My restless remained with me as time passed.

Dinner was served in the room on the account of the master's sickness.

Ah! The happiness that we had here.

An irony indeed.

My appetite was non existent even though the food was absolutely exquisite. I pushed the food round and round in the plate as I contemplated in agony my mistake.

"Not hungry?"

I looked up from the plate in suprise to see Ivan in front of me.

"May I sit down?"

I nodded, half dead but the events of the day.

"You should eat. You were sick after all."

I looked at him startled. How had he known?

Looking at my expression he laughed and said.

"No need to look so suspicious. It is kind of apparent but how you look." He said gesturing to my cheeks and the bags under my eyes.

"I could just be exhausted, or perhaps, have insomnia."

"Ok." He chuckled putting his hands up.

"I admit. I assumed that you were sick. Happy?"

I grumbled in distaste.

He made me feel kiddish.

A knock sounded in the room and we turned to the door.

"May I come in?"

"Sure." I replied and the door swung to reveal Mrs Potts.

"Mrs Potts? Come in. What happened?"

I asked as o stood up and walked to her in worry.

"Is he all right? Did anything happen? How is his woun-"

"Stop it dear! He is fine."

She interrupted me with a laugh.

"He was just asking for you. Ah, and who might this young man be? Chip told me that you were joined by a companion that saved your life."

I nodded in answer and turned to introduce them.

"Ivan, this is Mrs Potts..." I trailed to a stop at the pale pallor of Ivan.

I had forgotten. He didn't know that things here spoke.

"Ivan?" I asked as I slowly approached him and gave a poke to his shoulder.

He didn't move and I realised that he had stopped breathing.

"Ivan!" I shouted in alarm as I shook him to bring him out of his shock.

He gave a loud gasp and started coughing.

"Sorcery!" He gave a mangled yelp as he pointed a trembling at Mrs Potts.

"Ivan, it's fine. It's fin-" I tried caming him down but it was futile.

He stood up with trembling legs and ran over to the unlit lamp and raised it over his head.

"Mrs Potts. Get out!" I shouted at her as I wrestled with Ivan to get the lamp down.

"Go!" I shouted at the still stunned Mrs Potts.

"Dear, calm down." Mrs Potts said deciding to ignore me as she came into the room.

I heard a strangled shout and turned in time to see Ivan's eyes roll into his head as he fainted with a thud.

Good thing he was next to the bed.

Thunk.

I had forgotten the lamp. I winced as it fell on his head. That was goona be a nasty bump later.

Turning to her I apologised.

"Mrs Potts I am so sorry for how he behaved. And now thinking back, I was no better."

She gave a small chuckle.

"It's fine love. It is normal to behave so. Come on now. Master is calling you."

Like an overly eager puppy, nodded and hurried behind her.

"Truth to be told. I don't trust that person." She said as we walked through the corridors.

"Why?" I looked at her curiously.

"Dont know. He gives me... What you youngsters say- chills."

"Chills? He is no devil." I said with a laugh.

"I hope not." She replied. How odd.

"Master, Beau is here."

"Come in."

Opening the door I ran into the room with a smile on the face and hugged him.

He gave a warm chuckle.

"How are you?" I asked him as I worriedly touched his wrapped wound.

"I am fine Beau. Thank you."

He turned to Mrs Potts and nodded her dismissal.

When he was distracted I have him a solid whackon his shoulder.

"How could you? How could you scare the daylight's out of me? Do you know how worried I was?" I cried at him.

"Do you know how worried I was when you decided to play hide and seek in you weakness?" He gave a small growl at me.

Guilt overflowed in me and tears rolled down.

"I am so sorry. Forgive me?" I sniffed as I wiped the tears with the back of my hands.

He gave a sigh and pulled me to him.

"Quite now. It's fine." He said and gave a small kiss on my head.

I gave a small smile as I cuddled in his hold all my worries of the day slowly disappearing in his warmth.

"I promise, I won't do anything like that again." I mumbled into his thick fur.

"Ok." He simply replied as he tightened his hold on me.

We sat like that till I lost the track of time as I slowly drifted to peaceful sleep in his arms.

❤️