Leon's brows knitted upon waking up. The slight stinging surely made him frown as a small hiss left his lips.
With his eyes still closed, Leon's hand immediately went onto his side, trying to find his wound.
"Ah." A small pained groan left his lips. As he recalled what happened.
'Hold on—!' His eyes immediately shut open, in a state of panic.
'The last thing I remember is Cordelia bandaging my wound before I fainted. What happened to her—'
His panic calmed down for a bit as he saw the familiar ceiling of his room upon opening his eyes. The panicked expression etched on his face ceased. calming down.
'I'm in my room.' He thought, confused. It was already morning, yet at that very moment, his thought wandered back to the woman in his . He couldn't help but worry over the thought of what could've happened to Cordelia.
"Right," He quietly mumbled to himself.
'Where is she?' Thought Leon. She, who he was last with.
The soft snore beside him that pierced his ears was immediately caught by his sharp senses. His eyes now on the sleeping figure, hair sprawled over the clean sheets like a mess.
Cordelia soundly slept beside Leon, but not sharing the same bed with. She was only resting her head on the soft sheets while asleep, but she was in slumber while sitting on the chair beside him.
The soft snores came from her, and Leon unknowingly found his eyes on her, whose face was hidden beneath her hair.
With one hand, Leon placed it on the sheets for support to lift his body up. "Ah." He quietly groaned once more, feeling sharp pain on his side as he sat up.
His head turned to his side, beside him, onto his right, where Cordelia was resting her head. "....." Soft snores left her lips, with her hair a mess.
Leon reached forward to her, leaning toward her at the same time. He wanted to check whether she was alright, whether she was well and without any wounds or scars. He didn't even realize what he was doing as he quietly moved the strands of hair away from her face, still asleep.
Somehow, he felt relieved that she was not injured. He found himself glad that she was fine. His eyes lingered on her sharp nose, slowly moving to her closed eyelids, then onto her lashes.
'Has her lashes always been this long?' His brows rose as he thought to himself, but soon shook his head as it dawned upon him what he was doing. 'What nonsense am I thinking...'
His eyes remained on her face, looking angelic within the soft light. He found himself unable to look away, and already in the midst of watching her sleep.
'Come to think of it, this is the first time That I've had a proper look at her.' Thought Leon.
'Before, it was often just a mere glimpse, and nothing more.'
"....." His eyes moved onto her rosy lips, slightly open as she let out gentle snores.
'I have to admit, her features are well defined.' Leon began to lose track of time because of the silence, that he was unknowingly was leaning closer.
"Nn..!" Another painful groan escaped from his lips as he stiffened from the pain. The same pain that brought him back to reality.
Leon couldn't help but notice the bloodied linen beside her hand, which then made him wonder. His eyes scanned through the room, noticing a dirtied basin of water near the bed.
'Did she clean my wound?' He wondered, pondering upon the thought.
Leon was so much immersed at the moment that he hadn't noticed the door creaking open.
"You are awake, master." Cedric spoke upon entering the room.
"How do you feel?" He asked, walking toward Leon. In his hands, he held a tray with two plates for Leon and Cordelia.
"....Alright." Leon answered him, but his eyes remained still on the sleeping figure beside him, and Cedric seemed to have noticed that.
"Breakfast, my lord" Said Cedric, carefully putting the tray on the bedside table where Leon could reach. And as he was done, his eyes turned back to his master. And surely, he immediately noticed his masters eyes on Cordelia's sleeping face.
"Ah..." Cedric trailed, taking the dirtied linen away near Cordelia. The linen she used to wipe the excess blood on Leon's body last night.
"The madam must have been tired."
"Tired?"
"My lord, the madam insisted on looking after you when the maidservants left to sleep after tending your wounds. They all stayed up rather late at night, even as much as dawn..."
"Especially the lady." Cedric added.
Leon found what he heard unbelievable. His eyes moved to meet Cedric's eyes, yet soon returned his gaze back on Cordelia's sleeping face.
"She insisted?" Asked Leon.
"Yes master." Silence followed after he spoke those words.
"How so..?"
"Lady Cordelia spent until midnight changing the bandage and cleaning Thn lips while you sleep my lord."
"...Hm." Leon's gaze pierced her head.
"Is that so?" He muttered as his fingers moved more of her hair away from her face.
Somehow, his expression seemed to have gotten better.
"My lord..." Cedric gulped, feeling rather ashamed.
