The Sword and The Rose. ((Kolath x Butterfly))

She was so dazed and seeing him only confused her all the more, "Nathan?" she questioned, twisting her face not taking the water as she eyes looked around the room, unable to recall how she got back her, but for some reason able to remember that he had not been at home. He was away, but to where was it again? She could not recall but it seemed important. Other things seemed important as well, but they were lost in the back of her mind somewhere. "What are you doing here?"
 
He held her softly. â??shhhh you were hurt while you were out riding so they called me back from my business.â? He gently held her bringing the cup back up to her lips. â??You need to drink Terra or you will not get better pleas for me will you try to drink and eat something?â? his voice was one of being despite that she do it because he couldnâ??t lose her he just couldnâ??t.
 
"Business..." she repeated as her eyes still wandered until they landed on his face. In her confused state, she mistook his look of fear for her as sadness for having to return from his business. At least in her head. And then she recalled what she thought his business to be and she shook her head, "You didn't have to come back Nathan. You don't have to stay. I understand your business is important to you." She recalled how she had gone out riding to clear her head. She thought over what he had told her, all of it. About the girl that he loved and about not taking a mistress. He was a good man, and only wanted to keep her happy. And if he had to do that by lying to her just to keep himself happy as well, so be it. It was at the end of the day just an arranged marriage even if she had started to tell herself it might be different. "Go. Others can take care of me." She still had not taken any of water as she struggled to give him a smile.
 
He looked into her eyes his hand brushing her flushed cheek. â??I donâ??t think they could since you arenâ??t even letting me take care of you.â? He smiled a little trying to get her mind to focus back on what was happening. â??Drink please, I have no place I would rather be then at you side caring for you when you need it. I need you to be well so that I can spend time with you and know that when I have to go away I will be leaving the land in good hands. This is where I want to be Terra so please drink.â?
 
She finally looked at him and nodded slightly, "I could use a drink. I'm finding myself to be rather thirsty really..." she took in a little bit of the water, enjoying how it cooled her down. Only from tasting the cool water did she realize how hot she felt. By the time she finished the water, her eyes were already closing, slipping away back into her slumber swiftly, "Why am I so tired?" she grumbled.
 
He smiled as she finished the water glad that she could get so much down. â??Shh its ok you are just healing we will get some more water and food into you later Terra just rest now.â? He held her against his body lightly stroking her hair and kissing it softly as he snuggled with her smiling wanting her to just fall back asleep and rest.
 
She shook her head weakly, "No.... there was.... something." She struggled to recall what it was. "It's important. Really....." she trailed off as she slipped away, back to an uneasy sleep, a look of concern on her face as she did.
 
He nuzzled her hair lightly as she passed out into sleep and just continued to hold her throughout the night changing the towel on her head for a cool one from time to time. He never left her side for very long and always had a maid take over for him when he had to use the chamber pot or change into something clean.
 
She did not wake again until the following afternoon, and it was not as peaceful an encounter as the last time had been. This time, she was groaning and her head tossing from side to side before she gasp and woke with a start, jostling her shoulder quite badly, making her reach for it and grasp it in pain, the pressure she but on it make it even worse, "Leave me alone!" she cried out, not even realizing where she was yet again.
 
As she was moving about so much he was trying to keep her from ripping her stitches out by lightly holding her down. As she got more violent about it he just wrapped his arms around her arms and chest holding her back against his chest nuzzling into her neck. â??Terra, listen to me. Terra you are safe its me your husband Nathan just calm down you will hurt yourself more.â? She was surprisingly strong for her size.
 
She struggled a little more, feeling trapped even as she realized it was Nathan that held her. She whimpered as if in fear and whispered out, "He shot me...." but before she could say anything more she was gasping for air, "I can't breathe...." she struggled to breathe.
 
He held her but not as tightly since she had calmed down a little. â??Shh Terra you can breathe you just have to calm down your body canâ??t handle the stress right now you need to calm down focus on taking deep normal breaths.â? He gently stroked her hair holding her close, â??In, and out slowly donâ??t panic I wonâ??t let anything happen to you.â?
 
