The medical facility was crowded with sick people. It was the time of the year when people get sick easily. Fortunately, the diseases were all curable, thanks to the traditional medicines made from the herbs, plants and flowers from their greenhouses.
Zephyr was warded separately. Being a captain gave him a privilege to get him special treatment. He was still unconscious for two days after being injured by his own men and losing so much blood.
His face seemed so serene in his sleep but he occasionally winced in pain when the nurses treated his injury on his left shoulder, right lower arm and chest.
A nurse came in for the morning duty to change Zephyr bandage and treat his injury. Just as when she applied the antiseptic on Zephyr’s wound on his shoulder, Nyx arrived. She insisted of taking over and just took the antiseptic bottle and cotton from the nurse’s hand. The nurse who knew that Nyx and Zephyr had been friends since they were teenagers let her do it. She left the room after making sure that Nyx knew what to do.
Nyx was about twenty years old, with layered honeycomb hair tied with a ribbon into a short ponytail. Her eyes were piercing jet black, giving people the impression that she was a very strong, resilient girl. Indeed, she was.
Nyx had been in the Resistant since she was three, right after her parents’ death which were caused by accident. Or at least that what she was told when she was a child. Just when she reached fifteen, their General revealed that it was the Legion who had caused her parents’ death. She did not want to know how and why they were killed. She was just determined to avenge her parents.
Nyx was bandaging back Zephyr’s injury when he moved his fingers, his forehead wrinkled. Then, Zephyr opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Zephyr?” called Nyx, waving his hand over Zephyr’s unblinking eyes. When Zephyr showed no response, Nyx reached out her hand to stroke Zephyr’s hair but Zephyr quickly caught her hand before it reached his hair. Zephyr finally blinked and turned to Nyx.
“What are you doing here?” asked Zephyr with an air of annoyance. He let go of Nyx’s hand.
“I’m treating you,” said Nyx, hurt by Zephyr’s cold tone.
“Let the nurse do the work,” said Zephyr brusquely.
“Why are you always like this? What did I do wrong?” said Nyx frustratingly.
“I don’t have the mood to argue with you,” said Zephyr turning other way so he did not have to look at Nyx. Nyx stomped her feet and left the room.
As Nyx stood leaning walked stood against the wall near the entrance, she saw Phrixus and three of his men walking towards Zephyr’s ward. Phrixus saw her.
“Commander,” said Nyx, bowing her head slightly as Phrixus stopped in front of her.
“How’s the Captain?” asked Phyrixus.
“He just wakes up. I think he’s fine,” said Nyx.
“Of course he’ll be fine. He has a girlfriend looking after him all the time,” teased Phrixus evilly as he looked Nyx from top to bottom. Nyx was fighting with herself so not to strangle Phrixus. She knew Phrixus did not really like Zephyr because he was ten years older than him. And Phrixus certainly did not like Nyx because his nephew, Chryses who was just nine years younger than him was head over heels over Nyx who had obviously rejected him to choose Zephyr instead.
Phrixus and his men just went to Zephyrs ward, leaving Nyx who was speechless with fury. Nyx decided to just go back to the facility. She had to report to the General about Zephyr’s condition.
Without turning back, she just walked out of the medical facility and went to her horse. She untied her horse and stroked its mane.
“Why does he never try to understand me?” said Nyx to Philo, her grey horse. Philo neighed as if answering to Nyx’s complain. Nyx smiled bitterly as she patted Philo. Nyx mounted on Philo’s back. With a little signal nudge from Nyx, they galloped away from the medical facility.
****
“We are sorry for the delay, Sylvius. We stopped by the hospital to visit Rhea,” announced Vlasis as soon as he and Zoe arrived for the Council’s meeting. The meeting was already fifteen minutes on. Sylvius, the Senior Council who chaired the meeting just nodded and welcomed them to sit.
The Conference Room where the meeting was held was oval in shape with a large oval-shape table in the middle where all the members would sit facing each other. There were about ten other Council members sitting to Sylvius’ left and right.
The meeting was attended by the Council member, the Legion and Pleidus’ Representatives. There were about thirty people attending the meeting. Linus, Zoe and Alexis were already there, intently taking notes to enable them to present the points from the meeting to the other Legion members who did not attend the meeting.
“We were discussing about Rhea’s wellbeing just now. We would like to know Rhea’s condition from your point of view,” Vlasis requested Sylvius as soon as Vlasis and Zoe were seated.
Vlasis nodded.
“I think she’s doing fine but of course she’ll face certain difficulties adapting to the new environment. She will need support. About her memory, we need to have a separate discussion on that. She doesn’t seem to remember anything at all currently. As you mention before, a mentor would be a brilliant idea,” explained Vlasis.
Sylvius nodded and looked at the other Council’s Member.
“What do you think?” he asked the other members.
