The Prince Of Curses h.s.

Thirty

When I woke up in the morning, the sun was shining brightly through the window. 

I had no idea how long I had slept, but I had slept like a rock. 

It did feel slightly unusual not being woken by Olesia's usual morning routine. She always started the day off by greeting me with her cart and a hot breakfast. Even as I stepped out of bed it felt wrong to leave it unmade. So I tucked the blankets back in, fluffed the pillows, and smoothed out the wrinkles.

I was currently in my nightgown, having changed before bed. My leg was still sore. Now, four large scabs littered my skin. I walked over to the mirror propped in the corner of the room, gazing at myself. I scrunched my nose at the sight of me. 

My hair was so messy, with wiry strands flying in different directions away from my face. My hands were dirty, my skin was oily. I was desperate to take a bath. 

I was about to turn to go downstairs when something caught my eye through the reflection of the mirror. I turned, looking at the desk next to the window. A cup sat on its surface with stray wildflowers and lilacs placed neatly in it.

I walked over to it, brushing my fingers across one of the flowers and accidentally causing it to twirl to the other side of the cup. The flowers were unruly and nothing compared to the ones grown in the castle garden but I still loved them. My eyes wandered over to the piece of paper laid next to it. 

For you.

— H

I smiled as I read it. I wonder when he came in here, it must've been during the night when I was asleep. What encouraged him to bring me flowers? Whatever the reason, it was such a small gesture but it truly warmed my heart.

I silently tip-toed downstairs, unaware if Harry would be awake or not. But as I stood on the final step and peered over the wooden frame my heart began to sing. Harry was laying on the couch, one arm covering his face, the other hanging off the side. One leg was straight out while the other was elevated and perched on the backrest of the couch. He had a small red blanket thrown over him, although half of it covered his torso and the other drooped to the floor.

I quietly stepped closer to him, so I could see his face. 

When he slept next to me in our tent the night before, I didn't really have the chance to observe him sleeping. But as I looked down on him now, his eyelashes sitting on his cheeks, his pink lips slightly parted, he was absolutely beautiful. His crown was sitting on the small table in front of the couch, his hair was messy and untamed, curling around the peak of his arm. If I didn't know any better I'd say he looked like an angel in disguise.

I took one last look at him before I turned away. I headed toward my bag, digging through it to pull out a set of clean clothes— my last set of clean clothes. 

I pressed my lips together as I decided to pull out the dirty ones, bundling them in my arms. I really wanted to bathe, I was sticky and smelly from our ride. Surely there was a stream of water nearby, and I wouldn't mind going to look for it. I remember the direction Harry ran when he helped me limp in yesterday, and he didn't seem to be gone for too long which meant the stream shouldn't be that far away.

But Harry would probably freak out if he woke up with me gone.

I decided to sit the clothes down on the floor before I walked over to the desk. I grabbed the quill, dipping it in ink before writing:

Going to find water for a bath.

I placed the quill back in its holder and carried the paper over to the couch, setting it on the small table beside his crown so that hopefully it would be one of the first things he saw when he woke up. I ran over to the sink and grabbed the bar of soap, planning on using it to scrub my clothes. I slipped on my shoes, probably looking absurd wearing riding boots in my nightgown, and bundled up my dirty clothes in my arms again.