Ambrose glared at the fire burning from the candle. He did not receive any sleep the entire night. He let his gaze drift over to the girl beside him, laying still as death. Her beautiful dark lashes graced her pale skin and her vibrant lips were at a loss of that luscious pink. Her dark wave of hair was hidden beneath a linen wrap and she wore only a thin chemise.
He had draped a thick, fur blanket over her as she began to shiver. As he did so, he brushed his knuckles against her cheek and drew in a ragged breath.
~*~
Keira pried her eyes open but hissed as the light glared painfully at her. Shutting her eyes, she noticed the piercing aches that shimmered all over her body. She then remembered what had happened to cause such distress and she quickly sat up; something she immediately regretted.
Her vision swirled and she strained herself to get it into focus. She gripped the bed sheets and waited for the dizziness to pass. As it subsided, she let her gaze examine her environment. She laid on a cotton bed in a rather large tent. A chest sat at the edge of the bed and a fur rug laid on the dirt floor. An armchair was placed next to her bed and papers were strewn across the nightstand beside it.
Keira could hear sounds of pounding feet and people talking just outside. She then achingly swung her legs over the bed and grabbed hold of the armchair to support herself as she stood. Her head spun as a wave of nausea swept over. Sighing, she waited for it to pass before she spotted a wooden staff in the corner of the tent. She staggered over to it, ready to walk out when she finally noticed her attire.
She let out a grunt as she noticed the silken chemise that she wore. She hardly thought it'd be appropriate if she were to go out in just a thin fabric. She limped over to the trunk and opened it, which took much effort on her part; the lid of the trunk was quite heavy. She then rummaged through the trunk and pulled out a silken dress. "What is up with all this silk?" She wondered to herself before slipping on the smooth fabric. It molded to her body perfectly and the ocean blue color matched her eyes. She pulled her hair back and tied it with a blue ribbon.
She touched the back of her head and felt for the wound. She was a bit relieved to find that it was stitched up and although it was swollen, it seemed to be healing very well. She slipped on a pair of soft moccasins and shuffled over to the tent entrance.
"Sis!" Sylvia slipped from her husband's embrace and ran over to Keira. She was about to throw her arms around her neck but thought better of it and stopped herself. "What are you doing out of bed? You're not strong enough to be out yet!"
Keira waved her worries off. "That is complete nonsense, Sylvia. I will not be confined to that tent." Keira straightened her spine and raised her chin. She will not be weak. She strode over to where Alexander sat, gaping at her. It pained her to make her movements as steady as possible but she would not appear to be weak. She refused to show that. "How long have I been out?" She asked conversationally.
Alexander took a few moments to answer as he was still awed at the woman before him. "You were out for almost two weeks."
"Two?" Keira frowned at that notion. "Has anything happened since my," she paused to find a suitable word, "absence?"
"None," Alexander shook his head.
Sylvia came up behind her sister and, giving her husband a pleading dismissal through her eyes, she held Keira's arm. "Sis? Can we sit down for a minute?"
Alexander, understanding his wife's plea, took leave of them.
Keira took a seat on a wooden bench that faced the fire that gave warmth as the chill night air settled into the camp. "What is it, Sylvia?"
