He was feeling much better the next day and was ready to get out of bed. He was slinging himself out of bed and getting ready to change his shirt when the door opened. Thankfully he had not actually yet pulled his shirt off so he was spared that embarrassment.
Elswyth came in, took one look at him and told him to get back in bed. She even planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. Just that glare almost made him listen. But he really didn't want to be confined to a bed. Especially when he already felt like he had made a full recovery.
As he obstinately refused to listen and she continued to demand him to get more rest their voices steadily rose as they began to have a full on argument.
It continued until she shoved him back onto the bed. Due to her being much stronger than him she easily pushed him. As he fell he grabbed her and tried to pull himself back up.
Unfortunately he only succeeded in pulling her down with him.
He ended up laying on his back staring up into her face. Which he could not help but notice was exceedingly pretty. Even more so up close like this. He suddenly found it rather hard to breathe as a sudden strange nervousness came washing over him.
And he was also rather aware of just how she was laying on top of him.
After what felt like way too long she climbed off of him and with a smirk on her face declared, "Alright. You're back in bed. Now rest."
For some reason he could no longer argue so he closed his eyes and desperately hoped that the warmth in his cheeks did not mean he was blushing.
Elswyth sat beside of his bed and watched him. He could feel her eyes on him and it was not doing anything for his nerves at the moment.
After a while of this he finally managed to speak up, "Elswyth? I really can't sleep any more. I feel wide awake and-��
"You can sit up then. But no leaving bed."
He sat up and glanced at her, not really surprised that she was just kinda staring at him. It really did make him feel self-conscious. But he had no idea how to ask her to stop.
"Why are you hovering over me like a mother hen?" He tried to hint that she was going a bit overboard. He wasn't that frail.
"I'm the only member of your entourage. Therefore it falls solely to me to take care of you."
That doesn't mean you have to stare at me like that! He wanted so badly to say that but refrained because he honestly was a little touched by her sticking around to be his entourage.
He fidgeted a little. Wishing she would let him up and he could at least stretch his legs.
As he thought of what he could do to make her let him up, Kimp crawled out of his shirt to deposit himself into his hand. The happy little snake flicked its tongue and all of a sudden Heron felt a little better, at the very least he had his familiar to play with.
He twisted his snake in and around his fingers. Kimp seemed to be having fun with it as well. Heron couldn't help but giggle watching the happy little viper twist around his fingers and gently nip at them.
He did wonder if he could train these affectionate nips out of his familiar. It seemed rather dangerous considering it was a poisonous snake after all. Even if he did seem to be immune to its venom. But what about Hazel?
He hardly wanted his sister to get poisoned by his familiar.
That would be a tragedy. And Asrar would never forgive him.
Still he loved his little Kimplewig. Just it needed to learn to stop this nipping.
As he watched its little tongue flicker out as it lazily surveyed him, he smiled and lifted it up to plant a kiss on its little snout. Its tongue flicked out again and touched his chin which tickled and nearly made him giggle.
Afterwards he grew aware that Elswyth was just kinda staring at him in disbelief and almost horror.
She glanced away and shook her head.
He frowned, wondering if she had a problem with snakes. Well, he wasn't overly fond of them. But Kimp was adorable and his familiar and he loved him. There was nothing wrong with that.
He did not ask for clarification. She probably wouldn't admit it even if it was true. And he did not want to put her on the spot.