Author's note: Let me start off by saying thank you for the reviews.
A Friend: Perhaps I should clear something up. Firstly, thank you for your review. Secondly, you said you were angered with Leo's dual-sidedness, and I understand completely. I haven't reached that point in the story yet, but as you read on, (if you so choose to) you will find that because of past events in his life, Leo has some deep emotional and psychological problems. They have not been developed yet, but his new love for Elmira is making them rear their ugly heads. Please stick with the story!
And without further ado, chapter four! 3 MuseOfLife
Leo stalked the hallways of the palace in a bad mood. He hadn't seen Elmira in over two weeks, and it was taking its toll on his temper. A young maid scurried around the corner, but when it wasn't Elmira, he flipped the tray out of her hand – sending all of its food flying – and hunched over in anger. Leo began to swing his legs wildly as he walked, but they caught on something, and he stumbled. What in the world…? He thought, returning to where he'd been tripped. Upon closer inspection, he found that there was a mysterious nook in the wall. Leo looked in, seeing nothing interesting. He sighed disappointedly, and was about to turn when a glinting something caught his eye. Leo looked closer and saw a thin foot wearing gold bangles. His eyes widened, and he shook his head.
"It can't be…no…it's not…" Leo muttered. He knelt down and moved the cloth away from the foot more, revealing a small tattoo on the ankle. It was a minute picture of two snakes wound together. That was a symbol of some sort, but Leo couldn't remember what of. Pulling the shroud off completely, Leo was frightened by the sight in front of him. Elmira's skin was ashen and pale. Her cheeks were sunken and hollow-looking, and her ribcage was very visible through her skin. Her eyes were closed. "No. No, Elmira, you've got to live! You can't be dead! No!" Leo pressed his fingers onto her neck and waited. There was a pulse, but it was so faint that Leo had to hold his breath to feel it. He picked Elmira up and pulled her out of the crack.
"Roana! Roana! I've found Elmira!" Leo screamed, slamming through the kitchen doors. The rotund woman came around the corner and dropped the large barrel of wine she was carrying, letting it rolled away. She rushed over to Leo, looking at Elmira in his arms. "She's starved herself!" Roana took Elmira in her own arms. "Leo, please, fetch a doctor!" Leo nodded and ran off. Roana brought Elmira to her room and tucked her into the bed. She pressed the back of her hand to the girl's forehead, flinching back upon feeling that it was as hot as a frying pan. Roana soaked a cloth in cold water, pressing it to Elmira's face, desperately trying to bring down her temperature. She fell into a routine with many pails of cold water.
Leo rushed back into the room with an older man. He wore the clothes of a doctor and walked over to the bed. With one glance, the man paled and turned to Roana. "Prepare some hot broth, Roana. We've got to get something into her stomach." The man said. He went to a table and began pulling medical items out of his bag. Leo kneeled next to Elmira's bed and smoothed her sweat-soaked hair off of her forehead, taking her limp hand in his. He stared at her and swallowed. Roana rushed in with the broth, two nurses trailing behind her. The doctor mixed a medicinal herb into the liquid and held it to Elmira's lips. He poured it into her mouth, massaging her throat to help her swallow. She winced and began to cough, but the fit soon subsided and she was in an unresponsive state once again. The doctor went back to his bags and pulled out the herb he had mixed into the broth. "Feed her broth every time you eat a meal. Make sure to mix this herb into it, or the effects will be void. If she doesn't respond over the next week, come find me, and I will see what I can do." With that, he was gone, and Roana and Leo were left staring at the small figure in the bed.
"Thank you for bringing the doctor, Leo. I owe you a great debt." Roana said. "I'd like to stay with her." Leo replied. Roana stared at him in surprise. "I'd like to stay with her." He repeated in a whisper. "Yes, your Highness." Roana replied. She bowed and backed out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Leo pulled a chair next to the bed and took Elmira's hand again, leaning closer to her. "Elmira. I'm so sorry. You have to understand that you are much, much more than a servant to me." He breathed in shakily. "I know you cannot hear me, so I shall tell you again when you awaken, but for now, I would just like to…practice. I know you could never understand this, but there is something that happened in my past that was…deeply disturbing. I will tell you eventually, but…it has a hold on my tongue at this point." Leo cradled her sunken cheek. "I love you. More than anything in the world, Elmira." He managed to swallow past the lump in his throat and sat back in his chair, his eyes never leaving her face.
