Shadow's Rose [Slow updates]

Chapter 13

Lucien's POV

It had been nearly three hours since I'd managed to chase the obnoxious vampire, Valtieri, from my fort and still Caia hadn't shown any signs of waking up. To say I was worried about her condition would've been a serious understatement. She was breathing, that much I could gauge, but whether she was actually alive I had no idea. Magical administrations were not my forte and, as such, I knew little to nothing about it except that too much was potentially dangerous. What if the idiot had put her into a magicka induced coma? The very idea made my blood boil in anger and I found myself hovering over the bed for the umpteenth time in the hour, making sure her chest was still rising and falling rhythmically. I was tempted beyond anything to ride to Cheydinhal and consult one of the guild mages, perhaps even pay one to check her over properly. Another possibility was to send for Vicente but I struck the idea off immediately; part of my insistence on him leaving was punishment for his tactlessness. He would suffer in his lack of knowledge at her condition.

'I doubt Caia will want to see him anyway,' I thought half-giddily, 'when she finds out what he's done.' It had occurred to me that I could have ordered him to reverse the spell but...and I knew it was awful of me...the vampire did have a point. Caia would not stay put without a reason to and what better reason than getting her magic back? It would keep her safe until the traitor was eventually caught.

"Think any harder, LaChance, and your nearly non-existent brain will cease to exist completely," the hoarse voice from the direction of the bed snapped me from my mental ministrations and I quickly turned my attention to her. Too quickly. Caia smirked, "Been worried, have you?"

"Employing another Silencer with the current state the Sanctuaries are in would be more than slightly inconvenient," I bit out, forcing a mask of indifference onto my face.

"That bad, huh?" she ignored my tone and propped herself up on her elbows so she could survey the fort, "Say, Vicente didn't bring me any clothing did he? I can't very well stay in my current...attire." The topic clearly embarrassed her because she clung to the blankets to hide her exposed form. I had half the mind to say she didn't have anything I'd never seen before but I bit my tongue, responding instead with:

"No, he did not think to bring you anything."

Caia visibly frowned and looked downward, "That's a problem because I'd like to change." She then threw me a pointed look that, under normal circumstances, I would have berated were she any other family member.

"You will simply have to borrow one of my robes," I stated plainly, ignoring the shock that passed over her features when I opened the cupboard and deposited the washed and neatly folded Black Hand robes on the bed before her. Yes, I was a male but personal hygiene and clean clothing were of utmost importance to me along with keeping my home and work area as tidy as possible.

"Won't they be too large?" she squeaked in return and I found I couldn't understand why Caia was so hesitant to wear the garments I'd presented her with. They were a change of clothing, were they not?

"They are robes. It doesn't really matter if they're a little loose or not," I managed to veil my confusion with slight annoyance, even adding on, "if you'd prefer to stay in your current clothing you're welcome to."

It took her a moment but she eventually replied, "Where can I bath?" Clinging to the robes as if they were a lifeline, she followed me into the depths of the fort to the makeshift bathing area I'd prided myself in building from scratch. Only when I'd left her did I realize that not once did she argue about her predicament, ask to go to the Sanctuary, enquire about Vicente's location or even bring up why she'd passed out again. It was beyond strange and, being naturally suspicious, I sauntered back to the 'bathroom' to investigate whether I'd been taken for a fool or if she was still a little foggy minded from her ordeal. I met her halfway there. "I can't warm the water," Caia stated, simply, "not without my magic."