A/N: Hello all! Thank you for reading my story! Because of the holiday weekend, I am posting two chapters today! I do apologize for them being late. My tablet has been acting weird but, everything is good now! Enjoy!
Chapter 7: Recovery Days
Eloise awoke with a start. She could feel Sebastian cleaning her arm again. She turned her head towards him, smiling softly.
"Good morning, Sebastian." She said, quietly.
He raised his head to look at her. His brownish-red eyes showed slight surprise. He gave her a smile.
"Good morning, Eloise." He said, equally as softly.
He cleaned over one of the bigger cuts on her arm, causing her to wince slightly.
"I'm sorry." He said.
"It's alright." She said, smiling again.
They remained quiet for a moment.
"Do you remember what happened?" He asked her.
"Yes." She said, moving her eyes towards the wall with the dresser.
She could feel his eyes on her, waiting for her to continue. She sighed softly.
"After the Queen pardoned me, she had her carriage men drop me off anywhere I wanted to go. I had them take me to my shop so I could see the damage done to it. I was about to start cleaning when these three men… attacked me. I tried to fight them but… they overcame me. As I was passing out, I saw you…"
She hadn't realized what she said until it was too late.
*Oh, no!* She thought, cursing herself a moment before forcing herself to remain calm.
Sebastian's eyes narrowed for a moment before softening.
"That's good that you remember." He said.
There was silence between them for a moment.
"How many days have I been out?" She asked, looking up at him.
"Three days." He stated, still cleaning up her wounds.
"So, this would be the fourth day I've been in the Phantomhive Manor?" She asked.
He looked at her and nodded.
"Yes, that's right." He said.
He stood, taking the cloth with him and walked to the door.
"Sebastian." She called softly.
He paused his step, turned, and looked at her.
"Thank you, for… saving my life." She said, softly.
He smiled and bowed to her.
"Get some more rest." He said.
He closed the door behind him.
*This woman is hard to read.* He thought to himself.
He began to walk away from her room. A smirk slowly spreading across his face.
*Though she did see me. That… is quite interesting.*
It was about one in the afternoon when Eloise sighed. She was excruciatingly bored. She didn't feel like sleeping. Besides, she was starting to feel better. Her wounds were healing, slowly, but they were healing. She sighed once more. Suddenly, she heard a violin playing. She sat up, wincing slightly, and looked around. It was a lovely tune. She lifted her tired arms and pretended to play the instrument herself. She closed her eyes, allowing the music to fill her as it always did. She could feel her wounds healing as she played. Suddenly, she felt the instrument within her hands.
Ciel and Sebastian blinked rapidly as the violin suddenly vanished from Ciel's hands.
"Where did it go?" Ciel asked.
Eloise opened her eyes and saw the instrument was indeed in her hands.
*Oh, no!* She thought.
She sent it back to him.
Ciel looked at the instrument that had reappeared within his hands as quickly as it disappeared.
"That was interesting." Ciel stated.
Sebastian glanced sideways in suspicion, his eyes reddish-brown.
"Indeed." He stated.
The music didn't resume. Eloise didn't worry about it too much. She went to lay back down when she caught sight of the gown she was wearing. It was a light green color. She gasped lightly. She moved the covers off her. It was not the red dress the Queen gave her!
*He changed me?*
Her heart stopped a moment.
*Oh, no!*
Fear gripped her heart.
*Did he see them? Well, if he changed me…*
She lifted the gown and saw bandages upon her stomach. She felt herself pale. She pulled the gown down, turning her face away from the scars upon her body.
*He hasn't made a comment on them nor has he asked. Maybe he won't...* She thought.
She calmed down and placed the covers back on. She leaned back and closed her eyes a moment.
She reopened them when a light tap came from the door. She opened her eyes and saw it was night time. She had fallen asleep. The door opened and Sebastian came in holding a lit candelabra, the flames dancing across his face. She turned her head towards him. She smiled softly.
"Good evening, Sebastian." Eloise said.
He approached her bed and placed the candelabra on the nightstand next to the other one.
