Rapunzel

14

Elise sat at her husband's side, cradling Isadora in one arm and holding one of Henry's hands in hers. A week had passed and he was still laying prone on the bed. His mate couldn't help but fear that it was a lost cause. Despite that, she still talked to him and kept their daughter by her at all times so that he would hear her voice as well as the cries of the babe. 

Color had drained from him two days prior to the present time. His skin had seemed to have shrunken in on itself and turned somewhat translucent. He had appeared dead and gave Elise quite a fright. She woke up to see him in such a state, which broke her heart, screams tumbling from her lips.

Rapunzel had been the first one in the room. Her narrowed green eyes had scanned the Duke's body. She glided over to the Duchess, pulling her to her feet. With a soft smile, Rapunzel had guided Elise's hand to his neck, letting her feel the pulse that raged in him still. 

"Why does he look like this if he is healthy?" Elise had asked, her eyes welled with tears.

"One spirit has killed off the other. Whether it be the wolf or human is yet to be determined, but he should be waking soon," Rapunzel had replied.

Now, two days later, Elise was hovering over her mate's body, close enough to give support, but far enough that she will not be in danger should his human side be the winner. She knew that if that was the case, she'd have to run far away from him with Isadora. 

The color had returned to his skin, bringing back the appearance of life. His body had changed while he was immobile. He was taller now, indicated by the shortness of his pant legs and sleeves. The muscles had tightened, giving him a more dominating presence as well as making him leaner in body type. Elise had taken the changes as proof that the wolf had survived.

She was in the middle of reading to his prone form, when his eyes opened. He rotated his head, staring at his mate with complete adoration. His black eyes drifted down to their daughter who met his gaze with bright blue eyes and a smile. She gurgled, hands reaching out for him which caught Elise's attention.

"What is it, Snow?" Elise cooed at the little girl. 

The King's nickname for her had caught on. Even the babe seemed to like the name, laughing whenever it was said. Now was no different, as her mother asked her. The child squealed with laughter, drawing a deep chuckle from her father. 

Elise snapped her head up to see Henry leaning on his elbow, peering at the two important women in his life. "You're awake!"

The Duke caught his mate as she launched herself into his embrace, both careful of Isadora in her arms. "You missed me."

It wasn't a question, but rather a statement. She could hear the proud tone to his words and laughed. "Of course! My darling beast, I will always miss you when I don't have your arms to sleep in."

The beast spirit had defeated the human, leaving Henry's body as the vessel to only his spirit. Elise was clutched close to his chest and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Rapunzel entered the room then and gasped upon seeing Henry awake.

She smiled, coming further into the room. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Henry laughed. "Thank you m'dear. I am glad to have made it back to my family in one piece."

"Do you mind me checking you over to make sure that your new growth hasn't caused any problems?"

When both Elise and Henry nodded, Rapunzel made her way over to the bed and stood beside it. She leaned down and pressed a few fingers against his forehead, closing her eyes. Her power washed over the Duke and he shuddered under her fingers. Through her power, she scanned him from head to toe and noticed that nothing was wrong besides the fact that he was underfed, but that was expected after a week in a comatose state.