Iria Helev walked out of the chamber and entered the chamber she shared with the King.
Was she right? She was sure that she saw Arin.
And now, the King was sitting on a chair, going through some scrolls.
"Arin," she called out and walked towards him. Then she stood near the chair where he sat. "Why didn't you come inside?" she asked.
"He likes you," Arin Helev said without even looking at her. "You can touch him while everyone else can't. Didn't that make it clear?"
"I know that."
His hands paused and he looked up at her when he heard her. "You know. Then what does that mean?"
"Nothing," Iria replied, maintaining a calm voice all the time.
As he looked at her with confusion written all over his face, Iria sighed.
"Even if someone likes me, is it important?" she asked. "What important is my feelings and it's not like my feelings will change. There is nothing to worry about."
"I know that," Arin Helev said to her and rose from his seat. "But imagining you to touch him -"
"Did you forget that I was a soldier?" Iria asked him with an amusing smile. "Before I become the Commander, I started from the bottom and assisted my father later. I've treated many wounds for my fellow soldiers and none of them was women. I don't think it should be an issue now."
The former Commander met the gaze of her husband who looked at her as if he was trying to read her.
"He needs me, Arin. He's a friend for both of us," she continued in a calm voice. "But if not you're okay with it, then I won't do it." She slightly smiled and added, "You matter to me the most."
"You're so cruel," Arin Helev pointed out. "You only said that after saying many more things."
Iria chuckled and he finally relented. "Fine then. It's not good to ignore a friend in need. It seems like I have to settle to being an open-minded husband."
He pulled her closer and captured her lips. Then he pulled back with a smile.
"Go and help him. I will continue my work," he said and added, "But be careful with your right arm." He laughed and remarked, "You're not that fine yourself."
"I will," Iria said with a little smile and made her way to Emor's chamber.
When she reached there, Iria noticed that Emor Tripas was still sitting on the bed, the same way as she left.
"Give me the bandage and the ointments," she said to the doctor. "I will handle it."
"You don't really have to -"
"Just shut up for now," the Queen uttered, interrupting the Nardodian Crown Prince from saying more. "Recover soon so that you won't need my help anymore."
She sat beside his bed, opening no room for protest. Then the assistant gave the Queen some necessities and left the chamber with the royal doctor.
Iria removed the bandage and then thoroughly cleaned all his wounds with some warm water first. "You have two arrow shot wounds on your back," she said to Emor. "How will you take care of this alone? You're so hopeless."
"Though it takes time, wounds eventually healed even without much treatment, Your Majesty," Emor Tripas said. "If you do this for me, I'm afraid I would depend on you. Someone like me has to learn to survive alone."
"You're our guest here," Iria said as she apply ointments to his wounds. "I can't just ignore you while I can help."
As the Qalagon Queen continued working on applying the ointment, Emor Tripas quietly stared at her face. He was reminded of the time she first did this for him during the annual tournament.
Time flew so fast.
"Why do you become so kind to me?" he asked her. "I still remember how you slapped me when we met in Jerivia."
There was a subtle smile on Iria's lips when she recalled the memory. "Misunderstandings often happen. However, back then, you deserve it," she responded to him. She briefly looked up and noticed that he was staring at her.
"I admire how you strive to be different from your father and uncle," she said. "It will never be easy to do that."
"You're right," Emor Tripas muttered and turned away from her gaze. "That's why I wavered many times, thinking that it might be better to take the easy path," he murmured.
"You already come so far," Iria stated as she continued applying the ointment. "Don't give up."
"What if I really give up?" Emor Tripas suddenly asked her. "Will you hate me then?"
His question halted her movement once again. However, she just stared at him for a few seconds and started bandaging his wounds. "I'm not sure," she finally said. "But I'm sure of one thing. That I will be disappointed. If you give up after holding on for this long, I will surely be disappointed."
Iria stood up and quietly continued working on bandaging his wounds. "You should be careful. Don't go around too much with just one guard. You can't afford to have a serious injury."
"I was searching for Alena," Emor Tripas muttered. "She's been missing for weeks and I heard that she was seen near the border but... it seems like it was just a trap created for me. Someone is after my life and it seems like they are using my best friend as bait."
"You really don't suspect him?"
He shook his head. "After going through many things to save my life, he won't want me dead. Though he finds out that I've been helping Arin Helev, I still don't think that he will want me dead."
"He finds out?" Iria asked, raising a brow. "Did he do anything to you?!"
"No," Emor Tripas muttered. "He seems to be holding back himself."
"Then be more careful," Iria said. "I find him very unpredictable." She made a deliberate paused and continued, "If he is not the one behind this assassination attempt as you believe, then there must be traitors around you. That's means you have to raise your guard even higher."
She recalled her own experienced and added, "Anyone can be the traitor."
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