Chapter 169 - A Hidden Genius

William pov

I looked at her stunned face and smiled. Though she had forgotten our past. Somewhere in her unconscious mind she still remembered our past. It was not like I could not open the lock, I wanted to know if she could do that.

"You must be tired. Do you want to rest here or shall I organise a carriage for you to take you home?" I asked from the stunned girl who was still looking at the secret passage door and then at the room.

I just rolled my eyes at her antics. If only she could remember things.

"It will be better if you go home for a while so that you can bid farewell to them. We have to leave for the academy early morning tomorrow.'' I reminded her again and only then did she blink and nod.

"Are you okay, little bird?" I asked as she was still lost.

"I am just tired, your highness. And I am worried about the other knights who would still be trying to find us in the woods.`` I knew she was lying. Her thoughts were still stuck on the lock of the door. But I ignored it, she had to solve this mystery herself.

"Do not worry about them. They must have left someone here to inform them in case I return without them finding me. There will be someone here in 3, 2, 1.'' I knew well that they would have noticed voices from the room, and before she could comment or refute me, the door swung open and entered the disheveled knight. 

He wanted to come and hug me as his worried face slowly started loosening but then his eyes fell on the girl and he halted. Remembering his etiquettes, he finally bowed.

"Your highness, I am glad that you are back." we heard the voice of Kirian who was kneeling on the door.

His face had a wave of relief as he looked at him and then me.

"I am glad that you returned too, Sir Abigail." This was the first time I have seen him being happy about someone else too.

I should be happy that she was having a friendship with others. But I felt bitter. The smile she passed to Kirian, that was too sweet. She had never passed me that smile. Did she even know that he was nothing but a brute!

"Kirian, I think I am injured, so come here and help me. And you, organize a carriage for the lady and escort her home with four other knights.`` I scolded the maid who was standing there and busy giving me signals.

I wonder how they did not understand that I was not interested when I had not even once taken the initiative to even talk to them.

"Yes.. yes, your highness" she replied and walked hurriedly

Abigail looked at me with a frown but she also nodded and left.

"You, go and inform others. Or are you not worried about your mates?" I asked with a glare as he looked at me surprised.

"I thought you needed my assistance with your injuries." he said awkwardly, scratching his chin.

"Won't it be better if i ask a royal physician for that? How would you help?" I shook my head and he nodded.

"That was what I was thinking, your highness. But you were the one.. i .. I mean I must have been confused." He changed the reply looking at my darken face and then hurried out.

Soon a royal physician was sent to my chamber.

"Come in"

He bowed and came closer to the bed while I took off my shirt.

"Before treating me, I want you to check the ointment used on my body and tell me how effective it is and how it is made. Is it too easy to make it?" he looked confused by my enthusiasm but nodded his head as he took some leaves from my skin and sniffed it. Then he rubbed it in his hands and continued to look at it with keen eyes.

"The ointment is made by mixing various herbs and binding them perfectly. It is very effective and the best medication one could get in woods, you are lucky to have been treated immediately by your highness or there was a chance of getting infection due to rain or mud." he replied as he started cleaning the wounds with alcohol.

"Is it easy to make this ointment just by reading random books or a profound knowledge of herbs is needed to make it.'' I knew it was not as easy as she was showing. She was filled with various hidden secrets.

"It is not easy to recognize herbs, your highness. Since most of the leaves look similar. Especially in the woods, I am sure the dense forest has many replicas of the trees that could have the opposite effect on the body.

A novice could kill many lives by using poison instead of medicine. But this ointment is made perfectly. It must be the work of a genius.'' He was looking so sure and proud that I did not know how to react.

Why was it that everyone's eyes were on Abi? was it not enough that she already has a lover.

I suddenly felt anger at his age. Why was he not an old man like the physicians of other places but a young man?

"What chances are there that the ointment was made in a few minutes. Just by looking at the trees from afar?" I did not want to gain his attention further. But there was no one else who could fend off my queries.

"Oh my, your highness!! Is there someone like that in our empire and I do not know him? That person must be a hidden genius. He could achieve so much in the field of medication. I want to meet that scholar. I will work with him on my new research and will earn a name for both of us." his eyes were getting dreamier and my anger was getting hard to control.

"She is a girl"

".........."