Chapter 12: The Clinic

Trinity and Phoenix dragged Alexander into the clinic. It was larger than the one in Atland Village, which Trinity expected. However, it still had the smell of cleaning potions and medicine, smooth stone covering the floor. Wooden chairs lined the walls, people coughing and wheezing in them. Alexander hid behind Trinity as they walked up to the counter, an old woman smiling. “Welcome to the Camerian Clinic,” she said sweetly. “How can I help you?”

“My friend is feeling ill,” Trinity said. “I was hoping to have a medic see him?”

Nodding, the receptionist handed her a clipboard with parchment and pen on it. “Please fill out the form, and a medic will see him shortly.” The trio went to the seats, Trinity handing Alexander the clipboard. He coughed as he wrote, Trinity tempted to read it to learn more about him.

“Trinity! Phoenix!”

The pair turned at the call, a familiar smile coming towards them. “Harper!” Phoenix said.

Grinning, Trinity jumped up and gave her a quick hug. “I was hoping to see you again,” she said.

“Same, though I was hoping to finish your hero song before then,” Harper said with a laugh. “Wait, why are you here?” Her eyes went to Alexander who had finished filling out the parchment form. “Don’t tell me the little wolf boy is sick?”

“Who are you calling…?” Alexander started to say before coughing.

“That doesn’t sound good. I hope it’s not the cursed illness.”

“Cursed illness?” Phoenix said with a frown.

“Excuse me?” the receptionist called. “The medic is ready to see you in Room 1.”

Alexander shivered, Trinity rolling her eyes. “You should go get checked out,” Harper said, stepping back. “Once you’re done, come see me upstairs in Room 6. I’d love to introduce you to my teacher.”

Trinity nodded and waved as Harper went through the door on her right. Phoenix pulled Alexander up, and the trio went through the same exit. The hall was short with a few rooms along it. Going to the door with the number one painted on it, Trinity knocked. “Come in,” a woman’s voice said. They did as told, entering a small office with a medic bed. Sitting at a desk was a woman in a long white cloak, her gray eyes watching them coldly.

To Trinity, she seemed a bit familiar.

“Please, have a seat,” the medic said, Alexander sitting in the chair across from her, back stiff. “I am MD. Camila Viento Diaz, and I will be taking care of you. Form, please.” Alexander handed her the form, and she scanned it briefly. “You are twelve years old?”

“Um, yes,” Alexander said quietly.

MD. Viento Diaz glanced between him, Trinity, and Phoenix. “Are there any adults with you?”

“Um, no,” Trinity said, Phoenix fiddling with his shirt sleeve. “But we’re here with permission from our guardians. We have money to pay for medicine, as well.”

The medic continued to stare before sighing. “Well, the betterment of the patient is what is important.” Setting the clipboard on her desk, she picked up a book. “I will need to run some tests to check Alexander’s symptoms, if you two could please vacate the area.”

Eyes wide with fear, Alexander spun towards the other two. “Um—!”

“It’s just a general test,” Phoenix said. “You’ll be fine.”

“Trust Phoenix on this one!” Trinity said. “He has a lot of experience with clinics.” Phoenix stared at her. “Sorry,” she muttered. “We’ll be upstairs in Room 6 if you need us.”

Alexander shakily nodded as the pair left the room. “Is he really the same age as us?” Phoenix muttered.

“Not all of our hearts are covered in stone,” Trinity said back, Phoenix frowning. They went down the hall and up to the second floor. Reaching Room 6, Trinity knocked twice. “Harper?”

“Here!” she said, Trinity opening the door. “You made it!” She turned to the bed, a sickly man in a nightgown laying there. “These are the people I was telling you about.”

The man slowly smiled as Trinity and Phoenix came inside the room. “Thank you so much for helping Harper in playing and against monsters,” he said softly.