"Good evening, Eloise." He said, a small smirk upon his face.
Suddenly, the iv needle in her arm started feeling itchy. She looked down and started to itch around it, knowing she shouldn't but, she couldn't help it.
He frowned at her.
"You shouldn't itch near the iv, Eloise." He said, commandingly.
She looked up at him, stopping abruptly. She moved her hand back to her side.
"You're right." She said, softly.
His eyes widened slightly, before he smiled at her. Her stomach growled slightly. His smile grew wider upon his face.
"I figured you might be starting to feel a little hungry."
He moved to the side revealing a trolley that held a tray that was covered and a glass of water.
She smiled.
He placed the tray over her before taking the lid off, explaining what she would be eating.
"Tonight's dinner will be chicken broth with a glass of water."
"Thank you, Sebastian." She said, smiling at him.
He bowed before busying himself with lighting the other candelabra, one eye watching her eat. She picked up the spoon, put it in the bowl, picked it up, blew on it for a minute before placing it in her mouth. It was delicious! So full of flavor! It felt nice going down her throat. She sipped at the water in between bites. Sebastian placed the candle back into the candelabra he brought in and moved it to the trolley. He continued to watch her. After about twenty-five minutes, she was finished. She sighed in content. Sebastian moved forward and collected the tray. He placed the tray back on the trolley. Eloise wondered if she could ask him for something to read as she didn't feel like sleeping. In fact, the broth made her feel more awake!
"Sebastian?" She asked, as he started walking away.
He paused before turning towards her.
"Yes, Eloise?" He asked.
"Would it be alright if I could read some books or something, please?" She asked, quietly.
He smiled.
"I'll see what I can do."
She nodded.
"Thank you."
He bowed once more before taking his leave.
Eloise leaned back against the headboard. After about five minutes, she heard a tap on her door. She looked over at it. Before she could respond, Sebastian walked in with an armful of books. He placed them on the nightstand next to the candelabra.
"Thank you, Sebastian." She said, smiling at him.
He turned to her, smiling back, his head tilted.
"You're welcome, Eloise."
He walked out of the room, closing the door quietly. Eloise picked up the book on top. She opened it up. She frowned at the synopsis. She put it to the side. She grabbed the next book before also putting it to the side. She picked up the third… they all seemed to be about magic. She frowned slightly. She put the two other books that she placed to the side back on the pile. She picked up the first book and began to read. By midnight, her eyes started dropping as she read. She felt her eyes closing for the fifth time. She rubbed her face for a moment. She was about to reach over to open the drawer of the nightstand to see if there was a bookmark in it when a bookmark slipped out from the back of the book she was holding.
*Interesting... And clever.* She thought.
She pulled it out before placing it in the book. After closing the book, she set it back on the pile. She leaned over and blew out the candles before laying down and letting sleep overtake her.
The next morning, Sebastian went in to clean Eloise's wounds. He worked quickly as he always did. He moved her covers and undressed her. After carefully leaning her forward, he removed the bandages from her back. His eyes narrowed. The wounds were completely healed. There was no scratches to be seen upon her back, just her whipping scars. He laid her back down. He removed the ones from her front. Most of the cuts were still deep but, they were more healed than yesterday. He cleaned them and bandaged them. He looked at her legs. The few bigger gashes were still not healed, so he cleaned and bandaged them. He looked at her arms and found they too were almost healed except for the bigger gashes, so he bandaged those. The bruises on her body and face were gone as well. He dressed her in a dark blue nightgown. He checked the iv bag, finding it would still be alright, he left the room to prepare breakfast.
Eloise awoke and stretched. She found her body didn't hurt so much, just a little. She glared at the iv in her arm. It was itching even more now. Her eyes widened. Most of the bandages were off! There were only a few on her arms. She moved the covers, her legs had a few bandages and small cuts that were left open to further heal. She noticed he changed her once more. She lifted the dark blue gown and her stomach was still bandaged but, there were a few small cuts left open. She pulled her gown down and sat up. Her stomach slightly hurt but, other than that, she felt no pain. She smiled. There was a knock upon her door.
