Dakran returned home, along with Caell, at first light but he left Eisza behind as his personal guard to ensure he never stepped out of his word once again.
" He is not happy, " Eisza hummed as she plopped herself at the table in Iris's chair.
" Get off," Corvin barked as he pushed himself off the bed, menacingly glaring at her.
" Find somewhere else to sit," He barked once more when Eisza chuckled, " I will beat you into a pulp Eisza. Find another chair," Corvin barked again, testy.
" It's just a chair, " She finally stood up and dragged a chair from the corner of the room to the table, smirking at him.
" It is not just a chair. It's her chair. Now put it back the way you found it," Corvin grumbled, and walked to the window, grinding his teeth and fisting his hands. It had been a day since they gave her the potion. There was a good chance that she was too far gone for the potion to do anything. Caell had administered her another dose since he concluded it was safe to do so.
" Why are you even in the south Corvin?" Eisza asked as she tapped her fingers on the table.
" For leisure," Corvin quipped but there was no amusement in his tone or expression.
" Don't you have better things to do than sit here and breathe down my neck," He ground out and pressed his forehead on the glass.
" Don't be such a grump. We haven't seen each other in three winters. It's a good time to catch up, " Eisza hummed amused, and shuffled in the chair.
" Trust me, I could have gone three more without seeing you, and live," Corvin almost spat.
Nodding, " I understand that you don't like that Dakran has assigned me to watch over but don't pour your bille on me just because you fucked up. Royalty, if I might add," Eisza hummed, and took her feet off the table when he turned to her and glared at her.
" I did," Corvin replied a little more docile, " But not for disobeying Dakran, " He sucked a breath and shook his head but didn't add anything further.
" Haren is saying that he misses you. Even wanted to come but Dakran refused to take him. He said one of you is enough pain in the tuckus. The kids were around," Eisza chuckled, and even if it was for few moments so did he.
" How is Haren?"
" He is well. A little more pleasant now, that his expecting a child. Nya and Akema have vanished, and are nowhere to be found but Dakran suspects that Karrise has them tucked away somewhere in Dava. Dakran can't go, because Maya won't let him. So, now we are waiting for the Whitsun celebration to see what the new season will bring. It might be sun, it might be bloodshed, who knows," Eisza shrugged, very placid, and put her feet back on the table.
" Take your feet off the table, Eisza," Corvin barked and Eisza complied, somewhat reluctant with a heavy eye roll.
" I'm going to get some fresh air you are impossible," She stormed out of the room leaving him alone with Iris.
" So, I've been told," Corvin muttered to himself and turned away from the window. It had been quite some time and still nothing. In the dead silence, he could hear the low hum of her heart. It was so slow that it took him quite a long time to catch it. Other than that, she was still dead. There was no rise and fall of her chest. If it weren't for the faint heartbeat, she looked very much dead. Which he initially thought.
After a little while he crawled up on the bed next to her, rested his forehead on her shoulder, and cupped her clammy hand into his.
He was used to her silence and being still. She often sat, unmoving, for it seemed interminable amounts of time.
He'd asked for forgiveness, the night before even though he wasn't sure she could hear him. So, he asked again and again, hoping that would reach her. He hadn't dared to touch her and settled for holding her hand. He felt awful.
If she would wake up only to say something mean, and snarky and he would be happy with it. As long as she was alive and breathing he didn't care what she would say to him.
The sun climbed up the sky unnoticed, and the moon rose. The maids trailed in and out of the chamber, and so did Eisza a few times. He feigned being asleep, so he wouldn't have to speak with her. His chest was heavy, his throat was tight and breathing had become unnatural, it didn't come easy. Not until she would open her eyes. Not until she would easily breathe.
Only then he would be able to as well.
Fussed to her hand, and shoulder, he surrendered into the arms of sleep unable to fight it off any longer. Dawn was creeping in, and he dreaded the thought that he would wake up and she would be forever lost in the hereafter.
Jerking awake, he listened for her heartbeat to ensure she was still among the living. And he did the same, every, now and then until the sum fully rose over the horizon bathing them in its golden light. A healing one, he desperately hoped as the sound of footsteps resounded in the empty corridors of the skeletal castle.