Tilda awoke, blinking away the remaining traces of unconsciousness. She was alive? The ceiling was stony and rays of sunshine illuminated the room. The room she laid in had a single bed and a small table with remedies. Where was she? More importantly...
"Where is Cossaria?" she mumbled.
The last thing she remembered was that Cosaria was being attacked by monsters and Tilda had heroically sacrificed herself.
Didn't I die? Tilda thought. Tilda could have sworn that she had died. And where was Cosaria?
She swung her feet over the side of the bed and slowly raised into a sitting position. She was alive. Her side felt sore, but it ached nothing more than that. Her head felt the most off, and the room seemed to spin. Where was Cossaria? The thought was becoming an obsession occupying her mind. She limped her way to the entrance of the room.
At the doorway she saw an open servant commons with round tables. Sitting at the closest table sat Felux, the Arquix Knight Commander, and a figure dressed in a long black robe; doctor's garb.
Felux stood up. He asked, "How're you feelin?"
The doctor said, "You should be lying down."
Tilda waved them away as she leaned against the doorframe. She said, "I'm fine. Where's Cosaria? How is she?"
Felux answered, "She's resting."
As Tilda began taking a few steps forward, Felux moved towards her.
"Can I see her? What happened?" Tilda asked.
Tilda stumbled and Felux caught her.
Now the doctor stood up and said, "You are in no condition-!"
"I need to see Cosaria."
Felux gathered Tilda in his arms and said, "Yer needin to rest."
Tilda tried to struggle as Felux carried her back into the room. She said, "But Cosa- I have to make sure she's safe." Tilda was so weak that fighting against Felux's brute strength was useless.
Felux put Tilda back in the bed as the doctor appeared in the doorway.
The doctor said, "You need to get feeling batter."
Felux pulled the covers over Tilda but she resisted.
She said, "What happened? Am I alive?"
Felux sat himself down on the bed next to Tilda.
"Aye, yer alive," he said, "You were attacked and hurt badly."
Tilda probed, "And Cosaria?"
Felux said, "She's safe. You saved her. You were bleeding out when she awoke divine powers that she used to save yer life. The effort exhausted her and she passed out."
"Is she doing okay? She has a weak constitution."
Felux answered, "She hasn't woken yet."
Tilda squirmed to sit up. She said, "I have to see her."
Felux gently pushed Tilda back into a lying down position.
"Stay down," he said.
The doctor commented, "Quite spirited. Rest for now, if you're feeling well enough by this evening maybe I'll allow it. I'll go get your medicine. Sir Felux, will you make sure she doesn't move?"
Felux smiled with a thumbs up, Tilda pouted, and the doctor left.
Tilda held air in her cheeks so they would puff out in the most pouty face she could muster. She looked down as she thought, I hope Cosaria is okay.
Felux poked her puffed out cheek as he said, "Yer a brave one."
Tilda touched her cheek and looked away.
"Thank you," she said blushing. She hadn't realized Felux was watching her every move.
"Still dumb," he continued, "Running into danger like that, but, because of you, the Lady's safe."
"Except for the fact that she's in a coma."
Felux sat back and marveled, "You deeply care about the lady." He could tell it was more than a simple servant-master relationship.
"Don't you care about your Lord?" Tilda asked as if sacrificing oneself was the most obvious thing in the world. It made Felux smile.
"Aye, very much so," Felux said. His relationship with Delrik held the same type of devotion. "Isn't that just the servant's life though?"
He shrugged which made Tilda smile.
He's a kindred soul, Tilda thought.
༻✧༺
About three days later, Tilda was reading a book when Felux entered to announce, "She's awake."
Quickly, they hurried to Cosaria's room. Cosaria was sitting up on her bed looking as fresh as newly fallen snow.
Tilda sat beside her and grabbed Cosaria's hand. She said, "I was so worried. Are you okay?"
Cosaria answered, "I'm well," with one of her adorable, round cheeked smiles.
Tilda couldn't resist so she hugged her and said, "I can't believe you saved my life. I always knew you were a miracle. And now you have diving powers!"
Cosaria said, "But I don't know how to use them or anything."
Tilda moved away so she could look Cosaria in the eyes. She said, "But you have them. That's amazing! You are amazing!"
Cosaria blushed from all the positive attention. She didn't feel like she had done anything big or important. She had been trying to help, that's all.
Felux knocked then walked in the room. He said, "Lady Cosaria, my Lord'd like to meet with you."
Cosaria drew a sharp breath in. She said, "Yes. Of course-"
"Give us three minutes," Tilda interrupted, "I'll have her ready in three minutes."
Felux paused, confused, he said, "But-"
"She's in her nightgown and her hair is a mess," Tilda said, taking account of Cosaria's appearance. It would not do and Tilda was determined to make sure she would be presentable. "She can't be meeting the Lord in such a state. Have you no respect for a woman's pride?"
Felux stumbled, "Ah- Aye..."
"Give us three minutes," Tilda said with newfound resolve, "Get out. Shoo shoo."
Felux pointed to the door and awkwardly said, "I'll be waiting out there."
Felux left as Tilda started darting around. Cosaria would need a hairbrush, a bit of makeup, a change of clothes, what else? Perfume? Did Cosaria even have perfume? No worries, if she did, Tilda would find it.
In no time at all, Tilda had Cosaria done up in a beautiful but simple manner. The gown complimented Cosaria but wasn't flashy, the hairstyle, neat and elegant, and the makeup exaggerated Cosaria's natural features. The best part was that little whiff of rose perfume from Cosaria's neck. Delrik would go crazy. Tilda had wanted to give off the impression that this was all natural, as if Cosaria could wake up from a traumatic encounter looking like the image of pure grace.
Tilda was putting the finishing touches of blush on Cosaria's cheeks when a knock pounded on the door.
Tilda said, "Just a moment."
That knight is so impatient, Tilda thought. It hadn't been three minutes quite yet.
Tilda ran to the door and opened it. It was Lord Delrik who stood in front of her and his face expressed an unpleasantness from being delayed. Behind him, Felux shrugged innocently.
Couldn't have stalled him for thirty seconds, could you? She thought.
As Delrik strode inside the room he casually told Tilda, "You're dismissed."
Tilda moved into the hall as she said, "Yup."
And the door was shut behind her.
Tilda dusted her apron off as she said, "Well, my job here is done. I'll be..."
Her vision went blurry and her legs weak. She forgot that she too, was still recovering from a near death experience. She was falling again until Felux caught her.
For a moment, Tilda stayed in Felux's arms. There was a bubbly warmth between the two in which emotions were like a hot day, and their touch seemed like a fizzy liquid that cooled the atmosphere. Tilda wasn't quite sure what had happened with her weakened body, but she found that she wasn't uncomfortable with where she was at. Felux was strong, and she felt safe.
He said, "Yer overdoing it."
Tilda smirked and pointed her nose at Felux. She said, "Then I guess it's a good thing you always seem to be there to catch me."
She got her legs under her and stood up. Her head was spinning and she tried to steady it with her hands.
She said, "Thank you."
Felux stood ready to catch her in case she fell again. He said, "You should rest."
Tilda sighed, "Yeah, I think you're probably right."
Then Tilda found her way to her room where she slept through the rest of the day.