The Last

Without moving she could sense he was gone, and she was alone. Her head was pounding and her ears were ringing. Gods above she was starving. Her golden eyes slowly blinked open and immediately shut once more, the white light burning her eyes. She had to figure out where Caldwin had gone. She forced her eyes open and sat up in the same motion. Her eyes burned and her vision swam. Dizziness caused her to sway, and she planted a hand down firmly on the bed beside her she groaned softly as she looked around. They must’ve moved her to a different bed, but the infirmary was empty. Panic began to rise in her chest, as she threw the sheets off her legs. She nearly moved to stand when she saw her legs, so pale and frail-looking. How long had she been asleep? A doctor rounded the corner and quickly hurried towards her, but Amira had made it to her feet before he reached her side. Her legs shook violently protesting the weight they now bore, she stumbled forwards right into the doctor’s arms.

“Princess you mustn’t rise,” he scolded her and attempted to get her back to bed but Amira refused as much as her swaying disoriented self could.

“No… no, I need to see him. Where is he?” She gasped voice gravely from misuse.

“Please lay down,” the man begged, ignoring her words. Amira snapped, she shoved off of him and staggered towards the door, this time catching herself on a nearby empty bed. The doctor called for help, but Amira could barely understand a word he said as the world shifted and tilted around her. As he approached a second time she spun towards him, fangs exposed snarling viciously eyes violet and reptilian. The man retreated, hands held high in surrender. Amira continued on her way, from bed to bed making her way towards the door, staggering from left to right, unable to maintain a straight path. Just as she neared the door it opened, and in strode her mate, wide-eyed and as panicked looking as she felt.

“Cal,” his name left her lips and her knees gave way. He caught her swiftly before her head hit the marble. He kneeled there with her on the floor and pulled her in tightly to his chest. He released a relieved shudder of a breath and Amira looked up to his eyes, her own fading to gold. “Where did you go?” She asked, half lucid. “You are hurt.” She reached up a pale hand to place over his heart, the area in which she had burned.

“I was hurt,” Caldwin said in a soothing tone, gently running his hand over her hair. “It has been quite some time Princess, I have healed, and you…” His voice caught in his throat and he cleared it before pulling her into more of an upright seated position, “you need to eat, Amira,” he told her hand cupping her face gently.

“Where is Rue? Where is Rollo?” Amira asked gaze wandering from Caldwins as she looked around at the others who had followed the Prince, but none were familiar to her.

“They’re on their way,” he reassured her. He was lying. Amira looked at him, eyes narrowing in disbelief. Why was he lying? “Please,” that word, “eat, Amira, for me.” Was he begging? She had never thought to see the mighty Prince beg, but here he was, extending a sandwich to her expression near desperate. She took it from him and sniffed it, nose immediately scrunching up in disgust. She was starving, but this was not what she wanted. It made her stomach roll and rebel, even in its empty state threatening to throw up. Her eyes burned violet as she looked at her mate once more.

“I can’t eat that,” she said softly and his expression fell.

“Miss,” Amira looked up, eyes finally finding a familiar face, Josie. She smiled however weakly to the girl as she addressed Caldwin offering him a deep curtsy, “your Majesty if I may,” she spoke up, but her voice shook slightly in fear and awe. She swallowed nervously before continuing as Amira rested her head on Caldwins shoulder, closing her eyes for only a moment. Caldwins entire attention was fixed on Amira, but he nodded slightly to the young woman to signal that he was in fact listening. “My lady’s favorite has always been her meat, perhaps it is not the woman you must feed, but…. Well, her other half.”

Caldwin’s eyes snapped up to the servant girl and to her credit she did not shy from his onyx gaze.

“You’re right,” he breathed, eyes widening with realization, “quickly, go with the others and fetch some, you know what to choose,” he instructed, trusting her to bring exactly what his mate needed. The young woman didn’t bother with an additional curtsy as she hurried out of the room with the other women following her to assist. The Prince turned his attention back to his Princess in his arms. Finding her falling asleep he shook her slightly and Amira groaned softly in protest. “You must stay awake Amira,” He told her.

