When I finally stirred from my eternal slumber, two days had already passed. Not that I'm complaining, sleeping through two days in one go would definitely be something that I'd have in my bucket list. I was told that my body couldn't take the sudden shot of magic after it being dormant for almost thirteen years.
The healer left this morning after doing a thorough checkup and deemed me fit enough to go about my day. But this little bit of info hasn't completely registered in Aiden's head yet. Both him and Melissa haven't left my side ever since I got off the bed to go to the bathroom. The rest of the gang had taken my order seriously for once and went to visit their respective hometowns.
It's almost noon now and my butt was beginning to go numb from it being dormant. I was securely tucked in Aiden's bed. He did seem slightly annoyed from Melissa's presence but didn't complain. He did however stare at her like mother hen protecting its baby chick whenever she came close to give me something or bring me food.
And it wasn't just Mel, every person who came too close, got the look. As much as it was endearing to watch him be protective over me, I was starting to get tired. And extremely restless.
The distant chimes from the village bell told me that it was three already. My stomach growled in hunger. I stared at Aiden who sat thumbing through some sort of a document and Melissa who lay engrossed in her book. I made an annoyed noise at the back of my throat and threw the covers off me. Both their heads shot up at once. Aiden was out of his chair and next to me before I found my slippers from beneath the bed.
"Here, let me help." Melissa said reaching over to hold my arm.
"Do you need to use the bathroom again?" Aiden asked.
I sighed.
"Okay you know what, I can't do this anymore. I love the both of you very, very much but I need to get out of this room. The doc said I was fine to do whatever I want and that means I want to do whatever I want. As much as I appreciate you guys taking care of me and being my guardian angels, I'm tired of being holed up in here. My legs have gone numb and I don't even know if my butt is still a part of my body!" I said, waving my hands about.
"But-" Aiden began.
"Uh uh uh. No buts." I waggled my finger in his face. "The only but I'm concerned about right now is my own. Now move along mister, let me find some food to feed my poor little tummy." I said.
"I'll go inform the cook." Melissa mumbled and left the room.
I stand up slowly and stretch, hearing bones pop in different places. I hummed happily in content and take a step forward, only to lose balance. My eyes widen in surprise and I grasp at air.
"Oomph!"
"Hey."
I can hear the amusement dripping from his tone even before I catch a glimpse of his face. Aiden grins at me making my cheeks flush a bright pink. I curse under my breath and rest my head on his arm in defeat. His chest rumbles with laughter. He helps me stand straight but doesn't take off his hold on my waist. Instead, he pulls me closer.
"Starter trouble. This is why you should have let me walk around earlier." I grumble.
He laughs harder at this. I frown at him.
"I know you're a strong little dragon Rora but your body doesn't know it yet. You regained consciousness not too long ago. Give yourself time to adjust. You aren't ready to be running around yet, princess." He said, bending down to kiss my nose.
My stomach took this exact moment to growl harder. Heat rushed up to my face and shut my eyes close in embarrassment. Aiden chuckled and loosened his grip.
"Come on then, let's get your poor tummy some food. Though I strongly disagree with the adjective."
I smile and move to take another step toward the door but Aiden holds me in place.
"We're doing this my way until you get all better, Rora. And the first thing is to let your body get the rest it needs to heal itself. " He said.
Before I could blink, he scoops me up in his arms. I quickly wrap my arms around his neck. A sense of deja vu hits me. He walks to the door that Melissa left slightly open and pushes it with his leg.
"Aiden this is mortifying. Put me down!" I mumble when the guards at the door give us surprised looks. The boy snorts in response but makes no move of letting me go.
Two maids giggle as we walk past them. I blush harder when even the stoic faced guards try hard to hide their amusement.
"I'm so getting you back for this!" I groan, burying my face in his chest.
"Don't get too excited Rora. I promise to let you do whatever you want tonight. We can even check on your pretty butt if you'd like that."
The little shit actually has the audacity to wink at me.
"Oh my god!" I gasp and hit his chest.
"I can think of a few more things to do bu-"
"Skies! Stop talking!"
The only response I get is my extremely red face and Aiden's loud laughter. He's laughing so much that he has trouble walking.
"What is going on? I could hear you guys from all the way here." Melissa said. She gives me a 'do I even want to know' look and I shake my head, rolling my eyes at Aiden.
He gently places me in one of the chairs and pushes it closer to the table. I reach up to kiss his cheek making his ears go slightly red.
"Thank you but can we please never do that again? I've never been more embarrassed in my life." I said.
Aiden grins cheekily and sits down next to me. Melissa sits on the opposite side of me. The maids come in with plates of food not long after. There are loaves of bread, steaming buns, different kinds of fruit jam, honey and butter.
