Heirot

Atul nodded slowly. "Okay," he replied. "Do you want me to go with you?" He wasn't sure if Vlad needed space, if this was his excuse to get it, so the King offered.

Tenele frowned, glancing at Atul. She thought that Vlad should stay in bed and rest, but she didn't want to argue that with him.

"No, I'll be fine," Vlad said. He hated his decision more by the second as he sat up and shifted to the foot of the bed. Getting to his feet hurt enough to take the breath out of him. He sagged back to lean against the footboard for a minute while he regained his bearings.

Tenele knelt behind Vlad and placed her hands on her husband's arms. "Why don't you stay in bed a little while longer?" she asked him softly, her fingers rubbing his arm with a feather-light touch. She didn't want it to seem like she thought he was week, so she kissed his shoulder lightly. "Keep me warm."

Vlad shook his head slowly, but didn't move. A second ago he'd felt desperate to talk, and now all he could think about was getting far away from this room and the threat that talk presented.

"Let me stay here for a second," he muttered, lowering himself none too elegantly to sit against the foot of the bed. He closed his eyes firmly.

Tenele frowned, worry creasing her brow. "Please, come back to bed," she whispered to him, tugging on his arm lightly. "Don't push yourself. Just rest with me."

Atul stood slowly. "I could walk you there," he offered.

Tenele shook her head. "I think he should stay in bed a while longer."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Vlad snapped at both of them. He pushed his hands into his lap where it would be less obvious that they were shaking. "I'm just going to stay here for a while."

Tenele jumped and drew her hand away from him, the quick movement sending a sharp jab of pain through her. She wheezed out a breath, and then inhaled slowly. "Okay," she whispered, nodding. "Whatever you feel like doing."

Tenele slinked away like a scolded pet, sitting at the head of the bed with the covers drawn up to her chest.

Atul wasn't as taken aback by his reaction, mostly because he understood it. He turned his eyes on Tenele. "I'm going to go scavenge around for things that might be useful to us. This is a big house, there is no telling what he's got hidden here that might help us get home." He turned his gaze on Vlad. "At your own pace."

Vlad took slow breaths and leaned over to lie sideways on the wood floor. At least when he was being tortured, he knew exactly what was wrong with him. This, to him, made no sense at all. He was supposed to be happy. It was over, everything was fine. Except it wasn't. How long would they tolerate him like this? How long before their patience turned into frustration. His body felt like dull acid. He pretended there was no one in the room and tried to meld into the floor.

Tenele had never been in a room with Vlad and felt unwanted. The air was tense and full of static and she wasn't sure what was wrong. She wasn't sure how to help. Maybe he was upset because she'd worried about him. Tenele drew the covers up higher until she could tuck her chin down into them.

She felt like she should leave him alone. Maybe he wanted the space? Maybe she'd suffocated him? Been too clingy?

She just missed him so much. She wanted him so much, to hold him and love him and know that he was okay. Maybe he didn't want that?

Maybe he wanted them to go away and leave them in peace?

Too many questions, and it made her heart race. Panic and anxiety that she wasn't what he wanted. That she wouldn't be what he wanted for a while.

Vlad stayed very still on the floor for some time. He'd had constant practice with this recently. Stay still till you cool off. When it's not critical anymore, do what you need to, stopping whenever you lose it. Calculated and patient. That would keep him alive.

When his mind slowed down enough to think, he felt ridiculous lying trembling on the floor, and even stupider for thinking he'd have made it to Talon's quarters like this. His body might have allowed it, but every time the pain buzzed in his veins he remembered boiling apart in the snow, and his nerves gave out.

"Tenele," he said softly after a long time, "I shouldn't have snapped at you. Please bear with me."

Tenele lifted her head from the covers. "Its alright," she whispered to him. "You've been through a lot. Just let me know if I'm being too clingy. I'll give you your space. I can leave you alone if you want me too." Though, it broke her heart to do it.

"It's not you. Something's wrong with me," Vlad said quietly. "I don't know what's happening to me. This didn't happen last time."

Tenele wrapped the blanket around her and climbed out of bed slowly. She knelt down next to Vlad and put a hand on his back. "Go at this your own pace. Maybe you just need more rest? Your torture only just ended yesterday. You went through a lot Vlad... and it seemed hopeless. It is okay to be a little overwhelmed that its over. No one here is going to hurt you anymore. You are safe. So, let your guard down. Rest."

Vlad accepted her gentle touch. "Atul mentioned what happened during your journey. You are not weak, Tenele. You are stronger than both of us in some ways."

Tenele blinked at him. She smiled softly, her cheeks flushing. "Thank you," she whispered to him. Well, if he was going to stay on the floor...

Tenele stretched out on the floor next to him, curled in the blankets she'd stolen from the bed.

"We went through a lot to get here," she whispered. "But, nothing compares to what you went through here. There were nights I lied awake thinking about it. I couldn't sleep. Those brief moments when I heard your voice... It gave me so much hope."