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“Let me not do that,” the Queen said. “Not until the doctor says it’s safe to do so.”

“I am fine,” Penelope gritted her teeth. Concern, when given in large and constant suffocating and unnecessary doses, was very irritating. “I am not glass that can easily be broken. I am fine.”

“Then you wouldn’t mind me keeping you company,” Azriel said. Instead of him dragging a chair to sit by her side of the bed, he pulled open the duvet on the other side and climbed into the bed. “I could use some rest as well.”

Penelope’s eyes bulged, and they snapped to look at the Queen. Neera was wearing a mischievous smile as if plotting a vendetta, something akin to the one she perpetually wore, the time Penelope knew her to be a wicked person.

“Since you’re in safe hands, I will take my leave,” Neera said. Penelope looked over to Azriel, whose arm was slung over his eyes, and she shook her head at the Queen, the very gesture stating that Neera shouldn’t leave her alone with Azriel.

“I think someone is calling me, you hear that, don’t you?” Neera came up with the worst lie of an excuse and smiled at Pen. “I’ll see you when the Doctor arrives, and I will make sure to knock.”

So she blew Penelope a kiss and exited the room, closing the door all the way through. Penelope fell back onto the pillow and folded her arms, annoyed.

“If I didn’t know better, Pen, I’d think you don’t want me around you anymore,” Azriel said. Penelope looked at him. His eyes were now open, and he was staring right at her.

.....

“I am doing what is right, my Lord.” She answered, her arms coming unfolded.

“So you slept with me for the fun of it?”

“Isn’t it what you do, my Lord?”

Azriel only looked on. Somehow, it must be some kind of retribution for all the frivolous relationships he had, ones that barely lasted more than a passionate night together. But he didn’t want that with Penelope. He didn’t. He wanted more–quiet companionability, shared conversations, the close proximity of her company.

“I missed you,” he blurted out. Penelope’s expression didn’t change. “I really did. The estate feels emptier.”

“But you have lots of people...”

“Damn it, Pen. You have a talent for sucking the romance out of everything I say.”

“I didn’t... I wouldn’t...”, Penelope sighed and looked up, sideways, as if searching the room for answers he couldn’t see. Finally, her gaze returned to his.

“Thank you, my Lord,” she said.

Azriel’s brows raised. “Thank you? For what? For missing you?” Azriel asked, to which Penelope gave a single nod. “Where on earth do you hear people say that in reply to that statement?”

“I... really don’t know what else to say, my Lord.”

As Azriel was about to launch into a tirade, there was a knock on the door. He pushed himself off the bed and opened it, and the purple-haired doctor walked in.

“Good day, my Lord, I heard the Queen’s friend is injured,” the doctor said. He moved in after Azriel ushered him to where Penelope sat. The Doctor immediately started examining Penelope, asking questions and checking her body. Penelope answered everything, well aware of her master’s eyes drilling into her from across the room.

After the doctor asked her to walk the length of the room, which she did successfully without any limp or stagger, he wrote her off as fine.

“Only some ointment to erase those scratches on that pretty skin of yours,” the Doctor smiled.

Azriel’s eyes snapped to him, and Penelope hoped demons were not given the power to murder through glares.

“All done,” the Doctor said. “Is there anything else?”

“Perhaps check if she has a heart, and make sure it’s beating,” Azriel said.

The doctor snorted a laugh and looked at both of them. When neither Penelope nor Azriel joined, the doctor stopped, and cleared his throat, his face pinkening.

“She...does have a heart, my Lord.” The doctor said.

“Really? I could have sworn she didn’t,” Azriel pushed himself off the door, and opened it. “Not with the way she speaks sometimes.”

Azriel left the room, leaving Penelope and the Doctor alone. The doctor patted at his pocket, clearly uncomfortable, and he pressed a smile on his lips as Penelope met his gaze.

“I’ll be off to tell the Queen I’m done,” the doctor said, and hurriedly left the room.

Penelope slid down to the bed, and if she could reprimand herself, she would give herself a good beating. It wasn’t so hard to reciprocate his words, especially since she had felt the exact same way. Neera had and will always be a delight to stay with, but Azriel filtered through her thoughts in the minutest way– when she was talking, speaking, eating, sleeping, everything, and yet all she had to utter in return were four words.

I missed you, too.

Simple. Short. Truthful.

“Oh, you’re all alone?” Neera said as she stepped into the chambers. She looked behind the door, and around the room. “The Commander General has left?”

Penelope nodded, unsure. “Yes?”

Neera came to sit next to her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Did something happen?”

“I think he’s done with me, Neera.”

He had been done with her sometime in the beginning when he had been first attracted to her and she didn’t reciprocate, and now, he would be over her for good.

....

“Calamari.”

“Lobster.”

“You love Calamari.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t love lobsters too.”

“Lobsters are fancy and expensive, and whose idea was it to wear this ridiculous clothing to have a ‘proper’ promenade together?”

Zavian lifted the heavy hood of the cloak off his head, and the sunlight captured his hair, drawing to his beauty like bees to flowers, and enhancing its golden color. Neera could only stare, surprised at herself for finding him as handsome as the first time she laid eyes on him.