Truth and Consequences (Rp for quitehomoerotic)
The next morning passed pleasantly enough. Jack ordered breakfast just as he promised, and presented himself with a smile. She presented himself with his shirt, neatly folded and soon enough there were returned to her sitting room. Just as he promised, it was as if they never left.
So much they lived the day all over again, if more quietly. Meals taken in her rooms, they eschewed the formality of the court for the day in favor of conversation and a long walk through the gardens. She looked over the snow-kissed grounds with new eyes. They seemed that much fresher, almost new, after their trip to London. Was this what Jack experienced every day? Did the wonder ever fade?
She learned nothing new about him that day, but enjoyed his company no less.
At some point through the course of the day, she began to feel it. The familiar pressure between the back of her eyes, slowly building. The headaches always came first, and the rest would follow with a grating predictability. For the moment, she placed them willfully aside. It would come, soon enough, but she had an afternoon she intended to enjoy.
But soon, and enough had an irritating habit of pressing at her heels. And that night it all came down on her with a force, seemingly angry at being ignored through the course of the day. It was their old dance. The difficulty breathing, the fever. If she could only sleep, she thought, true sleep. Surely it would go away. But the fever continued to climb until she could hear the footsteps of her maid, leaving the room in a hurried fashion. She would be informing Louis, his orders on this remained quite clear. Reinette merely pressed her eyes closed, and willed it away.
When she opened them she remained exhausted and knew she still had not slept. Louis was not there, of course. He never could face the sickroom. But instead came the familiar pressure and slice of heat and pain. The doctors had arrived then, with their familiar murmurings and treatments. They blood was infected, and so it followed she must be bled.
As her vision blurred and the exhaustion surged Reinette willed her guest to remain asleep and managed to thank the late hour. Soon enough they were gone, only her maid still sitting in the corner until Reinette managed to direct her strength her ordering the girl away. Today she wore the face of traitor.
Finally there was silence, and Reinette was able to curl onto one side, her wrist cradled next to her and turned to the sky so that nothing else might touch it. She waited for sleep to come.
So much they lived the day all over again, if more quietly. Meals taken in her rooms, they eschewed the formality of the court for the day in favor of conversation and a long walk through the gardens. She looked over the snow-kissed grounds with new eyes. They seemed that much fresher, almost new, after their trip to London. Was this what Jack experienced every day? Did the wonder ever fade?
She learned nothing new about him that day, but enjoyed his company no less.
At some point through the course of the day, she began to feel it. The familiar pressure between the back of her eyes, slowly building. The headaches always came first, and the rest would follow with a grating predictability. For the moment, she placed them willfully aside. It would come, soon enough, but she had an afternoon she intended to enjoy.
But soon, and enough had an irritating habit of pressing at her heels. And that night it all came down on her with a force, seemingly angry at being ignored through the course of the day. It was their old dance. The difficulty breathing, the fever. If she could only sleep, she thought, true sleep. Surely it would go away. But the fever continued to climb until she could hear the footsteps of her maid, leaving the room in a hurried fashion. She would be informing Louis, his orders on this remained quite clear. Reinette merely pressed her eyes closed, and willed it away.
When she opened them she remained exhausted and knew she still had not slept. Louis was not there, of course. He never could face the sickroom. But instead came the familiar pressure and slice of heat and pain. The doctors had arrived then, with their familiar murmurings and treatments. They blood was infected, and so it followed she must be bled.
As her vision blurred and the exhaustion surged Reinette willed her guest to remain asleep and managed to thank the late hour. Soon enough they were gone, only her maid still sitting in the corner until Reinette managed to direct her strength her ordering the girl away. Today she wore the face of traitor.
Finally there was silence, and Reinette was able to curl onto one side, her wrist cradled next to her and turned to the sky so that nothing else might touch it. She waited for sleep to come.