I Want Winter

Chapter 54

I felt sharp pain running along the left side of my neck as my legs gave up and my entire body collapsed onto the ground. I started to hear screaming and plenty of people shouting my name over and over, but the voices started fading. As I felt a warm pair of hands lifting my head up into their lap, the person lowered their head, and it was Princess Hua Lan. "CONCUBINE LILING! CAN YOU HEAR ME?" She yelled to me and her facial expression showed terror. I just bobbed my head up and down in response even though I have no idea what was happening to me. The next thing I saw was the 4th prince, bending down and shouting, "LILING!" As everything I saw was becoming blurry and darkness was closing in and I felt someone grab my hand before the darkness completely swallowed everything.

I then gain concussion and open my eyes to find myself on my bed. My body felt drained out and I had no strength as my body was completely burning up, but I continued to push my limits and got myself up. Then a huge shot of pain echoed on the left side of my neck as I clutch onto my blanket tightly and left out a deep sigh of exhaustion, my upper body just slug forward. I slowly turned my head to see if anyone was around, but at that moment, someone had quickly wrapped their arms around me as their cold body made my boiling body cool. "Don't ever do that again" the person whispered into my ears as I knew who it was.
*Thump thump* "I can't breathe. You are making me in pain," I let out.
A couple of minutes later, I was leaning against the bed frame while the 4th Prince was trying to feed me medicine. "I-I can feed myself...," I said, feeling uncomfortable, but he didn't budge and continued to hold the spoon of medicine in front of my face. I continued to resist until he glared at me as I opened my mouth. Once I gulp the medicine down, he scoops another spoonful of medicine. I looked at him *thump thump* and felt my face getting hot.
"Are you okay? You seem to get red a bit. Is your fever back?" he said before setting the bowl of medicine down and was about to touch my forehead, but I stopped him. "No, it's fine. I'm okay," I said nervously, but that didn't stop him as he lay his hand on my forehead.
"You are a bit hot. You should rest," he said before helping me back down.
"Why are you being so nice all sudden," I said out loud. He sat beside me and leaned down to me until he was inches away from my face. *thump thump* I then pulled the blanket to cover me. "What are you doing?" I said flustered, but there were just silences.
"I'm sorry." he breaks the silences. "I didn't mean this to happen, I was ignoring you for punishment, but I didn't expect this to happen," he said, feeling guilty.
"Umm," I didn't know what to say.
A knock came from the door and someone said once they entered the room, "Oh sorry, your highness, I didn't mean to come in and disturb you. I was just coming to check how Lady Liling was doing."
"Lin!" I said before quickly uncover the blanket and used my hands to shove his face away from me and shot up which I soon regret. I began to groan in pain and touch the left side of my neck.
"Are you okay?" Lin said, running to me as I nodded and the 4th Prince quickly helped hold me.
I gritted through pain and spoke, "Thank you, your highness, but my personal maid is here to take care of me now so you should probably go rest yourself." He was quiet and stared at me. "Lin's with me." I rest assured him. He got up and left the room. "Phew," I sighed deeply and touched my chest to find my heart beating fast.
"My lady, are you alright?" Lin said, while I nod my head and touch my burning cheeks. What's wrong with me?
Soon, Lin picked up the bowl of medicine and fed me my bitter medicine, but this time I felt more relieved than before.
"I'm glad that you have more energy than before...," Lin seemed to drift off.
"What do you mean?" I said, confused.
"Well, you've been asleep for an entire week after the incident," she said.
"What! It doesn't feel like an entire week," I said, unable to contain my overwhelmed feeling.
"Yeah, and the 4th Prince-" Lin was cut short when Dancer Liulang came in.
"Sorry for my interruption, but I heard you just awakened from your illness and I came to talk to you," Dancer Liulang said before walking towards me and stood in front of me. Lin steps aside as I push myself to sit off the edge of the bed.
"What do you want to talk to me about?" I waited for her to begin the conversation.
"I came today to say thank you for proving my innocence," Dancer Liulang said and bowed 90 degrees to me.
"Umm, you shouldn't thank me, but Princess Hua Lan. She is the one who believed you didn't do it and proved your innocence," I said.
"Oh, it's that right....." she said in an unusual way before she paused at the end.
My eyebrows crinkled in confusion as she ended, "Well, I should be leaving so I can thank you." She smiled as I had this unsettling feeling inside of me.