As the week progressed, Leo only left the side of Elmira's bed to relieve himself. Other than that, he was there day and night, holding her hand and talking to her in her comatose state. It was now the final day of the week, and Leo was beginning to panic that she had not showed any signs of rousing from her slumber. The only times she ever responded was when Leo stroked her forehead. And it was not a positive reaction. She would flinch at his touch, and it broke Leo's heart, but deep down he knew that it wasn't her true feelings emerging.
Leo sat staring intently at Elmira's face. There were dark circles under his eyes, and the servant girls wrinkled their noses as they placed his lunch next to him, tears welling in their eyes from the odor emanating from his body. Bathing had not been important to him in the past week, and now he smelled himself. Retching, he called one of the girls and told her to fetch him a new set of clothes. He stepped into Elmira's bathroom and removed his clothes. The hot water of the bath felt like heaven on his stiff muscles, and he worked to rub out a knot in his neck.
When Leo emerged from the bathroom, he rushed back to the bed side and sat down, staring at Elmira more intently. Her cheeks were still slightly sunken, but the color had returned, and she had gained some weight back. Leo's hands itched to hold her in his arms, but she looked so fragile that he feared he would break her. He began to chuckle, but froze when Elmira shifted. Her eyelids fluttered, and cracked open. Leo was as still as a statue. "Water…please." She rasped. Leo scraped his chair back and ran to the water reserve in the corner of the room. He dipped a glass into it and carried it back to her, holding it to her lips. She drank the whole thing and four more. "Thank you…Leo." She smiled weakly. Elmira covered her mouth with her hand as she began to cough violently, and when she moved it away, the palm was covered in blood. Leo's face drained of color, but she shook her head.
"I've…had this…ever since…I…was…young. Don't…worry…please." Elmira was having trouble breathing, so Leo helped her sit up and place a few more pillows behind her back. She cleared her throat and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. This was a very…stupid…thing to do. I am so senseless." She looked away from Leo as tears began to crawl down her face. Leo took her hand. "Please don't talk about it anymore. It was all an enormous misunderstanding." He said quietly. Elmira closed her eyes again. "Why did you stay with me?" She asked. Leo's mouth opened, but no words came out. "I stayed because I love you. You are the moon of my life, Elmira. My sun and my stars." Elmira looked at him hard. There was an emotion in her eyes that Leo couldn't decipher. It wasn't anger, but it wasn't adoration, like he had expected. "I am a servant. You cannot love me." Elmira's voice was strained as she spoke, and she coughed again, spitting blood into her hand. Leo held out a handkerchief, which she ignored, glaring at his hand until he pulled it away.
"Leave. You are hurting yourself." Elmira breathed angrily. "And me." Leo stared at her incredulously. He didn't move from the seat. "Now!" Elmira yelled. Leo scraped the chair back and strode to the door. He turned back as he was about to open it. "I will not let you do this. You love me, but you won't accept it because you think I need to follow my duty. I will show you, Ellie. You will see." Leo slammed the door shut and walked through the kitchen.
"Leo! Where are you rushing to?" Roana asked, nearly dropping the pan of rolls she was carrying as Leo ran past her. He didn't stop, but kept running, skidding around the corner. Roana huffed and set the pan down, striding to Elmira's room. She almost had a heart attack when she saw Elmira sitting up in bed, arms crossed, staring angrily out the window. "Elmira! Thank goodness you're awake!" When Elmira did not reply, Roana squinted. "What did you say to Leo, Elmira?" Elmira breathed and turned towards her aunt.
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3 MuseOfLife