“Ugh,” the huff of annoyance was enough to make the Prince chuckle, causing Amira to peek open one annoyed eye to glare at him.

“You know you are quite cute when you are cross with me,” Caldwin spoke with a soft smile on his face causing Amira’s frown to deepen and her annoyance to grow. Which only led to a broader smile on his part.

“I’m not cute.”

“You very much are, and this is not something we will debate.” The Prince said with a sense of finality that Amira did not argue with him. That or she truly was too exhausted to fight it. Regardless, he had to keep her talking, had to keep her awake in order to get some food into her. “What shall you like for our date?” He asked, gaining the interest of the Princess once more.

“Can we not discuss this some other time?” Amira protested, burying her head deeper into his chest to try and escape this line of questioning.

“I should think not. If I am to plan something worthy of saving my life for I must start now. I can only imagine what you have in mind.” Caldwin insisted, he truly did want to know what she had in mind, her specifications had been so general, he had no idea where to start. The past week, in between everything he had been doing to get the state of affairs in the castle organized and his mother’s funeral arranged he had been thinking of the date he had promised her. Yet he didn’t have the slightest clue on what to do. Amira reluctantly turned her head and opened her mouth to answer, but Josie rushed back in a platter full of all kinds of meats, some cooked and some raw.

As soon as the smell of blood met her nostrils, Amira lunged forwards ripping free of Caldwins arms, her eyes violet once more expression ravenous. She snatched the sizable piece of raw flesh off the platter Josie presented and immediately ripped into it, fangs and all. She devoured that, and then the rest of the meat Josie had brought with her. Once her craze had died down she leaned into Caldwin’s arms once more and contentedly ate the sandwich he had presented before. Color nearly instantly returned to her skin and she looked far healthier than she had an hour before. She drank water offered to her and even allowed Cal to place her back on one of the beds no longer residing on the floor. All the doctors who had gathered seemed to have taken a collective sigh of relief at her improvement in condition. Amira could only imagine the pressure they must’ve been under. The others excused themselves after a pointed look from Caldwin.

He laid down on the small mattress, still holding her in a way that Amira laid halfway across him, the two perfectly comfortable without words simply drawing from the simple pleasure of their company. At last, Amira broke that silence with a question. She did not raise her head from where she lay, head on his chest, nor did she open her eyes, but she did speak.

“How long was I asleep?”

“Just over a week,” Caldwin answered, his own voice tinged on the edges with his own exhaustion.

“Oh,” Amira said softly, featuring furrowing as she thought about the fact. Caldwin rested a gentle hand on the center of her back.

“You had all of us worried,” he volunteered further conversation. “No one could figure out what was wrong, the IV wouldn’t work, we couldn’t get you any food or liquids. I… I was watching you die in front of me,” he breathed his words hardly louder than a whisper.

“I’m sorry-”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, it wasn’t your choice,” he cut her off. He wouldn’t accept an apology from her, not after everything she had done for him. Not after how horribly he had treated her and yet she had still come back.

“I killed your mother,” she said softly, tears stinging in her eyes, the pain she felt was not her own, but for the pain, she had caused him. “I am sorry, so, so sorry.” Her hands curled into fists in his shirt. Her magic had never been something she had mastered, and she had used much of it that day and recklessly too. The Queen’s death was entirely her fault.

“She was trying to kill you.” Caldwin sighed, “and preventing you from reaching me,” he paused, choosing his next words carefully, “if you wish to believe yourself at fault, even though you were not, you were simply defending yourself, and me. Then I shall not deny you that, but know I do not blame you, nor do I resent you for it.” He exhaled heavily, and silence fell for a long moment before he decided to speak again, “My mother and I were always close, but not for the reasons we should have been,” he began, “She did not pay much heed to any of the others. Despised Farquin for being so weak, hated Zara because she saw so much of herself in her, and all but ignored Rue entirely unless she needed something from him.”

