Thy Empress (Erwin Smith x FEM! Reader)

part lxvii

While waiting for Dr. Grisha, the empress managed to calm herself down, also thanks to her husband's presence.

In a while, Dr. Grisha arrived and started examining the crown prince alone.

The emperor and empress were requested to wait outside since it would be inconvenient for them to be with Evan while Grisha does his examination on the crown prince.

Erwin looked at his wife. Y/n is standing beside him, leaning back on a wall, arms crossed over her chest, and staring down.

She's been quiet since Evan fell asleep.

"My love..."

His wife looked at him upon his call for her. He couldn't help but feel upset at how scared Y/n looks. Erwin didn't say anything and just pulled Y/n in a comforting hug.

The emperor placed a hand on the back of her wife's head, letting her lean on his chest. Y/n wrapped her arms around his waist, and began to silently cry in his hold.

He knows why Y/n is so scared.

His wife's father, the former king of Marley, before King Willy, died from an illness, and Y/n was there when the former Marleyan king fell ill, until he reached his last breath.

It traumatized the h/c-haired woman, seeing her loved one fall ill and slowly die.

"Evan is a strong boy, my love. Whatever sickness he has, he'll be able to fight it. So we have to stay strong from him, too..."

Erwin then remained silent. He knows his words are not enough to comfort his wife, but he hopes it will still help her, as well as his embrace of her. "He will be fine soon."

Others may think that he's too calm with this situation, when his son is actually ill, but if he shows his fear, worry, panic and concern, and if he also starts overthinking...

Then who would move and think rightly between him and his wife who's already not able to calm herself down?

He has to stay strong for them.

"I'm...scared, Erwin."

Y/n didn't move an inch, she just held Erwin, and kept leaning on his chest.

"I know...and I'm here...you don't need to be scared alone..I'll be here with you."

The two were interrupted when the door to Evan's room opened. Dr. Grisha went out, and bowed his head to them.

"How is the crown prince?" Y/n immediately asked.

Grisha let out a small sigh. He looked at the empress and emperor, flashing them a small smile. "Please rest assured, your majesties. His highness is not gravely ill."

Y/n's eyes widened. "What...t-then..."

"The red spots on his skin are called chickenpox. It's not something that would put the crown prince in danger. But yes, it is highly contagious. Usually, it lasts 4-7 days. But to be fully healed, we have to wait for 2-3 weeks to make sure that it won't spread to others."

The empress almost fell on her knees, but her husband was able to hold her. Y/n placed a hand on her chest, closing her eyes and mumbling "thank you" to their saints.

"For now, I have given his highness a herbal medicine that will help with his fever. The rash on his skin might feel uncomfortable, it is very itchy, too. So I'm going to make a herbal bath for him that can help in lessening the itchiness of his rashes. I'll also prepare the cream he can use to avoid getting a scar after he heals. And of course, some other medicines that will help him be healthy even if he is ill."