The Prince's Choice ✔

Chapter Fifty Eight • I will stay if you will

-Jade-

A week had passed, and William did not get much better than when Jade had first arrived. His condition was almost the same; he was still very pale, and his appetite was almost non-existent. However, his fever had disappeared a few days after Jade had arrived and she took it as a good sign in the midst of her own personal purgatory.

Elizabeth had arrived in the city as well. Jade had sent Loren to get her and give her parents word that she would not be coming back anytime soon.

The second Elizabeth stepped into the room, an expression of sorrow flew over her soft face only to be replaced by one of admiration when she laid her eyes on the girl sitting next to her husband.

Jade spent all her time nowadays, by William's side. She did not leave even to sleep, instead she slept by his side. Often with her arms and heads in the bed but the rest of her body on the floor. The round woman with a temper and a sharp tongue brought a sensation of relief as soon as Jade saw her.

"Go and rest, child." Elizabeth sighed and placed her hand on Jade's shoulder. Jade was looking at William and studying his resting face. "You look exhausted."

I am. She admitted in her thoughts. But I don't want to leave him.

"I will watch over him while you get some rest. If I know you by now I would say that you have been sitting here since you arrived. Go now, he will be fine." Elizabeth assured Jade as if she had read her mind. Jade looked at her and Elizabeth smiled one of her warm smiles.

How did she now that I did not want to leave him?

"I can read it in your face, love. Now, go." She said and motioned Jade out of the bed.

The air was crisp when Jade stepped out of the doctor's establishment. The cold hit Jade in a sharp and swift slap across her entire face. Small snowflakes on the brink of feeling like ice pricked her cheeks. Even though the nature's rough greeting Jade closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of something else than the smell in William's room and the strange dampness hanging in the air in there.

Jade inhaled deeply and it felt like she came alive for a second. Opening her eyes, she squinted immediately from the sharp light that reflected in the snow and made it so much sharper.

Jade walked across the crunchy snow to the other of the street into an inn. The king had bought her a room there, but she had never stayed in it. She had been by William's side, even though her father in law had begged her to get some rest. Jade had politely rejected his pleads and his last attempt to get his will was to send Loren, but both of them already knew that she would not listen to him. So, Loren had just shrugged his shoulders and told her where she could find him.

The inn smelled of ale as she stepped inside. Voices chattering away about the daily life surrounded her and she felt like a ghoul, just standing there, not knowing what she was to do with herself. She wanted to be carefree and happy like the people around her. What she also wanted very badly was a bath. A woman walked past her. Jade could see how she tried to hide her reaction to how Jade smelled; like several days of God knows what and sweat from both her and William. However, the woman did not manage to fool Jade. She knew she smelled awful.

"There you are, princess."

Jade turned her head immediately from usage of the title she had forgot she would carry if William survived. Walking towards her, the king approached with a piece of bread in one hand and a cup of ale in the other. His voice had been soft and warm, like he had waited a long time to call her by her title.