The Winter Born [COMPLETED]

Chapter 22 - Headache, Library and a New Friend

I threaded my fingers into the soft mattress beneath me, bringing one of my hand to my head which is pounding furiously. Everything in the room I woke up in is blurred even the moon beam that comes through a golden window. Groaning, I try to sit up slowly only to slum back into the bed.

Where in the gods' names am I?

I force myself to relax, hoping that the headache will pass through but it does not. It's still night maybe in the blind hours of morning judging by the black sky with no streaks of light by the sun. My throat feels dry and raspy. I can drink a whole lake right now.

Again, I try to sit up and this time, I succeeded. I take in the room, looking around with a haze in my eyes, everything looks distorted.

Back slouching, a hand on my forehead, I try to remember the events before I somehow ended in this unfamiliar room. I drank with Caspien.. Ethan shook his head.. took my fifth swig and I blacked out.

Nothing after that comes to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a dark figure in the shadows which the torch and moonbeam cannot reach, a man. Eyes widening, I look down to my body and let out a small sigh of relief to find my dress from last night still on me. Still, my heart pounds hard at the stranger's presence.

The man's head jerk to me and I can make out a pair of gleaming emerald eyes. He walks out of the dark, shaking his head.

" Don't tell me I didn't warn you. "

" Never thought it would hurt this bad, " I let out a small, raspy chuckle.

Taking a better look at him, I can see that he is carrying a cup of water and my eyes widen at that. Ethan notices and breaks into a small smile. He walks to the side of the bed, sitting next to me with his legs still on the floor.

" Here, " he hands me the cup to me and I quickly take it. The cool water feels amazing throughout my dry throat and when I'm finished, Ethan brought me another one.

" Thank you, " I say after finishing the second cup. My head clearing a bit, I look around the room. It's big but simple with silver and gold accents on each furniture. It's quite cold and I wish that I can shut the window shut. " Where are we? " I ask.

"My chambers, of course. You passed out at the feast."

A wave of shame wash over me. " Oh, gods so this is your bed? "

" Yes," he says, an obvious tone in his voice.

" So where did you sleep if I slept here? " I stifle a gasp. " Ethan, don't you say you- "

A soft blush crept at Ethan's neck as his green eyes widen. " No damn it. I slept on the floor. "

I eye him but at the corner of my eye I spot a pillow on the carpet and I feel a sudden leap in my heart. " Y-you slept on the floor? " The prince of Valaria, sleeping on the floor like a common peasant.

I notice his stiff shoulders and the way he cranes at his neck and twist it a few times and can't help to feel guilty. He slept on the floor and gave the bed to me despite it is his.

I can't help but think of the princes in the books I read in the past. Ethan is a prince of his own, still gallant and with charms of his own. His kindness is only one of the things I admire of him.

The blush is still there on his face and it spread to his face and I wonder why. He finally speaks up, " Do you remember anything of last night? "

I furrow my eyebrows, trying to think back. " I only remember before I passed out. Did something happen after? " It's strange for Ethan to behave like this, all fidgety and not wanting to meet my eye. He is the one that always holds the gaze yet now he fails to meet mine.