Chapter 5 - The Storm
Wilhelm stumbled across the muddy earth towards the faintly lit house, his arms straining under Jacob's dead weight. Taking a breath to steady himself, Will gave the polished wooden door several respectful yet forceful taps with the toe of his boot, gripping Jacob's cold body close against his chest.
"Please, Mein Herr, my companion has fallen ill. I would like to request lodging, I can pay," Wilhelm pleaded as the door cracked open, unable to hide the uncharacteristic urgency in his voice.
"Goodness, of course," A voice responded softly from behind the door. "You and your... companion are welcome," the gentleman added, swinging open the door fully. Blond, well-groomed hair pulled loosely away from his delicately featured face, the young man's blue eyes expressed curiosity as he gestured for Will to come inside.
Stepping inside the house and murmuring his thanks, Wilhelm paused to marvel at the dwelling's luxurious interior. The house was much bigger than he'd thought, and the man that he'd been addressing so casually was quite probably a lord.
"Follow me, I have an unoccupied guestroom that will be well suited for you," the slight blond man offered with a smile, heading towards the stairwell. "Don't worry about your boots for now, the floors could probably use a bit of dirt once in a while," he added with a chuckle.
Wilhelm followed the man's lead as he ascended the stairs, unable to ignore a growing feeling of suspicion at his host's eccentric nature. Obviously this man was quite wealthy, given the lavish décor and his crisply pressed attire, yet Will observed no evidence of servants or other residents in the house.
Leading Wilhelm down a short hallway and into a sizable bedroom, their host gestured to a finely engraved oak cabinet. "There are linens and extra sets of nightwear in the bottom drawers. There's also a washing room at the end of the hallway, feel free to draw up a warm bath and dry your garments."
"Thank you, Mein Herr. But we don't have nearly enough money to repay you for this level of hospitality," Will replied, inwardly cringing at how light their wallets had become lately.
"Don't think anything of it! How could I turn you away? I so seldom receive visitors, I ought to be hospitable to the ones that do show up," The gentleman answered with a warm chuckle and wave of his hand. "Now where are my manners?" Their host continued, glancing at Jacob, "Here I am talking away while your arms are no doubt growing exhausted! Please, get him comfortable."
"I'll draw up some tea for you both," the blond man added, striding toward the door as Wilhelm moved to place Jake on the bed. "Before my manners abandon me completely, I'm Weiss Erzdieb, but Weiss will do," he said with a smile, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him silently.
Wilhelm's worries somewhat abated by his host's cheerful disposition, he cautiously laid Jacob on the soft down bedding and began the task of removing his soaked outer layer of clothing. Will deftly unbuttoned the front of his brother's jacket and slipped him out of it, tossing the soggy garment to the floor. Jacob's vest, boots and socks quickly followed, as Wilhelm tried to ignore the blueish cast to his brother's lips. Will continued to undress him, until all but his underclothes were laying in a damp pile on the floor.
"What am I to do with you, brother?" Wilhelm questioned the silent room, before tugging the plush covers up over Jacob's still form. Removing the younger man's worn glasses, Will placed them on the bedside table with care.
Hesitantly placing a hand along Jake's cold cheek, Wilhelm noticed the faint feeling of warm breath on his hand. Exhaling his relief, the older Grimm hurried out of the room, intent on finding Weiss.
"Herr Erzdieb?" Will questioned, stepping off of the curved oak stairway. Glancing around the elaborate foyer, he once again wondered what kind of lord would dress in such practical clothes and ask to be addressed by his first name.
A cheery response from Weiss drifted down the hallway, allowing Wilhelm to follow the sound of his voice into the kitchen.
"In here," Weiss greeted the older Grimm, appearing suddenly from behind an ornate cabinet door. "I can't find the tea leaves for the life of me! How is he doing by the way?"
Pausing momentarily, Wilhelm tried to determine how much concern was logically warranted regarding his brother's condition, and how much stemmed solely from the fact that it was Jacob who was ill.
"Well, I'm not much of a doctor, but even I can tell that he's seriously unwell," Will replied, running a hand through his damp hair impatiently.
Directing his attention away from the cabinet's shelves momentarily, Weiss studied Wilhelm intently, "If you're willing to go back into that dreadful weather, there is a herbalist in town that sells remedies and tonics. It would be a short ride eastward from here, no more than twenty minutes each way."
Unwilling to abandon Jake for any amount of time in his current state, Wilhelm carefully weighed his alternatives. Practically speaking, he knew he would be useless to Jacob if he stayed to keep him company, yet Will was also uneasy about leaving him with a stranger.
Sensing the other man's indecision, Weiss gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll take good care of your companion in the meantime." Reaching into a cabinet, the blond man continued with a mischievous grin, "Also, in a somewhat fortunate coincidence, the herbalist just so happens to sell tea, too."
His jaw clenched in annoyance, Wilhelm found himself agreeing to the task as he hastily turned to leave, reasoning that it was the least he could do to repay the other man for his generosity. "Thank you again, Mein Herr," Will added earnestly, swiftly heading towards the door and back out into the stormy night.
"So trusting," Weiss murmured as he heard the door shut with a muffled thud, turning his gaze towards the staircase.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading. This is the updated version of Chapter 5, uploaded on 02/2023.