When Blindfolds Fall

18: Blind Boy

Cigarette smoke is one of those scents people deem insufferable and pungent. No matter how far away the source is, the odor always travels far enough to reach someone who despises it.

Nobody has ever woken up and wanted to smell the stench of burnt tobacco first thing in the evening.

While there was no immediately nearby presence to sense, the faint cigarette smoke in the air was enough to get the nerves firing in the unconscious ambassador lying in the infirmary of the castle of Crows.

Little by little, twitch by twitch, the head of the Aspen noble house started feeling the softness of the sheets pertaining to the bed he was on. There was something cool and moist on his forehead, he could feel the difference in temperature compared to the rest of his warm body, but he felt so sore he couldn't even try to remove it.

Heavy limbs, eyelids, and a foggy memory was what Josiah started waking up to a full day after visiting Viktor's house.

Josiah's senses were not as sharp yet, so he failed to pick up the clicking of dress shows against the marble floor of the infirmary. The air carried a strong masculine scent of cigarettes and eucalyptus which started probing the ambassador's mind to fully wake up.

It wasn't until his soul recognized its bound match in another body that Josiah finally knew who came to his side.

"Viktor . . ?" Josiah whispered with a dry throat.

"Shh." Viktor's rich, deep voice invited him to fall back asleep along with the gentle touch of his hand on his hair. "I'm just here to change your towel, love. You keep resting. I'll be here to take care of you."

Josiah felt Viktor pick up the wet towel from his forehead and then heard him wring it over a metal basin, creating soothing droplet sounds.

Josiah was still groggy and the sound of water made his parched throat all the more noticeable.

"Hmm, can I have some . . . water please." Josiah croaked and Viktor put the towel back on his forehead.

"Of course." Viktor replied and picked up a nearby pitcher with a glass to pour some water into it.

He lifted Josiah's head off the pillow carefully and inched the cup to his dry lips. The doctor expertly eased the liquid into his mouth and cleaned him up with a napkin.

"Go back to sleep." Viktor murmured and kissed the top of Josiah's head.

"N-No, don't go please." Josiah protested and weakly tried to pull Viktor back. "Don't leave me. Please stay."

"Alright. I'll stay."

Josiah must have fallen right back to sleep after that exchange because he didn't remember laying on his side holding Viktor's left hand tightly against his chest.

Six more hours passed before Josiah finally woke up for good and scrunched up his nose at the close candlelight. His red eyes adjusted to the brightness and found the picture of Dr. Bloodfern silently writing with a quill into a leather notebook.

Viktor sensed his awakening, so he turned his attention to him and asked:

"Sleep well?"

"Yes, I think so." Josiah cleared his throat and looked around, noticing he was back in the castle. "How long was I asleep for?"

"About a day and a half."

"A whole day and a half? Blimey."

Josiah was in awe that he had slept so much. He had never had that much rest in his life and it made him wonder what caused it.