Hearing Lionel's concerned voice was like drinking hot tea on a cold winter night. It was confronting. It made her feel like someone cared, at least a little.
Being found out, Elise finally retreated her foot. She was still smiling, though. After all, she knew there would never be punishment for her, no matter what she did to Amelie. Even if she did tell anyone, she had no power, and therefore, she had no voice⸻both literally and metaphorically.
Lionel got up from his seat and went to her side, touching gently her forehead and cheeks. "What's wrong? You're sweating a lot. Do you feel sick?"
Amelie nodded in quick succession. Any excuse was good if it meant she could leave right away.
"Where does it hurt?"
Without thinking much, she pointed at her belly. Lionel nodded in understanding and turned towards the King.
"My apologies, Your Majesty, but I shall excuse myself briefly," he bowed sternly. "I would like to escort her back to her chambers. Once I have ensured that she is okay, I shall come back so that we can finish our conversation."
"Of course, Sir. Do not worry..."
The King hadn't even finished giving him permission when Lionel was already offering Amelie one of his hands. "Can you walk?"
She nodded and took his hand. He helped her get up and then let his hand slip to her waist, as if to support her if needed. Fortunately, she was feeling bad emotionally and physically to let such a gesture have an effect on her.
Some of the guards standing outside tried to accompany them, but Lionel insisted that it wasn't necessary and dismissed them. Somehow, Amelie felt that he was in a sour mood despite his polite smile and relaxed step.
Suddenly, when they were already far from the castle and alone, he stopped walking and looked at her.
"That was a lie, wasn't it?" he said softly, sounding kind of worried. Amelie could only look at him in surprise. How did he know?
As if sensing her confusion, he continued, "You are limping... There's no way a stomachache would cause that, even a severe one."
Amelie bit her lip in shame and lowered her gaze. Was she really so easy to read? Would he think she was a liar?
Lionel gently let go of her waist and stood in front of her. To Amelie's relief, he sounded as always when he talked again. "Did you hurt yourself? May I see?"
Would she seem childish if she said 'no'? For some reason, Amelie didn't want him to see. She didn't want him to find out how pathetic, weak, and helpless she was. It was embarrassing enough to have ruined the dinner for him, she was absolutely not about to let him nurse her or something similar. She didn't want Lionel to pity her either. She hated that feeling.
As she was distracted considering what to do, Lionel suddenly went down on one knee to inspect her leg. "I apologize for my audacity, but I need to confirm you are alright."
Embarrassed, Amelie tried to push him away by the shoulders, but he didn't budge not even a bit. As if he had seen something, Lionel grabbed her left ankle and lifted her foot a little. He observed it for a bit, his grip on her leg firm but gentle.
"Is this blood?"
He raised his head, his body pulling back just enough for Amelie to stretch her neck and see her own foot.
Even though the moon was shining brightly above them, she couldn't see it clearly. She could perceive, however, a dark spot on the skin. She looked back at Lionel, who was frowning and had a severe expression on his face.
He softly put her foot down and stood up with an unreadable expression on his face. "It was Princess Elise who did this to you, wasn't it? She was the one sitting on your left and you weren't hurt this afternoon... I apologize for not noticing sooner."
Amelie looked at him in shock. Why was he apologizing to her for something like that? She didn't deserve it.
She quickly shook her head, unable to say that there was nothing to forgive. Rather, she was grateful to him for worrying about her and for helping her get out of there. She wished she had a piece of parchment with her or something to write on.
Lionel sighed and looked at her silently for a while. There was an intense emotion in his eyes she couldn't decipher, and she wondered if he had already gotten fed up with her. She was sure it was pretty tiring to talk without ever receiving an answer, it surely felt as if you were talking to a wall.
She expected him to leave and go back with the others, maybe to cancel the wedding. But he didn't. Instead, he did something she could have never predicted.
Lionel suddenly came closer and bent down again, but this time she felt his could touch around her shoulders and, seconds later, on the back of her knees. In the blink of an eye, her feet stopped touching the ground and she was automatically clinging to his neck for dear life.
His grip around her was firm as he started walking toward her palace, and Amelie felt her heart rate increase. She couldn't believe she was being carried just like knights carry princesses in the novels she used to read when she was a child. It was silly, but that was actually the first she truly felt she was a princess.
The feeling of his cold armor through her clothes was not the most pleasant thing in the world, but at that moment she didn't want to let him go. She still didn't know what his real intentions or feelings were, but she felt so protected and secure in his arms. She wanted to trust him and, even though there was a small feeling of fear simmering in her gut, she was willing to open up to him.
