"Ow—!"
The cry left my lips before I even realized I had fallen.
Then, a voice echoed in the dim passage:
"Leo?!"
I blinked, dazed, and raised my eyes.
"Arthur?!"
His tall silhouette stood over me, a mixture of disbelief and concern etched on his face. Without hesitation, he extended his hand, gripping mine firmly to haul me upright.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was sharp, scanning me as though searching for hidden wounds.
"I… fell into a hole," I admitted sheepishly, brushing dirt from my clothes. "I was just trying to get an apple."
But as I shifted my weight, pain shot through my ankle, and I winced with a groan.
Arthur caught me before I collapsed again. His brows knitted.
"You're hurt. Don't put weight on it." he said firmly, already sliding an arm around my waist as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
His strength guided me forward, but with every step my head grew heavier, the air thicker. The world tilted, swaying like the trees in the forest above.
"Arthur…" My voice cracked.
He halted abruptly, eyes narrowing on me. His hand pressed gently against my forehead. The touch was startlingly tender.
"You're burning up…" His voice lowered, filled with worry.
He led me carefully to the wall of the ravine and helped me sit. The stone at my back was damp and cold, but my skin still burned as though I were trapped in fevered fire. I shivered, hugging my arms around myself.
Arthur looked around, frustration flickering in his eyes. No wood, no dry leaves, nothing to start a fire. His gaze settled on me again, and in the silence I could hear only my ragged breaths.
Then, without hesitation, he sat behind me and wrapped his arms around my trembling body.
His warmth enveloped me instantly. It seeped through my soaked clothes, pressing against the icy grip of fever. His chest rose and fell steadily against my back, and I felt his heartbeat, calm, grounding.
For the first time in years, I felt safe.
So safe that my eyelids fluttered shut, heavy as stone, and I drifted into sleep cradled in his arms.
~
When I woke, the air smelled of damp earth and the distant freshness of running water. My cheek rested against Arthur's shoulder, his head tilted gently against mine. For a moment, I wondered if I was dreaming.
I shifted slightly, only to find his arms tightening around me in reflex. My face flushed crimson.
"Arthur…" I whispered, my voice barely audible.
He stirred, his dark eyes opening slowly. Seeing me awake, and no doubt catching sight of my red cheeks, he let out a quiet, almost teasing laugh.
But instead of releasing me, he leaned closer, resting his forehead softly against mine.
"Still warm." he murmured, his breath brushing across my skin.
My heart stuttered.
Reluctantly, with his help, I pushed myself to my feet. A pang of unease stirred in my chest as I thought of how long I'd been gone.
We continued walking, the silence between us strangely comforting until Arthur tilted his head, frowning.
"Wait… do you hear that ?"
I paused. Faint but unmistakable distant rush of water could be heard.
We followed the sound until it swelled into a roar. Soon, a waterfall revealed itself, cascading into a deep, shimmering lake. Mist sparkled in the dim light, clinging to our skin and clothes until we were drenched again.
Behind the curtain of water, we discovered a narrow ledge of dry stone, hidden and sheltered.
Arthur glanced at me, his expression softening but his voice firm.
"You should come with me to the inn. You need dry clothes and that ankle needs tending."
I hesitated, my stomach twisting. The tower waited like a cage, but going back like this, injured, weak, soaked, was impossible. And following Arthur meant stepping into the unknown, into something far more dangerous than a locked room.
Still… when I met his eyes, I found myself nodding.
"…Alright." I whispered.
And so, limping slightly, I followed him.