To Save a Kingdom

Chapter 14

Jared had seen Eve look bad before but nothing quite like this. The gash on her head was the worst. It was a deep cut that had needed to be stitched together. The edges of it were dark blue and purple. She seemed to be covered in bruises. Her arm was in a sling from the dislocation. Her torso had been bandaged for the broken rib. But what concerned him the most was the fact that she hadn't opened her eyes yet. The physician had explained that she would wake up when she was ready.

Jared alternated between impatiently pacing the room and holding Eve's hand. He couldn't handle the waiting. All he wanted to do was see her eyes open again.

"You have to be alright." he whispered to her. "I need you to be alright."

The door of Eve's room opened and her mother walked in.

"Still no change?" She asked looking at him with tired eyes.

Jared shook his head.

"You should rest." She said.

"I can't." Jared answered looking at Eve.

"Then at least you should take a bath." she said with a wrinkled nose. "Be a little presentable for her when she does wake."

Jared agreed he probably looked awful. A bath couldn't hurt.

"I'll be quick." he said. "You'll stay with her?"

"Of course."

"And you'll come and get me the second she starts to wake?"

"Of course."

Jared nodded. Leaving Eve with her mother did seem like a good choice. She wouldn't allow anything to happen to her. Although Jared was reluctant to leave the room he did. With one last look over his shoulder at the sleeping girl he left.

§

My head was pounding. It felt as though it would explode at the slightest movement. I reached up with my hand to feel if there were any cracks because with this amount of pain there had to be an ax or a knife that was pounded into my skull. My shoulder screamed in agony as I moved.

"Careful." someone whispered. "You have some injuries." They said.

The slight noise made my head throb. But it was the noise that interested me. The voice sounded so familiar. As though I was in a dream. I tried to remember who the voice belonged to. Such a soft and comforting voice had to have a significant owner. I eased my eyes open a crack to see a feminine face leaning over me with a smile. The light made my head pound so I closed my eyes again.

Who was the woman? she looked so familiar. Her face and her hair. Her kind eyes as she smiled at me. My thoughts raced as I tried to remember who she was.

Trying to remember was exhausting. I felt myself falling back asleep. Just before I fell over the ledge one thought came to me as clear as day.

Mother.

§

"She opened her eyes!"

"What?!" Jared said as he shoved a hand through his damp hair. It was getting long he needed a trim.

"Yes!" she said.

"Why didn't you come get me?"

"It was only for a split second then she fell asleep again."

Jared couldn't believe it.

"She's going to be alright."

Jared stayed by her side for the rest of the day. When she still hadn't opened her eyes that night he stayed there with her. It was the next morning with his head on the side of her bed asleep that he felt something. He opened his tired eyes to see Eve.

She smiled at him as she touched his hair.

"It's getting longer." she whispered.

"I know. I need to cut it."

"I like it." She said.

"In that case I'll never cut it again." He said as he leaned in to kiss her lips gently.

"I don't know about never again." She said when he pulled away.

"Marry me." he whispered.

Eve's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What?"

"You heard me." He replied. "Marry me."

"I will." she said.

Jared smiled and kissed her again.