“I agree with the suggestion of having a personal mentor for her,” said Xenia, the secretary-general of the Council, who sat next to Sylvius. The others also nodded as murmurs of approval floated around the Conference Room.
“If that’s the case,” said Sylvius loudly over the sound of the murmurs, making the murmurs ceased almost abruptly. “We would look into a few candidates that we have to become the mentor,”
Sylvius picked up a piece of paper from one of the files in front of him and read out. “Based on what we had discussed in the previous meetings, we have agreed that the requirements needed for a mentor includes the ability for the person to talk openly with Rhea, about the same age as her to ensure no generation gap and able to be her guide. It does not necessarily mean same age,” Vlasis looked at Alexis. “Same gender,” he looked at Zoe, “or same ability,” he looked at Linus this time. “We need a fair balance of everything,” said Sylvius.
The others nodded in agreement.
“My part is done for now. I believe Xenia will have something to say,” said Sylvius handing over the meeting to Xenia.
“Thank you, Sylvius,” said Xenia. “I just want to notify everyone that we are going to have a formal welcoming dinner for Rhea around next week. The appropriate person to manage the event had been notified. Your action is only to make sure that you are available on that night to enable formal introduction of yourselves to Rhea. Any question?”
Random murmurs broke out again among them. The young ones seemed a little uncomfortable with the ‘formal’ idea. Zoe put her hands up.
“I assume we had to wear formal attire then?” asked Zoe.
“Yes. We’ll take care about Rhea’s attire too. I suppose you can help her out on that?” Xenia enquired.
“With pleasure!” beamed Zoe.
Daphne put up her hand next.
“Why don’t we announce about Rhea’s mentor during the formal welcoming dinner? It will benefit many people since that they will know who to go first if they are unsure whether they should go straight to Rhea,” suggested Daphne.
Xenia looked at Sylvius and the other Council members. They nodded their approval.
“Good suggestion, Daphne. We will just have to make the decision on the mentor selection faster then. Latest will be by the end of this week,” said Xenia. “Well then, anymore question or suggestion?”
The attendees looked at each other. Apparently, they had nothing more to say. Xenia handed back the meeting to Sylvius who concluded it with an announcement of their next Council’s meeting which will be a day just before the formal welcoming dinner.
The meeting adjourned minutes later with most of them heading to the Headquarters’ cafeteria for lunch.
“Zoe, do you want to accompany me to visit Rhea?” said Alexis to Zoe as they exit the Conference Room.
“I had just gone there with Vlasis before the meeting,” said Zoe. “Besides, I’m very hungry,” said Zoe patting her tummy.
“You are always hungry,” complained Alexis.
Then, they saw Linus walking out of the Conference Room with Xenia. They were discussing something in a very low voice. After a few seconds, the parted with Xenia heading to the Residential Sector while Linus walked towards the Headquarters’ cafeteria.
“Linus!” called Alexis. Linus turned. Alexis ran up to him.
“Come and accompany me to visit Rhea. Last time I went to visit her, she was still unconscious,” said Alexis with an air of eagerness.
“You do realise that you had been visiting her for every three hours since the first day she was hospitalized, right?” said Linus.
“I’m bored,” said Alexis curtly. “I mean, I haven’t had a long holiday since a month ago, so I did not know what else to do,”
“I already promised to meet Mithra at the cafeteria for lunch,” said Linus tonelessly. “I’m going to visit Rhea again this evening,”
“Fine. I’ll go alone,” said Alexis finally.
“What’s the fuss of going alone? I mean, are you feeling shy to go and meet her alone?” interrupted Zoe cynically.
“It’s not that. I’ll feel awkward,” said Alexis defensively, annoyed at Zoe smirking face.
“I have to get going,” said Linus, walking to the cafeteria leaving Alexis and Zoe.
“You like her don’t you?” whispered Zoe to Alexis. Alexis’ eyes rounded.
“Are you crazy?” he hissed back quickly. “If Rhea’s suitor heard this, I’ll be dead,” he added, looking around them nervously.
“Relax, man. The Council haven’t decided who her suitor will be. It might be you,” said Zoe teasingly to Alexis.
“Don’t talk nonsense. Of course it won’t be me,” said Alexis firmly.
“So, what is it about?” asked Zoe.
“It’s nothing,” said Alexis shortly but when Zoe stared hard at him, he said, “ I’m just nervous to meet a girl of my age, OK. How many girls have I talked to sonce since I join to Academy five years ago? You, Filippa, Elenea; we've been friend since we were small,”
“She’s not going to eat you, Alexis,” said Zoe incredulously. “Just be yourself,”
Suddenly Zoe’s stomach growled. Zoe chuckled. “That’s the signal,” she said. “I need food,”
So, Zoe walked hastily towards the cafeteria leaving Alexis feeling grumpy.
-End of Chapter 13-
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