"I said I'm fine. Seriously. Back up." Eirian had woken up rested and starving and without any patience.
She'd opened her eyes to a circle of concerned faces, and they hadn't left her alone since. Apparently, she'd woken up only a few hours after Chenzhou and they'd both been unconscious for three weeks.
She'd also apparently blown the roof off half the main castle, but that was less important and less surprising.
"Are you still hungry? Where is that food?" Marian had barely left her side since she'd woken. According to Finn's effusive information dump, while he sobbed, Marian had tended her while she was unconscious while Anna tended to Chenzhou. Now she kept ordering food, which was great, and randomly bursting into silent tears, which was not great.
Chenzhou had come to check on her first thing when he'd woken up, which sent a warm fuzzy feeling through Eirian. Anna had come with him, which was less warm but still appreciated. She'd also left pretty much immediately after seeing Eirian alive and awake, which was very appreciated.
Finn kept crying as he kept up a steady stream of information about everything that had happened while she was unconscious.
Yuze, at least, wasn't crying. He mostly just looked annoyed and he'd dumped a lapful of letters on her as soon as she'd assured them she wasn't going to keel over and left.
Oddly enough, she appreciated his reaction the most.
She swallowed a mouthful of tender, juicy roast and opened another letter. Eric and Uncle Jacques had both written her repeatedly while she was out.
"Explain to me again, why neither of you just responded and told them what happened?"
Chenzhou, who'd refused to leave her bedside and was doing his own work at her imported, everwood desk, had stopped looking up or rushing over whenever she spoke to him. "They were addressed to you and there's no way the King or Prince Eric's agents didn't tell them what happened."
Eirian stabbed another piece of roast and read another letter as she chewed. The first letters had been several pages long, Eric reporting what he'd found, nothing, and Jacques demanding detailed descriptions of everything that had happened without his knowledge, but after one or two went unanswered they'd gotten shorter and more demanding.
My Darling Niece,
I am still awaiting your response to my letters, my questions. I cannot help but concern myself with your situation when I hear nothing from you. You have never been away from the capital for so long before and I find I miss hearing of your antics, which have brought me such amusement and relief from this tedium before. I am bed bound with another bought of Flouret's and have little joy in my life now. I would hear from you as soon as possible, lest I find need to travel in my condition.
Your Loving Uncle,
Jacques
Cousin,
You have not responded to my last three letters. Much has happened. Father is bed bound again but has begun to retaliate against Uncle Francis. I have recovered the bride price, which, while I love you cousin, was ridiculous. Are there any funds left in the Camelia? Father has written Lord Ye to demand an accounting, as no one had any idea he could afford that. Given that Lord Ye has yet to reply, and your previous insistence that he is a better man than expected, I assume he's simply scared of father. Please assure him that its merely a matter of accountability, as father has resigned himself to your affection for your marriage. Temporarily, at least. He still prefers your return to Aontacht, but much has come to light about the Camelia that has him intrigued. He will likely want to visit once he recovers from this illness, so be prepared.
Your Cousin
Cousin,
Father is starting to recover but his illness has become more frequent. I fear we made need you back in Aontacht sooner rather than later. You will need to finish things at the Camelia quickly. Write as soon as you can, I need to know anything you've discovered.
Your Cousin
Cousin,
Respond immediately. Much to share.
Your Cousin
Eirian ate the last of the roast and set the plate aside. "Bring me my lap desk and quill. Also, is there more roast?" She'd been eating non-stop since she woke and was still hungry.
Marian set her lap desk, carved from dark wood and inlaid with gold, over her lap. "I'll send for another plate. Tea?"
"Please." Eirian glanced at Chenzhou, working at her desk, as she dipped her quill in the dark ink. "Have you eaten today?"
He nodded an affirmative, his quill never ceasing in its movement against the paper in front of him.
"Another plate for him too."
Marian nodded and swept out after pouring them both tea.
Eirian started to write her response to Eric, trying to sort her jumbled thoughts when faced with a blank page. "Any headache?"
"No." Chenzhou didn't seem to have a problem with a blank page.
"How's your breathing?"
"Easier than it has been in a long time." He looked up and gave her a small smile that time.
Eirian nodded, pleased and set her quill to the paper.
Cousin,
You won't believe what happened! I managed something quite new and difficult that unfortunately will have to wait until we are face to face to share in detail, but rest assured, it's quite impressive. Lord Ye is doing well, and looks to be completely recovered, though only time will tell for sure. It seems we are well on our way to becoming friends, which pleases me more than I expected.
"Is it gone? The miasma?" Chenzhou twisted in her chair to look at her and Eirian looked around, checking though she hadn't seen any sign of the miasma since she'd woken.
"It seems so, but it's best to wait a bit before declaring it gone for sure."
"Makes sense."
"We should celebrate soon though. Something to raise spirits." Apparently, the flames and the explosion of her magic had sent the residents of the Camelia into a tizzy that had only been made worse by three weeks of silence from their leaders.
"Of course. Do you want me to summon someone to plan it?"
"No, I want to do it. Did they ever finish the redecoration?"
"According to Yuze's long…colorful report, yes, they did."
Eirian cackled. "Hated it, didn't he?"
"The process more than the result." Chenzhou sounded amused, though he was bent back over his papers, and she couldn't see his face.
It was comfortable though, to have him working at her desk while she worked on her letters. The silence between them somehow calming and focusing at the same time.
Eirian usually guarded her space jealously, but for some reason, Chenzhou didn't feel like an intrusion.
He was starting to feel like home.
~ tbc