a.n. Okay, sorry this took so long. My life has been WAY more chaotic
than normal. Too many end of the year projects…O_o. Anyway, if it seems
like this story's going no where, it's because, at least for the meantime,
it is! Don't worry, I know what I'm going to write for the next chapter,
which I hope will be a lot sooner than this. As always, R&R! : )
Trudging through the rain, Amelia felt like she was going to collapse from exhaustion. Her legs ached unbearably, and felt as though they were going to give out any moment. She looked over at Zelgadis, whose face had not changed at all since they left. How could he endure walking in such unbearable weather? She envied him, and admired him for his self- discipline.
Noticing her lingering gaze, he turned his head questioningly. Having nothing to say, she quickly looked down and stared at her boots, which were covered in mud and grime. Disgusting. Even she, who was usually such an optimist, was beginning to get irritable. She was feeling dizzy; they had been trekking for hours upon hours. She needed to stop, or at least rest. "Zelgadis-san, can we stop for a minute?" She asked, a little embarrassed, but too drained to really care.
"Of course, Amelia," He replied, his tone full of warmth, "as long as you'd like to."
She was certainly relieved. They took shelter under a particularly large tree, which was a little out of their way. Rain still leaked from the leaves, but it was fairly kind compared to the vehement storm all around them. Amelia sighed and sat down on a small, flat rock. She closed her eyes and supported herself with her elbows. She was very uncomfortable. A trickle of cold water traveled down her forehead, but she could not wipe it without getting her face more wet. The rock was exceedingly bumpy, even through her thick layers of clothes. No matter how her body shifted, it was just as terrible. Everything was miserable. She felt warm tears arise from her eyes over the cold of her face.
Zelgadis looked concerned. "Amelia, is everything okay?"
She did not respond for a moment. "I don't know…I'm just miserable. I'm so exhausted."
"We can always set up the tent again." He reminded her.
"That's okay," she said, trying to restrain the tears, "we're already so close."
"Amelia, we still have hours to go." He said, concernedly. She did not answer. Her mind wasn't working right.
"You need to be dry, Amelia," he said, "I'm going to set up the tent for us. Just sit there."
"…Zelgadis-san, you don't need to do that," her speech became more and more slurred, "I'm…okay…" Her eyes shut, and she was dead to the world.
Zelgadis smiled inwardly at the irony. Quickly, however, he assembled the tent. Once all was in order, he took the sleeping princess inside.
Gently, he removed her cloak, which was sodden with the rain water. He folded it and set it aside, trying to let as little as possible drip from the garment.
Looking back at the sleeping princess, he wasn't sure what to do. All her clothes were soaked through, and he didn't know whether or not it would be very proper to strip her. He nudged her, gently, so that she wouldn't be startled. Her eyes opened, slowly.
"Amelia, you're soaking wet," he said, "you'd better change."
All that came from her mouth were utterances that had no meaning what-so-ever, until she fell back to sleep. He decided to leave her clothes on, despite their wetness. He didn't want her to wake, only to discover that all her clothes were missing, and that he was the only one there. No, he couldn't stand the embarrassment. Instead, he gently laid her down on the floor, removed her boots and cloak, and did the best he could to dry her off with an already damp towel.
When that was done, he knelt down, blushing crimson, and touched his cheek to hers. She was not especially warm, but warm enough to worry him. Trying to decide what he should do, the chimera paced around the tent for a moment.
Finally deciding that her fever was only going to get worse unless she got warm, he pushed his embarrassment aside and stripped off all her clothes, leaving only the bare essentials. Once more, he dried her off. He was amazed by the fact that she could sleep through all this. Lastly, he rummaged through her pack, to find some dry clothes. All he found was a pair of flannel pajamas, moist from the rain getting through the fabric of the bundle.
He cursed, silently. He couldn't put them on her; they'd just make her colder. He removed the large quilt, which was luckily dry for the most part, and wrapped it around her figure. She convulsed, so he rubbed her shoulders for heat.
He was still worried. He touched her cheek again. She was warmer still. Cursing once more, he removed his garments as well, dried off, and slipped in next to her. He felt the blood surge up to his cheeks, thinking about the situation differently. He wanted to leave, and save himself from the awkwardness of the moment she woke up.
