Kiel.
I am unsure about many things right now. I was stuck in my train of thoughts as I walked through the hallways toward her bedroom. As soon as I reached her door, I went inside to check on her and worry crept up my spine when I saw her bed empty. She doesn't go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I immediately ran and checked the other rooms looking for her.
I passed by a window noticing a white figure outside, when I walked back and checked, there she was, outside, in the garden, alone. What is she even doing there at midnight? I stormed downstairs and to the garden where she was.
She turned towards me when she heard the doors swung open and she immediately had a worried expression on her face.
"What are you doing here, Phoebe? It's midnight!" I said in a stern tone, this didn't make me feel happy at all. "What if you got hurt while I wasn't around? I will never be able to forgive myself if that happens."
She lowered her head and averted her eyes. "I'm sorry." She said in her regular soft tone. How will I stay mad at her now? I looked down and noticed she wasn't wearing any shoes.
"Where's your shoes?" I said in a serious tone with a hint of concern. She shouldn't be going barefoot in the garden, what if she steps on something sharp?
"I..I intentionally didn't wear any." She said hesitantly but I could tell she was honest.
"Phoebe-"
"I know what you're going to say.." She cuts me off. "But I'm careful."
I took a deep breath to calm myself down, I couldn't stay mad at her. Why was I even mad again? "Why go barefoot then?"
She smiled. That smile. "I just wanted to feel the path, the grass.."
I chuckled. "Well are you done?" I asked in a soft tone, and she shook her head. "Alright, I'll give you more time to do what you want to do."
The way her eyes sparkled after I said that was everything. I couldn't ask for more in this moment than to see her smile. And happy.
She walked towards the roses. I stayed at my position to give her some time alone. It's basic decency to give her space when she needs it so I maintained my position and kept watching over her and only move when she needs me to.
---
The night was sure cold and was getting colder. I checked my watch and it was already past 1 am. this wasn't a normal sleep schedule for her so it was making me worry. "Phoebe it's really late." I said in one breath with a concerned tone.
She looked over towards me and smiled. "Alright." My eyes scanned her and she was only wearing a victorian night gown so she must be cold.
I walked towards her as she was walked towards me. I was wearing three layers of clothes. A jacket and a sweater then a shirt. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her as I looked into her eyes as they were looking at mine, locking our gaze.
"There, you must be cold." I said and our warm breaths visible to the cold surroundings.
"Thank you, I'm honestly feeling really cold." She said and smiled before lowering her head. Am I high or did she blush? Well I gotta take her inside or she could get sick, and I don't want that.
"Let's go inside." I kept my hand on her shoulder as I guided her to the door.
We got to the door, once I grabbed the knob and turned it, it wouldn't turn, I couldn't open it. Shoot. Did I accidentally locked us out? I immediately checked my pockets. I don't have my extra keys with me, nor my phone to call one of the maids over.
"Is something wrong?" She asked.
"Yeah.. I locked us out." I said trying to sound like it isn't a problem, but it obviously is since the temperature here in York at night was ice. "Stay here, I'll check the other doors." I walked away and after a few steps I stopped. No, I'm not leaving her alone. I turned around and walked back towards her, she looked confuse.
"Aren't you gonna check-"
I chuckled. "We. I'm not leaving you." I gently grabbed her hand, it's cold. She must be freezing. This instantly made me more worried about her. "You're freezing, Phoebe." The concern in my voice was audible.
"I'll be alright." She assured. But it was hard to believe it since the situation was the complete opposite.
I walked towards the other doors with her hand in mine, checking each one. Locked. "It's all lock, let's go back to-" I suddenly felt her weight against me so I caught her in my arms before she could completely fall, she was freezing. "Phoebe, you're so cold." She was shaking, I got to get her warm.
I carried her in my arms bridal style and kept her close to my body, making sure that my body heat was warming her up.
As we got to the garden door, I tried to open it one more time, hoping for some miracle and it was still locked as expected. I sat her down beside the door and I took off my sweater to covered her with it.
I am only wearing a t-shirt now, I swear it was damn cold and the sudden blow of the wind sent chills down my body. It's really cold, but she's my priority. I sat beside her and kept her close to me. Think, Kiel, think. You can't stay like this, she'll freeze.
She was gripping my shirt on my chest as she shivered uncontrollably, her lips were turning purple and her skin was turning paler than her natural pale skin, which I never knew possible. I looked around and saw the cabin on the other side of the garden. Remembering that there's a firewood stove there that I can use to warm her up, it's the only place we got for tonight.
I turned to her and placed my hands on her cheek, she instantly pulled her face away and looked at me. "Kiel, your hands are cold." She said in a shaky voice. Oops.
I chuckled. "Sorry, I was just making sure you're still alive." I said joking. "Brace yourself, I'll take you to the cabin" And before she could say anything, I carried her in my arms again and walked towards the cabin, I wasn't gonna waste a single second and let her freeze.
I sat her down on the red couch inside and worked on the firewood to heat up the place. I grabbed some wood from the firewood basket. I was on one knee in front of the firewood stove, tore a random newspaper and placed them inside then the small pieces of wood after and lit them up.
I walked up to her and brought her near the firewood stove but not too close, just enough to warm her up. I don't want her to accidentally burn herself. She sat down on the wooden floor and I placed larger pieces of wood in the firewood before I sat down beside her.
"Feel warm yet?" I asked with a concerned expression.
After I saw her shivering and pale, it felt like I broke my own heart seeing her situation. It pained me to see her at that state, like I could burn the world just to see her warm.
"Mhm." She nodded and leaned her head on my shoulder. Her sudden action made my heart jump, she had never done this before. "Thank you for keeping me warm, Kiel." She whispered, her sleepy voice audible.
"It's my job." But am I still doing it just because it's my job? I then felt her weight in my shoulder as she slowly drifted to sleep. I smiled as I looked her and fixed my jacket on her shoulder.
I kept my arms around her shoulder to make sure she doesn't fall and interrupt her sleep in the process. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps.
My eyes never left her, she had me. All of me and she's just so beautiful.
Oh Phoebe,
I might be falling..
and maybe too much for my own good.
~