Ethereal

Prisoner

Astrid woke up to Oliver's face inches from hers. 'Hmph.. he's so cute.' she thought as she kissed him gently. He began to stir slightly from his slumber. 'Well, I'm usually up by now.." she said as she moved closer to Oliver, causing him to unconsciously wrap his arms tight around her. She smiled. ' I think I can stay like this a little while longer though..' She ran her fingers over cheek.

"A-Astrid.." he called out quietly. "I.. I'm so sorry.." he said as he pulled her close. Astrid her hand on his cheek become wet. 'Is he.. crying?' She looked at his face to see big tears roll down his cheek.

"Oliver.. Oliver, it's okay. I'm here."

"Astrid?" he said, opening his eyes.

"Yeah, it's me. Are you alright?"

"I.. I don't know.. I had a dream.. A bad one.." He began to sit up and put his back against the head of the bed. Astrid followed suit.

"What happened?"

"I.. You..  I mean.." he sighed and breathed heavily. "I had a dream that you got shot instead of me.. and you.. you didn't make it.." He hung his head low and out his hands on his face.

"Oliver.." Astrid looked at the crying man. "Hey, let's not just stay here and be sad. Let's go and find your parents." she said, desperately trying to find something to take his mind off of the dream.

"Astrid, I think it took me getting shot and falling asleep with you to remember that my parents aren't here. They left for some meeting.. I completely forgot.." He laughed at his own stupidity. She looked at him in disbelief. 'How do you forget something like that?' she wondered.

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"Actually, I need a favor.. Do you mind changing the bandages I'm wearing? I can feel them starting to dry and become rough.." he said, touching the bandage on his side.

"It's no problem at all." she said with a gentle smile. He moved himself to the edge of the bed and hunched over. She knew moving took a huge toll out of him. "So, I thought nobles healed faster." she said, attempting to make conversation. "Why aren't you healed already?" she said as she moved behind him.

"I don't know. Maybe because of how deep it was? Or maybe the arrow was coated in a certain sap we can't have? I honestly have no clue. All I know is that it hurts a lot and I need to keep the wounds clean." he said as he felt Astrid's arms wrap around his neck in a gentle hug from behind. "Astrid? What are you doing?"

"I-I don't know.. I just wanted to hug you and be close to you.."

"Oh no. Astrid, be careful. I think you're falling in love with me!" he said sarcastically, laughing with each word.

"S-Shut up!" she said as she poked the spot where the arrow pierced. He gasped in pain.

"Alright, alright. I probably shouldn't mess with the person within arm's length of my wounds." he said with a small chuckle. "Seriously though, please, never do that again."

"Alright. I won't do it again." she said as she began to unwrap the bandages slowly. "Does this hurt you?"

"Y-yeah.. A little, but I'll be okay. They have to be changed anyway, so there's nothing I can do about it." he said as he gripped the sheets around him tightly.

"Alright. If it hurts too much, tell me, okay?" He nodded in compliance. She continued to unwrap his wounds and he continued groaning from pain and discomfort. She looked at the wounds carefully. "Oliver.."

"Yeah?"

"Your wounds.. they haven't healed at all.." she said while gently touching the spot that the arrow had struck him.

"What do you mean? Like, not at all?" he said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"They haven't healed. At all. They look the same except a little less bloody.."

"Astrid.. I'm worried.. and scared.." he said, his voice shaking and his face buried in his hands.

"Oliver.." she jumped off the bed and walked over so she was in front of him. She grabbed his face and lifted it to be level with hers. "No matter what happens, I'll help you, okay?"

"..okay.." he said, sounding unconvinced.

"Oliver.." she said as she brought his face to hers. 'This will never not surprise me.' he thought to himself as he returned the kiss. He began to slowly lean back and pull her slowly onto him, not breaking the kiss. "Oliver.. Won't being like this hurt you? I mean, you being on your back and all." she said, blushing.

"Astrid, this is helping me more than harming me, I promise." he said as he kissed her again, this time holding her waist as she lied on top of him.

"Ser Oliver!" yelled a voice as the door of Oliver's room slung open. Oliver recognized him as the guard who helped him. "We cap-.... oh. Uh.." stuttered the guard who opened the door. He saw the prince with Astrid on top of him, and Oliver missing his shirt. "I am terribly sorry to interrupt!"

"N-no! It's fine!" he said, his cheeks dusted red. "She was just, uh, helping me with my bandaging!" he said as Astrid jumped off and hid under the blankets, trying to conceal her embarrassment.

The guard cleared his throat. "W-well, ser, when you are done and ready, I would like you to join me in the basement."

"Why?" asked Oliver, his brow raised.

"We caught one of the humans who attacked you."