It was an unknown and weird feeling.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, he suddenly spoke in a casual and slightly playful tone, "I didn't think I would be carrying you like this before our wedding. It's a good practice, don't you think?"
For some reason, his comment made her feel very self-conscious. Maybe it was actually unbecoming of a princess to be carried like this before her wedding? She was already a fully grown-up woman after all. And more importantly, were they really getting married? Would they really live under the same roof soon? Although she was relieved to know he still wanted her, his voice was so teasing that it was impossible not to feel embarrassed. Without thinking, she lightly hit his chest, clearly sulking. However, he seemed to have found this action funny for he let out a low laugh.
Mary and Alice were knitting in the garden and when they saw Amelie get back in the knight's arms, they both panicked.
"Your Highness!" they exclaimed, rushing to her side.
"What happened?" Mary asked, checking her with nervous eyes. Amelie pointed at her wounded feet and then signed
[Elise]
Mary frowned and, although she was trying to keep her composure, she was visibly angry.
"Alice, please bring some bandages, ointment, and alcohol to her Highness' room."
"Right away, Ma'am!"
Then, she addressed Lionel, "Sir, could you help us bring Her Highness to her private chambers? I apologize for the inconvenience."
"Not at all. Lead the way, please."
Lionel followed Mary through the small palace. Amelie's bedroom was the last room to the right on the second floor. He assumed the others two rooms⸻which were a bit bigger than hers⸻were shared among the other four residents. Could one really call this a palace?
Once they were in her bedroom, he softly laid Amelie on the bed. Then, he proceeded to check her foot again now that they were in a brightly illuminated room. Her skin was swollen and had reddened considerably.
There was even a bit of blood where the heel had torn some of the tender skin. He furrowed his brow upon seeing it.
"What an awful woman," he murmured to himself and took off her shoe before Amelie could stop him.
She felt as if she was being treated like a child, and it was especially embarrassing because everyone was making a big fuss over such an insignificant thing. Still, she didn't want to seem ungrateful, so she forced herself to stay still.
Alice returned soon after with all the required items, but before she could give them to Mary, Lionel gestured for her to give them to him.
"Allow me to treat the Princess. I know how to perform first aid."
Mary and Alice exchanged a confused and dubious glance, but still obeyed him despite Amelie's silent protest. Words were unnecessary when Amelie looked at them that way, as if begging for clemency.
Lionel took off his gauntlets and grabbed a piece of clean cloth, wetting it with some alcohol. He seemed very focused on what he was doing as he warned her, "This will sting a little but please bear with me for a bit." He threw a small smile in her direction and then proceeded to disinfect the wound carefully. She flinched when the cloth got in contact with her skin, but it only hurt at first as he was being very gentle. After that, he applied some ointment and wrapped a bandage around her foot with expert hands.
"All done," he said, patting her ankle softly "Does it feel uncomfortable? Is it too tight?"
Amelie shook her head. He was so kind that she couldn't help but smile, even if she still felt a bit shy. She asked Mary to bring her a piece of parchment and a quill, and once she got them, she wrote, *Thank you for everything, Lionel.*
He read her message and beamed brightly. That was the first time Amelie called him by his name without using his title, and he seemed so happy about it that Amelie wondered why she hadn't done it before.
"You don't need to thank me, Amy. Especially not for something like this."
Lionel got up and started putting on his gauntlets once more. Amelie couldn't take her eyes off him as he did.
Lionel probably thought she was thanking him for carrying her there and treating her wound⸻and she was⸻ but there was actually more than that. She was grateful to him for being the first person to notice her pain, for being so nice and polite to her⸻that is, for treating her like any human being deserved⸻, and most importantly, for being willing to marry such a troublesome and flawed woman like her.
Once he was ready, he turned towards her with a sad smile. "Unfortunately, I have to go back now or else I am afraid I will offend Their Majesties. I will spend the night in the main castle and tomorrow evening, I will return to my land." He made a brief pause, one on which he scratched his nape almost shyly. "I... Honestly, I was hoping we could see each other before I leave, but I don't know if you will feel comfortable leaving your palace tomorrow after what happened today. I don't want you to hurt your foot either."
He sounded nervous for the first time, and Amelie wondered how someone who had just won a war could be so adorable. Her lips curled upwards before she could stop them, and found herself saying:
[Of course I'll be there]
When Mary helped her convey her message, a wide grin appeared on Lionel's face.
"Thank you! I'm looking forward to it then."
He seemed to hesitate for a bit, but he finally came closer, took her hand, and placed a small kiss on the back of it.
"Good night, Amy."