Medicine | King Baldwin

31

As the sun began to set, its golden rays illuminated the tree and the surrounding area where Baldwin and Isabel sat, talking and laughing. The warm light cast a serene glow over the scene, creating an almost magical atmosphere.

He leaned back against the tree trunk, a rare smile playing on his lips as he listened to her recount a humorous tale from her childhood. Her laughter was infectious, and he found himself momentarily forgetting all his burdens.

"You have a way of making even the simplest stories come alive." Baldwin remarked, his eyes twinkling with genuine amusement. "Look." He pointed ahead, directing Isabel's attention to a solitary flower standing proudly amidst the sandy, grassy terrain.

Her eyes followed his gesture, widening in surprise and delight at the unexpected sight. The flower, a vibrant splash of color in the otherwise muted landscape, seemed almost out of place yet remarkably resilient.

"It's beautiful." Isabel breathed, her voice filled with wonder

The man suddenly leaped up from beside the girl and hurried toward the flower, intent on picking it. As he bent down, his fingers just inches away from its delicate petals, in that instant, his body seemed to betray him.

Without warning, he crumpled forward, his knees buckling as he collapsed face-first into the dirt. The abruptness of his fall was startling, a stark contrast to the lively energy he had exhibited just moments before.

"Your Majesty." Isabel's voice wavered as she called out to him, her heart thudding with a growing sense of dread. She waited for a response, but the only answer was the stillness of Baldwin's form sprawled on the ground. Panic surged through her, propelling her to her feet. "Your Majesty!" she cried out again, more urgently this time. But the silence remained unbroken.

Without wasting another moment, she sprinted towards him, her mind a whirlwind of fear and worry. She dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she reached out to turn him over gently.

"You fell for it." Baldwin said, his eyes fluttering open, a grin spreading across his face. He started to laugh, his voice filling the stillness of the evening.

"Oh, how wicked you are." Isabel exclaimed, gently hitting Baldwin's chest. Her initial frustration quickly gave way to laughter, and soon both of them were chuckling together, the tension of the moment dissolving into shared mirth.

"You still fell for it." Baldwin said with a playful grin.

Suddenly, he grabbed her, and with a swift, unexpected movement, he flipped their positions. In an instant, she found herself lying on her back on the ground, Baldwin hovering above her, his weight supported by his hands on either side of her. Isabel's heart raced, not just from the sudden movement, but from the proximity of him, his face inches from hers.

A sudden silence fell between them, their gazes locked as if becoming one, their blue and green eyes immersed in each other like the earth and the sky. He gently traced his fingers along the contours of her face, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she reached forward with both hands, cradling the man's face tenderly.

As they drew closer, the air between them seemed to crackle with electricity, the tension mounting with each passing second. Their breaths mingled in a sweet, intoxicating dance, the space between them narrowing until there was nothing.

As their lips met in that tender kiss, a wave of intensity surged between them, igniting a fire that had been smoldering just beneath the surface. Baldwin's hands, which had been gently cradling Isabel's face, now slid down to her waist, pulling her closer with a hunger that mirrored the passion burning within him.