if you . . .” Vhalla shook her head, trying to part the flood of emotions that assaulted her. “Don’t stop eating. Keep up your strength,” she insisted. “Aldrik, can you get him food?”
“I can find something.” He nodded, standing. “Will you stay here until I return?”
“I’ll stay with him.” Aldrik’s concern for his brother was not lost on her, not for a moment. The prince left the room briskly, without further word.
“Vhalla.” Baldair struggled to sit.
“Lie down.” She placed her hands on his shoulders.
“If I’m going to eat, I need to sit a little.” Even his coy grins looked tired. Vhalla relinquished his shoulders and helped him adjust his pillows. The covers fell to his stomach, and Vhalla saw his skin had truly lost its luster. He was starting to thin. “What are you doing?”
“I’m helping you.” Vhalla had assumed that much to be obvious.
“With Aldrik,” Baldair clarified.
“He asked me to come and help.” Vhalla sat back with a sigh.
“My brother went to you?” Even exhausted and sick, Baldair managed skepticism.
“Not entirely . . .” She suddenly remembered the original reason she’d sought out the prince. With all that was occurring, how could she broach the subject of crystals, taint, and his family being targeted from within? “I had something I needed to speak with him about, and then he asked me to come here.”
“What were you going to speak with him about?”
“It’s personal,” she avoided answering.
“With you two, I bet it is.”
“You know, I don’t think you’re that sick after all.” Vhalla peered at the prince.
“I’m trying to help.” Baldair was unrelenting.
“And I’m trying to tell you to focus on nothing other than getting better.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Fine.” Baldair’s eyes lingered on her chest and Vhalla knew he wasn’t checking out her figure. She tucked the watch under her shirt as she unfolded her arms. “Well, whatever the reason, I am happy to see you around again. I was worried about Aldrik.”
“Has he fallen into any . . . bad habits?” she asked delicately.
“Surprisingly not,” Baldair praised his sibling. “He’s held himself together, done what he’s supposed to do and then some. He’s the man I always knew my brother could be, and he did it on his own this time. And yet, it feels so empty.”
Vhalla stared at the candles, flickering with Aldrik’s flames.
Baldair continued in her silence, “When he fought for you, he fought. It was bad, it was ugly, but he fought. The man I knew to have fire in his veins now does nothing more than simmer. I know I said everything between you both was a bad idea.”
“It was,” she interjected.
“It was,” he affirmed. “But you did it anyway, and now I don’t see him ever being happy again without you. He may be the best Emperor the Empire will ever know, and he’ll be empty inside.” He paused before adding, “I know, I am a hypocrite for this . . . But, I’ve gained some new perspectives since I’ve been trapped in this bed. Don’t leave him now, Vhalla.” Baldair wheezed, “Especially, if something happens to me. He’d have no one else who knows that the Fire Lord is capable of joy.”
“Don’t say that.” Vhalla brought her eyes back to the golden prince. “Please, don’t say things like that.”
“I know what this illness does.” Baldair shifted uncomfortably. “Especially in adults who contract it with no history.”
“You will be fine,” Vhalla insisted bravely.
The outer door opened and closed again. Aldrik appeared in the inner doorway before anything else could be said.
He brought a tray, setting it down on his brother’s lap. “Will this do?”
“It’s perfect.” She nodded, appraising the soup and small roll of bread. “Now, Baldair, will you eat this or do I need to force feed it to you?”
“I’ll eat, I’ll eat,” he chuckled.
The golden prince ate slowly, and Vhalla and Aldrik both had to push him toward the end. But eventually the whole bowl and bread were consumed. He complained about it sitting uncomfortably, but Vhalla told him to stop moaning about what would make him better. It was followed up with a firm order to eat all of whatever the clerics put before him from then on, no matter how he felt. She could imagine the clerics going soft on the prince when he needed to be pushed.
They helped him lie back once more. The older brother supported the younger as she situated the pillows. Aldrik produced a potion for the cough, and Baldair took