A Royal's Tale [COMPLETED]

Chapter 43 - "We all need you."

Alwyn

Wilder laid unmoving as Alwyn had remained unmoving from the room. Melina had visited her, offering Alwyn a new shirt and a bit of food. Washing off Wilder's blood was the only concession to moving away from him that Alwyn had given into. She didn't want him waking up to seeing his own blood on her.

"I was terrible towards you," Alwyn said. "That first day you arrived on the ship with Lydia. I regret how I treated you both. I hated you when you commanded my sailors so easily when it had not been that way for me."

She sighed.

"I need you to wake up so you can accept my apology. Do you want me to bring you a plant? I know that's what you do here. I could put it on the table beside you. It would be the first thing you saw when you woke up, my apology plant."

The door knob to the room turned and Alwyn stopped talking. Her ramblings were for Wilder's sake. Lydia stepped inside and paused. She surveyed the interior as if she'd never seen a room before.

But Alwyn understood, she saw Lydia's fear and worry. It wasn't easy to see someone as capable as Wilder completely still.

Eventually, Lydia let her eyes rest on him and Alwyn saw how she swallowed hard. She stared at his chest, watching it rise and fall. The same action Alwyn had done for the past few hours.

As Lydia drew closer, Alwyn focused on Wilder, she didn't want Lydia to feel she was being criticized. Alwyn wouldn't be leaving her spot, but that didn't mean Lydia needed to feel uncomfortable around her.

"Has he moved at all?" Lydia asked.

Alwyn shook her head. Hours of talking to him and still nothing.

"May I?" Lydia asked.

The question caught Alwyn off guard, until she realized she had her boots up on the edge of the bed as if guarding Wilder.

Alwyn lowered her boots from off the rim, allowing Lydia to get closer. Lydia perched on the edge of the mattress. She looked at him without saying anything for a moment.

Wilder looked almost peaceful laying there. Alwyn hurt thinking that he might never know about the peace that he helped make happen.

"Wilder," Lydia said. Alwyn waited, wondering if it would be Lydia's voice that brought him back. Alwyn didn't care if it was. She only wanted him to wake up. What did it matter if it was his love for Lydia that made it happen?

But Wilder gave no response.

"I spoke to your father," Lydia said. "I told him you are resting. Which is what you need. You've given everything for me, for this Kingdom, please don't give your-" She choked off and Alwyn dropped her gaze. "Come back to us."

Alwyn felt Lydia glance at her. She wasn't sure exactly what she saw, a girl wrung out and scared. That's what Alwyn felt.

"We all need you," Lydia said to Wilder.

Wilder gave no sign of hearing. Gently, she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Alwyn knotted her fingers together, would that do it? Would Lydia's love be enough for him?

But Wilder didn't react.

Lydia rose and with a final look at him, turned away. Alwyn leaned forward, clutching the bed's blanket. If he wouldn't return for Lydia, was all hope lost? Would he not return at all?

Alwyn cupped his cheek.

"Please," she said, desperately. "Please Wilder, come back to me."

Alwyn's heart leapt as Wilder turned into her touch and stilled.

**********************************************************************

🧜🏽‍♀️⚔️🛡 👉🗯💭💬👈