"My lady... Please stay in bed!"
"I'm fine, Lilibeth..." Her strained voice was enough to make her ladies in waiting wail from worry.
"No! Milady, you must remain in bed. Your health is not at best at the moment."
A warm hand gently pressed against Cordelia's forehead. Though the hand was genuinely warm, it felt really cold when it touched Cordelia's skin.
"My lady, your fever has not gone down."
"Please listen to us and lie back." They pleaded her.
Cordelia could do nothing but sigh. Her head felt heavy, and her vision was warped. Without a care, she rested back in bed and dragged the blanket over her body. The slight shivers from feeling cold made her feel worse.
"Please bear with it for a little longer my lady... Your medicine will be here any time soon."
"And we shall get you one more blanket!" Lilibeth added.
"Haa..." She breathed, nestled deeply into her soft bed. Cordelia gently get tightly closed her eyes shut as she let out a hot breath.
"Madam, I think that we should inform the master of your condition—"
"No— cough... Need..." She weakly muttered.
"B-But..!"
"It's just a fever." She weakly murmured.
'It's just a fever.' She repeated in her thoughts.
Resting in bed and doing nothing for an entire day made time for Cordelia seem like it's frozen. A mere second felt so long like a minute, and a minute felt like an hour.
Cordelia's eyes slowly became more heavy, heavier than the passing moment. Her body was burning hot. She couldn't move much nor could she talk much either. It was as though her whole body was weakened entirely.
'Having a weak body...'
'Is very troublesome sometimes.' A soft yet weak grunt left her lips as she tightly held the blanket closer. Her shivering body was not really warmed despite the two layers of thick blanket that covered her.
"Haah." She exhaled from her dry and sore throat.
With a strained expression, she thought to herself. 'I wish I would be well soon.' All while weakly gazing far upon the sky, through the large window in her room. Staring at a cast of nothingness, it was not long before Cordelia fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.
•
Leon was in the midst of another busy day, buried in a pile of documents from the palace he must read. Whether it'd be affairs or reports, everything was scattered in Leon's table.
The sharp quill on his table seemed to only be for display as he was to occupied reading through the same report again and again. Even though Leon was rereading it for the third time, nothing seemed to get through his head nor could he understand anything.
"You must focus, master." Cedric remarked. Which in return, earned a sharp glare from Leon.
"I. Am. Focused." He spoke firmly.
"It's because there's so many piles that I must read and sign. Looking at everything that I need to finish for today only makes me feel troubled." He groaned in annoyance. But really, none of what he said was entirely true. Partly, yes. But Leon knew very well that it was because his mind only contained Cordelia.
"If you say so my lord." Cedric muttered teasingly. He too was helping Leon from the mountains of letters that he has to read.
Cordelia
Cordelia
Cordelia
She's all that he could think of.
A small sigh left his lips as he looked down on his clothes made from expensive fabrics. He has been looking back and forth for a short while now. Other than his expensive attire, the shiny and glimmering jewel of his new brooch near his neck was what he frequently checked and adjusted once in a while. It was the brooch that she gave.
'How long has it been since I last seen her?'
Leon ran his hand though his hair in annoyance, the same with frustration. "How long will it take until we finish this?"
"Probably the whole day, my lord. But if you are not distracted, it would probably take half a day."
"....." Leon's brows furrowed. "I am not distracted—"
"It's obvious from the expression on your face, master. I am your aide, I know you very well."
He raised his brows at Cedric. "What expression do you mean?"
"You're thinking about the madam, aren't you?"
Leon immediately stiffened upon hearing Cedric's words.
"You've been tapping your foot since earlier, which you only do when you're in a daze," Cedric trailed. "—while frequently checking and adjusting the brooch the lady gave you."
"It's more obvious than you think, master. You're thinking about her."
Heat rose to Leon's ears, warmly burning from being flustered. His hand immediately went to his face as if to cover what Cedric had already discovered.
