✔ Mrs Mandray

28. Playing Nurse

Isabella

"Are you sure you can take care of him on your own?" Tomas worries and Isabella tries to not let her throat close up at the new insecurity he has unintentionally poked at. "Because I can stay behind and-"

"Go." She forces a light laugh, pushing all thoughts of leaving her husband aside. "Oliver and I will be fine. We'll have a quiet few days to ourselves. You have fun at the market."

He grins, clearly delighted that she was giving him permission to go with his mother and father to the nearest sea town miles away. It would be a day's ride, they'll stay a day and come back before the third night.

"Go lad, I'll keep an eye on the lass." She stiffens at the grandfather's voice. Fuck. Isabella had forgotten he would be staying and with Cassian coming for dinner with his friends- "We'll get a head start on the Winter Solstice preparations. I'm sure this wee one can help make decorations."

Isabella fights the urge to hide Oliver behind her skirts. Away from the older man's leering gaze. Tomas too seems to have stiffened at the Eldest Mandray's look but then some glazed look passes over his eyes and he smiles at her tightly. It's only once her husband has pressed a cold kiss to her cheeks that she dares swallow down her nerves at the white pallor of his skin.

"Come, Ollie." She lifts the boy up into her arms. "Let's get you back to bed."

The small boy grumbles the whole way. Adorable murmurs of being a big boy and walking on his own only serving to melt Isabella's heart rather than break her motherly resolve. Oliver kicks up a bit of fuss when the thin covers are tugged up to his chin but it's clear he's exhausted. Her heart cliches at the sight. No matter how many times he gets sick. No matter how many times he also gets better her heart will always stop at the glazed look in his eyes.

He'd developed a fever this morning, she hoped it meant that he was burning through the worst of the sickness. Isabella only settled down into the rocking chair once she had managed to wrestle the small boy back into bed and convinced him to manage a few mouthfuls of tea with healing herbs.

With a soft sigh she slowly rocks herself in the chair, watching her son as she remembers the first time he was sick as a baby. Logically she knew he was a sickly babe. The fae are stronger than humans so the pregnancy had drained her completely and it was tough breast feeding him at times when it was obvious she was able to provide the right nutrients for him.

It was an effort to remind herself that Oliver had made it. That he was nearly five years old now and resting in his own cot. Not dozing in her arms, bundled in the soft blanket that she now drapes over her knees.

A soft rap of knuckles against the door frame has her head snapping up. Grandfather Mandray isn't strong enough to walk up the stairs so-

"Can I come in?" He whispers, hesitantly glancing at Oliver and Isabella rises to her feet.

"What are you doing here?" She hisses, glancing from her son to the window where she can see Grandfather Mandray pottering in his son's home. "If he sees you-"

"He didn't see me." Cassian soothes her, stepping forward to gently clasp her upper-arms. "Azriel winnowed me straight into the hallway, there wasn't a chance for him to see me."

"Is he here too?" Isabella's not sure why she feels hopeful at the thought.

Cassian shakes his head, "He didn't want to overcrowd, Tiny." her lips quirk up at the name. It's fitting and hilarious coming from such an imposing figure as Cassian.

Eventually she sighs and settles back in her chair. Cassian boyishly grins, taking her sigh as an offer to pull over one of the crate storage boxes. Isabella does her best to cool down her blush of embarrassment when Cassian brushes off the dirt and dust from the crate. It had been a few weeks since she had given Oliver's room a good clean and Tomas had packed a few extra things in here since then.