Love & Duty

Chapter 11

WARNING: This chapter contains Slight Panic and mentions of Death and Blood. You have been warned!

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Valerie had the worst night possible; she couldn't get a single minute of shuteye. Nightmares of the Princess hurt, and her worry for her kept her awake.

Tyler is in the same state. He doesn't want to show it, but Valerie can clearly see it on his face. The black bags under his eyes, his disarranged hair. The most significant sign was his appearance in front of her room very early in the morning.

"You go in first." he tells Valerie. Apparently, even his voice is tired.

"She's fine, Tyler. She has to be." she whispers the last part, but Tyler hears her.

They enter the room and see a scene they didn't expect. Sophia was sleeping peacefully on her right side, facing the edge of the bed, but the surprise was what was in her hand.

Rowen was right there on the floor, a few inches away from her. Their hands entangled together. Both are sleeping like nothing happened yesterday.

Valerie goes to wake him up, lightly grabbing his shoulder. However, a sword was swung her way before she could say anything.

"Rowen. Relax. It's us." Tyler says. It's a good thing Valerie saw the sword next to him.

Rowen, suddenly awake, realizes his surroundings. He loses his footing, though, and he falls to his knees. "S-Sorry, I thought-"

"Yeah yeah, we got it." Tyler walks up to him and puts his hand on his shoulder. "Take a minute to stretch your legs; they are still asleep from being bent all night."

Rowen leans his back on the wall, passing his hand through his hair. "Did I seriously fall asleep here?! In her room of all places." he thought to himself. The heat radiates from the hand that held the soft and small hand of the Princess sleeping. " Her hands are seriously too small... but so warm..."

Thoughts of her led his eyes in her direction, her figure still sleeping peacefully, thankfully. "Are you going to wake her up?" he finally asks, seeing Valerie sitting beside her and Tyler standing on the side.

"Yeah, it's best for her to start her day." Valerie says, placing her hand on her shoulder to wake her up slowly.

"Wallowing in bed all day won't get her or us anywhere." Tyler adds but Rowen, however, could see the concern in his eyes despite his harsh acting.

"Sophia, Sophia." Valerie gently calls and nudges her, "Let's get some breakfast."

Sophia starts to stir in her bed, stretching her entire body and groaning the sleepiness away. Sapphire eyes fluttered open, slowly adjusting to the light in the room.

Rowen couldn't help but chuckle at her actions, finding them cute.

"Valerie? Tyler?" she looks at her aides at the side of her bed.

"Hey there, Squishy! You sure gave us a fright yesterday."

"Please don't do reckless stuff like that again, okay, Sophia?"

Rowen looked over the aides relaxing as they saw their Princess feeling much better, almost as if yesterday didn't happen. He picks himself up and decides to leave them alone; he almost feels out of place.

Sophia caught a moving figure in the corner of her eye, "Rowen?" she called out to him, making him freeze in place. "Are you leaving?" she asks innocently.

He was conflicted about what to do or say. Yesterday he erased all borders between them, treating Sophia like his most precious thing. Can he still do that now? Wouldn't that be wrong?