Chereads / The Royal Mark / Chapter 23 - Taking Shape

Chapter 23 - Taking Shape

Nadel started crying and apologized more. It was the first time that she saw Elsa that angry and also the first time they had a fight.

"I'm sorry, I'm really really sorry Elsa. I did not think. I just acted based on my instinct to save myself." Nadel sobbed and tried to hug Elsa but stopped when Ciel growled at her.

Chris scoffed, "See… even the old and wise Ciel is angry at you! It was not an accident, you meant to hurt Nile and Nuri!"

"Nuri is hurt too?!" Elsa exclaimed, shocked. She did not check Nuri since she was too focused on Nile earlier.

"No, no, it was only Nile," Nadel countered.

"Go ahead, lie more. You pushed Nuri so hard that she hit the wall."

Nadel glared at Chris making him smirk.

"You did that to Nuri? For the love of God… Nadel, please leave, before I say more things that will hurt us both."

But Nadel did not move, instead, she hugged Elsa ignoring the growl of Ciel. Gaia started barking. Nuri, who was upstairs heard Gaia's bark and rushed to them.

She ran down the stairs and jumped to Nadel ready to rip her apart. Fortunately or unfortunately, Chris caught her mid-air. Nuri struggled in Chris' arms and barked as loud as she could catching Elsa's attention.

"Nadel, I think you should let go of Elsa. Her dogs think you are hurting her," Jai worriedly suggests since he too is getting scared of the three agitated dogs.

"No! Not until she forgives me!" Nadel embraced Elsa tighter. 

When she thought that her persistence would make Elsa pity her and finally accept her apology, she was wrong. She never expected Elsa, her best friend to choose the mere dogs over her.

"No, I won't. You hurt my family, so we are done. GET OUT!" Elsa grabbed Nadel's arm and dragged her out of the house. 

Chris let go of Nuri who stayed behind Elsa, barking out loud while limping. Ciel and Gaia did the same. When Nadel was finally out of the house, Elsa went to the guest room to fetch Nadel's things and threw them out the door.

"I am so sorry Jai, you caught in the middle of this. You can stay here if you want." Elsa sincerely apologized.

"That's OK, I understand. But Nadel came here with me, so it's only right for me to leave with her." Jai then went to the guestroom to get his things as well.

Elsa does not move away from the window until Nadel and Jai are no longer in sight. She quickly checked Nuri who lifted her injured paw to show it to Elsa.

"I am sorry Nuri. I should have listened to you, to all of you when you first met her." Elsa gently rubbed Nuri's paw. 

Nuri whined when Elsa pressed her thumb on the canine's leg, "Does it hurt here?" Elsa asked and Nuri whined once more.

"Chris, I think her bone is fractured on this part here," Elsa pointed her finger to Nuri's upper leg. "It's swelling and starting to darken. The vet is far from here, do you think your blood can heal broken bones too?"

"Yes, it can. But it will take a while. Wounds are faster to heal."

"OK, I will inject her with a pain reliever in the meantime," Elsa was about to stand up when Nuri vomited blood without warning, horrifying Elsa.

"Nuri!" Elsa shouted before helping the poor dog sit up to prevent Nuri from inhaling the blood.

"Damnit, Nadel must have thrown her so hard damaging her insides," Chris said which did not help for it made Elsa terrified and freaked out.

[Can't breathe.] Nuri said to Chris making him panic too.

"Sh-She can't breathe," Chris kneeled to carry Nuri but halted when Nuri collapsed and became unconscious.

"NO! NURI!" Elsa screamed as she wailed hard, holding Nuri's leg. Her tears overflowed as she cried so hard.

Chris let go of Nuri with a surprised look on his face and slowly moved away from Nuri and Elsa's side. His eyes were fixed on Elsa's wrist that is slowly turning bright.

Elsa felt sudden and intense pain in her wrist. The most painful that she had ever felt in her entire life. It was as if a blunt scalpel was cutting through her skin. She stopped crying and looked at her wrist... it was bleeding. The previous red mark that went away is now back and it is now not just a simple red rash but a wound that is slowly taking shape.

As the wound's shape became bigger and clearer, her wrist became brighter until she heard Nuri cough a few times before moving again.

[I-I can breathe, Your Highness. Elsa is healing me.] 

Chris' eyes widened in disbelief. "Y-Your healing her! Put your hand on her leg, quick!" Chris exclaimed which Elsa immediately followed.

They both watch the swelling on Nuri's leg reduce and the dark skin starts to lighten as well. When it was finally fully healed, Nuri stood up and licked Elsa all over her face in complete happiness as she wagged her tail.

[I'm alive! I'm alive! Elsa healed me! Elsa… healed… oh no!] Nuri uttered.

'Hmm… What do you mean 'oh no'?' Chris quickly asked. He suspects that these dogs are not being very honest with him.

He heard Ciel sigh before walking away from the living room. Chris looked at Gaia who swiftly evaded his gaze.

[I don't know anything.] Gaia blurted before briskly going in Ciel's direction.

"I'm so happy Nuri, you are ok!" Elsa hugged Nuri who was trying her best not to look at Chris.

Chris let it go and decided to deal with them on some other days. Right now, his concern is Elsa and her glowing mark on the wrist, that has the ability to heal.

"She is okay because of you. You healed her." 

Reality suddenly sinks into Elsa. Her smile faded and she slowly stared at Chris with a terrified look. "How can I do that? Am I not human?"