Thanks to a_koozie for her editing. I hope the relative frequency of the uploaded chapters make up for the bad endings to each part... >_>;
However I appreciate all readers and comments on the story! Thanks for reading and favoriting!
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(Aiden)
He didn't think he'd seen anyone so sick before. Meredith coughed and gagged continuously as he held her steady. It looked like she had only had liquids in her stomach, but he had recognized the symptoms of a bad drug. Unfortunately, it seemed the drug had already filtered into her system, but at least some of it had been thrown back up.
He patted her back as she continued to cough. The little pearls on her dress dug into his hand as he held her about the waist. Even through the thick embroidery he could feel her stomach heaving with each cough.
Once she calmed a bit, Aiden drew out a clean handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from her face before cleaning her mouth. She moaned hoarsely and struggled to get upright. Aiden straightened her and let her body rest against his shoulder.
She stared at him, her eyes glassy and bloodshot. Her bottom lip trembled and her skin felt clammy and chilled. Aiden arranged her arms to loop around his neck before sweeping her up into his arms. Her dress was horrendously heavy, even for him. It must have been a third of her weight.
As quickly as he could, Aiden carried her back to the house, careful in the darkness. As he stepped into the house, two servants ran to him.
"Get a healer and water, quickly," he barked.
The two ran off again, hopefully not going for the same thing. Aiden was sincerely grateful that he had two meddling younger brothers who had forced him to come to this ridiculous party. Grey had tracked him down earlier that morning and dragged him out of the cave he had slept in that night. Not surprising that Grey had been the one to find him since he spent so much time in the wild himself.
What had shocked him partially out of his stupor was Kaleb's silence. Not a single barbed comment had come from him, which had been a bit disconcerting. Grey being Grey, had said nothing, only tossed him some clothes and made sure he came home. Then the two of them had left him alone for a few hours before bullying him into coming to this party.
Aiden followed another servant who was leading him through the Dane's house. He felt uneasy about putting Meredith in a red's guest bedroom, but he didn't plan on leaving her alone. To the red's credit, the house and its rooms were impeccable, if garishly extravagant. He hadn't fully realized how wealthy the other families were.
The servant held open a door to his right. Once Aiden had passed through, he hurried over to the bed and pulled back the covers. Aiden nodded his head in thanks and gently laid Meredith upon the sheets. Despite her sickly complexion, she was lovely against the cream colored sheets. Some of her dark hair had spilled free from its silver netting and pearl pins, spreading out elegantly upon the pillows. Her silver dress seemed to glow in the meager light.
Aiden drew the covers over her. Meredith's lips were still trembling, but she seemed to have slipped into unconsciousness while he had been carrying her. The sound of hurried steps drew his attention to the open door. A servant came towards him with a pitcher and empty glass. Aiden took both from him and pour the water himself.
He sat on the bed and pulled Meredith into a sitting position, trying to wake her enough to swallow the water. Her eyes flickered, but she didn't fully wake. He did manage to get her to swallow some water, most of it leaking out from the corners of her mouth. She coughed once and opened her eyes. Aiden placed his palm against her cheek as she met looked at him. Her eyes focused before widening in surprise.
"Didn't expect to see me so soon?" he asked jestingly.
She swallowed, her pale face coloring slightly. Aiden smiled thinly and pressed the glass to her lips. She drank quickly, wearily dropping back to the pillows once the glass was empty. Aiden pulled the covers up to her chin. Heavy footsteps came down the hall and stopped at the door.
Dane entered the room and came to the other side of the bed followed closely by a healer. Aiden let his hand fall from Meredith's cheek, but took hold of her hand instead. She turned slowly towards Dane, her head tilted back to look at his face.
"I heard you had collapsed, Esa Meredith."
"I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you, Es Dane," she whispered.
Aiden tightened his hand on Meredith's. She squeezed back weakly, almost as if she was the one reassuring him. He held his tongue until the healer stepped forward.
"She was drugged," Aiden said.
The healer gave him a dubious glance before he began to look over Meredith. He checked her eyes, her pulse, and even temperature. He made her spit into an empty cup before putting a white powder into it. The power turned a bright orange. The healer turned to Dane and confirmed she had been drugged.
Aiden restrained himself from smacking the man. The only useful thing the healer contributed was that he gave her some charcoal to swallow to absorb some of the toxins. Soon after the healer left, telling her to drink as much as she could and to rest.
"I believe you may leave now, Es Aiden. Esa Meredith will be looked after here until she is well enough to return home."
Aiden could almost hear the smugness in the man's voice.
"I think I'll stay and watch over her."
Dane's brows drew together for a brief moment before his expression smoothed once more.
"Not to trample upon your good intentions, but it would be inappropriate for Esa Meredith to be here alone with you."
"Not to besmirch the reputation of your house, Es Dane, but you'll have to forgive me if I'm a bit cautious of the guests in your house. It hasn't even been a few hours since she was drugged by someone invited to your families party. Forgive me if I'm a bit hesitant to leave."
Dane's face visibly tensed and took a threatening step in Aiden's direction. Aiden rose smoothly to his feet and stood his ground. Dane's eyes were tinged red around his iris which looked nearly white in the dim lighting. Aiden let his eyes color as well. He wouldn't give Dane the satisfaction of making him back down, even if he was in the man's house. A light tug on his hand, made him reluctantly break eye contact and look back at Meredith.
"If you don't mind, Es Dane, I'd rather have Aiden here with me," she said weakly.
For a moment, Dane stared at Meredith. Aiden felt her hand tremble slightly.
"As you wish," Dane said tersely. "I'll have a maid in here at all times."
Aiden sat back on the bed, dismissing Dane now that he had backed off. Dane walked out the room, barking orders just outside the door. A flustered maid entered and bowed to them before going to stand at the far wall.
"Can you drink some more water?" he asked Meredith.
"I don't want to, but I can."
Aiden helped her sit up once more and held the glass for her to drink from. Her eyes were still bloodshot and she was beginning to tremble in earnest.
"We should get you out of that dress."
Meredith nodded, but didn't move. Aiden sighed and stood again, turning his back as the maid came forward. He heard them struggle with the heavy gown for a long time before it fell to the floor, the pearls clicking dully on the stone floor. Once he saw the maid return to the far wall from the corner of his eye Aiden turn back around.
She'd been given a modest nightgown that buttoned all the way to the base of her throat. Aiden pulled the covers back up to her chin before sitting next to her hip. Her eyes drooped, but valiantly fluttered to stay open. Aiden smiled and grabbed her hand.
"Sleep, Meredith. I'll watch over you."
She sighed before her eyes closed and her breathing deepened. Aiden stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. The maid had taken the ornaments from her hair so that it was free to frame her face. Aiden looked over his shoulder at the maid. She was still standing in the corner, hands neatly clasped before her.
"Could you bring me a stool to sit on?"
The maid nodded and brought him a padded stool. Aiden slipped from the bed, careful to keep his hold on Meredith's hand undisturbed and sat, leaning his body over the bed.
"You can take a seat as well. No point in standing the entire time."
She smiled at him demurely, shaking her head. Aiden rolled his eyes.
"Take a seat woman. It makes me uncomfortable," he said mock seriously.
