Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
“You are perfect,” she whispered back when she pulled away.
“I’m afraid you are wrong, my sweet, for you are.”
“For the gods sakes,” Florian complained. “You both can be perfect. And what’s more annoying than you being ridiculously in love, is that as far as I can tell, you both actually are. Now, can we do this?”
True chuckled as he gave his queen’s waist a squeeze, caught her smile before she aimed it at Florian, and then he turned and walked down the hall to Alfie’s door.
He knocked, and when his friend called out, he entered.
These past days, Alfie was sitting far more up in the bed than he’d been in the beginning.
Then again, although Bronagh had taught the other nurses how to exercise his captain’s legs, for she did this no longer (and now Alfie was complaining about the fact she barely came into his room, stating she was shirking her duties, instead of the other way around), she had also set up what was right then in the corner.
A folding screen beyond which was a commode with handles at the sides.
She, nor the nurses, said a word.
It was Alfie who dragged himself from the bed to beyond that screen and back.
And now it had been reported he was dragging himself out of bed for other purposes, to heft himself about the room just to do so or in order perform his own exercises to strengthen his chest, shoulders and arms.
This was all very hopeful.
And as it was, the ones who loved him felt that hope.
True just worried they might not be right in these feelings and that their hope would be dashed.
“What are those?” Alfie asked.
“Greetings to you too, my friend,” True teased, leaning the sticks he was carrying against the side his bed.
They were not like any either man had ever seen, for Cora and Maddie had asked after Alfie, and then shared in their world medicine was more advanced. Therefore, when they’d explained a variety of things to True and Farah, and then directly to Bronagh, the nurse had ordered some adjustments.
“Sorry, True, I’m in a foul mood,” Alfie muttered.
“Would this foul mood have anything to do with a pretty nurse no longer exercising your legs?”
Alfie shot him a killing look.
True grinned at him.
He then answered belatedly, “Your sticks.”
He watched his friend’s brow knit in confusion as he stared down at the sticks.
He understood the confusion because the others they had seen did not have the forearm guards curving about the top, and at the bottom, instead of coming to a point, they came out to three with resin pads on them for better sticking to whatever they touched. All of which, as Bronagh explained delightedly, would make them more stable.
True carried on, “Bronagh reports you’re getting yourself around. She says you have remarkable upper body strength—”
“She said I have remarkable upper body strength?” Alfie interrupted him to inquire.
True beat back the laugh, but not his smile.
“Yes. She was also quite breathy when she reported that.”
Alfie took in True’s smile and grunted.
“Thus, she says it’s time you practice with your sticks,” True finished.
“It will be good to have something to do,” Alfie muttered.
“Indeed, and this is another reason why I’m—”
Alfie interrupted him again to declare, “She won’t let me apologize.”
“Pardon?”
“Bronagh. It’s been days since I acted like such an arse. And she scurries in,” he lifted his hand, motioning with his fore and middle fingers to demonstrate scurrying, “and she scurries out. ‘Are you hungry, Sir Alfie?’ she asks. I have enough time to say yes, or no, and she’s gone. ‘Are you in pain, Sir Alfie?’ A yes or a no, and she leaves. ‘Do you need another book, Sir Alfie?’”
He did not continue after that, just scowled at the door as if his scowl could make Bronagh appear, stay still and listen to his apology.
Abruptly, Alfie turned his head as well as his scowl to True.
“You’re king. You can make her stand still for five minutes so I can tell her I acted like an arse and I’m sorry.”
“I am king, indeed,” True replied. “But I am not ordering that woman to stand here and listen to your apology.”
“True—”
“It is your mess, Alfie, yours also to clean up.”
“I cannot do that if she keeps scurrying.”
“You have remarkable upper body strength, my brother. Find a way to get her close and use it.”
Alfie stared at him with a face full of shock.
True ignored it.
“Now if we can talk about affairs of the realm, the Go’Doan emissaries have shared at long last they’re ready to discuss things, and I need you at the table. And as it will take some doing to get you there, we need to get that started.”
“Sorry?” Alfie asked quietly, now regarding him closely.
“Oh yes, right,” True replied. “I hereby appoint you my counsellor.”