple flowers served as a centerpiece. Five wooden chairs surrounded the table. A savory aroma was coming from an enormous pot on the wood-burning stove.

“You live here, in the back of the clinic?” Quinn asked.

“Yes, it makes things easier to be close. This back half is our living quarters.” Through the open doorway in the kitchen, Quinn could see a tidy living room, and a hallway beyond it. The whole house felt welcoming and comfortable.

“It’s lovely,” Quinn said.

“Thank you,” Essie smiled. “I like to think so. You must be thirsty. Would either of you like a glass of tea?”

“Yes, please,” Quinn and Thomas spoke simultaneously. Essie grinned as she filled two glasses with ice from a small freezer.

The tea itself was different from anything Quinn had ever tasted; it had a slight dark-red tint to it. “This is delicious, Essie, thank you.”

Just then, a door in the living room opened, and William stepped through with another man that Quinn didn’t recognize, though she assumed it must be Essie’s husband, Jacob. This was confirmed when he stepped into the kitchen, and placed a gentle kiss on Essie’s forehead, taking her hips into his hands.

“That smells delicious, sweetheart, thank you.”

Essie kissed Jacob on the cheek before turning him to face the guests. “Jacob, this is...”

“Quinn, I’ve heard. It’s a pleasure to meet you Quinn. Welcome. I am Jacob. I see you’ve already met my beautiful wife?”

“Uh, yes. Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, too.” She noticed that Essie’s cheeks grew slightly pink at her husband’s compliment, though she quickly turned and began removing bowls from a cabinet.

“Can I help?” Quinn asked, feeling useless.

“Sure, if you’d like you can slice those loaves of bread there on that counter while I start dishing up bowls of stew.” Essie handed her a large bread knife.

As she worked, carefully cutting thick slices of the still-warm bread, Quinn listened to the conversation between the men.

“How is it going?” Thomas wondered.

William sighed, “About the same. Marcus Bracken is more stable now. His fever finally broke, but the rash is blistered and painful all over his hands and face. One of his eyes is swollen shut. He’s eating and drinking, though.”

“We were able to release little
Hally
Donner yesterday,” Jacob broke in. “There are still some welts on her hands and wrists, but she seems to be recovering fairly well. However, we received a new case late yesterday afternoon,
Alyia
Hawken
. She’s eight. Her fever isn’t as high as some of the others’ have been, thank the Maker, but the rash is all the way up to her elbows and covers her neck and face. She’s having trouble keeping down food, though, and we’re worried about her becoming dehydrated. Nathaniel’s in there with her now, trying to get her to accept some fluids. I’m sure we’ll need to take lunch in to him; he won’t leave.”

Essie nodded. “Sounds like Nathaniel. Right now, we have four patients, and at least one parent for each,” she added. “Fortunately, it’s still a number we can accommodate here, but if we continue to get new cases...”

“We will get this stopped.” William’s voice was adamant.

After a lunch of Essie’s delicious stew, Quinn asked if she could visit the clinic. Thomas and William both had reservations, but Essie simply said that they could use all the hands they could get, and there was no further discussion of the matter.

Quinn followed Essie into the long, main room of the clinic, her hands full with a tray loaded with bowls of stew and glasses of iced tea.

“Over here, Quinn,” Essie led her over to a small cot. The clinic was divided into small, makeshift rooms by low, wooden walls and curtains. The little space Essie led her to
was
occupied by a young boy, who was propped up on pillows, and his mother who sat in a rocking chair next to him, reading aloud to him from a book. Quinn’s heart ached at the sight of the little boy’s face; odd patches of small, red sores covered his face, blistered in some areas on his left cheek and forehead. His left eyelid was so red and puffy that she couldn’t see that eye. Both of his arms were wrapped lightly in gauze from fingertip to elbow.

“How are you feeling, Marcus?” Essie asked softly.

“A little better,” he answered. “But I’m still
sooo
itchy. And my eye hurts.”

“The salve seems to be helping a little,” his mother said. “Some of the blisters are starting to heal.”

“That’s good news.” Essie smiled. “Hopefully we’ll have you out of here soon - not that we don’t enjoy your company.
Betta
, this is Quinn. She came with William to help.  Quinn, this is
Betta
and Marcus.”

“It’s nice to meet you. Are you hungry?” Quinn smiled, indicating her heavy tray.

“Yes, thank you.”

Essie walked off to another cubicle, leaving Quinn to study the young mother as she set the tray down on a small table.
Betta
couldn’t have been too many years older than Quinn was herself. She looked on as
Betta
placed a bookmark in the thick book she had been reading to Marcus, and set it on the table before she helped the boy sit all the way up and adjusted a wooden tray table over his lap.
Betta’s
eyes were a twinkling gray framed by thick, dark lashes; she reminded Quinn of Thomas. She smiled at Quinn as she helped her carefully lay the warm, full bowl on the tray table.

“Thank you, Quinn.”

“You’re welcome. Can I get you
two anything else
?” She asked as
Betta
lifted a spoon full of the stew to Marcus’ mouth; he tried to reach it himself, but the gauze bandages got in his way.

Once he had finished swallowing, Marcus piped up, “Do you have any candy?”

“Now I know you’re feeling better!”
Betta
laughed, tugging playfully at the back of her son’s hair.

Quinn smiled. “I don’t think I do,” she answered. “But if I find some, you’ll be the first to know.”

The boy’s answering grin was reward in itself.

Across the room, William had taken over for Nathaniel, tending to a little girl who looked very ill. Her rash appeared much worse than Marcus’ did; the whole lower part of her face and her neck were covered in blisters and the small, red sores. A few of the blisters were oozing a little. The girl’s mother sat next to her, rubbing her leg and looking worried. Quinn had seen the girl’s father step out onto the porch, where he was now pacing.

“Maybe a little apple juice,
Alyia
? Or some more tea?” William coaxed.

The girl shook her head. “Not right now; it hurts my throat when I drink.” She closed her eyes and lay back on the pillow.

William sighed, turning and stepping just outside the cubicle as Quinn came to stand beside him. “We need to find a way to keep her hydrated,” he spoke in a low voice. “I don’t want to place an IV if I don’t absolutely have to; those kinds of supplies are scarce here. We would have to send back to the clinic at home for more IV fluids.”