The lady doctor came the next day and Mahnu sat with her, while others got ready for the trip to Harval. Since now that they have dealt with the tablet, the King had decided to see Valtac next, as he had promised to do so before even leaving Conrella.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Your Highness."

"Please, call me Mahnu." Mahnu insisted, just about ready to glare at this new addition.

"But...I can't..."

Mahnu interrupted her, "Yes you will. Mahnu is my name...And I will also call you by yours."

The lady doctor was stunned. "Yes, Your...Mahnu...I am called Jaclyn."

Mahnu smiled, happy that her order had been followed through. "Nice to meet you Jaclyn."

Jaclyn was silent for a moment, she noticed that Mahnu had an aura around her that spoke volumes. And it was too early to say if she liked her or not…

To see this lady in front of her, ‘Mahnu’ seemed like any other rich and noble daughter, and Jaclyn was sure that she had gotten whatever she wanted all the time.

Her hair was much nicer then hers, probably because rich ladies were able to afford to look after their hair better.

Her attire looked beautiful, having a nice soft color and certain areas that showed some lace…A rich woman’s dream…

Jaclyn hadn’t really been extremely poor, but she was fair from being rich…And seeing a pretty hair clip that looked as though it fluttered whenever Mahnu moved in the slightest, Jaclyn nearly rudely slumped her shoulders in defeat.

She already didn’t want to go with this lady!

"In advance, Jaclyn, I am not going to harm you, nor will I force you to like me." Mahnu could only sigh to Jaclyn’s thoughts.

Seeing assumptions being made like this, made Mahnu angry, but she knew from a long time ago that many humans did assume…It was a thing that they did, and sometimes they didn’t even know that they were doing it…

Jaclyn stared at the consort and wondered if she tried to become a consort to have the power of having His Majesty's favor.

Mahnu knew about this ‘favor’ and how people have tried to get power through it, she also knew that Jaclyn hadn’t thought too much into it and wondered if Jaclyn was someone who schemes or not.

But…Her thoughts only tended to think of if Mahnu herself was scheming, not letting Mahnu know if Jaclyn is one that schemes or not.

"No. I despise that kind of power Jaclyn. Let it be known to you that I love King Richard. And I don't say those words casually." Mahnu stated frankly to Jaclyn’s personal thoughts.

In fact, Mahnu was wondering how she was doing. Was she talking like everyone else? Was this what it was like to have a conversation with the same sex? Was this what women…Talked about? What they thought about?

Mahnu was trying for Richard’s sake, yet…It was so difficult! Already she had been assumed to be a rich, noble lady and that she was scheming to get Richard’s love for power!

Jaclyn shook her head, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I didn't say that!"

"Mahnu...Please call me Mahnu...And now I will tell you something that you can't repeat, do you understand?"

Jaclyn nodded.

"You're scaring her, Mahnu." The King stood behind Mahnu, putting his hands on her shoulders, and watched as Jaclyn got up and bowed to him.

"I apologize for my beloved. Mahnu still has trouble socializing with others." Actually, the King knew and didn’t care to apologize, he was more teasing his woman!

Mahnu glared up at him, and said, "You don't have to make excuses for me!"

"It's true though, my dear." He said, smiling at her.

Even though it’s true, my love, it doesn’t make me love you less!

"I know how to talk to people, now go away!" Mahnu blushed, showing that she was angry when she knew she wasn’t…It was because…He was so open with his love for her! She still wasn’t quite used to it!

Knowing and feeling the heat in her cheeks, Mahnu wanted him to go, before she felt more embarrassed…

He chuckled and left, winking at Jaclyn beforehand. He knew it could have been taken the wrong way, but he winked to give Jaclyn some courage.

Walking away, the King smiled and realized he’s become a bit more…Well, he seems to flirt a lot more now!

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Feeling giddy, King Richard couldn’t help but already want to go back to her, his woman!

But…He had to give the two ladies time to talk, as they hadn’t had the chance yet!

Jaclyn had never seen such a sight between two people. Even more so, one of those people was the King of Kralaide!

Is that how she treats him all the time? How can he love a woman that would tell him to go away?

Completely confused, Jaclyn hadn’t heard Mahnu trying to get her attention back.

"Jaclyn!" Mahnu spouted out, not wanting to question the same questions…

She hasn’t been all that confident with her relationship to Richard, but she was not going to change who she was…Besides, confidence or not, she knew that he loved her. So, she just won’t question those thoughts…

Turning quickly, she stammered, "Yes, Mah...Mahnu."

"Mahnu!"

Mahnu sighed at being interrupted once again.

William stood beside her and smiled at Jaclyn quickly, before saying, "We are ready to depart, they said for you, the doctor and I to go on ahead."

Getting up, Mahnu sighed again, "I will try again in the carriage."

It seems she will no longer be able to continue the conversation with this new addition at this present moment.

Seeing things this way, Mahnu instead thought that perhaps she should not bluntly state who she was so early to Jaclyn. Perhaps she should wait first…

After Mahnu walked away from them, William looked at Jaclyn. "...Are you ok, miss?"

