Heaven Can't Wait ۞ Baldwin IV

VI - More

Valentia stood before the odd sleeping form of her uncle, debating on whether to wake him up or not.

He was splayed over a dark cushion and still with most of his gear on, but unbothered by it. Judging by the relaxed features, jaw hanging down slightly to the side, it obviously did not prevent him from sleeping like a baby. His helm stood on the floor next to him, keeping watch over the secluded area underneath a stairway. It was as if he'd found this spot to sit down for a while and simply passed out on it.

When Baudouin took off earlier and Lluna had been left to think of how to mend the situation, she had no idea whether Fernando would have remained in the palace since yesterday or left for his monastery. Fortunately, the echoes of his snores did not have her wondering and wandering for long.

"Buena amanyana, tio," she finally chimed, having changed her mindset from Arabic and French to Castilian romançe.

He awoke with a gasp. When he sat up and made his feet touch the floor, he accidentally kicked the helm, causing a deafening clang to which both covered their ears.

"Good morning to you too." Fernando looked positively befuddled, like he did not remember where he was and why, in addition to his brow being strained by a dash of guilt, as if he'd forgotten something important. However, he took too cunning a notice of her expression just as much as she did of his. "Why the long face?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you something..." A nod of his head told her to go on. "You said you cared for lepers... would you share with me any wisdom on the matter?"

The question woke him up at once.

"Yes. Yes, of course." Fernando did not need to think twice about it. His niece was no longer the little child he once knew... She was all grown up and getting married, and, naturally, it was troubling her. That she thought of counting on him, trusting on his ability to help her after all this time apart, brought immense gladness to his heart. But to simply sit there and answer a barrage of questions was not his style. "And I can do better than that; if you would be willing, what do you think of a visit to the Lazarium?"

It was not the most appealing proposition, he knew as much, but Fernando judged that Valentia's unrest could only be soothed with direct education. He thought of his own enlightenment when he first joined the Order of Saint Lazarus and stepped foot in the hospital for the first time. If a cumberworld like him could have found it, then certainly someone like his niece would too.

⚜️

Raymond had caught up with the King and followed him to the physician. The Count had in fact observed the whole exchange and subsequent blunder through a thin gap that nearby doors provided.

Desensitized by the numerous times in which he'd seen Baudouin's skin, he found it easy to contain his grimaces to himself when the wet dressings were removed.

"Pray tell, why did you not explain to her the reason for your reaction, or lack thereof?"

The King sat rigidly on a rigid chair. Raymond would often mistake him for a statue of stone whenever he passed by him. That hand of his truly seemed close to turning into stone. There was little mobility that could be appreciated from any of its fingers.

"She already sees me as the rest do; freakish, ghoulish."

And why wouldn't she? The reason was right there before his eyes. And in his mind, an explanation would only make it worse.

This disease thinks of me as a corpse and eats my flesh while I am still very much alive.

That would definitely go over well.