“It was no problem at all,” Trinity said with a smile, Phoenix nodding. “Anything to help!” Grinning, Harper picked up her fixed lute and began to play Golden Winds, her teacher closing his eyes with a smile. It sounded similar to how Phoenix had played yet a bit faster. Once she was finished, Trinity clapped. “You sound great!”

“Thank you,” Harper said, putting the lute down. “Wait until you hear the song I’m writing for you. The words will be—”

“Sir, it is time for your check up.”

The group turned as a girl entered the room. She stepped back and fixed her round glasses. “I am sorry,” she said. “I did not realize you had guests.”

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The bard shook his head, Harper smiling. “Actually, this is perfect timing!” she said, placing her hands on her guests’ shoulders. “Trinity, Phoenix, this is Ria Viento Diaz, the daughter of the head medic and my teacher’s caretaker. She’s been helping me write your song.”

Trinity squinted before gasping. “You’re the pretty sun blossom girl,” she said.

Flinching, Ria clenched her clipboard closer to her chest. “Um, I need to give my patient his check-up, if you please?” she said softly.

“Oh, sure! We should probably go check on our friend anyway.” Trinity gave Harper a quick wave. “It was nice meeting you, sir. See you soon, Harper!”

Harper waved back as Trinity and Phoenix left the room. “Sun blossom girl?” Phoenix said with a frown.

“I saw her yesterday while exploring,” Trinity said. Phoenix’s frown grew as they arrived at Room 1, the door open. “We’re back!”

“Welcome back,” MD. Viento Diaz said, turning in her seat. On the medic bed sat Alexander rubbing his arms. “It seems to be a cold. Take this,” she handed him a bottle of liquid medicine, “and you should be better in a few days.”

“Thank you…ma’am,” Alexander said.

“I have already let the receptionist know that, due to your circumstances, that you do not need to pay. However, if you come back, please come with an adult.”

“Thank you,” Trinity said as she helped Alexander off the bed. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

He glared as they left the room. Opening the door to the waiting area, Trinity caught a familiar figure out the corner of her eye. She glanced back and saw Ria entering the room she had just left. Her eyes were blank, face emotionless.

It scared Trinity a bit.

Leaving the clinic, Phoenix stretched, Alexander coughing. “I’ll take Alexander back to get some rest,” Phoenix said. “You should get us some food.”

“Wait, what?” Trinity said. The boys walked away, leaving an annoyed and confused girl. She was unsure if she should be glad Phoenix trusted her or upset that he basically forced her to buy food.

Especially since she was nearly broke.

Sighing, Trinity went to the town square. She walked among the food vendors looking for one selling something she liked and could afford. Stopping by one with oranges, she got in line. A woman in a flowing yellow dress stood at the counter while various workers cooked behind her. “Welcome, young miss,” the woman said. “What would you like?”

“Um,” Trinity said, looking at the menu, “a citrus salad, pork sandwich, and canned chicken noodle soup please.” She paid for the food and stepped aside to wait. As she looked around the square, a familiar face in line caught her eye. “Ria?”

Said girl flinched, nearly dropping her book. She turned towards Trinity and gasped. “You are…Miss Harper’s acquaintance,” she said.

Grinning, Trinity walked up to her. “My name is Trinity Starbolt, but you can just call me Trinity,” she said before looking down. Clutched in Ria’s arms was The Legends of Astellaca. “You’re reading my favorite book!”

“Am I?” Ria looked at the book and smiled. “I have just begun to, and I am enjoying each story so far.”

“If you haven’t yet, you should skip to page thirty and read the Protector of Light one. That’s my favorite of all!”

“Protector of—?”

“Citrus salad, pork sandwich, and soup!” the shopkeeper shouted, the girls jumping.

“That’s me,” Trinity said.

Grabbing her food, she waited while Ria ordered. Five seconds later, she was handed a cup of water and a few pastries. It was the last thing Trinity expected a medic’s daughter and apprentice to eat. “Here you are, Miss Ria,” the shopkeeper said. “Make sure to tell your mother have grateful we all are for the clinic during this crisis.”

