((Private))
Dr. Gregorio Vicente Osorio de Moscoso gently placed his hand on Prince Pelayo’s forehead. The boy was burning up again, yet another fever wracking his frail body. Ever since Gregorio had been hired by His Majesty a few years ago, he had found himself increasingly becoming the caretaker for the young prince. The rest of the royal family seemed perfectly healthy, experiencing no ailment that could not be fixed with a little rest or small doses of medicine. There were rumours of the queen’s health being somewhat in question, but Gregorio had never been allowed near the woman. No, his focus was all on Carlos VI’s children, and he was eternally grateful for that chance. What better way to serve his beloved country than to ensure the royal family remained healthy and strong?
A minor coughing fit from the prince lying in the bed below him brought Gregorio back to the task at hand. The doctor dipped a cloth in a bowl of cold water and gently placed it on the boy’s forehead. This fever was nothing unusual and all he needed to do was keep the prince’s temperature down to help him overcome it. With that done, he pulled out his pocket watch and placed two fingers on the prince’s neck, taking a measure of his pulse. A little high, but probably due to his body fighting off the fever. The boy showed no other signs that this was anything more than the fever Gregorio suspected it to be.
Prince Pelayo watched the doctor as he went about his business. After measuring his pulse, the boy weakly asked, “Will I be all right?”
Gregorio gave the boy a smile and said, “I see no reason you won’t be. I expect you’ll make it through this bout as you did the last one. Just put your faith in God that he will see you through this.”
Prince Pelayo gave a small nod at the statement, which dislodged the moist cloth. Gregorio placed it back upon the boy’s forehead after dabbing it back in the cold water. Adjusting under his covers, Pelayo asked, “How long will I have to remain in bed?”
“At least until the fever has broken,” Gregorio said. “Most likely only a few days, if that. This one is not as bad as the last.”
The prince smiled and positioned himself more comfortably under the blankets. “At least I have Grandpa Carlos to keep me company.”
Gregorio stiffened at that odd statement and eyed the prince carefully. The boy was staring off to the side, past Gregorio. The doctor followed the boy’s gaze, which seemed to be directed towards a portrait of Carlos V on the wall. He let out a relieved sigh at having that explained. Glancing back down at the prince, Gregorio said, “I’ll leave you to get some rest.”
As Prince Pelayo rolled over to get some sleep, Doctor Gregorio quietly left the room. As he went to close the door, he heard the prince start speaking. Thinking that the boy was calling him back, he stepped back in the room, only to stop in his steps as he noticed the prince staring up towards the portrait of Carlos V and engaging it in full conversation. Gregorio was unsure of what to make of it. Was the boy just talking to the portrait as a way to occupy his time and connect with his late grandfather or was something else going on here? The prince’s brother had gone off to Prussia, so perhaps he was just lonely. Watching this brought back memories of one young girl he had come across during his travels who swore she could see and talk to spirits, although he had suspected it was more an issue of the mind than some form of divine gift. Either way, Gregorio did not want to interrupt the boy and whatever he was doing. The doctor slowly backed out of the room, leaving the prince to his conversation with the dead king.
((Thanks to Revan for letting me use his future princely character and giving him possible mental issues.
))