And Cedric who quickly noticed this, smiled widely. "I am right, aren't I?" He grinned.
Leon averted his gaze as he cleared his throat. His hands went to his collar, briefly adjusting it as he spoke. "Have you seen her?"
"The madam..?"
"Yes, Cordelia." Said Leon. "Who else am I pertaining to?"
"I haven't seen her for the entire day. It's already afternoon, yet she still hasn't visited me today to give me the food and tea that she always prepares."
"Ah... that's because the madam is..." Cedric carefully trailed, not knowing what Leon's reaction would be.
"What? Continue what you're saying." Just as he mentioned Cordelia, Leon's attention was quickly drawn back to Cedric.
"She is not well right now."
His brows quickly rose in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"She is sick, master. The madam has a fever."
"What?" Leon's frown deepened, so did his confusion. He stood up in an abrupt manner with eyes sharply gazing into Cedric's eyes.
"Worry not, master. I already called for the physician to l check on the madam. He came to check on her earlier as well. The physician said she needs constant rest in the mean while—"
"The physician knew even before me?"
"How come I'm not informed of this matter?" He asked, his jaw clenching. His gaze became sharper, scarier and darker.
Cedric nervously swallowed a breath. "Master..." He trailed.
"It was you who warned me that I should not report to you any matter that concerns the madam... I only did as you ordered."
Leon stiffened. His face was quickly dawned with realization. He did in fact said that. "Ha." He sighed to himself, not knowing what to say.
"Right... I have no reason to be angry at you." He muttered, glancing at Cedric.
He soon realized that it was also partly his fault that he knew nothing. The churning and troubling feeling made his conscience feel unbearable. 'I did tell him that...' He trailed thoughtlessly, only to scoff at himself in disbelief.
Regret was what laced his mind.
He frustratedly ran his fingers through his soft brown strands, turning to Cedric as he did so. "Since when was she unwell?" He asked with eyes evident of concern.
"Since last night, my lord... I apologize for not informing you sooner—"
"No." Leon flailed his hand.
"You only did as I said." Said Leon. The frustration and regret was still reflected on his face, but his worry was the most obvious.
"Haa." He sighed another time, hurriedly walking past Cedric. He quickly left the piles and mountains of documents he needed to sign, making his way toward the door. He paid his responsibilities no mind, as only one thing kept ringing in his mind.
'I must see her.'
"Where are you going, master..?" Cedric tailed behind Leon.
"I'm going to visit her." That was the last thing he said before closing the door.
Clack
With her eyes tightly shut, Cordelia could only frown as she felt the warm water softly damping her face. Her body also felt warmer.
"Don't force your eyes to open if you still can't." The masculine voice said. "Just rest and sleep in the mean time."
'That voice is...' Somehow, Cordelia found the voice sounding familiar. 'Hold on...'
'That voice belongs to—!' Her eyes quickly opened.
Sure enough, it was Leon's charming face who greeted her eyes. She couldn't believe her eyes.
"H-How come... you're here?"
He raised his brows at her, putting the damp cloth over her forehead. "Is it that bad that I came to see you?" He asked.
"No... It's just that I never expected that you would—"
"Visit you?" He asked her. "Or do this with you?" Leon pulled the blanket over her shoulder as he moved the dampen linen onto her burning cheek.
"If I may say... both?"
"You haven't had you're dinner yet, have you?"
She ignored his question as she parted her lips and asked. "Where are the maids..?"
"I dismissed them." Leon openly admitted.
Her eyes immediately widened. "What..? Then who would—"
"Who told you to sit up?" Leon annoyingly frowned at her, putting her back on the bed.
However, Cordelia stayed persistent. "But if you dismiss the maids, no one would help me for the night..."
"I'm here, aren't I?"
Cordelia quickly quieted down, looking at him with eyes of disbelief. She didn't expect to hear such words come from him.
"If you need anything, just tell me." Said Leon. He looked so determined that Cordelia almost believed she was hallucinating.
