Valeria was immediately given a health checkup. The doctor flashed the light in her nose before turning to Aelius who had been standing there the entire checkup.
"Fortunately it was only a nosebleed that could have been caused by stress and tension. It wasn't anything too serious." the doctor spoke, packing up his things.
Valeria sighed with relief, happy that she didn't need to eat more medicines than she already had to take. The doctor bowed and left the room leaving her and Aelius alone in the room.
She noticed how quiet he was so she looked up at him. His eyes were filled with worry as they stayed on her figure.
"I'm fine." she spoke, trying to ease up the tension between them.
He stiffly nodded but still looked at her with worry. Valeria shook her head and got out of bed. She began to move her arms and lightly jumped in spot.
"See? I'm fine. Stop worrying."
"...Yes.." Aelius answered back but soon trailed off.
Valeria stopped jumping and raised an eyebrow. "Do you have something to say?"
He shook his head and walked closer to where she was standing. A waft of a light cologne scent went up her nostrils. It wasn't too strong for her so she didn't mind the smell.
He stood in front of her inches away and extended his arms towards her. He paused his actions and instead brought his hand up to her head, lightly patting her. This reminded Valeria of her parents and how they used to pat her head every time they visited her.
It was pleasant for some reason. Her eyes fluttered shut as she allowed Aelius to pat her on the head.
"Don't get sick." she heard Aelius' voice which was as gentle as a feather.
When she heard that, she realised Aelius did not know she was dying.
"Uh-" Valeria lifted her head up as she tried to speak but when she saw the expression he had on his face, the words she was about to say got stuck in her throat.
Aelius gazed at her, waiting for what she wanted to say but she shook her head and muttered out, "Tired.."
"Go sleep, I'll leave the room." he replied, removing his hand away from her head.
Valeria nodded and slipped under the bed covers as he left the bedroom.
She closed her eyes shut, not wanting to think about why she couldn't utter out the words, "I'm dying." to him.
"I'll do it another time." she muttered to herself resolutely before falling asleep.
When she woke up, it was already the next day so she cleaned herself up and got dressed before leaving the room.
"Ah Your Grace please stay in your room, breakfast will be brought to you shortly." a maid spoke, blocking her from leaving the room.
Valeria frowned, clearly showing disdain towards the maid, "Why?" she coldly asked, her eyes sharply staring at the maid.
The maid straightened her back in fear before answering her question, "H-his grace has said to let you take a rest for the whole day..."
Hearing that it was Aelius who had ordered the maid, surprisingly her mood returned to normal.
"Oh."
Valeria turned around and walked back inside not before saying, "Myra is the only one allowed to come in and serve me."
She sat down on the chair near the window together with the books she had borrowed from the library and silently read.
Myra knocked on the door before coming in with her breakfast. Valeria pointed at the table before continuing to be invested in the books she was reading.
Myra glanced at her, surprised at how she wasn't mad by the fact she wasn't allowed to leave the room for the day. Myra recalled the moment Valeria got angry when they asked her to rest in her room.
"Your Grace is alright? Staying in the room the whole day?" Myra asked.
Valeria glanced up from the book and shook her head. Myra raised an eyebrow, confused by her answer,
"Then why is Your Grace sitting here obediently without making a fuss?"
Valeria raised her eyebrow in amusement, "You're very brave these days, Myra. Saying those words to me."
Myra could tell she wasn't angry so she grinned, "Because Your Grace loves this maid a lot!"
Valeria couldn't help but let a small laugh fall out her lips before her usual expressionless look returned.
"Aelius asked."
"Sorry?"
"Your question."
Myra took a couple of seconds to process her words before finally understanding. She clasped her hands together and nodded,
"The duke asked for you to stay in the room and rest for today because you had a nosebleed yesterday?"
Valeria nodded to Myra's words, confirming that her answer was correct. Myra crossed her arms at her chest and smiled proudly.
"Oh but I'm surprised Your Grace is listening to Duke's words." Myra commented.
Valeria's fingers paused. She stared at the page, not taking any word in. Myra was right. Why was she listening to his words?
"Your Grace?"
She snapped out of her thoughts and heaved a sigh, placing her book down.
"I'm hungry."
'Must be the guilt from last night.' she thought to herself as she quietly ate her breakfast before Myra left her alone in the room.
She continued reading until she came across the final page of the last book she had left. She stretched her body, letting out a soft groan before turning towards the window.
It was the middle of the day when she finished reading. Valeria sat there, dazed as she did not know what to do now.
"Maybe I'll sleep again." she mumbled, suppressing a yawn while she dragged her body back to the bed.
Just as she fell on the bed, there was a knock on the door before a voice spoke.
"Wife? May I come in?"
Valeria responded with a grunt, too lazy to make coherent words out her mouth. Aelius opened the door and walked inside, making his way over to her side.
"Do you feel better wife?" he asked, placing his hand on her forehead.
His hand was so warm. She silently accepted the warmth coming his hand as her body was cold. She felt like she was in winter instead of spring as no matter how much she bundled herself up, she still felt cold.
"No fever." Aelius said and slowly removed his hand away from her forehead.
She hated feeling cold so when she noticed the warmth on her forehead was fading, she hurriedly reached out for it.
She felt Aelius' stiffening up from her touch but she was more focused on getting the warmth back on her forehead. She brought back Aelius' hand on her forehead and left it there.
"...Wife?" he quietly called out to her.
"Cold." Valeria replied, her eyes half opened before closing them back.
"..."
Aelius pulled his hand away. Valeria frowned, trying to find where his hand was before putting it back on her forehead. Aelius pulled his hand away, watching her frown before he placed his hand back.
He watched as she would frown when his hand wasn't there and when his hand was there, she would have a peaceful innocent like face. At that moment, he thought about how cute she was.
Aelius stopped pulling his hand away and left it there even when she was already fast asleep. He had a faint smile on his lips as he let her sleep in peace.
After some time, he left the bedroom but the warmth of his hands still lingered on Valeria's forehead.
---
Author's note: first off i want to say thank you for your sweet comments on the previous chapter, i'm feeling better now so thank you ヾ(•ω•')o and second, i actually thought of making aelius find out sooner but decided to put it off for awhile longer, he will find out of course ( '･･)ﾉ(._.')