Alaric softly swung his feet while finishing up the last few bites of his meal. He still felt tired and didn't actually want to go out of the Ward yet. His gaze wandered the Ward for the first time since he arrived there several days ago.
Alaric was very curious about the decorations and knick knacks that were here and there around the Ward. Bits of bones, feathers, tendons, carvings, sculptures and other memorabilia were placed strategically.
What really caught his eye was the very back wall was a rough stone that didn't match the masonry of the Palace. The wall had shapes on it and Alaric couldn't tell what it was from the distance. He turned around back to his plate and was startled when he realized Master Physician Irwin was watching him.
"Curious about my Ward young Prince? If you're interested you may be excused from the table and go take a look. Please refrain from touching anything without asking. I do have some poisonous and venomous objects in here." Ari-uhn glared at Irwin so he hastily explained himself a bit better. "Those are for countering and treating snake bites, and other natural phenomenon," Master Irwin glanced at Ari-uhn who appeared satisfied.
Alaric hopped down from the table, slowly walking around the room looking at everything. "Master Physician Irwin, what are the shapes on this wall? Do they mean anything?" Alaric asked curiously. Master Physician Irwin ate the last couple bites on his platter first before getting up to answer him. He walked over to the back wall and lightly traced the patterns on the wall. Below the wall there was a long low table with three bowls with offerings in it. Incense cones burned in a triagram formation.
"This is a piece of wall from the monastery where I grew up. It does have great meanings on it. The shapes are pictoglyphs of the ancient language of my people. As you know the average lifespan of our kind is 300 to 500 years. For these pictoglyphs to be considered ancient my ancestors had to have carved this at least one hundred millennium ago. That was 50 generations ago to put it in simpler terms. With our long lifespan it sounds like a short time, but it really isn't. This wall my young Prince, is an eulogy to the God-ine Vurtii. They are the deity of several things, most notably for medicines and the study of poisons to heal. The monks who raised me worshipped both God-ine Vurtii and the Goddess Ilurii. The Goddess Ilurii is a Goddess of battle and war worshipped for the protection of the home.
Unfortunately my young Prince, the monastery was destroyed in a fierce battle two centuries ago when I was a young man. My master had me run away when the battle became too fierce and told me to return after the war ended. He wished for me to stay alive to bury the dead, salvage the sacred texts, and keep the traditions alive. I still am saddened by the war that occurred."
Irwin wiped his eyes, hiding a tear that leaked out. "Look at me, rambling on about the past. I can tell you more about it my young Prince. Later that is." Alaric felt deeply fascinated by this Physician's history. Stories like this made him yearn to grow strong and knowledgeable enough so he could travel the world!
"Master Physician Irwin, I'd love to listen to more of your story. But will you tell me what the u-uu-uuu-- Ulahgy said?" Alaric asked. "It's pronounced eu lah gee, eulogy Alaric," Talloha gently corrected. Selena had her head tilted, food forgotten on her plate while listening to Master Physician Irwin's story. "Pwease tell us Irwin, I am curious!" Selena said. Ari-uhn wiped her hands clean and assisted Selena to the floor. Where she (Lena) slowly walked over being careful after the previous incident. Ari-uhn spoke," I didn't think you're going to get away with just reading them the eulogy to the God-ine. I think the children want to hear the rest of your story Irwin."
Talloha laughed lightly before voicing her agreement. Master Physician Irwin glanced at the doorway where Cheiftess Lumen had arrived. Cheiftess Lumen quietly gave orders for the area to be corded off for about two hours. The warriors were dismissed to just outside of the restricted zone. Irwin's past was a bit of a secret topic. The children were royalty and would be taking over for their parents in the future so them learning this information now was fine. But the severity of the knowledge was about to be instilled in them. The dismissal of the guards and all that took place seemed like a long time, but only took a few seconds.
"Now now my children, Master Physician Irwin isn't allowed to speak too much of his past without permission. Lady Warrior Talloha, Ari-uhn, I must ask you to keep your silence on our court Physician's history. I know you both have some knowledge of his past but I'm permitting him to divulge his story. Prince Alaric, Princess Selena, if you tell anyone about Irwin's past you could endanger not just Master Irwin himself, but all of us. If you don't think you can keep this secret, we will wait until your older. Selena my daughter, soon it will be your seventh birthday. I want to trust you with Irwin's tale. Can I trust both of you young ones to keep this quiet?"
Alaric shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He didn't realize that he would encounter such a big secret. Not only was he told he could learn what it was, he could also choose to not know because of how dangerous knowing the secret could be. He looked at Selena who looked equally uncomfortable and stunned. When she looked at them they both nodded to each other. They wanted to know really really badly but they would wait. Alaric spoke up first. "Cheiftess Lumen, I don't want to know right now. I just want to know what the u-la-gee eulogy says."
"I don't want to know right now either. I'm too little still mamma. I don't want to worry about adult things. I just want to grow, learn and play with Larik." Selena told her. Ari-uhn released a breath she hadn't noticed she had been holding. Talloha gently rested her hand on Ari-uhn's back. The tension had been thick and Master Physician Irwin had been uncomfortable with the sudden pressure from the Cheiftess.
Who was pleased that her test of self awareness went well with the children. Cheiftess Lumen had been very willing to see if the children were going to bear the burden of knowledge they were too young for, or if they were self aware enough to allow themselves to remain children. "Please continue with the translation of the eulogy to the God-ine Vurtii Irwin," Cheiftess Lumen said. She discreetly signed to the guards to return to their positions before fully entering the Ward and seating herself down at the table.
The children stood looking expectantly at Master Irwin. "Ah-hem, Let me read it and then figure out the translation. The Celestial tribal language is not my birth tongue." Master Irwin traced the pictoglyphs and muttered quietly to himself in an exotic sounding language. It was the first time the children had heard a foreign language.
"Ah I think I have a rough translation. It is along the lines of this. [All hail the most merciful one, the teacher of plants, of medicines and of poisons. All hail the radiant glowing one, the God-ine Vurtii, the God-ine of reversing disease and wounds! May the shining one ever cast their healing glow upon us, his disciples!] That's as close of a translation as I can get. I think it's a decent translation."
Alaric grabbed Selena's hand and surprised the adults by leading Selena to kneel and pray to the God-ine Vurtii. "May the God-ine Vurtii hear me and accept my prayer. Thank you for the healing of my heart and thank you for the healing of Selena's arm. Thank you for teaching us, the people of this place medicines so that we may have a good life. Blessed Be God-ine Vurtii ". Selena echoed his Blessed Be. Then they stood up and hugged. Cheiftess Lumen was feeling very surprised by the initiative. She had a difficult time in the past leading Selena to pray. But Alaric so easily influenced her to. Master Physician Irwin glanced at Ari-uhn and Talloha who just smiled at the royal children pleased with them.
Alaric led Selena back to the beds and crawled into one letting Selena choose if she wanted to or not. "I feel tired now,* Alaric said after yawning. Selena yawned reflexively and decided a nap would be good. "I will take a nap too!" She climbed into the same bed as Alaric and snuggled up with him. Talloha smiled and suggested that the adults go to another room in the medicine court. And so the Cheiftess kissed her daughter's face and patted Alaric before leading Master Physician Irwin and two pregnant warrior women to a room across the hall where the children were still in sight.