The Hidden King's Stolen Wife
Chapter 94: Exchange Body Heat

Chapter 94: Exchange Body Heat

"Truthfully, most symptoms of late awakening resolve themselves within a few hours," Neville said. He touched Princess Soleia’s forehead with the back of his hand and frowned. "But the princess is a lot colder than usual― it could be due to her own body’s weakness. Has she been eating or sleeping well recently?"

Neville was looking at the Duke, expecting him to reply, but it was Sir Ralph who opened his mouth instead. "No, she has not. We were mostly on foot during the journey to the palace and we slept in makeshift shelters. Food was scarce."

"I see..." Neville and Sven both shot Duke Elsher disapproving glances.

Even if he did not care for his wife, there was no need to treat her so unkindly. Not even nobles treated their maids so harshly when they made a mistake!

To think this man was now demanding that they treat his wife. Sven tutted disapprovingly and spoke up.

"If you cared more for Princess Soleia’s welfare to begin with, she would not have gotten to this point. Back then, when Princesses Bellaflor and Celestina awakened their abilities, they merely shivered for an hour― an issue easily resolved when they put on their winter coats and sat next to a roaring fire with a cup of hot tea in hand. As a husband, you have been utterly remiss in your duty."

Orion bit the inside of his cheek as the scolding battered him. Neville elbowed his colleague discreetly, advising him to quit while he was ahead.

"It wasn’t that bad," Orion protested, but it felt like a weak denial to himself.

Suddenly, Orion could recall incidents where he and Elowyn had thrown Soleia out of the carriage, expecting her to walk and find her own shelter at night. If not for Ralph’s help, she would have perished in the cold. His cheeks heated with shame.

What was he thinking? Had he lost his mind?

"Duke Elsher has had other concerns plaguing his mind. There’s no use pointing fingers now," Rafael said, even as he wanted to point the fattest, most accusatory finger in Elowyn’s direction. It wasn’t Orion’s fault he got hoodwinked. "What we need are solutions."

"For now, I can only suggest increasing the Princess’s body temperature," Neville said. "A large fire in her rooms is a necessity, along with blankets. I’ll prescribe her some medication to banish her inner chill."

Rafael nodded. All his suggestions sounded reasonable, and he would use his own knowledge to possibly alter the dose for Soleia’s actual circumstances. But the physician’s next words shocked him completely.

"The best treatment I can recommend is still the transferring of body heat, Duke Elsher," Neville said, with a slight flush on his cheeks.

"What?" Rafael exclaimed, and he wasn’t the only one. Next to him, Orion was similarly shocked.

"It would be best if you shared your own body heat with Princess Soleia as often as possible so that she gets a steady heat source as close to her as possible," Neville explained. "Surely... that’s not an impossible task for you, since you’re already married to her?"

"Are there no other solutions?" Orion immediately asked.

This time, it was Sven who answered with a lot more irritation. This was his wife― why was Duke Elsher treating her like a stranger? In that case, why did he even bother to threaten them to save her?

"This is the most cost-effective and efficient solution. Princess Soleia is now in a dire situation, and we can’t afford to waste time or heat. We cannot possibly stuff Princess into the fireplace for warmth as though she’s a Yuletide turkey, nor can we afford to put her in a tub of boiling water as though she is a vegetable meant for soup," Sven explained, letting out a displeased huff at the idiocy of military men.

"If you’re unwilling to even do this little for her, then forgive me for being unable to save her. Or should I find another willing man to lay with your wife?"

Neville quickly cleared his throat and interrupted Sven before he could say something worse and end up executed. He still had a young niece to look after, and sweet baby Sirona would be devastated if her uncle ended up on the chopping block due to his overactive tongue.

"Covering her up with blankets would only trap what little heat she has of her own. What she needs now is a heat source that is capable of judging her condition so that she can have a better chance of recovery," Neville finished. "There’s no better choice than you, her husband. You are a healthy young man with a ruddy complexion."

Their words made sense, but Orion didn’t have to like it. He had never shared such close contact with his wife before. Next to him, Rafael liked it even less.

But what could he do? In the eyes of the law, it was Orion who was her lawfully wedded husband. He was nothing more than an interloper, a loyal dog at best. And loyal dogs slept at the foot of their mistress’s bed, not on it. As much as Rafael hated to admit it, that was one thing Elowyn got absolutely right.

Orion steeled his jaw and nodded. "Then make the preparations for her medication. I’ll move her into my room immediately."

"Elowyn isn’t going to take this well. Where do you expect her to sleep?" Rafael had to remind Orion of the pain in their collective backsides. He had accidentally undone her blood cuffs when he was preoccupied with Soleia’s situation, so now he had no clue which dingy corner Elinora Wynsler had slunk into to lick her wounds.

But no matter where she was, Rafael needed her far, far away from Soleia. If she got wind of Soleia’s abilities and reported them to his brother, Soleia’s life would be in grave danger.

"She’ll understand. There are plenty of rooms in the palace," Orion said in response to Ralph’s doubtful look. In his mind, Elowyn had always been very considerate to others. Then, he remembered that he couldn’t find her, and that was why he went looking for Soleia to begin with.

"Ralph, have you seen Elowyn today? I can’t find her."

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