The Fox, Red

039 - Facing The Aftermath

Madam Odette's bed is made out of some soft material with the softest sheets you could ever imagine. It sucks you in and holds you there while you're drifting around dreamland. After spending who knows how long in it dozing, drifting, and blacking out; I am not tired. Just laying in bed isn't being productive, yet I know the moment I stand up Madam Odette will have at my throat for not taking it easy as I should be. Even though I can't sleep, that doesn't mean I can't be at my level of comfort.

A pillow backrest is the best option for this. She has enough of them on the bed I can almost encapsulate myself in them. With nothing else at my disposal, I reach for Madam Odette's book on the nightstand. I skim over the back quickly getting a feel for it. Seems like it's an older romance slash adventure book that's part of a series. "Romance the Ruby huh? Part of a gem set I would guess." There are a few others alright; Embrace the Emerald, Sultry with Sapphire. How do people come up with these names? I'll bet they all follow the same premise too. A hunk of an adventurer travels to parts unknown that no one dares to go to in search of a mythical treasure no one for sure knows exists.

With nothing better to do I crack the pages and start digging into the only entertainment I have. For the past half year, I have been nose-deep in just textbooks, educational materials, theories, and college-level thesis papers. It's nice to have something between my paws that's a step away from it all. A fictional place with fictional characters in an area of the world I have never seen before. It's not my personal preference when it comes to books but I'll take what I can get.

The hours melt away as I go from page to page drinking in the black letters on white pages. Before long I don't even notice myself turning the page. My mind wanders into the story playing it out scene by scene as the pages roll one by one. My mind is brought back when I hear the individual move into the chair beside the bed. Looking over it looks like she's finally going to be up. I take a mental note of my page number not expecting myself to come back to it before I sneak it back on the nightstand. I sit up against the rest made with the pillows watching as she wakes up. I double-check the room to make sure we are alone. With a quick ping, I check around. There is someone outside the door but they seem focused on what's going on outside. The ping may have been a bad idea. I can feel my muscles tense as the magic is released.

Her head comes up as her eyes start to open. Everything must still be foggy to her as she hasn't said anything yet. She blinks as she shifts getting herself up and more proper. "Good morning, sleepy head." She mumbles back at me as she tries to sit up again. I watch as her eyes quickly wake up. As I guessed she would, she lunges from the chair to the bed almost landing on me as she tries to get close. "Oh my god! Red! Are you OK?!" Her paws go all over my face looking at every inch with concern. I have to lightly nudge her back to get some space, "I'm OK. I'm OK. You can relax."

She cups her paws around her muzzle as her face just expresses horror. "You've been unresponsive for almost five days!" Five days... It sure feels like it. Summoning that storm knocked me off my feet for a while too but this is a whole different scenario. "Well, I assure you that I'm feeling much better. I need to be filled in on what's happened but I think for now I can wait."

I just get a nod from her as she tries to hold herself back for the moment. She's still very antsy. The want in her eyes is almost killing me as much as it is her. "Madam Odette, are you going to be OK?" She only nods with some semblance of a noise. I reach out moving her paws off her muzzle, "You can relax now. I'm going to be fine."

She takes a deep breath finally looking a bit more relaxed. She's still not 100% composed. It's not often she's like this but it's a good reminder that she is mortal. She stands trying to impose her powerful self, "I'll call for the doctor to come to look at you again and make sure that you are doing well." There's no fighting her on this one. I put my paws up in surrender.