Tears began to fall from Gareth’s eyes again. Madel quietly left the room the moment she saw his tears, as if she couldn’t bear to stay in the room any longer.
“Please come back, Elena. You can curse me and despise me all you want. I just want you back,” Gareth prayed desperately as his tears endlessly trickled down his face and onto her naked body. Gareth had never cried like this before. He hadn’t even cried when he realized that he was the only survivor from the tragedy that struck his family. Back then, he had thought that all the tears to be shed had been taken away from him as well, but realized at this moment that he was wrong. There was a huge amount of unshed tears and sorrow pent up in his body.
“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You trusted me. I was the only one in your eyes, and I…” Unable to continue, Gareth broke out in a sob. He constantly rubbed Elena with warm towels as the night grew.
* * *
Once her body reached a normal temperature, Elena developed a high fever. The terrible fever caused her lips to become dry and cracked. To combat this, Gareth scooped some snow from outside and struggled to use it to reduce her soaring temperature. Ever since he found her, he hadn’t stepped away from Elena, neglecting his wounds. Even when Giggs approached him and suggested that he take care of himself, Gareth fiercely refused. Elena’s recovery was slow, and this caused Gareth to grow more restless each day. Knowing that this was his fault, Gareth was worrying himself sick.
“I’m sorry, Elena,” Gareth repeated the words he had said countless times already. He didn’t know what else he could say to her.
Since he had become a mercenary, Gareth had never apologized for anything. He never even expressed gratitude towards anyone. However, he continued to whisper his regrets to Elena. He stayed by her side every day and night, looking after her and continuously whispering his regrets.
* * *
After many days, Gareth started to hear the difference in Elena’s breathing. Once he noticed this, he immediately approached the bed and placed his hand on her forehead. Fortunately, the high fever that she was suffering from was now gone. Gareth gently stroked Elena’s head and let out a sigh of relief as he felt his whole body start to relax. Although the woman’s breathing was returning to normal, she still didn’t open her eyes as if she didn’t want to let him know that she was awake. Still, Gareth was glad that Elena was recovering. Regarding physical injury, it seemed that the heavy snow that had piled onto the ground had ironically cushioned her fall, as Gareth could only find minor bruises on her body.
“Elena, how do you feel?” Gareth asked quietly as he gently touched her small, feverish face. Elena remained silent with her eyes closed. Before, Gareth would simply walk away and ignore her if she did that, but now, he climbed into bed and laid beside her.
“This is all my fault, Elena,” he whispered once again, the same words spilling out of him as if he were a broken record player. This time, however, the words stabbed his throat as if they were armed with thorny bushes. Gareth swallowed nervously in an attempt to clear his throat from the prickly feeling. He then hugged Elena and placed his forehead on her shoulder. He could feel her temperature and breathing. ‘Elena…’ he sighed.
“It’s my fault…” Gareth repeated himself, as he didn’t know what else to say. Unfamiliar feelings weighed heavily on his chest. Elena’s silence seemed to reproach him for his apology, asking him what took so long to apologize. Gareth silently berated himself for being a fool this whole time.
“I’m sorry, Elena.”
Elena didn’t say anything, but the sound of her breathing gradually became even. Gareth lifted himself up and examined her face, realizing that she had fallen back into a deep sleep.
* * *
Woken up by a cold wind, Elena managed to open her eyes. A wave of dizziness surged in causing her vision to become blurry as she blinked. Elena closed her eyes again and waited for the dizziness to subside. When she opened them again, she felt much better. Lying down in bed, she moved her head around to observe her surroundings. Her eyes then landed on the man putting firewood in the fireplace.
Elena observed the man’s sleek bare upper body for a moment. His one shoulder and arm was wrapped many times with a bandage, but she could still see the crimson stains that had bled through the many layers. The man soon finished what he was doing, got up from his seat, then turned around.