Chapter 12: The Visit

After the execution trial was over, Mary led Emily back into guest room, so that she could rest some more.

On the way there, Mary told her dinner will be served to her directly. Even though Emily protested saying that that would be too much work and that she could just get it herself, the brunette was still keen on her decision. So, Emily had no choice but to comply.

She thanked the servants for bringing her dinner to her and she finished before she went back to bed.

After a few hours, she found herself feeling fully charged up. She sat up and looked around for a clock so she can check the time. Sadly, she could not find one.

She fell back into the soft bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. She shut her eyes, letting her mind wondered for a moment. Everything was happening so quickly. And it was too quickly for her to catch up. Her parents, this title, these supernatural abilities and this... DIMENSION!

How did she get into this mess?

"Is this all true?" This question echoed throughout her mind. She pinched herself to check if this was indeed reality.

"Ow. It is real." She said to herself softly while she gingerly rubbed her sore arm.

Just then, she thought of Beck, "I wonder if he's fine... He got injured because of me."

She rested her eyes for a few seconds before opening them. "It doesn't hurt to give him a visit, right? I mean, that's the least I can do."

She kicked the blanket off and planted her feet on the cold floor. She looked out at the window, where the moonlight shimmered, illuminating the night sky. She could see the healthy field outside. The grass almost had a dark blue shade to it, similar to the rest of the plants, nocturnal animals and other parts of the castle.

It was a calming yet beautiful sight.

She found herself in a daze, looking at view outside. Even though whatever happening to her was chaotic, the scene outside was still calming, it was as if it was there to balance out the insanity.

Realising that she could just sit there all night, enjoying the view, she pushed herself to stand up and head for the door. She swung the door opened to reveal an eerie and frightening hallway, contrary to the view that she just saw.

She shut the door and let out a nervous laugh.

"I've almost died today, I don't think I want to die tonight."

But then again, she felt bad not visiting the guy that saved her. Mustering up the courage, she opened the door once more and looked for someone to at least help her to his room.

Just then, a servant walked by. Thank goodness!

"Um... Excuse me. Do you know where Beck Oliver?" She asked in her sweetest voice.

"Prince Oliver? He lives in the left part of the castle, my lady." She replied quietly.

"Left part?" She questioned. "I'm sorry but where's that at?"

"Oh! Let me show you the way." She kindly offered.

"Is that okay with you?" She clarified with a sheepish smile.

"Of course, it's fine." She assured. Emily was glad that someone was willing to help. Whenever she ask for help in school, other than Hailey, most people just ignored her.

Oh well, couldn't blame them.

*****

Emily then thanked the servant for her help once more, when they reached the door of Beck's bedroom.

Emily knocked on the door.

There was no response.

She knocked the door again.

There was still no response.

She twisted the doorknob and swung open the door, which was unexpectedly unlocked. "Sorry." She mumbled to herself, feeling as if she invaded his personal space.

She took a quick glance around his room. There were a couple of filled bookshelves, a table, chairs and other basic furniture. He already had a large room and putting all these simple fixtures in his room just made it looked even bigger.

Looking further to the right, she spotted his bed.

A familiar looking figure was lying on the bed. His whit shirt was fully unbuttoned, revealing a bandage around the lower part of his torso. She tip toed towards his bed as silently as she could.

Her eyes darted from his feet first to his head, but it stop once she saw the bandage. She just felt overwhelming guilty when she saw that.

He got that from... Saving her.

Subconsciously, she let out a sad sigh. Knowing that she could not do anything, made her felt worse. As of now, it was probably best to leave him, so he could rest.

Just as she was about to leave, she noticed that his face showed some signs of discomfort. So, she decided to take closer look.

His cheeks were slightly red and there were beads of sweat dotted around his face.

"A fever, maybe?"

Emily attempted to reach out to touch his forehead. But before she could reach it, she withdrew her hand. "It's probably weird for me to touch a guy whom I just met twenty hours ago, right?"

She paced back and forth in his room. "It really looks like he have a fever, but should I check to make sure? But it's weird for me to do that. But, he did bite the bullet for me..."

She stopped and sighed once more. "...I guess I should just get a pail of ice water and a towel, I owe him one."

She leaned forward, stretched out her hand and slowly reached for his forehead.

After many hesitant moments, her hand was finally on his forehead. Her face stiffened up with anxiety and embarrassment. But, soon that expression of hers fleeted into concern when she realised that heat was radiating out of him. "He is burning up!"

Just then, his eyelids moved a little and before she knew it, he opened his eyes.

Time seemed to slow down as both of their eyes were locked on to one another for a good few seconds, or... Before Emily fell bottom first onto the ground.

Beck blinked for a few times, to make his vision clearer, before turning his head to look at her. "Princess?... Princess!" His eyes widened with realisation while he jolted up.

A sharp pain stabbed his middle, prompting him to grimace as he clenched onto his wound.

She stood up and went towards him, "Are you alright?! I'm sorry!" She apologised anxiously. "Please don't move around."

He took a couple of deep breaths before he replied with a weak smile, "...I'm fine, but why are you here? You shouldn't be here."

"I wanted to check on you. I mean, I'll feel bad if I don't do this, you're injured because of me..."

"Well, you don't have to feel bad, I did it on my own will. Besides, I'm working under you, so I need to do these things to protect you, the Princess." He said while rubbing the back of his neck, even though his wound protested.

"I didn't ask you do that and I don't want you to do that." She muttered.

"Even if you don't want me to, I'll still need to do it." He countered sternly, "If I didn't do it, someone else might actually done it."

Emily didn't know what to say, to her that was just sad. It's just like being born to live a life in the hands of others and not yours.

Beck noticed her silence, so he tried to venture out into another topic, "How's Yukiko? Was she really executed?" He hoped he played his cards right and not stirred up anymore tension.

"Oh, she's fine. Her punishment was decided by me." She paused for a moment before looking away as she uttered quickly, "...Which is to be friends with me."

She cringed at herself while she heard herself that.

Beck let out a laugh, "Somehow, I expected something like that from you."

Her face flushed a fresh shade of pink from embarrassment, "Well, I think you have a fever. I'll go get a pail of ice water and towel."

"You don't have to do that, I'll be fine tomorrow." He replied while touching his own heated forehead.

"That's the least I can do, I owe you one." She insisted with a small smile to shut him up.

With the help of the other servants, she managed to get what she wanted before she headed back into Beck's room.

When she went in, he already went back to sleep which she couldn't blame him, he probably needed much more rest than she needed. She laid the pail on the floor and wet the towel. She then twisted the towel to dry it and placed it on his forehead.

She did it for a couple more times before feeling bored. She went to his bookshelves and take a look at the books he had. She ran her fingers across the spines of the books, looking at the many unfamiliar titles. Most of them were non-fiction, she assumed.

However, there was one thick book that caught her eyes, 'History of Fiorentina.'

"I hope he doesn't mind."

She took it out of the bookshelf and started to read it while changing the towel on Beck's forehead from time to time. The more she read, the more tired she became and, unknowingly, she fell asleep once again.