Draconia Offline vol. 1

46.1. Assert Myself - Part 1

"I'm sorry, Erik. I swear I didn't do it on purpose," I apologise again and stretch for a blanket because I can't stop shivering. Why is the room so cold?

And why am I apologising if I don't feel guilty? They forbade me to fly far but they said I could go up so I did. Okay, maybe they didn't assume I would go so many kilometres up but still. Admittedly, I lost Fefnir's drones but they were just too slow.

"Which is even worse, Ryuu," Erik shakes his head. "It means that you have no control over yourself when it comes to flying."

No control? NO CONTROL?! Does he have any idea how much self-control it takes for me to skip a day and not fly at all? How much I wanted to finally feel free but they gave me a very limiting radius around the skyscraper?

I want to answer something venomous but, unexpectedly, I sneeze instead. My shivering gets worse and it's starting to freak me out. What's happening to me?

Erik blinks and his anger transforms into concern in an instance.

"Ryuu, love, what's wrong?" he finally sits next to me and puts his hand on my forehead. "Could you possibly... catch cold? Vermiel, call the doctor immediately!"

The guards turn pale and Vermiel quickly takes out his phone.

"It's so chilly up there, I need warmer clothes next time," I say faintly and feel the strength leaving me. I'm developing a fever. "Oh, Erik, don't be mad at me anymore and give me some of your warmth."

He takes me into his arms, not a trace of anger in him now, only worries. I fold my wings to make it easier for him carry me. He transports me into our bedroom and changes my improvised flight robe for a sleeping kimono. Then he undresses as well, hugs me tight and after evaluating that this time just my feathers won't be enough, he wraps me into two blankets.

I delve into his mind I love so much but this time it doesn't provide me the usual comfort.

*****

I don't know when I dozed off but I wake up feeling strangely hot and cold at the same time. My body is shivering uncontrollably and I feel weak. There're Earthborn roots stuck to my forearm. Noage is examining me.

"Thirty-eight degrees Celsius," Noage assesses. "His Majesty's body is battling hypothermia with fever. It seems to be an automatic Celestial defence mechanism. He was up there for too long, Royal Consort. It's freezing six kilometres in the sky and his robe wasn't made for that."

"Will he be okay?" Erik is caressing my feathers but I don't open my eyes. I decide to just listen. I'm too drowsy for anything else anyway.

"Please, tell me he's going to be okay. Why aren't you treating him better?" my boyfriend is panicking.

"I can't give him any human medicine, Erik, I could make it potentially worse," Julia opposes.

"We haven't documented Celestial hypothermia yet but it doesn't seem that much different except for the fever," Noage says and his rooty tentacles move from my arm to my chest and slip under the robe. If I wasn't so low on energy, I'd never let him touch me there. Only Erik is allowed to.

"So just keep him warm, wait and that's it?" Erik becomes extremely irritated. "What is the Earthborn miraculous healing good for then?"

"Royal Consort, I understand your concern, we're all scared for His Majesty's health," Noage tries to calm him down. "But this isn't an open wound or disease. Celestials are weak towards cold by default but at the same time they have safety mechanisms against it—thus the fever. His Majesty's body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do in such a situation."

"First we lose him for two suffocating hours and now he gets sick as a result," I hear Liana grumbling. Her anger pretty much transformed into worry as well but she's still pissed, unlike Erik who seemed to forgive me.

Do I need to be forgiven, though?

"It won't get out, Your Excellency, don't worry," Miruel assures her. "Only His Majesty's private guards and maids know about it and we're sworn to absolute secrecy."

"You're right, it can't," Liana clicks her tongue. "The situation has barely calmed down after we announced that our Emperor returned safe and sound. Besides, Celestials would blame us for underestimating his protection. How fast is he going to recover, Noage? Any predictions?"

"I dare to say that Celestial cold may seem dramatic in the beginning but His Majesty should get well quickly. I checked him thoroughly and his body is battling hypothermia bravely. It's just a matter of getting his temperature back to normal. Two days max," he estimates.

"Good, it would be suspicious if it was longer," Liana is relieved. "Let's cover it, announcing that he was given a much-deserved day off."

I want to listen to the rest of their conversation but fever overcomes me and I fall asleep again.

*****

This time I wake up in the middle of the night. Erik is wiping sweat from my face and my vision is blurry.

"Your fever is at its peak, love," my boyfriend says and kisses me gently on my forehead.

"Thirty-nine degrees Celsius but it should be going down now," Noage elaborates. "Do you hear us, Your Majesty? Don't worry, it'll get only better from now on."

"Pull His Majesty up, Royal Consort, he has to eat at least something," I recognise Cien's voice.

I whine in disagreement but a spoonful of sweet rice is shoved into my mouth all the same. It's smooth enough to gulp so I do just that. They're very patient with me but it's still force-feeding. I hate every second of it even though I'm aware that my body needs nutrients.

"Erik...," I say hoarsely when I finish the bowl.

"Shh, don't fight it and go back to sleep, honey," Erik lies me down while the maids help him to make my wings comfortable.

I close my eyes and fall into restless sleep. I dream about flying but every time I want to reach the horizon, my own people catch me and put my wings into shackles.