Another long pause passed, Caldwin opened his eyes to look down at Amira. She was asleep, or so he thought, but he decided to keep talking to her anyway. It was nice to finally talk to someone about all of it. “I was to be the perfect child. I could not make mistakes. I could not be anything but a ruthless weapon to be wielded by her however she saw fit. I used to pity my siblings because they did not share mother’s favor, but I learned long ago that it was truly I who should have been pitied.” He gently stroked her dirty blonde hair, certain now that she was asleep, yet he still softly murmured to her “Trust me, my love. You did us no disservice by ridding the world of her.”

~

Movement beneath her had the Princess’s golden eyes blinking open once more. Caldwin froze from where he’d been attempting to slip out from beneath her. She could sense, rather than see, the messenger that had come to fetch him, hovering by the bedside a good distance away. A heavy sigh passed through the Prince’s lips and he gently stroked her hair once.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he apologized.

“It’s okay,” Amira mumbled slowly, moving off of him and sitting up rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?”

“Nearly 8, would you like more food?” Caldwin asked as he too sat up dark eyes peering into hers as if he may be able to read her thoughts. Unfortunately, that sole pleasure belonged to her- Rollo- oh gods, what had happened to him? If it had been nearly a week she’d been asleep then that meant- “hey hey,” Cal moved, placing a hand on hers angling his head to catch her shifting gaze, “What’s wrong?”

“Rollo, where is he?” Amira asked golden eyes flaring violet for a moment as she reached out to him silently but got no response.

“He hasn’t returned,” Caldwin hesitantly admitted, “I sent Rue to find him, but I haven’t heard from either of them.” He was telling the truth this time, and a shaky breath slipped past the Princesses lips. She nodded slightly, but it didn’t feel right. Like her goddess was nudging her trying to help her see the truth, yet he wasn’t lying? What more could there be to know?

“Rue should return by tomorrow night if he was able to find Rollo. There’s still time left and hope.” He added watching her carefully cautious not to trigger her. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if her beast decided to rear its head. Without his best friend here to charm it, Caldwin didn’t have any other ideas on how to handle the situation.

The additional information seemed to soothe whatever instinct had driven her for more and she was able to relax for a moment before Caldwin stood up and her gaze followed him. Immediately becoming nervous about his leaving.

“Where are you going?” She asked, shifting towards him on the bed, sliding into the warm space he just vacated.

“I have a meeting.” Caldwin frowned as he reached out to place a gentle hand on her cheek. It was still so new to him, to be able to touch her, it nearly drove him half-mad, but his instincts to protect her overrode everything else, as they had from the first day they met. “I will return, I swear it, get some rest.”

Amira’s shoulders fell along with her head leaning into his hand heavily before she reluctantly nodded. She didn’t have the energy to fight with him, to demand she go with him. She was regaining her strength by the hour, and she could feel a flicker of that familiar warmth of her magic returning, but she was in no state to introduce herself to his court like this.

“Very well then,” she huffed before laying back down heavily in the cot. “You better be back before I wake up,” she threatened him and he chuckled, shaking his head, dark hair scattering into his face.

“Yes your highness,” he teased her, adding a playful bow in response to her scowl. He was gone moments later, his steps swift and hurried out of the room. Amira sighed heavily and closed her eyes tight, fighting off the aching loneliness and worry in her chest, long enough to fall back asleep.

~

When she woke she had found the Prince had in fact held his word this time. Sitting beside her on the edge of the bed, a binder in his lap and a pen in his hand. He was focused, reading and marking up some sort of text that Amira could not read from where she lay. She took inventory of her own self, feeling well-rested and finding that warmth of her magic fully returned to her. She sat up and rolled her shoulders shifting around slightly to stretch out her body from where she had been still for so long.

Caldwin closed his binder and looked over his shoulder as soon as she had begun to move. He smiled softly and shifted to face her.