"Come in." She said, as she covered her body.
Sebastian entered the room with a trolley.
"Good morning, Sebastian." Eloise greeted.
"Good morning, Eloise." He greeted back.
He served her, as he took the lid off, he explained what she would be eating.
"Today's breakfast will be beef broth and water."
"Thank you."
He bowed, moving back, once again watching her eat. He could see her resisting the urge to itch near the iv as her hand and arm made the smallest of movements. A small smile of amusement appeared upon his face.
Eloise finished her broth and water in about twenty-five minutes. She felt satisfied. Then the itch of the iv started up again. She wondered if she could convince Sebastian to take it out today. He moved forward and collected the tray.
"Sebastian?" She asked.
He glanced up, his brownish-red eyes looked directly into her eyes. She smiled.
"I'm feeling much better today. Can we take the iv out now, please? It's been really itchy which means I'm definitely healing. Please, Sebastian?" She asked.
He smiled a shrewd smile at her.
"Let's see if you can hold down the broth then perhaps we'll take it out."
She nodded.
"Alright." She agreed.
He gave her a nod before walking out the door.
Eloise picked up the book she was reading last night, she flipped it open, removed the bookmark, and continued reading. She was a little more than halfway through the second book when Sebastian knocked on her door.
"Come in." She said, finishing reading the sentence she was on.
Sebastian entered the room and walked towards her. She put the book down. She saw he was looking at her with that same shrewd smile as earlier.
"Were you able to keep your breakfast down?" He asked her.
She nodded, "Yes, I was."
"Very good." He said.
He touched the iv needle and slowly pulled it out. Eloise smiled as he disposed of the needle into the trash.
"I'll be just a moment." He said.
He turned and walked out the door. Eloise rubbed her arm for a moment before stopping right as Sebastian entered with a tray. He served her the chicken broth, explaining that there was some left over. She thanked him once again. He continued watching her eat. Once she had finished, he cleared her tray, and walked from the room. She continued reading. The same thing happened for dinner that night. He continued watching her eat. She read before sleep overcame her.
The following two days, we're basically the same, though he took the remaining bandages off the next day, allowing the remaining wounds to be open. She was completely healed by the seventh day. She was grateful for the broth and water but, she had been starting to crave solid foods however, she didn't vocalize that she wanted it. Sebastian still watched her as she ate. She had read eight of the twelve books he brought her.
Finally, on the eighth day, he gave her toast with butter on it. She ate it happily and was able to keep it down. She was getting more antsy though and wanted to walk around a bit so she wandered to the bathroom. It was pretty nice. It was a soft blue with a soaking tub, a toilet, and long counter with a big sink. After doing her business, she washed her hands. She then wandered over to the window that Sebastian threw the curtains open to that morning for her to get some light in the room and looked outside. It looked beautiful. There were so many trees and so much green! She stood by the window for a long time. Sebastian had caught her standing by the window when he brought her lunch consisting of a turkey sandwich. She smiled as always and walked back to the bed where she ate her lunch. After Sebastian cleaned up and left she read the ninth book until dinner.
The ninth day came, he continued serving her solid foods. That night, after dinner and after Sebastian put the tray on the trolley, he walked back over to her. She turned her head to look at him.
"Seeing as you have fully recovered, the Young Master wishes to speak to you tomorrow morning."
Eloise looked at him with another smile.
"Alright." She said.
He walked over to the door next to the window and came back with a blue and white dress. He walked back over to her bed.
"The Young Master wishes you wear this."
He showed her the gown. It looked like a maid outfit. She nodded.
"Alright." She said.
He nodded too before turning to walk towards the dresser. He placed it on a hook that was next to the long dresser. He walked to the left side where the door was. He turned and bowed to her.
"Good night, Eloise."
"Good night, Sebastian."
He left. She finished reading her book before calling it an early night. She placed the book on the pile, blew out the candles before laying down and letting sleep overtake her.