Heaven Sent

3. Second Save

Chapter Three

The next few days were practically the same. She would wake and her maid, Alexia, would help her clean up as well as change into another night gown. She would eat and then fall asleep again. When she wake in the evening, his majesty would be there.

His highness tried to get her to talk, but she still hadn't said anything since she said her name. He'd give her time if that was what she needed. He would bring her a few things which always got her to blush at him.

In that time, her wound was healing a lot better. Salic felt that soon she would be about to walk around. Not without assistance, but still she would walk. He had seen such progress with her.

He entered her room today to she her sitting up on her own looking out the window. A throw wrapped around her shoulders to cover her up. He smiled at her as she turned to him. The midmorning sun draped over her and made her glow. Especially when she looked over and smiled at him. Again not meeting eye contact.

Again he wandered where she came from. Who she really was. Why she always kept her eyes down. Why she always avoided direct eye contact. She was taught to never look someone in the eye. Even his majesty has confessed he wished to look into her eyes just once. To know how blue they were and see her fully for once.

"I was wondering if you would want to walk around today." She smiled more and nodded her head. "Good." He walked over to a wardrobe and opened it up. "Now I should find you and over coat that you can wear over your nightgown. Something that is still comfortable." He searched through it before finding something he thought she would like.

He held up an empire waisted gown that had a pleated bottom skirt. In the back was a little kick of a train with more tight pleats. The dress was a powder blue with white and sliver accents. The sleeves were full yet not too full with three bands. A ruffle around the square neck line.

Salic smiled. "What do you think?" He got the pleasure of hearing her giggle with a smile on her face. He smiled too as he went over to her and helped her dress. They took their time and he delicately buttoned the buttons dow her back and the ones on her sleeves. Each band had buttons that let them loosen so one could put the dress on much more easily.

Once the overdress was on her, he gingerly lifted her up from the bed. It took some time before she was standing up fully. He was patient as it has been nearly a week since the last she stood.

Every step they took was delicate and slow going. Her legs shook with disuse. Her hands clung onto the good doctor as he held tightly to her. She was frail and delicate in his arms. He felt like a father taking care of his daughter after she was seriously injured. But that was how he felt with all his charges.

The managed to get to the door and he opened it. The guards outside of her room both bowed as Salic and the lady emerged. They kept their bow as they took their time moving through the doorway. The moment they were through, one of the guards closed her bedroom door. The guards were actually relieved that she was moving about.

The guards went with them as the doctor took her on a simple tour of the castle. At any stairs, the guards would take turns carrying her down or up. The doctor did not feel comfortable enough with his age and strength for such a thing.

They made it out to the small garden on the second level terrace. Arch ways lined either side with grape vines crawling up them. The vine were full with leaves and full grape bunches. One the left side were green grapes and on the right, red grapes.

There was a long continuous bench in front of was arches. Carved stone with vines along the edges. It look like they were mimicking the grape vines behind them.

Salic helped her sit down on one of the benches. She smiled as she reached up and plucked one of the green grapes. He chuckled as he leaned closer to her. "Just don't do that too much or his majesty will find out. These are his private grapes." She giggled and picked another handing it to him but he held his hands up. "He may forgive you, but not I even if you give it to me." She blushed and ate the grape not wanting to waste it.

They were enjoying the view when the king stormed out onto the terrace before stopping at the sight of Anrielle. His worries and breathe left him at the sight of her. Her sitting there in the sunlight with the beauty of the full grapevines behind her. Her golden hair with a bit of a curl to it.

Salic had been telling Anrielle about all the places around the castle. He had not seen his majesty come out on the terrace. He was turning back when he saw the king standing there watching them.

Salic shot up and bowed. "Forgive me my lord. I did not hear you."

His highness shook out of his staring but not before he noticed the blush on her cheeks. "It is alright Salic. I was pleasantly surprised to see you both out here." His majesty looked at Anrielle. "You look so angelic in that shade of blue." She blushed fully as she looked down farther.

"Well, my lord... I'll let you have sometime to yourselves." Salic said and he bowed to each of them and left on the terrace. He knew they both had feelings for each other, but he also knew she was fighting them. He hoped the king could change her mind because he wished to have her as his queen. Though she has yet to speak, he knew she was good to the core.

His majesty moved to sit next to her. He took her hand and kissed it. He lifted up his other hand and brushed a lock of her hair away from her cheek. "May I finally get to see your eyes? I have longed this week to see them."

She turned slightly away. He sighed. "Is it you have a life out there somewhere? All you have to do is tell me and I'll see to it you return after you're fully healed."

He saw her expression turn sad as she looked up to the heavens. The look of longing was there too. He wondered what she was thinking. Did she have no one? Was her family dead and she wished she was with them? She was more than a mystery to him that he wished to know just a hair more than he already did.

For a second he saw her eyes cloud and then it looked to be back to normal. The next moment she was pushing him down to the ground. Not a heartbeat later, thuds struck the lattice work the grapevines were climbing up.

He looked passed her and saw arrows sticking out of the wood. He wrapped his arms around her as she shook on top of him. Guards rushed to him as he was trying to calm her. The trembling he felt was of pain. Not fright. She had hurt himself when she saved him. She has saved him yet again.

The guards from her room helped them up. They took her inside and his majesty followed them. As they did, his highness saw a small cut on her back. One of the arrows must have grazed her back in her attempt to save him. She was truly her angel yet again. He fell more in love with her at that moment.

She was looked at and Salic said it was indeed just a simple scratch. They just had to dress it. A light dressing as the scratch was on her shoulder. They were all thankful that it was not more. The only real harm was her still healing bullet wound was now sore.