He looked calm as usual, but for those who knew him well could tell his impatience. His thumb was uncontrollably roteating his favourite ruby ring on the middle one.

"I don't know , Your Grace. It looked as if she couldn't understand me, and she was talking very strange words. It's like she is speaking a completely different language."

"This is proposterous!" the royal secretary exclaimed. His head turned towards the healer and his apprentice, who was also his daughter. "Sir Menalam, do you have any idea about this? Is it possible that the young girl has lost her comunication skills after the sickness she has endured?"

The old bearded man's grey eyes were shining as if he still was a young man in love. He thought for a few seconds, then , almost smiling, he revealed his sweet paternal voice: 

"Your grace, it is indeed possible that someone who has been in sleep's embrace for more than a week could experience memory loss or speech impairment.But in almost all cases the situation has improved over time."

"Then she will be able to be presentable over time, correct?" 

What Sir Dolos, Royal Secretary and one of the most powerful men of the Kingdom of Apuleius meant, was if the princess , one of his most precious pawns, was still useful to his plans. Surely a speech impaired princess was a damaged good, therefore all his efforts to send her as a trophy wife to the very demanding Orhan Kingdom could have been a loosing choice.

The healer didn't have the time to answer, because from inside the chamber came a loud sharp scream, followed by the sound of something being shattered into pieces.

The princess was barely visible since she was crawling on the floor, partially hidden from the bed.

The guard approached first going forward to check on her, passing through the pieces of glass with his thick boots. 

He put a hand on her shoulder so she could notice him, but she didn't rise her head to meet his gaze.

"Your Highness, Your highness can you hear me?" 

She was shaking uncontrollably, as she whispered nonsense.

Sir Dolos came nearer, extending his long neck to look better at the unresponding princess.

He was carefully trying to observe her behaviour, but then, an unvoluntary step attracted his eyes on glass pieces laying on the floor. To his surprise a dark deep color stood up in that mess.

"oh?....Blood!" he exclaimed raising his thin blonde eyebrows.

The doctor and his daughter , that were the most distant ones from the scene of interest, looked at each other in a meaningful way. He imperceptibly moved his head, inviting her to check first on the young noblewoman.

In no time and with wide steps, Milena crouched besides the guard and tried to check on the princess' trembling hands. 

There was a wound bleeding silently, waiting to be stopped.

"Superficial one, inside her hand. Fortunately hasn't touched any veins. No stitches needed, just a bandage will do."

"Very good, Milena" said the old man observing her work. " I think you can manage all by yourself. I'll be here if needed."

"Yes, thank you" she answered, without taking her eyes off the patient.

Sir Dolos, that in the mean time had brought a beautifully embroidered handkerchief to his nose disgusted by the sight of blood, excused himself:

"I guess the princess needs some rest ... again." He huffed " I will come at a later time, when she feels better."

As the royal secretary swiftly vanished from the scene the guard helped Milena putting the princess to bed under the quiet yet lively wise eyes of Sir Menalam.

While the young apprentice bandaged her wound, princess Roxelana of Apuleius finally had fallen asleep, exhausted from the fatigue.