Hi everyone! In this chapter you will learn the outcome of Josie's test. Does she have the same blood disease as her mother? Or not? And what do you guys think of Fredric? Does he give you a little bit of Gomez Addams vibes? Any who, thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Alcina was seated at the vanity and getting herself ready for bed. Fredric had fallen into a comatose-like sleep a few hours ago after eating his supper in bed. Snoring loudly.

"I forgot about his snoring. I will have to get use to that all over again, though I could always return to our original bedchamber," she murmured, continuing to stare at him; his physical state still a shock to her. "From the state he is in, I would wager that must have been his first decent meal in months along with sleep."

Once she had finished taking off her makeup and brushing her hair, she got up from her chair and took a seat on her side of the bed.

The shift in the bed stirred Fredric awake. He blinked, turning his attention over to Alcina.

"This nightgown looks new," he commented, reaching out and touching her waist.

"It is not," she said, keeping her back to him.

"You're upset."

"No, I just have a lot on my mind," she answered.

"Like my brother? The vandals?"

Alcina glanced over her shoulder at him.

"I did not want to worry you about that."

"Why?" he said.

"Because your concentration needs to be solely on healing; resting."

"Do you think me so fragile? That these vandals and rebels would cause my health to worsen?"

"No, Fredric," Alcina said. "But your brother had no right to say that!"

"If he hadn't, Alcina, you never would have told me."

"Yes, I would have, which brings me to ask you, what exactly did he say to you before I entered?" She fully turned around in the bed.

"Nothing of consequence," he said, in a tone that indicated an end to the conversation.

"Very well," she said. "Is there anything you need before I settle down for the night, my lord?"

"Alcina," he sighed, watching her slide underneath the blankets and cozy down into the pillows. Unable to help himself, he started to touch her. Fingers going along her curves, trailing the flower designs on her nightgown.

"Stop that," she grumbled, having turned to sleep on her side, and having a very difficult time to keep herself under control from giving in to his touch. "I will leave and sleep in the other room."

Smack!

She spun right around after he had smacked her butt, grabbing at his wrists to keep his prying fingers away.

"Fredric!" a giggle escaped her. "If you think this is your way of trying to reconcile—" she squealed when his fingertips landed on her breast. "I am going to break your arm in a minute!"

"Threatening a man who is already crippled. Shame on you, Madame."

Alcina stopped her fidgeting, sitting right up and cupping her husband's face.

"You are /no/ cripple. You will walk again. The doctor is going to start giving you physical therapy and ease you into using the walking stick."

"But for now I am an invalid bound to his wheelchair. A burden."

Alcina kissed his lips roughly, pulling back after a moment and snapping:

"Who ever said you were a burden? Hm? Who? Your brother? Me? Who?"

Fredric shook his head, glaring at the wheelchair situated in the corner of the room.

Alcina followed his gaze, placing a kiss to his cheek to grab his attention.

"The wheelchair is temporary, darling. You will walk, do you understand me? We will dance together again, ride horses…, we will do it all, but you must have patience with yourself. Right…, General?"

He chuckled at that, wrapping a muscular arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

"Yes, my lady, if my wife says so then that is how it shall be."

"Good," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. Inhaling his scent. Enjoying the warmth of him. So many nights she had yearned for this. His absence had created a void in her heart. Emptiness. Night after night dreaming of him resting beside her, and awakening to the harsh reality he was not there. Wanting him so badly to the point she would have traveled all the way to the front just to touch him.

"What did the doctor say about Josie?" he suddenly asked.

"He is not sure yet. He took a sample of her blood to confirm if she has the hereditary blood disease, which I can already say will come back positive. She is exhibiting all the same signs I showed when I was her age, perhaps a bit younger."

"And Helena?"

"She would have already shown signs like Josie has. If only I had paid more attention. Took notice of her symptoms."

"It would have changed nothing, Alcina," he said, loosening his hold on her to shift to a more comfortable position. "It is like what happened before I was shot. The area was clear as what was reported, but no one foresaw one of our men was a traitor. No matter which way you look at it. No matter how many times you go over the different scenarios, what's done is done and cannot be undone."

"Yes, I know that…" Alcina said, relaxing back into her pillows. 'But you cannot see this from my point of view, Fredric. A woman's; a mothers.' she thought to herself. 'If Josie ever wants to have children, the risk of she dying or the baby has risen. Having Helena was lucky, but having Josie was a miracle.' She closed her eyes, remembering the agony of her birth. Believing she was going to die from the pain. The amount of blood… 'This is a life sentence. Your injury will heal, Fredric, but what Josie and I share is forever… no medicine; no therapy, can mend that.'

{…}

The months rolled on. The heat wave slowly shifting to cooler; tolerable temperatures. Alcina continuing to oversee the business along with Fredric, who was begrudgingly using the wheelchair. The doctor coming twice a week to ensure he was getting his exercise and treatment, he had also returned with the news Alcina had been expecting.

Josie did indeed have the blood disease.

'I don't understand what that means, Mother, what is this blood disease?'

'It means you will need to be more aware of how you are feeling, just like me. If you are dizzy; short of breath, or your heart feels like it is pounding out of your chest, you must tell myself, Helena, or your father.'

