The Daughter of Illéa [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter Twelve - Part Two

"I'm here to visit Mr Cole Gray, from Lakedon," Jess says quietly to the older woman in front of her. Squinting, she can make out the first name on the name badge: Naomi.

Naomi shakes her head of white curls. "Your Highness, I am sorry but Sir Gray cannot have any visitors at the moment, he is sleeping,"

With as much authority as she could muster, Jess lifts up her head and straightens her back. "I request to see him. Please."

Naomi purses her lips but then opens the door for Jess to walk through.

Trying not to feel bad, Jess thanks the old woman and closes the door behind her.

She looks around the room full of white beds. "Cole?"

Silence.

Then, a voice. "Jess?"

The princess tries not to run as she makes her way over to the small bed where the voice came from. But when she sets eyes on him, she starts running. "Oh god, I'm so sorry, Cole, I-"

The boy smiles. His face is bruised and scratched, he's got a black eye and cut lip that had already started to heal, and a nose that looked like it just stopped bleeding. Somehow it looks worse than before. But that's only what Jess can see; the rest of his body is under the covers. "I was worried about you," he says simply.

Jess has to refrain from laughing. "Worried about me?! You're the one who looks half-dead!"

Cole looks down at himself. "Don't worry, this is after they cleaned me up."

Jess shakes her head. "Idiot," she says quietly. "That was scary,"

Cole shrugs, the movement looking slightly unnatural under all the blankets. "What about you, did he get you?"

"No," Jess shakes her head again. "I'm fine. But he got you real good,"

Cole chuckles and struggles to take off the blankets, getting lost somewhere underneath them. "I'll be allowed out soon, see?" He sits up against the pillows, and Jess can see that he's wearing nothing but a long, loose, white bandage around his torso and some shorts.

"Ouch," Jess winces, looking at the purple, blue and red blossoming from underneath the bandages.

Cole quickly pulls the blanket back up. "He's got a mean kick, I can tell you that. But, really, I'm fine!"

Jess cocks an eyebrow, sceptical. "Mhm."

Slightly desperate to prove how okay he was, Cole peers around the room. There's two other people; a man lying down in a bed, coughing, and a nurse checking up on him. "Hey, excuse me!" Cole shouts.

Jess's eyes widen. "Cole, shut up-" she hisses.

"It's fine," he smiles, motioning for her to calm down.

The nurse looks over.

"Yes - hi! Is it possible for me to leave soon? I feel pretty good!" He grins.

The nurse sighs and shakes her head, tending back to the poor man. "Mr Gray, you can't keep asking that. You were admitted to the infirmary yesterday, and a fractured rib doesn't heal overnight. Not to mention bruises we still need to keep an eye on, a broken nose and cuts on your face that could get infected."

Cole mutters to himself, looking displeased. "But... I'm-"

The young nurse shakes her head warningly. "Mr Gray, if you say you are fine one more time I will personally kick you out of this infirmary."

Cole's face lights up.

Realising her mistake, the young nurse rubs her forehead. "That's not..." she makes a frustrated noise. "Let me tend to this man, alright?"

"Yes," Jess says loudly, shoving Cole back into the pillows. "We are very sorry about our interruption. Carry on."

Cole was having none of it. He sits back up again. "Why, what's wrong with him?"

The nurse glances at the man, then back at Cole and Jess. "Just some sickness," she says quickly. "Nothing to worry about."

Just some sickness? Jess furrows her eyebrows. Strangely unspecific for a fully qualified nurse...

Cole grimaces. "Sorry to hear that. Get better, man!"

Another nurse bustles into the room and makes a beeline around the beds for Cole's bed.

"Good morning, Sir Gray. Lean forwards, please," She greets

Cole obliges, wincing painfully as he holds himself up weakly.

Within a few seconds, she props all the pillows up and helps him sit up against them.

Thankful, he sinks back into the pillows, an arm clutching his midsection. Noticing Jess looking at him worriedly, he smiles and holds up a thumb. "All good! Now, go enjoy the life of a Princess, princess!"

Jess purses her lips stubbornly.

Cole smiles softly. "Jess, seriously. I'm fine, alright?"

Rolling her eyes, Jess gets ready to argue. "You're really not, Cole-"

He holds up a finger to his lips and then gestures for Jess to get down to his level.

Bunching up her dress, she kneels down.

"Look, Jess," Cole begins. "If I get better - which I will," he quickly adds. "If I get better soon, I mean, I'll be allowed out. And I will. So don't worry about me, alright?"

Jess's eyebrows twitch. Finally, "Fine." She stands up and fixes her dress. "I'll see you soon, alright?"

Cole beams. "For sure,"

The Princess begins to walk, but Cole calls out to her. "Wait,"

Jess looks back around. "Hm?"

Slowly, Cole grins. "Set up some buckets for the cripple, will you?"

Rolling her eyes, Jess keeps walking, not without chuckling a little. "Whatever, idiot,"