Aslan was slumped against the wall right outside the bedroom he shared with Cia, knees drawn up arms resting on them, head hanging as he tried to figure out what was going on and how to help his wife as he went over the events of a few minutes ago.
Cia had complained that she had a bad headache, one that left her nearly immobile, so he had hit upon the idea of bringing her some lavender essential oil since he knew it was a good remedy for headaches and she normally enjoyed the faint scent of lavender he wore.
When he had come in and presented the bottle to her she had looked at it with a strained smile and tried to talk but the effort had caused her to wince in pain so she had shut her mouth and resumed staring dully up at the canopy that hung over their bed, her usually bright golden eyes now a dull amber hue.
Climbing onto the bed, Aslan scooted close to Cia. He opened the bottle thinking he would massage some oil on her wrists and temples, but the moment he did so, she turned to him and sniffed the air around her, eyes wide. To his shock, she dove swiftly under the covers, wrapping herself up in them completely, to the point of covering her face which was highly unusual for her as she couldn't stand that even at the best of times.
Aslan was alarmed and set the bottle down on the night stand then lifted the covers and slipped in beside her. "What's wrong?" he gently turned her to face him and he could see her eyes brimming with unshed tears. The sight of those tears brought a dull ache to his heart and he tenderly reached out to caress his beloved's face, hoping to ease her pain. At this action, the dam she had tried to build broke and the tears she had been holding back burst free, causing the dull ache to become a roar. He immediately moved to take her in his arms but she pushed him away, her words unintelligible as her small frame became wracked with heart rending sobs. Hurt and confused he had left the bedroom and propped himself against the wall to think.
After realizing he had been there for the better part of an hour, he decided to get up and make her some of her favorite black tea and hoped that between that and himself she would feel comforted and open up to him. He still didn't know as much about her as he wanted to since he had only come into her life very recently and while she was quick to share happy things, she didn't really share the things that caused the shadows he sometimes saw lurking behind her smiles. Aslan knew it was because she didn't want to burden him or make him sad, and he suspected that she thought he would judge her or not care but she was mistaken. He wanted to know all of her, the good and the bad. He hoped to be able to discover her pain, her sorrow, her burdens, and her fears so he could take them away and ensure her smile would never be tinged with sadness again.
Aslan opened the bedroom door to find it even darker than when he had left and he took a moment to allow his eyesight to adjust. When he saw there was no movement, he padded softly towards the bed, his blue-grey eyes seeking out his cherished wife. She was asleep, her long eyelashes resting on her high cheekbones, brows furrowed, her face retaining traces of pain. He frowned, wondering what he could do to help her when he caught the faint scent of lemon lingering in the air. It was then that he realized that her hair was damp and the sheets had been changed. He set the tea down on the nightstand only to find the lavender bottle was gone. Glancing at Cia again, he noticed the tear tracks marring her cheeks so headed towards the bathroom to find a washcloth to wipe her face.
Upon arriving there, he noticed an almost overpowering scent of lemon and the steam that still lingered from the shower she had taken. He surveyed the mess she had left, taking in the fact that the sheets that had been on the bed were stuffed in various plastic bags and that the bottle of oil was also wrapped in a bag stuck at the back of a shelf. A bottle of Tylenol pm had been left open though he was relieved to see that it was mostly full, indicating she had probably taken a normal amount.
Aslan stood stock still as he absorbed everything he was seeing and put it together with what he knew and what had happened so far. One of the more important clues was her use of lemon since he knew she used lemon to get rid of offensive smells and lift her sprits. As he pondered that he suddenly remembered the other harem members talking about one time she had a negative reaction to being around roses and cursed himself for being an idiot.
Gathering all the plastic bags and the bottle of oil, he got them as far away from the bedroom as he could, then returned to the bathroom where he stripped quickly and jumped into the shower to scrub any traces of lavender scent from his skin. The other guys had told him that she had always had a heightened sense of smell, but it had become more so a few years ago when a blood clot had lodged itself in the part of the brain that controls the way the body reacts to smells. She had gotten better over time but she still couldn't handle scents like jasmine or overly floral scents at the best of times. If she was feeling unwell, however, then even the scents she could handle, like lavender and roses, would make her condition a lot worse.
He now realized that he had inadvertently triggered a migraine in his beloved wife by opening that bottle near her and touching her face with oil on his hands. He had further added to the problem by trying to hug her with the scent clinging to him. Worse still, she had needed to change the sheets and take care of things while she was in pain. His fists clenched involuntarily and he gritted his teeth in an effort not to lash out and punch the wall, angry with himself for not having been more observant and therefore worsening the situation for her.
Only after Aslan was sure there was no more scent of lavender on him did he stop the shower even though the water had run cold minutes before. After drying himself off and draping a towel around his hips, he took a damp washcloth with him back to the bedroom to wipe her tear stained face. As he did so she stirred and opened her eyes and mumbled. He leaned closer to her to hear what she was saying "What is it love?"
"I'm really, really sorry. Can you forgive me for being mean?" she mumbled sleepily.
"There is nothing to forgive, I was the insensitive one. Sleep please" he brushed some hair back from her face and she flinched, bringing a frown to his face.
"Please, please don't hit me mami and papi, I promise, I will get better right now and help you." Cia tried to sit up, still half asleep from the medicine she had taken.
Aslan pushed her back down gently then tucked the covers around her. "It's alright, you are safe, no one will hurt you, it's me, Aslan"
Cia opened her eyes widely as his words penetrated the fog in her head and she looked at him with such a mixture of fear and longing his heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. Gingerly, she held out her hands to him, vulnerability written all over her face. "Please keep me safe" the plea tumbling out of her lips like the prayer of a desperate child.
Aslan didn't hesitate as he climbed in beside his treasured princess, shucking his damp towel as he did so. He fitted himself around her back and held her tightly against him, legs intertwined. He gently lifted her red hair away so as not to lay on it then bestowed a kiss to the top of her head as he fitted her to him more snugly. The ebony-haired man reached around and grasped her small hands in his to let her know she was safe and protected. They both normally slept naked so it felt odd to him to feel her t-shirt and panties between them but as long as she needed him, he would remain.
Her even breathing told him she was finally asleep which made him grateful beyond belief that she was resting and at peace. For him, however, the night was endless as he wondered just what it was that had scarred her so deeply. When he could, he was going to ask the others what they knew. For now, he considered it his sacred duty to hold his wife as she slept and do his best to keep her demons at bay.