'Is this the same man I know..?' She wondered, blinking as if to grasp what he had just said.
"You haven't had your dinner yet, have you?" Leon repeated his question from earlier.
"I haven't..."
"Then I'll feed you."
"O-Oh, you don't need to. I can—"
"Stop your dilly dally." He cut her off, irritated.
"Sorry." She whispered.
"...." Leon carefully offered his hand.
In return, Cordelia only looked at him with a face evident with confusion. "Yes..?" She asked him.
"Cordelia, you can't possibly eat food while lying flat down, can you?"
She sighed. 'What an impatient and sarcastic man.'
She soon took hold of the hand that he was offering her, carefully sitting up. A daze of dizziness washed through Cordelia, as her head still felt rather heavy.
"Rest on my shoulder for a bit."
Upon hearing his words, she did as she was told. As her head rested gently onto his broad and muscular shoulder, she quickly noticed something that made her eyes widen and her heart racing. Cordelia felt a wave of delight wash through her, and for once, she felt genuinely pleased.
"Oh?" She blinked, staring at the brooch she previously had given him. "You wore it?" Cordelia asked, raising her head to look at him.
"Yes." He said. The corners of his lips subtly rose into a small smile. "It suits me just right, doesn't it?"
She looked back at the brooch. Her eyes bore onto its gem that was the same color of his eyes. The brooch she gave him was proudly pinned in the middle of his collar.
"It looks good on you." She spoke, her voice still sounding weak. But that didn't stop Leon's heart from beating fast.
"....."
"You look good on me."
"Pardon?" Cordelia blinked, confused at what he said. It was like a blur that passed her ears. Yet truthfully, he had spoken like that purposely for her to not understand.
"I said open your mouth, I'll feed you." Leon quickly redirected the subject, and soon he held a spoon in his hand. His other hand was carefully brushing the hair away from her face.
"You seem to be quite skilled in taking care of a sick person." She commented before taking the spoon into her mouth.
Silence quickly fell between them, but it was not long before Leon decided to speak.
"It's because my younger brother used to get sick all the time." Leon spoke.
"Lyle..?" Cordelia asked.
He nodded. "Yes, my younger brother, Lyle."
"You must've been a good brother."
Leon only let out a small chuckle. "I try to be." He said.
"Our life was difficult back then. There were no servants to take care of Lyle because of our tight situation, leaving the two of us alone."
"Ah, apologies. It seems like I'm sharing too much."
"No," Cordelia halted him. "There is nothing wrong with sharing, so just go ahead if it's alright with you. I'll listen."
'That's what I told her back then when I pretended to be a gigolo.' Leon looked at her with reluctance, with a little glint de ja vu. Somehow, to strange comfort that he felt around her urged him to continue his story.
"It was only me who was present to take care of him, so I took it upon myself to take care of him until he recovers every time he got sick." Before he could even realize, Leon was already sharing what he doesn't normally share to others to her.
"Then there is no doubt." Cordelia spoke, raising her head to look at him.
"You are indeed a good brother." Her mere simple words was enough to touch his heart. It was as though warmth began to fill his heart after a long time, bringing him the brief comfort he always sought.
"I hope so." Said Leon, looking away as he averted his gaze.
"I'm sure your brother appreciates you, and everything you did for him." Cordelia told him.
Somehow, her words provided him comfort.
Warmth quickly rose to his ears, reddening so evidently as if he were blushing. His cheeks as well burned, flustered as he felt. Leon quickly cleared his throat.
"Oh my, do you feel the heat through your ears or something—"
"You talk too much." He cut her off, holding a small little frown on his dashing face.
"Just finish the dinner I brought you so you can quickly get better." Once again, Leon held another spoonful of food onto her mouth.
Just like the sleepless night that she spent tending his wound and taking care of him, Leon also did the same in that very night to Cordelia, who soon fell asleep in his arms.