Her King

Nine

Claudius carries me through the forest. 

I'm not paying attention to where we're going nor how long I've been in his arms for, but it is well and truly dark out now so even if I tried to pay attention to our path I wouldn't be able to.

How can Claudius even see where we're going?

"We're almost there, kitten." Claudius tells me softly.

From where my head rests on his shoulder I can hear his deep and steady breaths which have helped my own immensely to calm down, I can hear his strong thumping heart pounding away which for some reason has mine racing so fast I feel it's going to explode, I can feel his warmth flowing through anywhere our bodies are connected and flowing through my ever cold body to warm me. But most importantly, what I feel from where my head sits on his shoulder and his arms wrapped around me, is I tell safe. Completely and explicitly. I've never felt this safe as to be in someone's hold, not even Elliot and that's really saying something, but with Claudius there's this calming serenity that comes from his touch.

The sound of a door opening got my attention, I pulled my head out of Claudius' neck to see we were at Elliot's house. 

The house itself was unusually quiet. Whenever I've been here there's always been people here filling the house with noise, but now it just sounded deserted. There was no one playing games loudly or watching the TV in the living room, I could hear no sound coming from the kitchen where there was typically at least one person at any given time making something to eat, there was no sign of anyone at all.

I looked up at Claudius confused and he offered me a small smile as if he knew what I was thinking. "They're dealing with some work issues." He offers an explanation which seems simple enough except it wasn't exactly that simple.

Everyone in Elliot's family who lived here all did different things for work. Although his parents own the library, they rarely worked there, his siblings were either doctors or worked in the police. So it seemed highly unlikely that a library manager, a doctor, a couple police officers, and whatever it was that Elliot's parents did outside of the library, all had work emergencies that happened at the exact same time and especially so late in the evening.

I shook my head at Claudius, not buying his excuse.

Claudius sighs and carries me upstairs into one of the spare bedrooms, closing the door behind him. He sits me down on the ottoman at the end of the bed, next to me there is already a medical kit waiting. "I'm going to clean up your forehead now, but I won't cover it until after your shower. Are you ok with me doing that?" He asks softly.

I give a small nod.

"Good." Claudius kneels in front of me before opening the medical kit. With one hand resting on my thigh just above my knee, he uses his other and to gently push my soaked hair back and off my face. Claudius sucked in a breath as his eyes trailed my forehead. "How bad does it hurt?" He asks me.

I shake my head slightly before holding up one of my hands to shake it in a way that says so so. I'd forgotten all about the pain in my forehead in all honesty, the dizziness was still there but the double vision had thankfully left. I then raise a finger and swirl it around to communicate with Claudius that I was dizzy.

Claudius nods. "Would you prefer to lay down while I clean this? Or you can hold onto me otherwise."

I raise my hands to grasp his completely soaked shirt at his shoulders, my hands fisting the material of his shirt. My eyes connect with his and I feel this strange current of electricity flowing through me, not just from where I hold his shoulder and where his hand is cupping my temple and his hand on my thigh, but also from our eye contact too.

Claudius offers me a warm smile. "Buena niña." [Good girl.] His thumb starts tracing small circles on my thigh otherwise he is completely still as he just stares me in the eye as if he can see all the way into my soul from there. "Alright if I start now?" Claudius asks after a minute.

I give a small nod.

"It may sting a little, Rose. It's quite the gash you have on your forehead so I just need you to do your best to stay still for me while I clean it." I nod again. "Good girl." He whispers. Although Claudius works quickly and skilfully, he's gentle as much as he can manage and its soon over with minimal pain having been inflicted. "There we are." He says barely above a whisper, his face is closer to mine now and his eyes are glancing down from my eyes to my lips. Both his hands now sit on my thighs by my knees. "There is a change of clothes for you in the bathroom, have a shower to warm up before putting on the dry clothes." His hands stay on my thighs as if he doesn't want to let me go yet.

I look up at him nervously.

"I'll be right out here, kitten. You're safe now, ok?" His soft words wrap around me in a secure hug. "I'm not going to let him hurt you again." Claudius' promise is firm and solid as stone. He takes a deep breath before standing up, his touch disappearing from me, and takes a step back to give me space.

I slowly stand up, doing my best to steady myself from the dizzy feeling. 

"Are you going to be alright?" Claudius asks as he reaches a hand out to hold me up right.

I nod quickly which I discover is a bad idea so I change to a slow nod.

A light chuckle escapes his lips. "I'll be right here if you need anything, just bang on something if you need me."