The Way We Fall

Chapter 144 (Tigris)

The weeks passed like sand in an hourglass, slow and quick all at once. The king woke from his slumber but remained despondent and unresponsive. He didn't respond to Leinos' ministrations or Kai's gentle attempts to get the monarch to eat. He didn't respond when Aodh kneeled beside him for an hour, begging him to return.

He didn't even respond to Tigris. She'd spent days at his side, pleading with him, crying for him, even shouting at him. But nothing seemed to work. Every time, Kai waited on the other side of the king's door, ready to fold her up into a warm hug and murmur reassurances.

"He'll wake," Kai promised into Tigris' hair, "It'll just take time."

Tigris sank into his embrace, trying to fight the stinging in her eyes. The man was a godsend. Kai was everything she could have hoped for. He waited patiently each day for her to finish with her father and then would lead her out to the forest, or the market, or some other part of the castle for a small reprieve.

Roche was always there, ready to ply them both with sweets and food before slinking off into the shadows. Tigris had to hide her smile each time as Roche waggled her brows knowingly. The maid had taken to encouraging the relationship between Kai and her. It was kind of sweet, Tigris had to admit.

This morning, however, Roche's enthusiasm was incessant.

"Oh, Kai's eyes are going to fall out of his head when he sees this," Roche squealed, artfully weaving part of Tigris' hair into a crown around her head.

Tigris rolled her eyes. "Are we sure that's the optimal reaction? Because I'd really rather his eyes stay in their sockets, I don't want him looking like a zombie."

Roche snorted, tucking in a jeweled hairpin. "Well, then I suppose you looked like a zombie when he was wearing that suit you bought him the other day."

Tigris' cheeks warmed at Roche's knowing tone. "Oh, shut up, Roche!"

"You know," Roche continued, completely ignoring Tigris, "I've always wondered how much money your royal coffer actually has. Enough to buy your courting partner a suit, apparently, but not enough to simply buy all the arable land you need?"

"Not that you'd know anything about economics, Roche, but there are limits to the Faultless kingdom's wealth. Besides, I didn't use the royal treasury to buy Kai a suit. I used my own money."

"Your money?" Roche asked dubiously, her brows furrowing, "You get paid?"

Honestly, it was a miracle Roche had a brain in her head. "Did you really think that I'm not?"

Roche pouted instantly. "I don't get paid."

"Yes you do, you idiot!" Tigris replied, standing to smack the back of Roche's head playfully, "You wouldn't be allowed in my chambers otherwise."

Roche blinked owllishly. "But I never got my paycheck!"

"Well, the steward told me he gave it to you," Tigris felt a bit uneasy as she noted the genuine nature of Roche's confusion, "Have you actually not been getting paid?"

Roche frowned. "I haven't, I think I'd notice if I- ohh."

"What?" Tigris asked when Roche turned around, smacking her forehead.

"I remember now! I gave it away!"

"You gave away your paycheck?" Tigris repeated, disbelief coursing through her, "How did you give it all away?!"

Roche's cheeks pinkened. "Ah, well I gave half of it to my mother and another quarter of it to Verita. The steward just mails it out to both of them directly after I..."