Falling For His Charms

CHAPTER 55

Sophie's head spun. The people who killed her biological parents; destroyed her village; took two of her siblings; made her life hell; and now took her love: were going down. She stared into Keefe's eyes, and they gleamed murderously.

"I want to help," Spoke the completely irrational part of her.

Elwin laughed. "You're joking."

She shook her head. Elwin and Keefe looked stunned.

"Sophie, have you seen yourself?" Asked Keefe. "No offense, but you look like hell. You just went through weeks of traumatic experiences, you're tired, unhealthy... There's no way we're letting you in there." Being the great friend he was, he brought her in for a hug.

"Sophie, we need to get you fixed up, and fast." Said Elwin, picking up his bag, pulling out his huge goggles and putting them on. He took her hand and eyed her forearm. "These are the most stressed cells I've ever seen... I don't know how much longer you're going to be able to stay awake, Sophie. They're going to give out soon."

"See?" Pressed Keefe with a sigh, letting go of Sophie. "You need to rest."

"Fine!" Huffed Sophie, pulling her arm away from Elwin. "But at least let me stay here. I won't be able to rest not knowing if Fitz is alive or not. Please."

Elwin and Keefe looked at each other. Groaning, Elwin nodded. "Fine. Fine! But you will stay in the carriage. You will listen to me. You will stay laying down. You will..."

Sophie zoned out, but nodded along for the rest of his conditions. "Thanks guys," She said with a relieved smile.

"Yeah, yeah," Keefe said, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder.

"What in the world's name are you doing?!" Cried Sophie, bewildered.

"Bringing you to the medic-carriage, of course," He replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Elwin followed them in silence, going through the list of things he had to do in his head. They arrived at the carriage within a few minutes; the camp of soldiers and castle guards was much bigger than Sophie had thought.

"Here we are," Elwin sang, opening the carriage door. "Home sweet home."

The inside was rather large; Sophie didn't know if she could call in a carriage or a portable hospital room. On the far left lay a bed, and a bedside table right next to it with a vase a flowers on it. A few cupboards were nailed into the carriage wall a few meters away. A drawer was on their right, most probably full of paperwork, and another cupboard above it. A single window stood directly in front of them, with nothing but beautiful trees and a few other carriages in view.

"Pretty nice for a mini-hospital," Commented Sophie as she looked around the sun-filled room. Keefe put her down, finally.

"I must be off," Said Keefe. "I need to report back to King Alden."

Sophie nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you, again, for everything."

He saluted her, and went outside, closing the door behind him. Sophie plopped onto the bed, listening to Elwin ruffle through the cupboards to find the medicine he needed.

||

"Can I go outside?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"That's not an answer."

"... I'm pretty sure it is."

"No."

"Yes it is."

Sophie groaned, and layed back down on the fluffy mattress. After nearly two hours of chugging down medicine, feeling sorry for herself, and wanting to cry herself to sleep, she was now badgering Elwin to go outside. He wouldn't budge; sure, they were somewhat friends, but in his mind health and safety always came first.

"Pleeaaase?" She whined.

"No!" Elwin snapped from where he was writing on the drawer. "You will not go outside. Go to sleep."

Sophie felt like a three year old.

At that very moment, the Everglen troops were marching through the Neverseen headquarters (Elwin told Sophie that the Black Swan had even joined in). Hopefully, they would capture every last member, finish the group forever, and would get Fitz back to her. But since the troops left an hour ago, there has been no news. Just peaceful silence.

The carriage had no noise but the quiet sound of Elwin's quill scratching his paper for a few minutes. Sophie stared at her feet, then at the bottom of the blue dress she had put on a while ago, then at the ceiling... Her mind, for the first in a long time, her mind was completely thoughtless. She stared up at the white-painted ceiling, thinking of nothing. Suddenly, Sophie spoke up.

"Do you think that they will all make it?"

She spoke into the quiet room. Sophie hadn't directed the question to Elwin only; she was also asking herself.

She heard Elwin put his pen down, walk over to her bed and sit down at the end of it. He silently reached up to feel her forehead, with his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "I don't know."

It was as simple as that.

No one knew what would happen, and that was what made it so scary.

"But I hope so. I hope that every soldier gets in there, captures those bastards who hurt you, that they get out alive and let those monsters rot in jail for the rest of eternity."

Even though Sophie didn't speak, she agreed. She agreed with every bit of her.