Valerian, The Legendary

He wanted to find the reason behind this, but he could not arrive at a conclusion. The boy was lost so deeply in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice when he got to the Lumen Imperial Palace. Linea was tired from the journey, it was the first time that his master did not tell him to rest, and sensing the turbulent emotions of the master, he did not ask him anything.

Only when they landed in the western garden did the beast say, “Master, we have arrived.”

Valerian woke up from his daze. He looked around and realized his location. Then he got off of Linea’s back and said, “Take rest and eat well.”

Then the prince turned around and walked towards the stable. He did not enter the palace, just when he found a vacant wraith and was about to mount it, a soft voice sounded in his ears, “Where do you think you are going in this condition?”

Valerian turned around and found Fragrantia standing at the entrance of the stable with a few maids and her guards. The prince realized that, as the empress, she must have found out that he was arriving earlier. He wanted to say something but suddenly hesitated and looked away from her.

Fragrantia waved her hand, and the people around her left the stable. The Empress walked closer to the boy and asked gently, “Tell me, child, what is it?”

Valerian looked at her and tried to get his thoughts together when Fragrantia placed her palm on his head and her face changed. She did not say anything because, the next moment, Valerian fainted in her arms. The Empress held him up in her arms and shouted, “Ensis, the prince has fainted, help me get him to his room.”

Ensis rushed in like a wind with another guard. The two guards were ladies, but they were strong enough to pick up Valerian, who was almost as big as a full-grown adult. Fragrantia turned her head and said to a maid, “Get the royal medicus.”

.....

The maid rushed to the outer wing in a blink, while the prince was moved to the room. Valerian’s body was heating like a furnace. Fragrantia knew the reason behind this vague situation, but she did not know the cure.

The medicus arrived soon and clasped the wrist of the boy between his fingers, checking his pulse. However, after a few moments, his face changed drastically. The old medicus checked the body thoroughly, and his expression turned solemn.

Fragrantia asked, “What is it, Medicus Gabe?”

She could sense the worry in the old man’s eyes. Medicus Gabe raised his head and said, “Your Excellency, the body of the prince is deteriorating. I do not know the reason, it is something I have never seen before.”

He was bamboozled by the diagnosis, when Fragrantia asked sternly, “Tell me in detail.”

The Empress has spoken, and the old medicus composed himself as he said, “The bodily functions of the prince are somewhat weaker than those of the normally gifted people. He is a battlemage, and his body must be stronger than most people’s; however, that is not the case, his breathing and muscle tenacity are both weaker than those of an average battlemage.

The difference is not much, but as you observe, you will see that the decline is very slow but steady.”

Fragrantia felt the world spinning around her in a swirl. She calmed herself and asked, “The cure?”

Gabe replied, “We can try some rejuvenation supplements and observe the condition. As for the fever, it will go away with rest, he looks pretty exhausted today.”

Fragrantia nodded and said, “Please write the prescription for him.”

Gabe bowed with a nod, and then he left with a maid to prepare a prescription for Valerian. Ensis and the guard were present during the consultation, and they heard the situation was passively harmful for the prince. This made their moods solemn. Valerian was a person who showed them what bravery and smartness meant.

They were all impressed by his skills. Ensis looked at the Empress, who was sitting next to Valerian, caressing his head gently with a look of concern in her eyes. The guard chief asked, “Your Excellency, this situation will come to pass.”

Fragrantia nodded and said, “It has to pass. I cannot imagine anything happening to him.”

Her words were sincere, she loved him a lot, as if he were her own son. Ensis sighed and asked, “Why does his highness look so tired and exhausted?”

Fragrantia sighed and said, “In the battle of the Sapientia border, he broke the siege to save the people trapped inside the city walls, including Ignis. Then he went on to fight with a Grandmaster in the air. He won that with his wits.

Later, somehow, he ended up fighting a thousand enemies head-on. On his own, he killed them all.”

Ensis and the other guard sucked in a deep breath. They were both surprised to hear these figures, but then they realized Valerian was a battlemage with multiple attributes. Fragrantia did not tell them that even a grandmaster was not left alive, otherwise, the guards might have fainted.

The Empress continued her speech, “You better not let these words leak. He is not someone who enjoys the glory of taking lives. That is the reason he rushed over without stopping. His mind is disturbed by the incident.”

The guards nodded, and the door was knocked as the maid entered the room with a bowl of medicine. She bowed slightly and said, “Your Excellency, the medicine for his highness.”

Fragrantia took the bowl, took out a leaf from her magic pouch, and dropped it in the bowl to check if the medicine was clean of poisons. After making sure everything was fine, she held Valerian’s head with a hand and then gently fed him the solution in the bowl.

The child was unconscious, but feeling something flowing inside his mouth, he gulped it, he was hungry. The maid said, “Medicus Gabe said that his highness will wake up in half an hour.”

Fragrantia nodded and said, “Have the chefs prepare lily buns and chicken broth soup.”

The maid nodded and left the room. The Empress said, “Ensis, Cara, you two may leave as well, I will stay with him.”

The guards exchanged a glance and left the place. Fragrantia sat on the side of the bed with a calm expression on his face. She did not know why, but her eyelids slowly became heavy, and gradually she fell asleep.

It was still early in the afternoon when the Empress fell asleep, and just as she fell asleep, Boo-too appeared inside the room. She floated in the air and positioned herself over Valerian’s head. Then she mumbled, “I can only give you a slight extension, child, I hope you make up your mind soon.”

Then she placed her tiny palm between his brows and chanted a few words in an unknown language. Her palms glowed, and a light entered Valerian’s brow. His body twitched for a bit, and then it went back to normal again.

Boo-too cast a gaze on his face and mumbled, “Flos, I would have been happy to see you grow up.”

Then she floated back and vanished just like she had appeared inside the room. Fragrantia did not wake up until after a few minutes. She mumbled, “How embarrassing to fall asleep like this.”

She said this, but this nap seemed to be the best nap she ever had. She looked at Valerian and caressed his soft hair gently as she said, “Wake up soon, child. You will not find the answers you seek with your eyes closed.”

She could not do anything for him other than sit by his bedside and wait for him to wake up. After half an hour, Valerian’s eyes fluttered and he said, “Mom”

Fragrantia reacted quickly and placed her palm on his forehead and asked, “Yes, child. I am here.”

After a few minutes, Valerian opened his eyes to see her beautiful face. He smiled weakly and said, “I made you worry.”

The empress shook her head and said, “It is fine as long as you are okay. How are you feeling?”

Valerian said, “Tired and hungry.”

Fragrantia helped him sit up, but Valerian did not seem to have any energy in his body as he fell in her embrace. The empress was surprised and wanted to help him up when the boy said, “Let me stay like this for a few minutes.”

Fragrantia did not move, she gently patted his back and let him rest in her embrace. This was a rare moment for them. Valerian did not come close to her usually, but today he was longing for the warmth, for some comfort that could tell him that things were alright and that he was not a cursed person.

The embrace bought him that warmth, and the silence bought him peace. Gradually, his breathing became deep, and the Empress realized that the child had fallen asleep.