"Oh...Yes. Thank you."

William looked away but didn't leave. "...Just say whatever is on your mind. Mahnu would prefer that."

With Mahnu being able to read minds, it wasn’t like you could keep any secrets…So, he was hoping that this advice would be taken and used. Since having found Jaclyn himself, he felt a strange type of want to make sure things work out. He wanted the King’s idea of Mahnu and Jaclyn of becoming friends and for Jaclyn to stay by Mahnu’s side…Not only that…Jaclyn was a pretty cute girl. He had already taken in her petite size and dimples, as well as her hazel eyes…

Only finding himself somewhat happy to being able to keep an eye on this dimpled cuteness, William wanted the King’s idea to work, so that he could continue to watch!

But…Right now, his priority was to…It was to…

The carriage, he will go back to the carriage…

Jaclyn watched him leave and wondered why Mahnu was held in such a high regard from everybody here.

…So far, everyone seemed to dote on her...Why?

It was common to think that the King only had one woman, and that was the Queen. All of a sudden, this other woman had come along and stolen the hearts and souls of everyone! How did she do it!?

Walking inside, to see the King, Mahnu asked if he and Marcus were staying because of the doctor problem happening in Bena. She wanted to bring the matter up, just in case he wanted her to help him.

"Yes, I'm going to try and talk to the fake doctor. I'm sure there's more. We have the place that they taught others like him surrounded, I'll be closing it down. But he doesn't seem to think anyone is behind it, which doesn't make any sense."

King Richard furrowed his brows and shook his head slightly to this news. Upon not knowing who was behind this strange occurrence of doctors trying to get money and not caring about the sick, he was at a loss of what to think about it!

The person behind it all obviously didn’t care about the loss of lives and they seemed to need money…So, something had to be done!

But…Nothing like this had ever happened before and both Marcus and the King were stomped that there seemed to be at least thirty others like this ‘fake’ doctor that they had already met. What was really going on here!?

As it was, the people of Bena will be without doctors for close to two weeks, as he had a message sent out to send some here from Conrella.

The lady doctor talked of a couple of doctors that were like her and that they did the right thing, but they had not been found yet and he did not want to completely depend on them…Especially if there was a huge amount of people that needed doctors.

Two weeks…

It pained the King’s heart that he hadn’t thought about this before he asked the lady doctor to come with them. Perhaps he should have left her here to treat the people instead…

Putting a hand to his head, he couldn’t help but leave his own entourage here for a bit longer, before he met up with Mahnu’s entourage a bit later…

Going to Harval will also help, he thought, he could get a few doctors from there as well and send them here to Bena…

If worse comes to worse and he was still here for another day or two, Mahnu’s entourage will be able to send the note of sending doctors here…Just, the King did not want this to happen. He was planning to met up with Mahnu in a few hours, not days!

Mahnu put her hands around King Richard's neck, as she was standing behind him, then he put his hand on top of hers.

Not liking Richard at a loss, Mahnu couldn’t help but offer her services, "I could..."

"No!" The King said, stubbornly. Reading minds could definitely help but he did not want to depend on her gift. Her gift was also something that he would prefer to keep hidden as much as possible as…People might want to take advantage of it or take her completely away from him for other reasons…

Just the slight chance that another man might forcefully take her away from him, to have this beauty by their side instead, made the King unhappy!

The least he depends on Mahnu’s gift, the more safer she should be!

…Besides, he did not want to rush Mahnu’s entourage. They were to stay well rested and well feed, just in case…

Which was another reason King Richard wanted to do this in hours and not days, he was very much aware of the threat that Governor Sedric might act upon.

His knights have surrounded the exits and entries into Bena, especially the road that travels from Bena to Harval, so no small army will get past them. But…There still could be a chance that a few people could get passed with excuses of doing something else but really were going after his beloved.

That was why Mahnu’s entourage consisted of Jaclyn and William. Then there were two others now that will be there for her and a few servants to help out.

…For anyone leaving Bena, that consisted a party of four or more, the King was going to stall them for a time and let them go after he was to leave and catch up with Mahnu.

Mahnu smiled at his thoughts, feeling special once again, "Okay. Then I will take my leave."

It was obvious that he was really busy and wanted to finish what he was doing quickly…And to her, she wanted the same…

He got up and kissed her, pulling her into him. Holding her tight and making sure that she thinks of him, he ravished her mouth and even lightly bit her lip…

He didn't exactly want her to leave without him, but he knew it would be for a short duration as they would see each other again very soon.

…Still, the King knowing that, he already missed her!

When he let her go, he sat back down, and said, "Don't be nasty to the lady doctor!"

"I'm not nasty!" Mahnu said, walking out.

She heard him chuckle as she continued to the carriage that was waiting for her…And as for the King, he quickly started to get ready to meet this ‘fake’ doctor and check out this strange place with no boss.

The faster he finishes here in Bena, the faster he can catch up to his beloved!

***