An Icelandic Girl

"He always seems like he is interested in girls", Nathaniel played along, though his voice sounded a bit off. "How would you know it is for real?"

Lifting the skirts as quietly as possible, Lady Orchid hummed. "I am his mother. Who if not I would know the truth? He mentioned her already a year ago. I nearly forgot it if not for him talking about her again recently. Funny thing, he always boasts with the beauty of his... I can't think of a better word but 'conquests', though I'm sorry for the poor girls. I scolded him so many times, but it goes one ear in and the other out without brushing his brain even remotely ... whatever, in her case I didn't even get to know the hair color. Only that he admires her."

"Admiration, huh?", Nathaniel repeated. He was distracted by the small sounds coming from the side. Though his gaze was averted, it was impossible not to think about what happened right next to him. How Katherine's fair legs would be exposed up to her hip, all the tender skin he had never seen before. A memory of her in nothing more than a nightgown resurfaced in his mind. Red fabric and rosy skin. The generous curves had been so very tempting, calling to be caressed. In Nathaniel's eyes, she had a body worth worship, and her personality was even more admirable. Firm, kind, and loveable.

But someone else was touching this soft skin right now. Someone else was seeing everything that he didn't dare reveal. The jealousy was roaring through his veins like a tide. It didn't matter that Lady Orchid was a woman or that she didn't swing that way. Only the deep trust between them and the knowledge that it was necessary kept the possessive urge to cover Katherine up and hide her in his arms contained. However, that didn't mean it was easy. Right now, his mind was anywhere but on their conversation.

"Yes, admiration", Lady Orchid picked up the topic again. "She had a very hard life but didn't give up or changed herself. Despite being a mage, she acts like a commoner, so much so that he didn't notice it for a long time. Doesn't that signify that he was interested enough to dig deeper than normal? Maybe he will change his playboy ways for her and finally find his special someone. What do you think?"

"Hm-hm", Nathaniel approved without hearing a word. "Maybe."

Lady Orchid put Katherine's skirt back down. From his last response, she knew that Nathaniel wasn't really listening, but didn't reveal it. "I hope so. She seems to be a good woman. But speaking of good women... You didn't even sneak a peek on you wife's body. I am impressed."

With one hand, Nathaniel rubbed his face, sighing. He was glad the check-up was finally over. His eyes were already sore from staring at a bare wall for too long, and his ears felt heated. "It felt wrong to take advantage of her state, though I was tempted."

Now that he knew Katherine was covered again, he turned his head. The woman laid just like before, not a wrinkle out of place. It somehow soothed the remaining jealousy, and, at the same time, made him feel guilty for even being so possessive in the first place. After all, he was the one who asked for a check-up. "How is she?"

"She seems to be alright.", Lady Orchid said, a pondering expression on her face. "There might be some regions I can't feel from the outside, but for all I can tell -"

Her sentence broke off, as coughing filled the cave. The King had an attack again. Lady Orchid rushed to his side and called for more helpers.

Surprisingly, among the people hurrying in was Aston. He was still pale, but he seemed to have recovered from his shock and was ready to help. The mud was nowhere to be seen.

On command of his mother, he grasped the King's shoulders, pushing him down so that he couldn't hurt himself or roll onto the hard ground. Nathaniel also instinctively moved to help, but then saw that with the maids, Lady Orchid and Aston there was no place for him to squeeze in, so he settled down again.

Watching them hurry about, his left hand patted Katherine's head almost subconsciously. It was the hand where the remaining particles of the poison resided, but they were so few that he hardly felt any discomfort using it. Treatment could be postponed until Katherine was healthy again, though it would spread a little bit.

The King's coughing intensified. It seemed like he would never stop, the coughing the only soul that filled the hollow body, let it tremble and shake. There was nothing much anyone could do against it. Lady Orchid whispered calming words to her beloved, but it was obvious he couldn't hear, and over time it turned into praying, then pleading.

Nathaniel's hand stopped moving, his gaze fixed on the King with an unreadable emotion. He could feel that death was near.

Suddenly and without prior warning, a light lit up in the cave. Since it was deep in the night with only oil lamps around, it instantly attracted everyone's attention.

Someone gasped. "The Princess, she -"

Nathaniel also saw it. Everyone saw it. Katherine was still asleep, but from the point Nathaniel's gloved palm connected to her forehead, light slowly rippled over her skin. It came in small waves, like the source was exhausted, but they were still remainders of her magic power.

Nathaniel hesitated only for the fraction of a second, before he carefully rolled Katherine over until her skin connected to the King's. Since their beds were right next to each other, it wasn't difficult. The maids even hurriedly sprang out of the way. Still, in the short time it took, the waves were already getting weaker, and only the last few entered the King's body, before the light vanished again.

Everyone held their breath. The silence in the cave was thick like water. Even the King had stopped coughing, no, he wasn't breathing at all.

Lady Orchid had her hands pressed together in prayer, tears collecting in her eyes. Aston laid an arm around his mother. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in his throat. The maids kept their heads low.

Then, air suddenly hissed out between the King's teeth, and his chest fell, then raised again. After a few deep breathes, the rhythm slowed down, and he was breathing normally again.

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The King didn't die yet. He was still alive. And maybe if they were really lucky, it would stay this way.

Nathaniel's eyes wandered to Katherine. Despite her magic power flaring up, the woman didn't budge at all. She still seemed like a fragile puppet, pale and soulless.

But if she was unconsciousness and there was no new harm to her body, he wondered what triggered her magic. The waves had been the strongest where his hand met her forehead, going out from there. And yet, she had laid upon his thigh without any reaction whatsoever. How strange, he assessed.

In fear another flaring of her magic power when she was already this exhausted would harm her, Nathaniel didn't dare to touch Katherine much again. He only gently rolled her back on her own bed. Since the King didn't get another attack after the last one, it was assumed that he was doing better.

Leaning against the cave wall, Nathaniel watched Katherine's chest moving up and down with every breath. This and the pulse on her neck were the only signs she was still alive. He feared if he closed his eyes they would vanish, leaving him with nothing but a lifeless corpse. That would be hell on earth. His will had always been the thing that kept him moving, let him cling to life even when it seemed senseless. Somehow, he knew that when Katherine was gone, this will would also be gone. Dead like her.

So, despite his wounds and the exhaustion from battle, he sat there until the sun rose again.