Bedded by the Headmaster

Ch39: Pain and Pride

Susie

Susie woke abruptly to a jolt of pain. There was a dull ache throbbing near her lower back. She tried to shift her position, but sharp pain radiated through her, causing agony to spread along her spine, down her legs to the tips of her toes.

She whimpered in pain, her body clammy. She needed to move. Her bladder felt full, and it was unbearable to lay still.

Carefully, Susie rolled sideways. She cried out as pain stabbed through her again, and she was forced to stop, half sitting near the edge of the large bed, arms shaking as they supported her.

Soft footsteps hurried towards her from across the dark room. The fire had burnt low, but her night vision allowed her to clearly make out Arken's features. He was wearing a mixed expression of concern she couldn't decipher, like he was afraid to come too close.

"Susanna," he said, reaching for her.

"Don't," she gasped as the memories of Henrikk's assault came rushing back vividly. His body crushing hers. Arken's silence as he watched. Her...her pain.

Things were broken. She was sure of it. Not just her heart, or in her mind, but there was something wrong with her physically.

Her eyes prickled but felt dry.

Arken reached for her again. "Let me help you," he said gently.

"Don't!" she cried, recoiling. She yelped as her shift in position caused pain to stab into her again.

Fuck.

It was like someone was driving a knife into her spine. If she hadn't been concentrating so hard on staying still, she would have screamed.

Arken watched with worry. "You shouldn't stand up. Your tail is injured, and I'm not yet certain of the extent of your injuries."

Susie's shoulders hunched as she gripped the bedding, her muscles tense and eyes squeezed shut as pain rolled through her, growing less and less with each passing second, until she was able to draw a breath of air.

Arken pressed his lips together. "It is not clear if you will be able to stand. Or walk. You should rest to give yourself the best chance of recovery."

His concern confused her, but she pushed aside her feelings. Her bladder was aching, and she desperately needed the bathroom.

She hesitated to say so, which was ridiculous after everything that had happened. Needing to relieve herself was a basic human need, and she really, really needed to go. But it was a small amount of modesty she would like to have retained.

Arken had watched Henrikk rape her. He'd watched, and...

Her bladder throbbed, and she bit down on her lip as the urge wiped her mind blank except for one pressing thought: find a bathroom.

She suspected she'd have difficulty walking anywhere without Arken's assistance.

"Is there a..." she nearly asked for a chamberpot. But this wasn't just a bedroom. The desk on the far side indicated it was some sort of study, too, one that Arken had been using when she woke.

"Is there a bathroom?" she asked instead, hating the note of urgency in her voice.

Comprehension dawned on Arken's face. "Of course. It's just in the other room. I..." He looked away, as if annoyed with himself. "I should have arranged for a nurse. I was meaning to, but I didn't want to leave you alone." He lifted his gaze, and there was a sense of authority there. "I will need to carry you there this time. But I promise to make alternate arrangements for later."