Sixty-Seven

(Cross's point of view)

In the middle of the night I heard whimpering and bolted out of my bed and into Rose's room. Every time I heard even the slightest sound I would go to her room. Tonight I wasn't hearing things.

She was curled up into a ball, her long, long black hair spiraling around her, and she was whimpering and trembling in her sleep. I got closer to her and from the moonlight I saw her face, and I noticed the dark circles under her eyes. Tears dripped down from her closed eyes and she looked so upset and terrified at the same time it pulled at my heart. Before I knew it I had climbed on the bed too, and had wrapped her carefully in my arms. She quieted after awhile, but I held her close to my chest even still. She never cried, or acted the least bit vulnerable around me, or anyone if she could avoid it. She had always acted above her age, but right now she looked so weak and small. She looked as if she were three, not five and a half, she was too small. I don't know when I fell asleep, but I never let her go.

***

In the late afternoon I sat in a chair and held her sleeping body in my arms. I was overlooking the garden when the King came in. He was surprised to see me holding her, and immediately started whispering questions.

"Why are you holding her? Why's she still asleep? Why are you in your pajamas?" He hissed and I replied softly as to not wake Rose.

"She had a nightmare last night, and she just hasn't woken up since. I think she's been having them frequently, she has such dark circles under her eyes..." The King came closer and crouched down to get a better view of her face. He made a pained expression before moving the take her from my arms. I didn't want to hand her over, however I couldn't disobey him, so I quietly handed her over and went to go change while he held her. When I came back she still hadn't awoken, and by this point the King was shaking her unresponsive form attempting to get her to wake up. She wasn't waking up however and this lead to the King becoming more and more panicked and then we finally started to rush her to the magic infirmary. I wish I could be in there, but the old hag in charge wouldn't let either of us in. I'm worried.