The Queen || ✔

Chapter 43: Recovering Queen

Blade

Seeing Claudia at my house was better than seeing her where she was now. In a hospital bed, lying on the boundary between life and death. All the tubes, syringes, machines, multiple doctors' checks and Dr. Indurjeeth continuously telling me that she would be fine wasn't helping with my health either.

She wasn't in her usual expensive and designer clothing anymore, she was in a blue hospital outfit which illuminated her already pale skin, making her look like her dark chocolate skin was losing its shade.

Sarah was back at home, after a lot of persuasion, she finally agreed to go back home and freshen up. Claudia's sisters were in the hospital's canteen with Athena, Lizzy and Mary. Everyone else stayed behind.

I couldn't even hold her hand anymore, she felt cold. I didn't want to hurt her already fragile state. I took this moment to really look at Claudia.

She truly was a striking woman, with a symmetrical face, long dark eyelashes, thick beautifully shaped lips, cheekbones like her mother's, and she had most of her mother's features. She had grown her dark hair all the way to her waist, but I was sure that she would cut it.

"Claudia..." I called out to her in a very strained voice, "... I know it's the dumbest thing ever to talk to a person who can't even hear you but I'm desperate."

I sighed, using up the last of my hope to get her up. She had been in this hospital for only four nights, but it already felt like a decade. I missed Claudia, though she wasn't much of a warm and welcoming person, she had a heart still, and I was one of the few people who knew that.

"I spoke to Hera again last night. She didn't say anything to me, she just kept breathing heavily. I'm not sure if she was drugged or not but she definitely couldn't speak. When she tried to, her words would slur out and sound like groans. One thing's for sure Claudia, Charles is hurting her. And I'm scared. For her, for you, for your family, for my daughter, for my brother, for my sister-in-law, for myself and most importantly, for Charles. I know that you're not dying, I know that you're only regrouping. You're recovering because once you wake up, Charles will shit himself senselessly. You won't destroy him... oh no... you'll take your time with him. As you should. Charles calls everyday, asking if you're conscious yet. I tell him what he needs to hear, that you won't die. Everyday I have to deal with his rotten ass and Claudia, I've had enough. You need to get up and fix this, there's no-one else who can do this other than you."

I finally mustered up the courage to touch her hand and once I did, the cold sensation froze my own warm hand. Even when unconscious, she was capable of influencing how I felt.

"In the meantime, I'll get everything ready for you. Whatever you'll need, it'll be ready. Guns, daggers, men, assassins, bombs, transport, safe houses, passports, pistols, maybe even a bazooka for fun." I chuckled. "Everything. You get back up, you're not dying, I know it. And I know that you can hear me too, you probably want to punch me for blaming you for all of this. I'm not wrong, but there's nothing we can do about. A challenge, Queen Bitch, once you get up, we can fight. You'll get to punch me for as long as you want. Just as we used to when I was assigned to train you. I honestly feel like I'll still win, I mean really, look at yourself."

"Is that how you two used to bond with each other because if so... it's a very unique way of doing things." A voice came from behind me. It was Dr. Indurjeeth.

Still in her white coat, she had her thick black hair in a huge bun on her head and her face was cleaned of all of its make-up. I noticed two beauty spots, one above her top lip and the other on her right cheek. She had large light brown eyes and a round face with petite lips and a long nose. She was definitely outstanding.

"It's combat. It's actually really fun." I told her in an emotionless tone.

"Pain is fun? That's a first for me, and I'm a doctor." She joked, but I couldn't laugh.

"Well then you should understand that since Claudia is used to pain, the state that she's in is only her regrouping." I stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"I can't be too sure about that. She's not responding to anything we give her, she's not showing any developments. She's just lying there, and honestly, no-one knows why."

"I do." I said blankly, rubbing small circles on Claudia's palm.

"Oh? Do tell." The doctor took a few steps forward, but still kept a distance from me and Claudia.

"She's building up her strength."

"Excuse me?" She sounded confused, and she must have been thinking that I was insane to have said that. That didn't falter me, I knew what I was talking about.

"She's building up. Readying herself for war. She'll get back up, she always does. This woman isn't your average 'Plain Jane', she's Queen Claudia King."

"You sound like you have a lot of belief."

"I don't have to believe something I already know, Dr. Indurjeeth, that's just pure denial. And I'm not in denial, I know exactly what I'm talking about."

The doctor sighed, heaving her chest up and down, and I couldn't help but realise that she had a big bust. In a situation like this, I didn't feel good about my perverted thoughts, I actually felt ashamed.

I walked out of the hospital room so that I could give the doctor some space to work on Claudia, and I went to the canteen.

I explained to the ladies that I was leaving to freshen up and I left soon after. I arrived at the house after twenty minutes and once I opened the door, I was welcomed by the most horrifyingly unexpected sight of my entire life.

My blood boiled on sight, my fists clenched and my jaw locked tightly. The inner King in me kicked in once the two people in front of me realised my presence in their midst.

"Blade..."

"... you're asking to be decapitated, aren't you?" I gritted out, then charged without hesitation.