"They couldn't do much since the request caught them a bit off guard but the buns are fresh out of the oven. It contains bits of a special fruit that grows only on Coronian lands." Melissa explains.
We each get a plate of food and I bite into one of the infamous buns. Something sweet fills up my mouth in an instant and I moan at the taste. Melissa laughs at my reaction while buttering her slice of bread. Aiden gives me a flustered look and smile at him with my mouth full.
"Somebody find me more of this delicious fruit from heaven, please." I say biting off a larger chunk of the bun. "Oh! This is the best thing I've eaten since got here."
I pause and frown slightly at the sudden bitter taste in between chewing. But it goes away as soon as I feel it and I brush it away.
"Mel, you should have gone to visit your family like the rest of them, you know. I feel bad for making you stay back." I said. Melissa simply waves her hand and smiles at me.
"Nonsense! You don't have to feel bad for anything. You're my family too Ellie. And besides, I sent a letter to my mother and she wrote back saying that she's visiting my aunt Helena. So I would be alone even if I go home and I definitely don't want to be anywhere near my aunt. She has such a nasty temper." She said wrinkling her nose. I laugh at that. If Melissa hates being around somebody then that person must be really bad. The girl is the sweetest of us all.
"So, I hear the winter festival is just around the corner. I overheard the maids talking about buying new clothes to wear and stuff. Is that like Christmas here?" I say changing the subject.
"Christmas?" Aiden asks puzzled.
"Something like Christmas, yes. There will be lots of dancing in the village square. People send lanterns up in the sky. It's something everyone has been doing to celebrate the lives of people we lost during the battle all those years ago..." Melissa trails away looking slightly uncomfortable. "Sorry, didn't mean to bring that up."
"Right. So that means my birthday according to the timeline here, is on the day of this festival." I said. The day my life turned haywire and all hell broke loose. It's almost here and I really don't know what to feel about it. "Now that Isabella is gone, you think he-who-shall-not-be-named-for-today will turn up after hearing the news?"
"Let's not think about that today, okay? Let us focus on getting you better and ready to face him when he does show up." Aiden says firmly.
when, not if.
Neither of us say anything for a while. We just sit in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. We only move when the maids come back to clear the table.
"I'm going to get your medicine from the village. Will you be alright alone for a while?" Melissa asks me. She brushes the crumbs off her dress and gently smooths it out.
"She's not alone. She has me to keep her company. Rora had a lot of ideas that she wanted to test out when we got some time alone. Didn't you princess?" Aiden said, raising his eyebrows suggestively at me. The bond marks sets alight a fire in my body.
I choke on my glass of water. Melissa looks away clearing her throat. I slap Aiden hard on the arm. He only laughs in response.
"I'll be fine. You do your thing. I'll be busy creating murder plans for a certain someone here." I said. I glare at the boy laughing himself senseless.
"Rightttt. I'll leave you both to it then. See you later!" With that Melissa leaves us alone.
Against my wishes, my lips quirk up into a smile at the sight of Aiden. He has always been so worried and had his shoulders laden with work. This is the first time I've seen him being so carefree and enjoying himself for once. The context of his happiness is slightly embarrassing but seeing him this happy makes it worth it.
"Let's get you back to our chamber, Rora. We've got a busy day ahead." Aiden said.
"Our chamber?" I ask lifting a questioning eyebrow.
"You're delusional if you think I'm letting you stay in your room alone after everything that's happened." He says as a matter-of-fact.
"I'll be fine. You're only a few rooms away. I can shout and people from the next floor will hear me. Plus I do have guards outside my room. You made security extra tight." I said.
"This is not a matter to be negotiated, Rora. I can sleep on the floor if that's what is worrying you. I'm not risking any chances. Your body will also heal quicker with me near you. I'd rather you stay with me where I can see and protect you all the time than far away where I'll be worried sick the entire time." He said sternly though his gaze was as soft as a new born pup.
I sigh. "Fine. But you're sleeping on the floor. I don't want any funny business from you."
He gasps in mock horror.
"You hurt my feelings. I thought you loved me!" He whines like a child.
"If only my legs were strong enough to kick you." I roll my eyes at him. "Just help me walk to the library, you dork."
I reach out my hands in his direction and he pulls me up. Together, we make our way to the library.
"Do you think we'll reach by the end of today?"
"Shut up!"
"Even my grandma walked faster than this."
"Stop complaining and hold my arm properly!"
"You think your body will have healed enough by tonig-oomph! Skies, woman! Stop hitting me."
Two chapters in a day?! I'm spoiling you guys 😂❤
P.s. What do ya'll think of the new cover? I put it in all the editing skills I possessed for it XD
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