That was the first Trinity had heard of a crisis.

Ria walked away and sat on a bench near one of the arches. Following after, Trinity sat beside her. “May I join you?” she said. After a pause, Ria nodded and scooted over a tad. Trinity opened up her salad and took a bite of one of the oranges. Humming happily, she leaned back and looked at Ria. “Is there a crisis?”

“Unfortunately,” Ria said with a frown. “More and more people have been becoming ill recently. It starts off as tiredness and gradually worsens over time.” Trinity shuddered. “Many believe it may be related to the strange incidents happening across the kingdom. Even Lady Brisa is worried and has become more secluded.”

“Lady Brisa? Is that your Head Noble?” Ria nodded. “I see. Well, if it’s related to the attacks,” Trinity tapped her own chest, “I’m sure the Protectors will come save the day, just like before. And in the meantime, you medics can handle things, right?”

Ria stared before covering her mouth. It took Trinity a minute to realize that she was laughing. “Did I say something funny?”

“No!” Ria said, waving her other hand. “You have a childlike personality. It is refreshing.”

“Um, thank you?”

Trinity was unsure if she should be upset or not at being called a child by someone who she assumed was close to her age. “A majority of the medic apprentices are young adults, and the true medics either have no children or their children work elsewhere. I am the only thirteen year old there, so it is nice to meet someone else close to my age…I assume.”

“You assume correctly! I’ll be thirteen in,” Trinity tapped her head, “about two moons.”

Giggling again, Ria dipped one of her pastries in melted chocolate. “I do not believe I have seen you in the clinic before today,” she said. “Nor at school. May I assume you are not local?”

“You got me,” Trinity said with a grin. “I’m actually from Atland Village.”

“Atland Village.” Ria’s eyes grew. “That is in the central region, is it not? Why, pray tell, are you here alone?”

“I’m not alone. I have Phoenix and Alexander with me.” Ria continued to stare with the silent question Trinity wished everyone would stop asking.

Why was she traveling without an adult?

“I’m here for a few reasons, but it’s mainly because it’s an adventure. My parents are pretty strict about me going anywhere, so who knows when I’ll get a chance like this again.”

“An adventure,” Ria muttered. “It must be nice.”

“Ria.”

The girls turned, an older girl walking towards them in a white medic cloak. She stood before them, hands on her hips. “Lunch ends in five minutes,” she said. “You still need to finish that work I gave you. Or do I need to tell your mother that you’re neglecting your duties?”

“That will not be necessary,” Ria said, her smile fading. She stood, the older girl smirking. “It was a pleasure speaking with you, Trinity. I hope you enjoy your stay in Cameria.”

“Um, sure,” Trinity said. She watched Ria leave, tempted to pull her back and to slap the smirk off the other girl’s face. At the same time, she did not want Ria to get in trouble with her mother. Sitting back, her hand touched the warm can of soup beside her.

She had completely forgotten why she was there.

Jumping up, she rushed to the inn. By the time she got there, Alexander was asleep in bed. Phoenix sat at the table, his finger tapping it as she put the food down. “Here’s lunch,” Trinity said before glancing at Alexander. “How is he?”

“He just took the medicine, so we’ll have to wait till tomorrow to see if it starts to work,” Phoenix said, picking up the sandwich. “Pork?”

“Be happy I bought you anything! My allowance is nearly gone.”

Flinching, he sighed and took a bite. “Thank you, I suppose,” he muttered. Grinning, Trinity sat across from him. “What took so long, anyway?”

“Oh, I ran into Ria!”

“Ria…the head medic’s daughter?”

“We ate together and talked, though I didn’t like how the other apprentices treated her since she’s so sweet and—”

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Phoenix said, chomping into his lunch.

“Oh, and there’s some illness going around that’s being linked to the attacks.” Trinity leaned towards Phoenix with a frown. “Marina might be here, meaning—”

“Her next target could be the person we’re looking for.”