Mr. & Mrs Meropide

Chapter Twenty-Six: Awakening

Two more weeks had passed when Sigewinne gently exchanged some of the Duke's bandages. As she worked, she noticed a flutter of movement beneath his eyelids. Slowly, Wriothesley's eyes opened, the dim light of the infirmary coming into focus. Sigewinne's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly unhooked him from some of the monitoring equipment.

"You're awake," she whispered, relief flooding her voice as she gave him a gentle hug, careful of his injuries.

Just then, Maria, Vire, and his daughter entered the infirmary with their food trays, as they had been doing every day to keep Sigewinne company. The little girl, spotting Wriothesley's open eyes, ran over excitedly and, with a giggle, placed a heart-shaped sticker on his forehead.

Wriothesley smiled weakly, a wave of relief washing over him as he recognized the child who had clung to him so bravely. For a moment, everything felt lighter, the burden of the past few weeks easing just a little as he took in the familiar faces around him.

Sigewinne conducted a series of cognitive tests, ensuring that the Duke hadn't suffered any memory loss and that his senses were intact. His eyesight and hearing were as sharp as ever, though he felt weak and dizzy. He noticed some new scars, but they were just added to the collection he had already accumulated over the years.

As he rested, Wriothesley spent a lot of time listening to the small group around him, eager to hear about everything that had transpired during his recovery. They filled him in on Clorinde's mission, the incriminating evidence against Madeline—who was now sitting in an isolation cell—and the various people who had visited to check in on him. They also shared lighter stories, talking about the small, amusing events that had happened while he was unconscious.

Wriothesley attempted to move his arms, surprised to find that he hadn't lost as much muscle as he had expected.

"That's because I made sure to train your muscles a few times a day while you were sleeping," Vire said with a grin. "Sigewinne showed me how."

"Wait, I did that too," Maria added, surprised.

"So did I," admitted the little Melusine with a shy smile.

"Um, I might have done it as well," the captain of the guards scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Well, that sure explains it," Wriothesley laughed. "If you'd be so kind, could you inform whoever needs to know that I'm awake again?" he asked, directing his request to the captain of the guards.

"Of course, Your Grace," the captain replied, hurrying out of the infirmary to spread the word.

"How long have I been out?" the Duke asked, a hint of unease creeping into his voice.

The group exchanged nervous glances, hesitating to tell Wriothesley just how long he had been unconscious. Finally, Maria cleared her throat and said, "Well... it's been about six weeks."

"Seriously, that long?" Wriothesley said, leaning back slowly, a mix of surprise and disbelief washing over him.

"Careful, Wriothesley," Sigewinne cautioned, her voice full of concern.

"I'm alright, really. I'm actually feeling pretty okay," he reassured them. "I'm sure I'll be up and about in no time."

And, true to his word, his recovery was swift. Sigewinne prepared special meals for him, though the taste was far from pleasant. More than once, he begged Vire and Maria to fetch some tea from his office to help wash down the awful flavor. Maria happily obliged, and they all enjoyed a nice cup of tea together.