After that Josie had given her mother a kiss and skipped away, acting as though the conversation had never occurred. Alcina smiled proudly at her daughter, though it didn't diminish the sadness overwhelming her heart.

When she was older, Alcina would explain what having this blood disease really meant…

Josie was skipping through the Main Hall and towards the kitchen area when she heard whistling from inside her father's bedchamber.

She giggled, whistling back before entering into the bedroom.

"Hello, Papa," she said.

He was seated in his wheelchair by the window, smiling at her.

"You remembered our call."

"Of course," she said. "It was you who taught me how to whistle in the first place."

"Yes, I did," he said. "How have you been feeling?"

"Good," she said, stopping in the middle of the room. It was still an adjustment for her to see him in a wheelchair, and so she started to advert her gaze everywhere but on him.

"Josie, I have a big favor to ask of you."

That grabbed her attention.

"What is it?"

He motioned her over, turning her so he could whisper into her ear.

"Do you think you can do that for me?"

"I'm not sure if I am strong enough."

"I think you are," he said. "But if you are unsure, well, I could always ask Helena."

"No!" she said, getting behind him and grabbing hold of the wheelchair handles.

At first she struggled getting the wheelchair over the rugs. Fredric having to lend a hand and roll the wheels forward, and continued to do so as soon as they entered into the Main Hall, he didn't want her to collapse from exhaustion.

"I'm doing it, Papa!" she said.

"I told you," he said, knowing Alcina was going to kill him for this, but quite frankly he did not give a damn. Anything to bring a smile to Josie's lips, and Helena's, too. His daughters' deserved that and so much more…

"What are you doing?"

They both looked up to see Helena and Alcina standing at the top of the stairs.

"Father-daughter bonding," he answered.

Alcina was not amused in the least bit. Storming down the stairs and taking hold of the handles to wheel him back into his room.

"Mother!" Josie whined.

"Enough, Josie," Alcina snapped harshly. "Have you any idea the damage you could have caused if he had tipped over?"

"Alcina we were not going that fast. Leave her be."

A vein bulged out near her temple at his remark. Hating how he had made her look like the bad guy.

"Thank you, Josie."

"Can I wheel you to the dining room later for lunch?" she asked, giving him the big puppy dog eyes.

"Of course," he said.

"Yay!" she kissed his cheek before following Helena out the front door.

Alcina rolling him over to the bed, released her hold on the handles and stood over by the window with arms crossed.

"Alcina," he said. "What's the matter? Are you truly upset about such a small thing?"

"No," she said, listening to him wheel his way over to her.

"Then what?"

"I am just tired, my love. That is all. I simply overreacted due to that."

Fredric took her hand and kissed the top of it, making her look down at him.

"I know there is more to what you are saying, but for now I will not ask. My part is to get well, correct, my lady?" he wiggled his eyebrows in his usual fashion, making her crack the faintest of smiles and avert her attention back out the window. Observing Josie and Helena walking in the direction of the peach tree.

"'Can I wheel you to the dining room later for lunch'?" Our daughter, Josie Stanislav-Dimitrescu: The Cabwoman. I shudder to think."

Fredric laughed.

"That is not funny."

"Come now, my love, that wouldn't be so bad for her."

Alcina wrinkled her nose, quirking a brow.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What I mean is she could own her own cab company. Build it up and make a fortune."

"Yes," Alcina said, her smile fading.

"What is it?" Fredric said. "I know that look."

She bit the inside of her cheek, deciding she would not tell him about the recent destruction of their wine barrels, including the one that had currently happened.

"I will be right back." She left the room to get the papers from the study, returning a few minutes later wearing glasses. "Are sales have dropped significantly. Look at the numbers compared to a month ago."

Fredric took the papers, cursing.

"I need my glasses for this."

"Here, wear mine," she grinned, knowing he would not be caught dead wearing any ladies eyewear.

"Go ahead and read the numbers to me…"

Alcina took back the papers and read off the data while Fredric rubbed his chin in thought.

"It is odd, but that is no surprise. My father always said shipments slowed due to the weather change."

"Yes, but this drastically?" Alcina said, fingers trembling with anger causing the paper to crinkle. "There is something going on here, Fredric, more than just 'desperate times'."

"Alcina that is unfortunately how businesses work. They have high points and low. Then it evens out. My father had this happen to him all the time. Hell there would even be poachers who would try and steal the barrels. I assure you this is nothing to lose sleep over."

Alcina swallowed at the last comment, setting the papers down on the vanity and taking a seat.

"I wish I could be so optimistic," she said, seeing out of the corner of her eye Fredric leaning in closer to her. "What is it?"

"Nothing, just admiring your beauty. The way your face flushes with color when you become passionate about something. Your eyes glinting like sapphires."

"You foolish man," she said, closing her eyes and leaning into him as he kissed her neck and along her jawline. "You best stop this at once. /Your/ daughter could reappear at any moment to caddy you away."

"You need only remove yourself from where you are seated for this to end," he growled back lustfully.

"So be it," she said, rising out of the chair and stalking over to the door. Coming to a halt to turn back and look at him.

"I will have your driver collect you around twelve for lunch."

"Thank you, my lady," he said, bowing his head and placing his hand over his heart, grinning boyishly at her.