The Song of the Nightingale

Chapter Nine:

I didn't know how long he was gone, but he eventually held his word. Walking back with a bowl in hand, and a quilt in tow, he approached me.

He set the soup down, and unfurled the blanket. He gently lifted me up, eliciting a stream of disapproving comments from myself, before tucking me in snugly underneath the covers.

He then reached over for the bowl.

"I don't think it would be wise for me to eat right now." I stated warily.

"It's just broth, mon cher." He smiled at me.

I grumbled incoherently, but succumbed to his nagging nonetheless.

Having drunk the liquid, I was sitting cross legged on the bed.

Francis joined me.

He placed his cool hand on my face once more.

"The fever hasn't gone down at all..." He remarked, worriedly.

"What did you expect?" I responded flatly.

"Is it that bad, mon amour?" He cooed quietly.

"371 Londoners are dead... 29 are missing. The city is in ruins, and another section of the tube collapsed at 1:50 this morning, precisely." I didn't stutter once.

Francis looked taken aback.

"Arthur...I had no idea you could feel your people's pain so strongly..." He added, moving himself closer to me.

"Like I said...Last night was by far the worst one yet, I wasn't prepa..."

I was cut short by the Frenchman pulling me to his chest.

"Je suis désolé, mon cher. Je suis vraiment désolé." He was soon placing his chin atop my head, and rubbing my back.

"I...It's alright, Francis...It wasn't your fault...You don't have to apologize..." I tried to smile at him, but found that I couldn't bring myself to do so.

"Non, Lapin." He ran his cold fingers across my face. "It's not alright...If I were stronger...I could have stopped this...You wouldn't be in so much pain..."

I sighed, letting my facade go to hell.

"Please don't blame yourself for this." I hugged him tightly and planted a kiss on his cheek. "If you want to help me...Just promise me that you'll stay strong. Don't let Ludwig best you, okay?"

He nodded.

"Now go off to help your resistance fighters..." I gave a small grin. "You've been out for nearly a week. I'm sure that they want their fearless leader back."

He chucked weakly, as though he wasn't paying attention to the conversation. His eyes were trained on me for a few more seconds before he turned and left the room.