Regal [h.s au]

52. Angel

AMELIA

Two days pass by without Harry and I exchanging a single word. We don't necessarily avoid each other, there is just simply nothing to say anymore. I do catch his glance from time to time as we pass by each other or are in the middle of something. He mostly spends his time with his father while I spend time with my family, wanting to make up for the time we lost when I was travelling with Harry.

"It'll be like a whirlwind," Harry says with confidence, his index finger circling above the large map sprawled on the round table in front of him. "We shall surround them from all sides and block all the exits."

Murmurs of approval spread around us as we all stand grouped around the table, the best generals and soldiers we could find joining us on yet another war meeting. I've been staying away from them for quite some time, but I now want to get a slight idea of what is Harry planning to do. I daresay most of his ideas are fantastic, but some are very bold and reckless and they show he keeps forgetting everyone needs him to actually survive the battle in order to sit on his throne.

"Gathering most of his army at one place is going to be tricky," I chime in, Harry's attention shifting at me. "The strategy is good, but maybe we should divide our army into more groups and each of them takes care of one part of Edgar's army."

"That could work," Joe says and points a finger at me, sending me a supportive smile. "Less risky, more organised."

"You can stop glaring at Miss Cortez now, general, she is obviously here for a reason. If you have some problem with that, do hold your tongue because neither of us is interested in hearing what you have to say," the king reprimands one of the generals eyeing me sceptically, his blue eyes challenging him to try and defy him.

If I had a coin for every time a man looked at me like that general did because I am a woman meddling in their "manly" business, I would be able to drown each of them in the pile. When he clears his throat uncomfortably, I pull my lips into my mouth to hide a smile. I catch an identical expression on Harry's face, his dimples popping out on his cheeks.

Silas suddenly enters the room with a distraught expression on his face, his dark eyes widening and cheeks becoming crimson when he realises how many people are in the room. "Oh, hello... excuse me, you can continue with your war talk, I'll just..." he grins nervously and points at me, rushing towards me as quickly and silently as he can. 

"Amelia, Lilly is sick. She keeps asking for you," he tells me quietly, my amused smile instantly fading from my face.

"Excuse me, I must leave immediately," I mumble as I glance at Harry and his father, my feet hurriedly carrying me out of the room. 

With Silas on my tail, I reach Lilly's chambers, finding her lying on her bed. I walk up to her and clasp her unusually pale face between my hands, her cheeks heated underneath my palms. "Lilly?" I say softly, watching as her eyebrows furrow a little and her eyelids slowly peel open.

"Amie, you came," she mutters groggily, managing a small tired smile.

"Of course," I reply, not liking how weak she looks. "Silas, can you help her?"

"I can try," Silas says as he approaches us, taking a bowl resting on the nightstand aside in his hand. "Here, sweet cheeks, try to take some more of the medicine I prepared." He helps her take a few spoonfuls of the brown unappealing paste, her face scrunching up in disgust upon tasting it.

"Do you think this is contagious? If it is then get my daughter away from here and you two should leave as well."

"I don't believe it is, more people would be experiencing the symptoms by now," Silas replies. "I'll go and search for more solutions in my books and you get some rest." He smiles at her and scurries out of the room.