To Love A Myth - Book 1: Mr. Higgs and the Maid🎩✔️

35

Edgar opened his eyes and looked around the room. His head finally felt clear and he blinked a little, confused as to where he was. He heard someone sigh and turned his head to see who it was. He found a mound of red hair beside him and he smiled, knowing exactly who it belonged to. He turned over slowly and snuggled against the almost animate hair and took in Merida's scent. He had been abandoned on the streets by his own mother, forgotten and left to starve. If Lord Clarvins hadn't been so adamant about a message boy, Edgar wouldn't have met Merida. She was the closest thing to what he saw through the windows of people's homes of what a mother was like. He knew she loved him and he loved her with all of his being. He wished he could call her what he'd always wanted to, but he didn't think she'd allow him. He snuggled more into her, worried about what would happen to him. He was still weak and tired, woozy and he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Mama..." he whimpered, feeling the dizziness overcome him again.

Merida's' head popped up suddenly, scaring Edgar. He pushed back from her and then began to cough uncontrollably from the heaviness in his chest. Merida grabbed hold of him immediately and held him to her, rocking back and forth with him.

"Ye'll be alright, laddy..." she said softly.

Edgar finally stopped coughing and just laid on her shoulder, taking in her warmth and her safety.

"Merida?" he said softly.

"Aye?"

"Can I call you Mama?"

Merida paused for a minute before continuing to rock him. "Why would ye want to do that? I'm far from a mother..."

"If I could have a mother, I'd want her to be just like you."

Merida frowned, touching her hand to his head. He was raging again but she could tell he was cognizant of his own question.

"An ye feel ye need to, I willnae stop ye. Just dinnae get offended an I dinnae answer ye right away."

She could feel him smile so brightly that his fever fluctuated.

"Thank you!"

"Ye get some rest, laddie. Looks like yer body is trying to fight this issue. I willnae leave ye, so ye best be getting better soon."

Edgar smiled again. "Alright, Mama."

Merida felt him get heavy with fatigue as it took over him and he went limp in her arms. She smiled a little in the crook of his neck, feeling a little overwhelmed but extremely happy that he viewed her as a mother.

"Ye dinnae worry, wee one, I willnae let ye leave from this world and leave from me. Ye fight with all ye've got."

She carefully laid back down in the bed, leaning over to grab a rag from the basin beside her.

********************************

"Can you see my hand?"

"It buwwy buh I cah 'ee it." Higgs said, frowning at his speech. (it's blurry but i can see it)

It had been four days since the revelation of Edgar and as she had promised, Merida stopped taking care of him. Jamie took over, and in that time Higgs' tongue had grown back enough to actually talk but it wasn't exactly the best of speech.

"It's blurry, huh? Well, you still have about a week or so of the month, so your eyesight should get better. If not, you'll have to wear glasses."

"I on't 'ant to 'ear ga'eh. It mates 'anging har'." (i don't want to wear glasses, it makes changing hard)