THE Knight's Hidden Princess
Chapter 75: A Burning Sensation

Chapter 75: A Burning Sensation

Sweats covered me the next morning as I woke up the next morning a groan escaping my lips as I got up, or tried to. My entire body suffered from burning sensations which intensified with any minor contraction of my muscles. My back felt intolerable pain from the hot lashes and dry blood continued to pull at my bleeding raw skin as a sign to remember yesterday’s torment.

A thin ray of dim morning light passed through room curtains but failed to dissolve the thick weight resting upon the atmosphere. My unsuccessful attempt to change positions brought about intense pain that made me stay motionless. The shallow breaths I took produced dried raspy sounds that mimicked continuous screaming during the night.

Oh gods it hurts, it really hurts and I think my back was burning! I thought to myself as I my breathing became heavier with each shallow breath which felt like it was dragging me towards unconsciousness. I wished to cry out and break into loud screams but my throat screamed in pain and my energy had vanished from my body.

A soft rustle caught my attention and through my hazy vision, I could make out Heather who was perched on a chair with her head resting on it at an angle that looked uncomfortable even from where I was seating. There were still visible tear streaks on her face, her mouth murmuring inaudible words as her face contorted into a frown. She must have nursed me throughout the night which made her really tired.

I would have loved nothing more than for her to get rested well but I was in pain, fiery hot pain that coursed through my body in relentless waves. I tried to shift but the attempt only caused more suffering that led me to clamp my teeth around my lip in order to prevent loud sounds from escaping. The composition of my breath became irregular and unsteady during my attempt to restrain the sob that fought through my throat.

"Hea....Hea..." I whimpered as I stared at Heather who was still sleeping but I noticed the way she stirred slightly, "Heather..." I managed to rasp out.

Heather suddenly sat up straight as if someone had violently woken her up from her dream. Her eyes immediately went to meet where I was busy fisting the bed sheets unable to hide the tears streaming down my face. Her face showed visible concerns as she ran towards me, she knelt down on the side of my bed.

"My lady!" The worry in her tone made her voice heavy with anxiety. Her hands buzzed in an uncomfortable manner above my body as though she was afraid to touch me, "What’s wrong?"

I squeezed the sheets even tighter as I felt another wave of agony hit me, "It hurts..." I rasped out weakly and Heather frowned at me as though she couldn’t hear me. I drew in a deep breath before I decided to try again, "It hurts Heather. It really hurts!"

Heather frowned at me her grey eyes roaming up and down my body, "Where? Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere." My voice came out as a whimper which caused Heather’s gaze to widen in horror.

She was probably thinking that for me to be able to release a whimper that means it must have been that bad. Throughout my life I never allowed others to see the extent of my pain because I kept all emotions hidden even from Heather. But the intensity of this pain exceeded my strength and removed every psychological barrier I had developed during my long years. Each slight noise that escaped me cut through the empty room like a dagger.

Sniffing, Heather drew in a deep breath as she remained her face to be neutral. "Lie back down, let me see."

I shook my head whimpering I pain while my body trembled with the effort it took to be able to stay in this position. "I....I can’t."

Heather didn’t say anything, she simply nodded her head in understanding even though her eyes were misty with tears but she didn’t let them fall. Through my haze of pain, I could see that she was trying to be brave just for me.

"Then I will have to check, so hold still." Heather said as she swallowed and then she climbed up the bed.

I hissed as her hands gently pulled at the bandage that now stuck to my skin thanks to the blood soaking it. My body suffered from another fresh wave of pain with every movement while I squeezed the bed sheets till my knuckles turned white to avoid crying out. Each one of my breathing efforts felt like a struggle to avoid fainting under the terrible pain.

For a brief instant Heather paused while her hands shook steadily. "I’m sorry, I’m so sorry." She apologized barely spoken in an audible tone. "But I need to see how bad it is, so if you will just endure for a little while." She apologized in a steady tone but there was no denying the slight tremble in her voice.

Not trusting myself to speak, I nodded my head at her. I chose to look at the dim shining light entering through the window rather than the agony.

Heather kept working with controlled movements as she continued sniffing each moment and I knew she was already crying. Just as she continued to pull the bandage off and it reached the final part, I felt her quick catch of air after she took it off completely while my mind spun with fear. My eyes remained closed because I lacked the needed strength to observe but her reaction showed everything.

"What?" I finally asked when she said nothing, "What is it Heather?"

Heather breathed out heavily as she came to stand in front of me. "My lady, it’s worse, it’s starting to get really worse than I thought it would." She breathed out.

I figured ever since I felt that burning pain that it wasn’t healing but I didn’t think it would be worse. "I’m sure...I’m sure it’s nothing."

"No my lady!" Heather breathed firmly, "It’s worse and I think it might be infected!"

Heather’s words hit me with the force of a fist to my chest.

Infected! The word echoed in my mind while a nauseous feeling took root in my stomach and intensified with each passing moment. When I attempted to sit up my breath caught in my throat but a surge of searing pain struck me down to the bed again and I whimpered in pain.

A sob escaped Heather as she stared at me while clamping a hand over my mouth to her cries. I was in discomfort, it hurts really badly and I really needed something to apply over it, before it gets infected completely.

"Is there...Is there anything that can be done?" I asked my voice weak and low, it can barely be heard.

Heather shuffled closer towards me. "You know there isn’t. I tried to get some medicine last night but the lady of the house instructed that everything be closed and the last I got, it doesn’t seem to be working too well."

Fuck, I need something for the pain! I thought to myself before I managed to lie back down on the bed, breathing heavily. The tremors in Heather’s hands reached me as she hovered and her sobs remained muffled. Her crying cut through my heart as though she was wielding blades against me and I despised watching her suffer because of me. But gods, the pain...it was really unbearable. Each motion and every shallow inhalation intensified my suffering.

"There..." I started breathing out heavily, "There has to be something that can be done!"

Heather shook her head, her eyes filled with uncertainty as she stared at me. "Perhaps we could...we could manage to get help. Maybe if Sir Reagan can..."

"No!" I dismissed her abruptly with a sharper tone than I’d wanted while battling my own bodily weakness. Another wave of fiery pain shot through my body because of my effort and I gasped as I squeezed the sheets tightly. "No, Heather... I told you. Reagan cannot know."

Heather’s lips opened but she remained silent as no words came from her. She looked at me with worry and frustration etched into her furrowed brows while her trembling hands gripped the fabric of her dress. "But you are going to end up dead if you continue this way and do I need to remind you that this isn’t just your body now?" She countered at me her voice stern than what she always use to speak to me, "You have a baby to think of, an heir of this household! So, you do not get to make that choice!"

I clamped my mouth shut but still didn’t think it was a good idea for her to tell Reagan. Things would only get worse if she did so. Not having any strength to argue, I laid back down on the bed not saying anything.

Satisfied with my response, Heather bowed her head at me. "Alright, I will go call on his majesty now!"

"You will do no such thing!" A new voice said with a tone full of authority!

My eyes cracked open and through the haze of agony, I could make out a woman strolling towards us, the woman responsible for putting me in this predicament.