Filed to story: Elowen Hale and Duke Cassian Valebourne Book PDF Free
In Avenlor, the civil ministers and the military commanders were rarely on good terms. Small disputes broke out every few days, major ones every few weeks. This was the first time they had reached complete agreement.
For that reason, the King was in exceptionally good spirits.
Taking advantage of his mood, Queen Isla invited Elowen to remain in the palace for a meal. Elowen did not refuse.
By the time she returned to Duskmoor Manor, the sun had already climbed high into the sky. In the courtyard, Bran was leading two young footmen toward the house.
Elowen called out to him, “What’s going on?”
Bran answered honestly, “My lady, it’s time to give His Grace his medicine.”
Elowen’s gaze fell on the wooden tray in his hands. Resting on it was a dark stoneware pot. The herbal scent rising from it was identical to the one she had smelled the night before, when she lay beside Cassian.
“My lady, you should wait outside for a moment,” Bran said. “Once we finish feeding His Grace, we’ll come back out. It may take some time. Given his current condition, giving him medicine isn’t easy.”
Elowen spoke lightly, “I’ll go in with you.”
Bran clearly froze, thinking he had misheard her. His face filled with surprise. “With us?”
She nodded. “Yes. I’m his lawful wife. Caring for him is my responsibility. I’ll watch and learn today. From now on, these things can be done by me.”
Hearing this, Bran felt deeply moved.
He had no reason to refuse, but as they walked inside, he still reminded her, “My lady, His Grace is unconscious. He has no awareness at all. He won’t drink on his own. We have to force it. Sometimes, even after it goes in, he spits it back out. This is not an easy task.”
Elowen listened patiently, but her expression remained calm, clearly showing that she had not taken these difficulties to heart.
Bran let out a silent sigh. He could only hope that when the time came, the Duchess would not feel disgusted.
Once inside the room, the two footmen stepped forward and slightly lifted Cassian’s upper body.
Bran poured some of the medicine from the pot into a small bowl. Holding it, he sat at the bedside and used a spoon to scoop up half a spoonful, feeding it toward Cassian’s mouth.
Cassian’s thin lips remained tightly closed. One of the footmen supported his jaw, forcing his mouth open. Only then was Bran able to pour the medicine in.
Yet although the liquid entered his mouth, it soon slid back out along the corners of his lips. The medicine soaked into his sleeping garments, leaving a large, wet stain.
Bran continued feeding him. Half of it went down, half of it spilled out.
Elowen watched for a while. In the end, she could no longer bear to look and turned away.
Bran glanced at her carefully. The Duchess must still find His Grace’s current state too messy, too filthy. She could not stand it after all, could she?
Elowen was unaware of his thoughts. With her back turned, she rolled up both sleeves. Only then did she turn back and speak, “Bran, the way you’re feeding him like this, more than half the bowl is being wasted. Let me do it.”
Bran froze.
So she was not turning away out of disgust. She actually intended to feed His Grace herself?
Elowen extended her hand toward him, her expression serious and resolute. “Stand up. Give me the bowl.”
Bran rose and looked at Elowen as she sat down beside the bed. “My lady, we’ll withdraw at once.”
This time, Elowen looked confused. “Why would you withdraw?”
Bran answered solemnly, “You’re about to feed His Grace his medicine. If we remain here, you may feel embarrassed. It wouldn’t be proper.”
Elowen looked even more puzzled. “Feeding medicine is a proper thing. What’s there that can’t be seen?”
Bran scratched his head awkwardly. “Aren’t you going to feed His Grace mouth-to-mouth?”
Elowen was stunned. Mouth-to-mouth?
Holding the medicine in her mouth, leaning close to Cassian’s lips, and passing the warm liquid into his mouth? The image made her heart jump violently. Heat rushed to her cheeks.
She asked sharply, “Who told you that unconscious people have to be fed mouth-to-mouth?”
Bran answered honestly, “That’s how it’s written in storybooks.” Elowen fell silent.
Then she said, “You do know those are just storybooks.”
Bran stood by the bed, his one remaining round eye blinking, shining with innocent ignorance.
Elowen felt inexplicably choked by the exchange. Why was she even arguing with him?
