It took her a good long minute before she even brought herself to enter the room, her eyes stuck to the mahogany wooden door that barred her person from entering.
It was time to replace his dressing and Susan trusted her to do it. but Lucy could not bring herself to wake up the sleeping figure that laid before her.
He just seemed so peaceful, her eyes lingered on his slightly opened tunic revealing his upper chest. chest rising back and forth in such tranquil count. And his long eye lashes closed shut, her eyes lingered unto his lips, the pigment had returned, they looked so fleshed and soft to touch, but Lucy was not here for any malicious thoughts nor by any means ogling Edmu- her brother.
Perhaps if she just manage to change the dressing to the wounds while he slept peacefully then she would avoid altogether to having to interact with the living waking King Edmund.
She slowly begun to crept up from where he slept, taking slow steps into the feathery mattress that the dark haired boy occupied, her left occupied with a bucket that stored the dressings in a meticulous order. Her other hand clumsily fumbling through his tunic. If she were to be asked how she would prefer this played out, suppose she would rather have both of her hands feel the solid of his chest.
she shuddered, shaking her head trying to calm her stubborn horses that lay fastened inside her heart.
She has manage to get the tunic loose, she slid them up and closed her eyes shut tight feeling the hard flesh on the dark-haired boy's front. This was beyond inappropriate, now to state things:
Her only intention is to be a good nurse and help her Edmund more or less her brother- sleeping brother - helpless sleeping brother tend to his wounds
Her eyes still closed tight when she finally grabbed the cloth on her bucket, then back to where his old dressing were, before she could feel on his chest again she felt hands clasped her own.
She heard a soft growl, she opened her eyes to see that he was still asleep, except he stirred as if he is having a nightmare. She quickly removed her hands on his chest and placed them on his shoulders to try and calm him down.
He bolted his eyes open, upon seeing her he seemed to have gain his composure, still somewhat estrange in her unexpected presence and company
"Lucy?" He said, his voice hoarse and dry,
She squeaked and turned away from his eyes
Instead his tunic fell off of his shoulders and his chest exposed and bare, she tried not to peek but she could not help it.
"Sorry.. Susan said I should come help..." she says in an almost whisper. Such utterance lingered for a few seconds until Edmund lowered himself back to his bed very groggily.
Lucy didn't know what to do next, if this meant an open invitation to examining his person or if he meant that she should go away and leave him undisturbed. She didn't plan to leave him unattended it was just very embarrassing that she should, be free to make decisions about touching his person and are able to do so in such close proximity, with little to no barrier between his exposed chest and the light linen tunic it made it very hard for her heart to beat normally.
"May I.. see?" She asks him softly, her hands slightly trembling all the while looking at his face waiting for him to open his eyes and give her consent.
He mumbled with a pained expression as he keeps his eyes closed motioning that it is alright for her to see.
She moved towards him and brushed against the gauze. She opened the fabric and revealed the wound to his side. It was still slightly tender and reddish in texture. Signs of scarring is unfortunately going to leave a mark on his skin. she grabbed the medicated concoction and applied it as gently as she could using a patch of clean wool. Then a set of new gauze.
"Sit up a little bit.." she urged him on still quite cautious.
He sits up with a pained expression and Lucy placed her hands on his back to help him out. she continues to lean in closer and roll the linen around his torso
"You didn't have to do this..." he tells her softly, his hands still holding on to her back.
She almost nearly stopped, so did her heart and coldness began to envelope her person. 'Why would he say that' her thoughts were beginning to spiral to the possibilities of Edmund despising her so much that he wished to rid of her company. from the tone of his voice to the way he said it, being despised into such degree wouldn't seem so fitting.
It were a few seconds until he spoke. Alas, she has form all sorts of conclusions by the time he utter anything more.
. . He finally said, "I mean.. nursing me back to full health. I'm sure the hypourgisses ( Nurses in the middle-ages) would be able to manage" He seemed almost dejected as he responded. her eyes wondered over to his, to try and understand and yet amidst his brown pools she couldn't understand why he should be pushing her so, when she only wished to help.
"I don't want to be a burden" He says looking away, removing his hands on her back and placing it back to the cold spot of the mattress. She felt even more cold, the warmth of his hand left her own as if he meant to say that he is not worthy of her attention.
What would have brought the idea of him being a burden to her ever, why should he feel this way? He isn't only passively pushing her away, now he is doing so actively. perhaps she has offended him since he left for battle, because she knew in her heart that never ever thought of him a burden to her.
It was a perplexity.