Adamus IV

39 - Braveheart

**Knock knock**

"Your majesty..?"
I slowly opened my eyes, blinking through the blurry morning vision and adjusting myself to the light.
"Leonard..?" I muttered. I went to bring my hand up to rub my eyes but it was stuck beneath something. I looked down into my lap where Sheera was still asleep, curled up in a cute little ball. I smiled to myself, but quickly realized that Leonard was standing just beside me. I looked up to him with raised brows.
"Oh- did I oversleep? I didn't mean for this to-,"
Leonard chuckled and looked down at us. "Your majesty, not to speak out of line, but I take things are going well between you two?"
I could hear and see the smirk on his face, and looked down at Sheera again.
"Yes, but.. I fear there is nowhere to go from here Leonard." I kept my voice quiet as to not wake the sleeping beauty.
"She cares deeply about you you know," he added. I sighed and listened. "She frequents my office to see if I've made an breakthroughs on your condition, and wishes to learn how to clean and wrap wounds like I do."
I looked back at him, taken aback by that. "That's why she's been visiting you? For my sake?"
He nodded.
I leaned my head back, feeling bad about all this. The last thing I want is for her to have to be my caretaker. I'm supposed to care for her, and provide for her, I'm supposed to protect her.
"I believe she loves you, your highness. Truly."
I watched her chest rise and fall as she slept so peacefully. Thankfully I'd already lost feeling in my hands, since the whole night like this would've been quite uncomfortable.
"I wish I could be there for her, fully." I muttered. "I was alright with this illness since it only affected me. Now I fear it will cause her pain as well."
"I don't think she's afraid of pain, my lord. I think she fears loneliness more."
I nodded in defeat and tried to get up from my chair, but my seat was so reclined that it proved difficult.
"Careful-," Leonard put a hand on my back but I mustered the strength. I scooted forwards and sat up straight, getting my arms under her and standing up, holding her in my arms. I was weakened, and I was deteriorating on the inside, but I could muster any amount of strength for her sake. I carried her over to my bed where I laid her gently. I took a deep breath and turned to face the doctor who watched me with a sad expression.
"Your clothes... you've only got your bottoms on." He noted.
I looked down, forgetting that I was basically only in my wraps. "I was preparing for bed when she came in."
"Well I can change them now if you'd like."
I looked to the sleeping girl in my bed and considered having them changed while she's here. She probably won't wake up but what if she does?
"Are you embarrassed about your face, my lord?" He continued bluntly.
I sighed. "No, not really. I just don't want to upset her when she see's whats happened to me."
"She hardly seems the type to judge." He began to unwrap my arms.
"She wouldn't judge me, but I have worried her so much already with my health, it would kill me to know I'd upset her further."
He dabbed my wounds clean with his sponge and grabbed some new bandages, ensuring that it was done quickly and efficiently. Once he'd finished the other arm I allowed him to do my head, and as he peeled the bandages off I finally took an unrestricted breath of air, letting my chest rise and fall as far as it could.
"Well, your face has not worsened since last week. That's a good sign." He spoke. I waved for him to bring me my hand mirror and so he did, grabbing it from near the bed. I took it and held it up to my face, seeing my back teeth peeking through my cheek. The gash on my nose had not spread however, but the discolouration on my face remained.
"I suppose you're right..." I muttered.
"Take every bit of good news as a win, your majesty. It will help you feel better, stronger."
I nodded slowly and put the mirror down, letting him dab the wounds dry and wrap my face back up.
"I'll come for the second change this evening." He took his supplies and headed for the door.
"Thank you, Leonard."
He nodded back with a smile and left, just as quickly as he had come.

~~~

Adamus

"So you're telling me you Infiltrated a Mordred camp, posed as a commander, and found the missing Princess of the Holy Kingdom all in one mission?" Ryo asked astonished.
I nodded, trying not to look boastful.
"Yeah, a lot happened."
"And nobody questioned you?"
I shook my head. "Well at least not to my face."
"I can't believe this! Adamus you have to be like the most renowned warrior there is!"
I waved my hands in front of me, denying that outrageous claim. "No definitely not! You could do what I did, we got lucky that they were that dense. Plus, the Holy King is definitely the most renowned warrior."
Ryo brushed me off and leaned his arms on his legs. We were sitting in the grass just outside the castle walls, looking out into the wasteland before us. It was nice to get back to normal routine, not that I had even been gone that long.
"And how is it with Sheera?" He continued.
I sighed and squinted into the sun, thinking about these last few days.
"Honestly I'm glad the King sent me out since it distracted me enough to help soothe the pain of it all."
Ryo nodded and stayed quiet.
"I see her once and a while and we smile and say hello, it doesn't hurt as much when I think about it now as it used to. But it'll be a while before I feel like I've accepted it. It still makes me a bit nauseous when I really think about it..."
Ryo leaned his head to the side. "I understand that. I don't think I could recover from news like that so I commend you."
"It's tough," I frowned. "But I enjoy talking with Princess Eva. She's an interesting character, that's for sure."
"I can't believe she wasn't executed." He added.
"Well I guess they want to give her a second chance. The King knows her better than anybody, and when I talk with her I can see the good still in there. She's just misled."
"So she opened up to you?"
"Yeah, she has a bit. And she's funny, but quite sassy and stubborn. Sheera was easier to please, but she's got, well she's got the attitude of a Princess. Guess that makes sense." I laughed.
Ryo laughed too. "I haven't actually seen what she looks like even."
"It wouldn't be fair to see her now, she's been down in those cells for a little while. She doesn't look her best obviously." I replied. "But you'd probably like her, she's cute, has a button nose and round cheeks."
"She's chubby?" Ryo questioned.
"No," I chuckled. "No she just has a youthful face, but it suits her."
"Maybe I could be a King one day." He daydreamed, leaning back on his hands. I rolled my eyes, the poor guy would cave under the stress of it all.
"Sure Ryo,"
"Hey!" He punched my shoulder hard.
"Ow!" I shouted, rubbing the spot that I was so aggressively struck.
"Don't be a baby." He grinned. "I'd like to meet this Graham guy at some point too, he sounds badass."
I agreed with that, nodding. "He is, one of the toughest guys I've met. You'll probably meet him, he wants to fight for the King."
"And I miss Conrad and Reynold." Ryo added.
My smile turned sad and I looked to the grass. "Yeah... I saw Conrad at the inn in temple but Reynold is nowhere to be found. Probably for the best..."
"It just sucks how life brings you friends but takes them away so soon after."
"I suppose, it's probably good that he left though. I don't know if someone who would abandon ship so quickly is a worth while friend." I was still bitter about that whole situation.
"Yeah I know I know, but he was still funny to hang with. Oh well, no use dwelling on the past!" He lightheartedly brushed it off. "After all I've still got you pal!"
I smiled at his cheery attitude, but knew that after the compliments comes the insults.
"Thanks Ryo, you too."
He grinned back, then completely switched his expression to an unimpressed one. "But I've had enough of you, I'm gonna hit the hay."
I furrowed my brows and pressed my lips together. There it is.
"Yeah I love you too!" I said sarcastically as he pushed himself to his feet.
"Yeah yeah have a good night honey!" He called back.
"Baka..." I muttered under my breath.