She was starting to clam down in movement but when she stilled in her movements, she started to cry and moan, "I can't... I won't be." Shaking her head she sniffled, "He'll come back again." Swiftly, she turn over to face him and grabbed at his shirt, "Some one shoot me. He tried to kill me. He'll try again."
 
He held her close stroking her hair and kissing it softly â??Shhh I will be here to stop him my dear wife I will never allow anyone to hurt you ever again.â? Part of him knew that it would be hard to keep that promise but in the emotion of it there was no doubt he was going to be there. â??I care so much for you Terra I will never let him get close to you again.â?
 
She shivered, "I don't know who he was....." she admitted, still a little delirious, "I never saw him. He only spoke to me." Her eyes started fluttering closed as she struggled to say awake until it was to much and she passed out again.
 
â??Shhhh its ok Terra I will find him and stop him.â? Nathan whispered softly as she fell back asleep and he loosened his hold on her a little more. He sighed deeply then slipped out of the bed for a moment going out into the sitting room where Anya was always hanging about, â??Fetch the doctor he needs to make sure that she hasnâ??t torn her stitches.â?
 
The doctor soon arrived to check on her. He mended a small tear the thrashing had caused, "Has she woken long enough to take any of the food?" he asked as she checked her over for her temp and such.
 
Nathan shook his head slightly as he slipped back into the bed with her. â??No, she was too agitated this time to even try I just had to keep her from harming herself. I was able to get her to drink some water yesterday but that is all.â? Nathan kissed her hair softly growing more and more worried about Terra every moment.
 
The doctor shook his head, "The next time she wakes, you MUST get food in her. The infection is still threatening to flare again." He re-wrapped the shoulder and stressed once more, "She MUST take at least the broth or she won't last much longer..."

He didn't get that chance again until the middle of the night when she woke, looking about much like the first time. It was hard to see in the dark though. She glanced to her side, spotting Nathan and for a moment, her heard soared for she mistook him in the dark for the Fox. But as her eyes focused, she realized it was her husband and she asked once again, "What are you doing here?"
 
He smiled as she asked him the same question as last time. â??I am here taking care of my injured wife, which is where I want to be.â? He smiled and picked up the cup of broth and held it up to her lips. â??Drink this you need to get something inside of you more than water. You are fighting off a infection if you donâ??t get something into you it will be harder to recover.â?
 
She nodded slightly before taking the broth without a fight. This time she was a bit more aware at least and was ravenously hungry, even if it was only broth. Before long she had taken it all down and then rested against the pillow and sighed before opening her eyes to look at him, "How long have I been like this?"
 
He smiled as she took the broth and set the cup back down stroking her hair. â??Not counting the day the couldnâ??t find you in the woods this would be the second night you have been like this.â? He nuzzled her hair softly before reaching over and picking up a cup of water and plate with some bread on it. â??Do you want more my dear?â?
 
She shook her head, "I don't know if I can chew that." Looking up at the ceiling a moment before she looked to him, "I've been up a few times already? I just hardly recall it. At least I'm a bit more aware now." She then looked to him and smiled softly, "I'm fine now Nathan. If you want to go back, you can. I don't want you getting in trouble with her because of me. You've already spent so much time with me."
 
Nathan nodded and placed the bread back down but offered her the water. He gave her a weird look as she mentioned â??herâ??. â??What do you mean get in trouble with her? I have no idea who you are talking about Terra?â? his face was a mask of utter confusion.
 
She kept her smile, "Servants talk Nathan. I would find out sooner or later. You didn't have to lie. I told you from the start that you could be with that woman. You didn't have to lie. It's romantic really. Having a mistress you love so. She's lucky to have your love. I'm alright with it, that's what I decided when I went out riding. It's alright." She kept saying it was alright, but in her heart she still told herself it was not. "You'll loose her though if you keep spending so much time fussing over me when there are plenty of others here to do it for you. It's JUST a marriage Nathan."
 
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