She took a deep breath, finally calming her tone. “Stories are stories. Feeding medicine is feeding medicine. There’s no need for mouths to touch. Go find a thin wooden strip. About a finger’s length, a finger and a half wide. Smooth it well, no splinters. Wash it clean.”
“Yes, my lady.” Although Bran had no idea what this was for, he still obeyed.
Before long, he returned with the wooden strip.
Elowen motioned for the two footmen to place an extra cushion beneath Cassian’s head. Then she inserted one end of the strip into his mouth, scooped up the medicine, and poured it onto the wood.
The liquid flowed steadily along the strip and down Cassian’s throat.
Bran watched with delight, a look of delight written across his face. “So feeding medicine can be this easy.”
Elowen snorted lightly. “Read fewer storybooks in the future.”
Bran laughed sheepishly and leaned closer, his face full of curiosity. “My lady, how did you know you could feed medicine like this?”
Elowen focused on the spooning and replied, “My grandfather practiced medicine. I grew up watching him, so I naturally know some things. This wooden strip is only a makeshift solution. There are proper feeding instruments made for unconscious patients. They’re very convenient.”
Bran looked enlightened. “So that’s how it is.”
Another bowl of medicine was finished. Bran eagerly took the empty bowl to refill it. Elowen watched his retreating back and suddenly realized something strange.
Cassian was unconscious and under the care of royal physicians. Logically speaking, anything her grandfather knew, the royal physicians would also be aware of.
So why had they never told Duskmoor Manor about feeding instruments like this?
Elowen’s gaze shifted to Cassian’s astonishingly handsome face. Doubt quietly filled her heart.
Could it be that winning battles repeatedly also made enemies?
“My lady.”
Bran returned with the final half bowl of medicine. Elowen pulled her thoughts back and accepted it.
She was feeding him carefully when Bran suddenly asked, “My lady, later we’ll need to change His Grace’s clothes and wipe his body. Will you be staying to watch that as well?”
Elowen was startled by the sudden question. Her fingers twitched, and the spoon tilted slightly. A few drops of the dark medicine splashed onto the corner of Cassian’s mouth.
She quickly pulled a cloth from her sleeve to wipe it away. In her hurry, her fingers brushed against Cassian’s cheek.
Cassian’s eyelashes unexpectedly fluttered twice. But Elowen had already turned to look at Bran and did not notice. Her heart pounded like a drum as she stared at him.
Fortunately, Bran merely touched his chin and said thoughtfully, “Changing clothes and cleaning him will definitely require turning His Grace over. You’re a woman, my lady. You don’t have the strength to move him. These matters should be left to us.”
Elowen let out a breath of relief.
She steadied herself and set the cloth down. “By the way, aside from you and Cora, I haven’t fully met everyone in this courtyard. Call them all over so I can take a look.”
Bran answered, “Yes.”
Then he added, “But my lady, there’s something you need to understand.”
“What is it?”
Bran said, “The manor is actually divided into two sides. One is this courtyard. The other is everything outside it. Whether it’s staffing or expenses, everything is handled separately.”
Elowen was taken aback. “Why would it be arranged like that?”
“When His Grace first brought Lady Marwen into the manor, he made this arrangement. I never asked why. Now, everything outside the courtyard is managed by Lady Marwen. Inside the courtyard, His Grace used to oversee things himself. After he fell unconscious, I took over temporarily. I haven’t done well. It’s been a mess. Lady Marwen has mentioned several times that she should take charge, but I didn’t agree.”
Bran looked embarrassed as he spoke, then glanced at Elowen. “It’s fortunate that we have you now, my lady.”
For reasons he could not explain, despite not having known her long, Bran felt an absolute trust toward this seventeen-year-old young woman.
Elowen, meanwhile, was deep in thought. Before entering the manor, she truly had no idea that Duskmoor Manor was like this.
But this situation actually put her at ease. At the very least, she would not be constrained by others. Many things could be decided by her own hand.
When they stepped out of the room, the heat rushed toward them.
Bran brought over a chair and placed it in the shade beneath the covered walkway. Soon, everyone serving in the courtyard, aside from the armed guards, was called over.
Elowen sat in the chair and swept her gaze across them. Six footmen, six maids, and two older women.
She spoke, instructing each of them to explain how they entered the manor, where they had served before, and what their daily duties were.