Still, it felt nice to be taking care of her, especially after what she had done for him. He closed his eyes and slept.
A.N. The tides have turned, haven't they? Don't worry, I'm starting on the next chapter right now! ^_~
Trudging through the rain, Amelia felt like she was going to collapse from exhaustion. Her legs ached unbearably, and felt as though they were going to give out any moment. She looked over at Zelgadis, whose face had not changed at all since they left. How could he endure walking in such unbearable weather? She envied him, and admired him for his self- discipline.
Noticing her lingering gaze, he turned his head questioningly. Having nothing to say, she quickly looked down and stared at her boots, which were covered in mud and grime. Disgusting. Even she, who was usually such an optimist, was beginning to get irritable. She was feeling dizzy; they had been trekking for hours upon hours. She needed to stop, or at least rest. "Zelgadis-san, can we stop for a minute?" She asked, a little embarrassed, but too drained to really care.
"Of course, Amelia," He replied, his tone full of warmth, "as long as you'd like to."
She was certainly relieved. They took shelter under a particularly large tree, which was a little out of their way. Rain still leaked from the leaves, but it was fairly kind compared to the vehement storm all around them. Amelia sighed and sat down on a small, flat rock. She closed her eyes and supported herself with her elbows. She was very uncomfortable. A trickle of cold water traveled down her forehead, but she could not wipe it without getting her face more wet. The rock was exceedingly bumpy, even through her thick layers of clothes. No matter how her body shifted, it was just as terrible. Everything was miserable. She felt warm tears arise from her eyes over the cold of her face.
Zelgadis looked concerned. "Amelia, is everything okay?"
She did not respond for a moment. "I don't know…I'm just miserable. I'm so exhausted."
"We can always set up the tent again." He reminded her.
"That's okay," she said, trying to restrain the tears, "we're already so close."
"Amelia, we still have hours to go." He said, concernedly. She did not answer. Her mind wasn't working right.
"You need to be dry, Amelia," he said, "I'm going to set up the tent for us. Just sit there."
"…Zelgadis-san, you don't need to do that," her speech became more and more slurred, "I'm…okay…" Her eyes shut, and she was dead to the world.
Zelgadis smiled inwardly at the irony. Quickly, however, he assembled the tent. Once all was in order, he took the sleeping princess inside.
Gently, he removed her cloak, which was sodden with the rain water. He folded it and set it aside, trying to let as little as possible drip from the garment.
Looking back at the sleeping princess, he wasn't sure what to do. All her clothes were soaked through, and he didn't know whether or not it would be very proper to strip her. He nudged her, gently, so that she wouldn't be startled. Her eyes opened, slowly.
"Amelia, you're soaking wet," he said, "you'd better change."
All that came from her mouth were utterances that had no meaning what-so-ever, until she fell back to sleep. He decided to leave her clothes on, despite their wetness. He didn't want her to wake, only to discover that all her clothes were missing, and that he was the only one there. No, he couldn't stand the embarrassment. Instead, he gently laid her down on the floor, removed her boots and cloak, and did the best he could to dry her off with an already damp towel.
When that was done, he knelt down, blushing crimson, and touched his cheek to hers. She was not especially warm, but warm enough to worry him. Trying to decide what he should do, the chimera paced around the tent for a moment.
Finally deciding that her fever was only going to get worse unless she got warm, he pushed his embarrassment aside and stripped off all her clothes, leaving only the bare essentials. Once more, he dried her off. He was amazed by the fact that she could sleep through all this. Lastly, he rummaged through her pack, to find some dry clothes. All he found was a pair of flannel pajamas, moist from the rain getting through the fabric of the bundle.
He cursed, silently. He couldn't put them on her; they'd just make her colder. He removed the large quilt, which was luckily dry for the most part, and wrapped it around her figure. She convulsed, so he rubbed her shoulders for heat.
He was still worried. He touched her cheek again. She was warmer still. Cursing once more, he removed his garments as well, dried off, and slipped in next to her. He felt the blood surge up to his cheeks, thinking about the situation differently. He wanted to leave, and save himself from the awkwardness of the moment she woke up.
Still, it felt nice to be taking care of her, especially after what she had done for him. He closed his eyes and slept.
A.N. The tides have turned, haven't they? Don't worry, I'm starting on the next chapter right now! ^_~