The butler turned and walked up the staircase. Camilla followed right behind him, carrying her packaged food carefully so it would not spill.

They walked to the second floor and turned down the bright right hallway. The butler stopped in front of a large door at the very end of the hall. He pointed to it silently, bowed to her one last time, and walked away to leave the siblings alone.

Camilla stood in front of the door. She balanced the warm package in her left arm. She raised her right hand and knocked softly on the wood.

Knock, knock.

The hallway was quiet. For a few seconds, there was no answer.

Then, a very low, weak, and highly exhausted voice came from the other side of the thick door.

"Come in," Zade said.

Camilla reached down and turned the brass handle. She pushed the door open and stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She looked toward the center of the room.

Lying in the middle of a massive, soft bed was her younger brother.

"How are you doing today, Zade?" Camilla asked out loud. Her voice was soft, gentle, and full of genuine care.

Zade was staring blankly at the ceiling. When he heard her voice, his head snapped quickly toward the door.

Despite the terrible pain in his ribs and his face, a massive wave of pure joy rushed through his body. He tried to sit up, but his injuries forced him back down.

"Camilla!" Zade said loudly. His voice was raspy, but it was incredibly happy.

He stared at his older sister standing in the dim light. After seeing her slaughter some dangerous men yesterday, seeing her look like a normal noblewoman again felt like a strange dream.

"I thought you wouldn’t visit me?" Zade asked, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. He had truly believed she would just go back to her cold General and forget about him again.

Camilla walked slowly closer to the bed. She looked down at him.

Her heart actually squeezed with a sharp pinch of pity. Zade looked absolutely terrible.

His face was completely wrapped in thick, white linen bandages. The doctor had wrapped his head so tightly that only his eyes, the tip of his nose, and his split, swollen mouth were visible. He looked exactly like an ancient mummy.

His white silk sleeping shirt was unbuttoned at the top. Camilla could see dark, ugly purple and yellow bruises covering his chest and his neck. The bruises had been heavily smeared with a thick, shiny, green herbal ointment that smelled incredibly strong.

"You look like a broken toy," Camilla thought to herself, shaking her head internally. "Those thugs really did a number on him before I got there."

But out loud, she kept her voice cheerful.

"Of course I came to visit you," Camilla replied warmly. "You are my brother."

Zade looked at her. His eyes crinkled at the corners. He was smiling behind the thick white bandages.

Then, his eyes dropped down to her hands. He saw the large, round package she was carrying. It was wrapped tightly in thick, insulated cloths, and a very faint, delicious smell was leaking out from the top.

Zade pointed a finger at the package.

"For me?" He asked hopefully. His stomach gave a loud rumble. He had been in too much pain to eat anything solid since yesterday.

Camilla smiled and nodded her head. "Yes, for you."

She walked over to the corner of the room. She grabbed a small, round wooden table with one hand. She pulled the small table right next to the side of his bed. She carefully set the warm, package of food down onto the wooden surface.

She began to unwrap the thick layers of cloth keeping the bowl warm. As she pulled the final cloth away, she removed the flat wooden lid.

Instantly, a massive cloud of rich steam rose into the air. The smell of the soup quickly overpowered the sharp, bitter smell of the medical ointment in the room. It smelled incredibly savory, earthy, and deep.

"It smells amazing," Zade mumbled through his swollen lips. He tried to push himself up higher on his pillows to see inside the bowl.

Camilla walked over to the bedroom door. She opened it and called out to a maid passing by in the hallway. She asked the maid to quickly bring a clean serving bowl and a silver spoon.

A minute later, the maid rushed in, handed Camilla the items, and left. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Camilla sat down on the edge of Zade’s mattress. She picked up the large ceramic bowl. Using the spoon, she carefully dished a generous portion of the steaming soup into the smaller, clean bowl. She made sure to get plenty of the rich broth.

She held the small bowl out to Zade. Zade’s hands were too bruised and shaky to hold the hot bowl himself.

"Here, let me help you," Camilla said softly.

She dipped the spoon into the broth. She blew on it gently to cool it down. She carefully brought the spoon to Zade’s swollen mouth.

Zade opened his mouth and took a sip of the soup.

He swallowed it slowly. His eyes widened instantly. A sudden rush of incredible warmth flooded straight down his throat and into his empty stomach. It tasted rich, heavy, and absolutely wonderful.

"Wow," Zade whispered. "It’s delicious."

Camilla smiled a very proud, highly satisfied smile. It was her first time being an older sister and she felt like the best.

She dipped the spoon in again and fed him another large bite.

Camilla spoke confidently. "Of course it is. I had the kitchen specifically make it for you this morning before I left."

She fed him a third spoonful. Zade swallowed eagerly. The warm soup was already making his body feel strange. He felt a sudden, massive rush of heat spreading through his chest and rushing down toward his legs. His heart began to beat a little bit faster. His cheeks, underneath the white bandages, started to flush a very bright, hot red.

Camilla noticed his face turning a little pink. She thought the hot soup was simply doing a good job of warming his cold, sick body.

"It is a very special recipe," Camilla continued to brag, quoting the words Uncle Murry had told her earlier. She scooped up more of the liquid.

"It is very nourishing," she told him proudly. "It boosts energy and gives you deep strength. It will rejuvenate your tired muscles perfectly."

She pushed the spoon closer to his mouth.

"So drink more," Camilla encouraged him happily, completely oblivious to whst she was currently forcing down her battered little brother’s throat. "Drink every last drop, Zade. You will feel like a brand new man in no time."

Zade, trusting his sister completely, opened his mouth wide and eagerly drank another large spoonful of the General’s fertility tonic.