"My servants tell me that Renat has found his way to the infirmary," Aurora commented as she walked down the hall with Brinn, Mairwen and Zan.

"Is he sick?" Mairwen was worried.

"Did you hurt him, Your Majesty?" Brinn was quickly returning to her plucky self.

The Empress looked at her friend sidelong. "Not yet. Renat seems to have taken up well with the doctor. Great minds must gravitate towards one another."

Mairwen only heard the threat at the beginning of her mother's words. "Please do not hurt him! Remember that he saved my life and yours too with those special glasses. Renat is one of your most loyal subjects. Anyway, he is just a friend so there is no need for alarm." The last part was more to herself than to the others.

"I will reserve my judgement until after I have met him," the Empress responded, suppressing a smile. It was nice to have the tables turned after days of fretting over her daughter. 'Let her sweat a little,' Aurora thought. As if he could read her mind, Zan covertly raised his eyebrows and smirked at the Empress. He knew parental teasing when he saw it.

They entered the infirmary, and their moods all sobered. Soldiers who had been brought in the front gate earlier were receiving care from their battle wounds. Instinctively, the four went around and thanked each of them for their service. Those that had seen the princess in action sung her praises to the Empress. After greeting the last of the troops, Aurora furrowed her brow. "Where is that elusive scientist? And where is the head doctor?"

A healer pointed them to a more secluded area that included the doctor's office and an area for surgery. Aurora stood in the doorway, surprised by what she found. The doctor was leaning over a soldier whose shoulder wound had torn open. The field stitching had come undone and needed to be fixed properly. Renat was next to the doctor, observing and asking questions.

"Do you always clean out the wound before you work?" Renat asked.

"As much as I can," the doctor responded. "It wards off infection."

"And how do you clean your tools?" Renat watched the careful and exact stitches of the doctor.

"I have the servants place them in boiling water." The doctor tied off the last stitch and cut the thread with a sharp blade. "That just about does it, soldier. Good work!" The doctor patted the man's good arm. The soldier nodded toward the doorway. The doctor and scientist turned their gaze and quickly stood to attention before bowing.

"Relax gentleman," Aurora said. "Please do not let us interrupt your work." The soldier, who had tried to stand, slumped back on the bed and allowed the doctor to cover the wound with a clean cloth.

"Come back and get that dressing changed before you go to bed. I want to check that wound personally." The doctor discharged his patient and cleaned his hands before turning to the four visitors. "Please come in, all of you. To what do I owe this honor?" He directed them toward his office and managed to find enough seats for them to sit.

"I am always happy to visit you, Doctor, but it is the young scientist that we have come to see." Aurora dipped her head in apology.

"Oh? I see." The doctor looked at the company before him, his eyes quickly flicking between the faces. His mind rapidly added up the situation. The spymaster and princess had come from the garrison. Renat had also come from the garrison. Now the Empress and Chief were coming to see the boy. "Very interesting," he muttered.

"You came to see me, Your Majesty?" Renat was surprised. When he had arrived at the palace, he had helped put up the horses and then volunteered to transport others to the infirmary. It was there that he met the doctor, and their scholarly minds had connected immediately. The boy had been earnestly watching the doctor's work ever since. Now he looked at the Empress confused. Why would she ever want to see him?

"You have created quite a few things lately, which has caused us to take notice," Aurora responded evenly. "I needed to see you myself and ask you some questions."

Renat began to sweat under the Empress's piercing gaze. "A…anything… you can ask me anything," he stammered.

"How long have you been a scientist?" Aurora asked directly.

"I have been experimenting as long as I can remember. A tutor in school got me a set of elixirs to tinker with when I was eight. I began to read everything I could find on scientific topics from then on. If you count that as my starting point, eleven years, Your Majesty." When it came to science, Renat was eloquent.

"And have you ever used any of these experiments to harm the Empire?" The Empress narrowed her gaze.

"N..no, Your Majesty." Renat was back to stuttering. "Not unless you count accidentally burning down my parents' barn."

"And your parents, do they support your scientific pursuits?"

Renat pursed his lips. "They would prefer I remain a kitchen boy," he answered honestly.

"On that point I disagree," the Empress argued. "If not for your glasses, we would have been in a very difficult situation indeed." She tapped her finger on the chair and let the silence stretch.

"Surely you have asked enough questions, mother," Mairwen entreated.

Aurora leaned back comfortably in her chair. "I am just getting started." Then she looked at her daughter and sighed. The girl's pleading eyes were more than the Empress could bear. "But I can save those for tomorrow. Just now I need to figure out what to do with you, Renat."

"Do with me?" The boy stupidly repeated the woman's words.

Zan jumped in, "Her Majesty means that the palace does not need a kitchen boy at present. Do you wish to return to your regiment?"

"Well, sir, I…" Renat was not sure what to say.

"Of course he does not want to go back. He just said he does not want to be a kitchen boy." Brinn pointed out.

"That is not exactly what I said. I am honored to be in Her Majesty's service." The boy tried to defend himself.

"You cannot send him back to the kitchens, mother. His talent is better used elsewhere." Mairwen was on the verge of tears.

Aurora gave a shrug. "But the soldiers' barracks are full and the servants quarters are overflowing with the extra people in the palace. Perhaps I should release you, Renat, and you can go home to your parents."

The Doctor raised his hand and began to speak. "If the boy needs a place to sleep and conduct his experiments, my offices and sleeping quarters are more than adequate enough to accommodate us both. Before you ask, the other physicians and healers have their own spaces; I would not be taking anything away from them."

"You must think very highly of the boy to be so generous after knowing him such a short time," Zan mused.

"I do. Perhaps we can both learn a thing or two." There was an excitement in the doctor's voice. It had been a long time since he had seen a young person with so much potential outside the royal family. He could see the princess nearly jump from her seat with joy, which only gave the head physician more pleasure.

"Very well, Renat can stay under your care and direction, Doctor." Aurora looked stern, but there was a softness in her eyes that she quickly hid. She eyed the scientist and spoke in her most regal voice, "I will not tolerate disrespect or any nonsense. If you give the Doctor any trouble, I have no qualms with throwing you out. In the meantime, whatever space the Doctor gives you will be your workshop. We will find you the tools you need to finish your work."

Renat bowed to the ground. Really, he had no choice. The boy had tried to rise from his chair to show his gratefulness but his knees had given way. "Thank you, Your Majesty. You will not regret this." Renat paused awkwardly.

"Is there something else?" Aurora arched her brow.

"Someone needs to tell my former boss, the cook, that I am no longer in her care." Renat worded his plea carefully. The cook, who had survived the battle by wielding her frying pan, was already set up outside the extra barracks to serve the weary soldiers.

Brinn used her wind magic to whisper in the Empress's ear. "Do not fall for it. That cook could be Nanny's twin."

Aurora's eyes went wide, but then she smiled gently. "I am afraid that task falls to you, young scientist. No one will do that dirty work on your behalf."

"I understand," Renat agreed. If he wanted to live his dreams, he would have to do the hard tasks along the the easy. "Glory to the Empress!"

"And Renat," Aurora warned as she prepared to leave. "My palace better not suffer the same fate as your parents' barn."

—————-

As the four left the doctor and scientist to figure things out, Mairwen hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you!" the princess squealed. They continued out of the infirmary and into the main part of the palace.

Aurora looked sternly at the princess. "I have not dealt with you yet, young lady." It seemed her mother had picked up the habit of calling her that from her father. Mairwen froze. Uh oh...