The Lady Knight

Chapter XLIV: Homes and Hollows

I gaped at him. "You have yet to tell her how you feel?" I was disbelieving, "but you had three months!"

Mama glanced between us, very much bewildered over whom we were speaking of.

His ears grew scarlet. "It is not a conversational topic I would so casually raise in her company, Richard," he muttered, turning away.

It was with much difficulty that I hid a small smile. Truth be told, I was enjoying his discomfort very much. Truly, if anyone had told me a decade ago that Nick would be agonising over professing his love to Jules in the future, I would have sent him or her to the madhouse at once.

However, I became solemn soon enough. "Do you want me to talk to Papa on your behalf?" I offered, "he could convince the Crown Council to wait until she wakes up, and you can talk to her - "

His eyes snapped to mine at once, blazing. "You will not mention any of this to him, Richard," his voice was hard, "he already has enough on his plate with Jamie and the treason case without my adding to his burden. I will...I will come up with something eventually."

I did not like this one whit. Desperation made men blind, and left them very direly and intellectually lacking.

"Brother-mine - "

"This is not open for discussion," he cut me off dangerously.

Damn it.

***

Prince Nicholas

"Your Royal Highness," Max stood up and bowed when I entered the chamber, "may I help you with that?" He gestured to the huge bouquet of white lilies I was carrying with my one available arm.

Truth be told, it was a relief that he did not look at me with as much hostility as he used to in the past.

"Nay, that is all right, my Lord. Thank you," I set it down on the floor next to the bouquet I had brought yesterday.

Indeed, I had been visiting Julie every day since I had woken up, bringing along a bouquet of her favourite flowers with me, all the while hoping that she would regain consciousness one day.

However, it had been seventeen days, and still, there was no sign of her recovery.

"I will leave you alone," Max bowed again, and walked out, closing the door behind him as he always did whenever I visited.

When the chamber was empty once more, I approached the huge white bed, and sat down at its edge cautiously.

Her golden curls lay unbound across her pillow, fanning her peaceful, sleeping face. Her forehead was wrapped with linen that was still a little bloody, and her cheeks were terribly bruised blue-black. Every time I looked at her these days, I could only remember how she had pushed me behind her and taken the blow meant for me from Jamie. How she had saved my life by risking her own.

How she was still unconscious solely because of me.

I took her tiny, bony hand in mine now, and squeezed it. "'Tis 31 December, Julie," I murmured, "do you know what occasion it is today?"

No response.

"The Potential Quest Ball will be held in this evening," I answered quietly, "today is the day I am to announce which Lady I am going to marry. The day you were to give a speech on whom you think is best suited to be my bride. Do you remember?"

Still no response.

"Wake up, Julie," I mumbled, lifting her hand up to my face, "douse me with cold water to wake me up in the morning like you used to. Yell right back at me when I shout at you, like you used to. Go ahead and steal my Marzipan from my plate when I am not looking, like you used to. Do whatever you wish to do, but please, wake up. I love you."