Page 24 of Torin and His Oath (Torin and the Princess #2)

LEXI

I woke up and Torin was leaning on the bed, facing the door. A wave of nausea hit and I clapped my hand over my mouth. I scrambled up, dislodging Dude, who had been lying on my feet.

Bowl...?

I scrambled past Torin and on my hands and knees retched into the bowl until I was weak and had nothing left.

I sat on my heels. “I feel better. All done.”

I pushed the hair back from my head.

“So uncomfortable.”

I untied the tie around my waist, pushed down my skirts, and left them in a pile on the floor. I crawled over to the bed and draped across the lumpy mattress.

Torin said, “Ye hae tae get all the way up in the bed.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Tis uncomfortable.”

I lay there for a moment.

Then I asked, “Did I get in…?”

“Nae.” He picked me up around my waist and deposited me in the middle of the bed.

He pulled the blanket up and patted my shoulder.

I muttered, “I won’t do that again. I’m done.”

I lay there for about three minutes, then scrambled up, lunged toward the bowl, and threw up, multiple times.

No no no no no. No.

A string of drool spanned from my lips to the disgusting bowl.

I sagged, sitting crisscrossed, head in my hands. “I’m done but I should sit here for a moment, in case.”

“Aye, tis a good idea. Och, ye are taken with the flux — yer belly’s bad.”

He passed me a warm wet rag.

I wiped my mouth and face. “Where did you get this? It’s the greatest thing in the world!”

“The innkeeper gave it tae me.”

“I love this place, we should stay here tonight.” I looked around for someplace to put the rag.

He put out a dish, and I placed the rag in it. “I won’t need it again, I’m done. I feel much better.”

“It sounds it.”

“I will get in bed as soon as I sit here for a moment.”

He nodded, chewing his lips.

I swallowed. I swallowed. I swallowed with a moan. Then I got on my hands and knees and vomited again.

He said, “Ye cannae keep aught down.”

I said, “Is there someone who can clean it for us?”

A woman’s voice from the corner said, “I will, mistress.”

“Oh,” I looked around, bleary-eyed. “I didn’t see you there.”

She carried off the bowl.

I swayed. “I hope I didn’t offend her…”

Torin said, “She is Madame Agnes, she is here tae help with ye. She daena mind, she says she haena seen a lass so struck with flux afore?—”

I said, weakly, “Yay, I win.”

“Ye want tae put yer head upon my knee?”

I said, “Aye,” and collapsed to the side, placing my head on his thigh.

He comfortingly stroked my hair.

I said, “I’m such a pain in the arse.”

His hands stroked down my hair again.

I said, “I’m done though, I won’t. All better?—”

I rose up, swayed toward the newly cleaned bowl and puked again.

A little while later I frowned. “I need to poop.”

Torin gestured for Madame Agnes to hold my arm, steadying me while I crouched over the chamberpot and went.

The indignity was worse than anything I had ever experienced. I was also too sick to feel shame. Though for some reason I kept telling Torin and Madame Agnes that I was going to be okay, that this was done. I was done. That was it, I kept repeating that I was all better now.

But totally undone.

I was so weak that my thighs shook.

I was sleeping on and off, on Torin’s knee, with his hand resting on my shoulder, reminding me that he was there. The room grew very dim, a few flickering candles on the table.

I heard whispers, and made out Madame Agnes telling Torin that he needed to go eat, that she would watch over me.

I don’t want you to go.

She said, “Madame Lexi, ye must let yer husband go tae eat. He has been tendin’ ye for hours and needs some sustenance.”

I nodded, lifted my head from his knee and crawled onto the bed. “It’s really cold.”

Torin pulled the covers over me and tucked them in. He knelt beside the bed and smoothed back my hair. “I will be downstairs eatin’. I will return verra soon. Daena be scared.”

I looked at his worried face, lit by the tiny flickering flame of the candle. “I won’t. I’m all better, that was the end of it.”

He stroked my hair again, looking into my eyes, and repeated, “Daena be scared.”

He pushed up from the side of the bed and left the room with Dude following.

He wasn’t gone long. I only had time to spew into the bowl once.

I was sprawled on the cold floor with a hand on the bowl when he returned. “Och, ye were in the fine bed and look at ye.”

“It’s too much, Torin. I don’t want to do it anymore.”

“I ken.” He lowered himself onto the floor and lifted my head to bring it to his lap again. He spread the blanket over me.

He placed his hand on my cheek. “Ye are too warm, Princess, I am worried on ye.”

I raised up, groaning, and fell toward the bowl, retching a few times. I wiped my mouth with my arm.

“No more.” I was shivering.

He picked me up, carried me to the bed, and covered me with the blanket again.

I said, “You keep doing that.”

“Aye, ye keep climbin’ from the bed so I hae tae keep puttin’ ye back.”

“I’m thirsty.”

He held a mug of ale and I took a sip. I lay back and looked at him with a frown.

He had a lock of hair hanging forward on his cheek, so I reached out and tucked it behind his ear. “Did you get bannocks and cheese?”

“Nae, they dinna hae it.”

“Aw, I’m sorry. But you were fed?”

“Aye, I hae been fed, Princess. Thank ye for askin’ after it.”

Then I moaned and climbed from the bed again, to heave once more.

Finished, I swiped my hair from my eyes. He asked, “Ye want the bed?”

“No... not sure that was it...”

He patted his knee and I put my head on it again. I said, “I bet you regret making an oath to me…”

“Why would ye think it?”

“I am a great deal of trouble, possibly too much. You made the oath before you knew how much.”

“Ye are a princess, tis in yer title that ye are going tae be trouble. I knew it goin’ in.”

I couldn’t answer because I went to the bowl to dry heave again.

I was back in bed. Shivering cold, then aching and hot.

It had been a while since I had thrown up, probably because not enough water, but I couldn’t keep anything down, so dehydration was just going to have to be part of the problem.

I was on my side, so achy. It was late at night. I could hear the sounds of the tavern downstairs as the last few men were noisy, but it sounded like last call.

Madame Agnes left to rest for a few hours, leaving some clean chamber pots and warm rags for cleaning my face and hands. I was too weak to talk and so just watched as this happened.

Then I was aware that Torin was kicking off his shoes and climbing in on the other side of the bed, on top of the covers.

He wrapped his arms around me, putting my head on his bicep.

Spooning behind me. He whispered, “I need ye on m’arm, so if ye wake ye will awaken me as well.

I am tired, I fear I might sleep through when ye need me. ”

I said, “Thank you. I do need you, I need you so much.”

I felt him nod behind my head, then he kissed the back of my hair.

I snuggled in and fell asleep in his arms.