i woke up alone in my bed and to hushed, familiar voices.

“are those the only instructions?” lacey murmured.

“the wounds aren’t as severe as i feared. whoever bandaged them last night did a fine job of it. she will recover without a problem.” this voice belonged to the physician.

i could hear the crackling of the fire, but i still felt cold. i hugged the sheets tighter around my shoulders and opened my eyes. “lacey?”

she turned to me immediately, eyes searching every inch of my face before settling on my own eyes. “your holiness,” she breathed, her shoulders lifting and falling with.

“i shall take my leave—your holiness.” the physician bowed deeply before hurrying out of the room, and i heard the doors thud shut behind him.

“how are you feeling, your holiness?” lacey asked, face severe.

“a bit cold,” i said. she nodded and turned to feed more wood to the fire.

“the physician suggested multiple days of rest in conjunction with replacing your wrappings twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed,” she said while stoking the flames. “he also gave me a recommended diet for the next week, consisting of warm stews and plenty of greens…”

i wondered when gabriel had moved me to the bed. when had he left? he had to, of course. it was far beyond his responsibilities, to keep guard the entire night—that was the reason for the night guard. but it had never been the night guard’s responsibility to sit by my side, murmuring into my hair each time i startled awake, tracing patterns and letters into my back to lull me back asleep until i woke from another fit, holding me just a little tighter to signal that he was still there, still tracing the same patterns.

“your holiness?” lacey was staring closely again.

“what did you say, lacey?” i asked, attempting a smile.

her shoulders relaxed. “i was wondering who helped wrap your bandages, your holiness. the physician said it looked like the work of someone skilled.” and though she hadn’t insinuated a thing, i felt the weight of her gaze on my skin.

“i… i had some help.”

“i see,” she said. and i could tell she was doing her best to vanish her curiosity, but i couldn’t tell her. what had happened should never have. but even though i knew that, even though i knew the risk of angering the clerics… i wanted him here, again, providing a warmth that not even the fire could offer.

“where is gabriel?” i asked her.

she pursed her lips. “a temporary guard reported he will be arriving later in the day.”

something fluttered in my chest and i hid a smile into the sheets.

“but the clerics have called for your presence, saintess.”

and the fluttering dropped, stone cold.

—

they dismissed me, faces hard and unmoving. my hands hung limply at my side as i was escorted out of the room.

a familiar gold flashed at the edge of my vision and i looked up from the cold marble floor to find gabriel waiting outside the doors.

there was so much i wanted to say to him, so much confusion that i needed to talk with him about—the woman, her message, if he knew what happened to her—

“gab—“

“i am to escort you back to your rooms, your holiness,” he said, bowing slightly before rising and staring past me into somewhere far away.

i felt the words die on my tongue, and something within me curled up into itself.

i nodded, and we walked in defeaning silence, only the sounds of our shoes on the marble between us.

***

n.b: ooh kinda long and slightly off-prompt