“Feeling better?” He asked but he could already tell she was, she no longer looked like death, color had returned to her skin and she had rapidly regained the weight she’d lost. He had no idea how her body was able to change so vastly in such a short amount of time but he was sure it was to do with her abilities.

“Much,” Amira answered with a soft huff, “what have I missed?” She asked in return. She had been idle too long, wasted too much time healing, she needed to get back into action. Who knew how much had happened in her absence.

“Not much,” Caldwin answered her vaguely, earning himself an annoyed glare, “since mother passed things have been quiet with the witches,” he continued providing her more information. “I nearly have everything in order, just organizing the last bits,” he gestured to the binder he held, “speeches and the like.”

“And what of Rue and Rollo?” She asked, she had her answer when his gaze left her own dropping to the floor. She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek as she thought, “I can go find them,” she offered, throwing the sheets off her legs. She couldn’t so much as attempt to stand before his hand was on her chest holding her in place.

“You will do no such thing,” his dark gaze was near frantic as he held her down to the bed. “I don’t know what has happened to them, and I have only just gotten you back. I...I cannot risk losing you again,” he spoke quickly and softly, praying that for once she would listen to him, that she would not burden him with any more stress that at the moment he didn’t believe he could tolerate. She had nearly died hardly a few days ago, he couldn’t bear the thought of her risking her life again so soon. “Regardless, I need you here,” he added quickly, seeing that stubbornness of hers rear its head behind her golden eyes. “After the funeral, I will likely be challenged, the Hollows will begin and I need you at my side, the people need to see us stand together or they may never accept us.”

Amira could argue with him, she could tell him that it was all his problem and she only came back to save his ass and simply leave, but she didn’t. With everything she’d seen and everything, she’d learned about him and about the woman she had thought he had betrayed her for by coming back she had made the choice to give him a second chance. To forgive him. A moment of uncertain silence passed before Amira sighed heavily.

“Very well then,” she conceded and the look on the Prince’s face was priceless. She smiled slightly and tilted her head slightly to the side, “what is it?” She asked, teasing him over the matter.

Caldwin blinked and picked his jaw up off of the floor and quickly recovered himself. He cleared his throat and shook his head looking away for a moment.

“Nothing, nothing, it’s nothing,” he said as he looked back to her, “I just thought you might argue more on the matter.”

“Would you like me to?” Amira asked, a sly grin pulling at the corners of her lips.

“No, no this is fine,” Caldwin said, reaching out to take her hand and offering her a smile in return. “Thank you.”

“I do expect you to send more people after them of course,” Amira added pointedly to which he nodded in agreement.

“They leave tonight,” he responded, already having set this up ahead of time as a provision in case Rue didn’t return. “In the meantime, we have lots to do.” The Prince informed her letting go of his hand to flip open his binder once more.

“We?” Amira inquired, raising an eyebrow curiosity getting the better of her as she shifted to the end of the bed allowing her legs to hang off the side, now seated beside him peering into his open binder.

“Mhm,” the Prince hummed in confirmation, “If you are to be my Queen you have much to learn and many people to meet. On top of that I already have many meetings and things we must attend to first so-” the Prince stood swiftly and extended a hand to her, “let’s get you dressed shall we?”

“Queen?” Amira repeated the word confusion and then clarity passed over her features. Deep seated anxiety flared up in her chest at the thought of holding such a title. “Cal I-”

“Don’t have to make any decisions now,” he quickly retracted, eyes scanning her face as he had heard her heartbeat quicken, seeing the panic that had shone behind her eyes. “Just come with me, yes? I do not want to entertain all these know-it-alls without you by my side.” He offered in a far more palatable fashion that was much less intimidating.

Amira sighed with relief and nodded her head in acceptance. She took his hand and stood feeling as strong as she ever had, if not stronger for everything she’d been through.

“Very well then, I know how to do that,” she said with a relaxed smile content to simply agree to make it through the day.

“Shall we?” Caldwin asked squeezing her hand once in a quiet reassurance,

“After you,” Amira responded and the two finally left that dreaded infirmary.