Hade's Rose

Chapter 20: Feral Cuddle

Quite a few days went by, with me lying in the very bed I used to clean and change the sheets of.

In amongst my recovery, my mate lurked forever in the background: a close presence at night, whilst I was either half or fully asleep; popping in throughout the day to check and discuss with my medical team on my progress; sitting on his made-up bed reading and working on various bits of paperwork. Eventually, I worked out that my mate was ensuring he never left me for any longer than three to four hours at a time. Yet, the whole while we maintained an agonising silence, broken only by stilted attempts on either side's part to ask how the other was. Fortunately, these were far and few between as I was rarely left on my own, a medical orderly or an unknown cleaner was constantly coming in and out. There were a variety of nurses and doctors assigned to my care, not just the ones who were there upon my waking. Constantly I was checked, weighed, and encouraged to do small bits of physio.

On my fifth day after waking from my coma, a mischievous face surprised me at my, or rather his, door. It was a rare moment to myself, no one had fussed over me for at least half an hour.

"Henry!" I exclaimed, surprised both to see him and also surprised by the genuine joy I felt at his arrival. A small part of me was hurt that no one I knew, especially Edna, had of yet come to see me. Although, perhaps they hadn't been allowed? Or, still worse, they felt they couldn't.

"Always the invalid I see," Henry smiled, coming into the room and standing at a distance from me. I was propped up on pillows in bed and reading some kind of inane thriller the last nurse had brought in for me.

"Shouldn't you be tidying this room? Not messing it up," Henry cheekily continued, eyeing the few hankies littered around me as I was still a bit sniffly at times.

"Shouldn't you be on guard duty?" I replied, but not hiding my delight in having a visitor.

"A small break can't hurt... although you never know with you," Henry eyed the window meaningfully and I had the good grace to blush.

"I think my window climbing days are over," I admitted out loud.

Henry snorted, "I'm surprised you had any to begin with."

"Hey! I'm not that disabled!" I exclaimed, rather disgruntled.

Henry's brow furrowed with confusion then cleared, "No, I meant you needn't have left at all."

The atmosphere shifted and became more tense, as I glanced down at my bedding in shame. But, I forced myself to look back up. Henry, humongous and warrior built, stood leaning back against a chest of drawers with his arms crossed over his chest. His face, instead of his usual smile, wore a serious and vulnerable looking frown; his eyes searched me beseechingly for answers I knew I couldn't give right now. He was hurt and I'd allowed that to happen.

I sighed, unsure of what I was feeling. Quietly, but not breaking eye-contact, "I'm sorry Henry. I haven't even explained myself to... him yet. But, I never meant to hurt anyone."

All I could do was repeat the bland apology I made to my mate. In good consciousness, I knew I couldn't tell him any more until the King and I had had it out.

Henry looked at me, reading my face for something, but eventually he nodded. Then, the moment of tension was over. We chatted about safe topics for a little while, about guard duty and how it was being stuck in bed all day. He brought his hand up to the back of his head and ruffled his hair; his skin was slightly flushed as if embarrassed.

"You know... I actually thought you were going to be my mate for a moment there."

"Yours?"

Henry looked quite uncomfortable now, a funny expression on such a large warrior. "Well... it made sense. You seemed healthier when you were up here."