"Yes?"
He bowed his head from shame, as if to apologize to Leon. "I am sorry, my lord. I wasn't there to protect you... and even arrived late..."
"It is what it is." Leon flailed his hand in dismissal.
"None of it is your fault." He quickly dismissed, raising his head to look at Cedric.
"I deserve to be punished..."
"Instead of that, tell me the exact detail. How did we get back here?"
"My lord, we got here by—"
"No." Leon shook his head, unintentionally intervening with Cedric's words before he could even begin to speak.
"On second thought, tell me everything you saw when you got there."
"The madam's dress was ripped. She had ruined her dress to use the fabric to wipe away your bleeding, master."
Leon's eyes moved back to Cordelia, peacefully sleeping beside him. His fingers curiously brushed against her hair as he recalled the memory from last night, when she had ripped her dress wanting to bandage his wound.
'Was this woman concerned?' He thought, replaying the memory again.
"You are smiling, my lord."
His hand that was brushing the strands of her hair was immediately withdrawn. It was now covering his mouth. For unknowingly, the corners of Leon's lips rose into a smile without even realizing it.
'Why am I even smiling...' His face lightly burned, feeling rather embarrassed. His reddened ears were evidence as it showed how flustered he was. And Cedric who seldom saw him react like that, also began to smile.
"What about the assassins?" He asked, redirecting the subject.
"They are locked up in the dungeon, master. There are three of them, are there not?"
"There's three." Leon nodded. "But has any of them confessed to anything yet?"
"....." Cedric quietly shook his head. "No, my lord. They kept silent until the very end earlier."
"...Torture them more. But do keep them alive until they confess."
"Understood, my lord. I came here to check on you and to bring you your breakfast. I am better much relieved now that you're already awake and better." Cedric smiled genuinely.
"Thank you, Cedric."
"Then I shall go back to carry out that task as you have ordered, my lord."
Clack
As soon as Cedric left, Leon had only come to a realization of what he had forgotten about. 'I forgot to ask how many days I've been unconscious...'
Silence filled the room, with nothing but him and his wife, who was asleep. But not for much longer.
"Is it morning..?" Cordelia groggily mumbled to herself. Her small and quiet voice spoke, quickly drawing his attention.
His gazed rested on her, watching her raise her head, only to lay it back down as she closed her eyes once more. 'It is already morning.' Thought Cordelia.
A small yawn left her lips as her eyes began to flutter open. And as soon as she opened her eyes, she was met with a face that seemed like an angel.
"Ah, you're awake..!" Cordelia sat up in surprise, no longer groggy. She put on a small smile as she tried to be very subtle in fixing her crumpled dress and unkempt hair.
"How do you feel, my lord?" She asked, smoothing out the wrinkles on her night dress.
"Didn't I tell you? It is Leon."
Cordelia blinked at his response. "How do you feel... Leon?" She asked yet again, calling him by his name this time.
"....." Leon only silently watched her as she fixed herself up before him. He didn't answer her question, but continued to watch her until she finished.
"I'm okay." He finally spoke.
"....Does your wound still hurt..?"
"....."
"It does." He admitted, his eyes still not leaving hers.
"How long have you been awake?"
"I also have just woken up."
"I see... Are you... alright?"
Leon raised his brow at her. "That's the third time you've asked me that. Could it be that you are worried?"
"....." She was left with silence, caught off guard by his sudden question. But upon moments, her lips parted as she spoke, with her genuine eyes staring back into his eyes.
"Of course I am." She said. "I am worried."
Thump
Leon swallowed a breath, confused as to why his heart began to beat faster.
"I see." Was all that he said. "What about you?"
"Me?"
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
Cordelia shook her head. "Thanks to you, I am perfectly fine." She smiled.
Thump
"I want to thank you."
Thump
Thump
Thump
His heart was beating anomaly fast.
"I should be the one thanking you for your care, Delle."
Cordelia's eyes subtly widened at the name he called her. 'Such an intimate name...'
'And to think he called me that... It's sounds so foreign.'
"Now that you are also awake, come and sit here." He spoke, patting the empty space beside him.
"Pardon?"
"Sit here for it is near the bedside table."
"But—!"
"Tsk."
Before she could even finish speaking, Cordelia was suddenly pulled onto the bed, now sitting beside Leon.
'He's so close...'
"It's time for breakfast, dear." Leon spoke behind her ear.