The Red-Haired Princess || Akagami No Shirayukihime

51. Fallen Angel

The sciatic nerve is the widest, largest and longest single nerve in the human body. Sciatica( pain along the sciatic never) can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness. It begins in the lower back and runs through the buttock and down the lower limb going from the top of the leg to the foot on the posterior aspect.

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Chapter 51: Fallen Angel

Shirayuki's eyes were forced to shut, grit her teeth so hard and try to control the sounds of her pain inside her. Her legs hurt so much. Her body hurt so much. The bruises, scrapes and cuts, all of it hurt her. Not that she didn't want to open her eyes to see what her husband was doing to her, but opening her eyes, for her, would make it hurt more than it's supposed to.

Zen tried his best to do it softly and gently, but with Shirayuki not being able to control her movements due to her pain was making it harder for him to do it softly and gently.

This happened every other day. Every single other day. Zen would always volunteer to carefully spread the ointment, try to massage and stretch her legs, but her legs being touched always made her cry.

She had bruises, cut and scrapes all over from her knee to her ankle, but her sciatic nerve was worsening it.

The pain felt like sharp-toothed creature was eating her raw from the inside, and her wounded legs felt like searing; extremely scorching and intense.

She grunted so loudly when Zen intentionally used his hands around Shirayuki's shin, making her feel more pain especially with quick movements of her fibula and tibia bone crashing together. She had no choice, but to absorb the trauma and swallow the pain.

Finally, the pain started to pull back like the sea wave going out. Shirayuki started to take deep breaths, happy that it was done. The pains were retreating, but the tingling, pain numbness and Zen's arms could still be felt.

"All done," Zen said with a small smile on his face. But his wife wasn't. Yes, she was happy that the pain was retreating, but her inside was already crying for the next two days' pain.

Zen took out his handkerchief and gave it to Shirayuki, who used it to clean her sweaty, crying face. Her face was slightly red, and so were her eyes. He didn't wait before he slept beside Shirayuki. 

"How are you feeling?" Zen asked as he made himself comfortable in lying on his side beside Shirayuki. His hand in motion, straightening Shirayuki's hair.

"I can feel the sciatica, my legs are aching; I can't move it, it's too numb and weak. It's like my fibula and tibia want to fall out of the shin. Too much pain in my back and hips. My body is hurting."

Zen listened. He was very familiar with this sentence, just with a change of words. He comforted her. She was stiff. She couldn't move her body especially her lower body. And this always happens whenever the ointment is applied; she becomes paralyzed.

"Sorry I can't turn you over." Zen comforted as he kissed Shirayuki's scalp. He could, but he wouldn't. It would help ease her the pains in her waist and hips, and mostly her sciatica aches, but it wouldn't help her unhealed lower limb, which is the first priority. He kept on kissing her scalp till her breath was resuming to its standards.