Matchmaker

Cathlinn turned a bit, grimacing. There was tapping coming from somewhere close by but she couldn't open her eyes without them stinging. She squinted and reached for whatever was tapping, something laying on her hand as soon as the tapping stopped its noise. Something clawed into her arm, gripping at it before a soft squawk came from it. She forced her eyes open, staring at the hawk Istvan used.

She managed to push herself up, staying where she was and panting. The breeze blew over her back and she squeezed her eyes shut before relaxing. It felt nice, soothing even, as it cooled down the blazing inferno that nestled there. She pulled the letter from around the hawk's ankle, opening it. The bird roosted on her shoulders, a talon stabbing into one of the lacerations.

She hissed out as she opened the letter, staring at the words and struggling to see past the headache. The letter was informal, something to see how she was doing and asking if she was traveling again soon. The hawk gave a small chirp as Cathlinn managed to stand up. It was a slow walk for the desk before she sat down and began to write. It was shaky and the writing was barely legible on the paper.

She tied it to the hawk, staring at it for a moment before forcing herself up again. She stopped at the window, blinking as she stared at Mei on the terrace. The woman was holding a pose, panting and sweating in the middle. Cathlinn quietly watched as she began her dance, marveling quietly at the movements. Cathlinn blinked as she leaned on the wall, watching the scarlet hues leave the ends of the fans.

Something like that was beautiful and it enchanted Cathlinn. It's what she always imagined surrounded dancers, the energy of their aura flowing in its own beautiful encasing. Mei was beautiful on her own and Cathlinn quickly shook her head. She held it a bit, rubbing her face and watching Mei as the hawk stayed nestled on her shoulder. She couldn't help but think of who she would be in Cathlinn's world.

Mei would be that woman that Cathlinn would want to flirt with, and she did, but wouldn't because she was out of Cathlinn's lead. She would be the type to have the handsome boyfriend that would treat her like the queen she was. Cathlinn touched her lips gently, catching Mei's face as the woman turned. Had she been crying? Cathlinn stepped forward, her back tweaking a bit and making her cringe.

The hawk was what gave her away, giving a screech and then flying off. Mei watched it for a moment, her back to Cathlinn. The turn was slow and Cathlinn smiles at the shocked expression. "Good morning. Or evening," Cathlinn nodded slowly.

"You're awake," Mei was on Cathlinn in moments, hugging her carefully and kissing Cathlinn's head.

"What are you? My mother," Cathlinn chuckled softly. "I don't sleep for long. We know this." Cathlinn patted Mei's arms as she was released and she smiled sadly. "Have you slept?"

"No. I didn't trust the maid or-"

"Sleep. You need it," Cathlinn nodded. Mei stared before breaking out in tears. Cathlinn blinked before quickly hugging her, gritting her teeth at her back. "Hey, it's fine. There's no reason to cry, Mei."

"The physician said," she hiccuped and buried her head in Cathlinn's shoulder. "He said it'd be a miracle if you woke up. He said those were- were the worst he's seen. We were worried." Cathlinn rubbed Mei's back and her small smile fell.

Cathlinn led Mei to the bed, getting the woman to settle down. She sat and put her back against the headboard, getting comfortable before moving Mei's head to her lap.

"I'm a lot harder to kill than that," Cathlinn whispered hoarsely. "Have some faith in me when I get myself in trouble. I'll pull through somehow."

"What do you mean I'm not allowed in? That's my daughter," Cathlinn groaned and opened her eyes, staring down at Mei who was fast asleep on her lap.

The reply was muffled and calm, distaste in the tone.

"Move aside or be relieved of your knighthood," the voice yelled. Cathlinn put her head back and grabbed the closest object that was the heaviest she could lift. She grit her teeth and threw it at the door, the clatter of the dagger silencing the two outside her room. The door opened to Carmichael's head.

"Your highness," he asked.

"The bitch can come in," Cathlinn said quietly. Carmichael stared at Mei and slowly nodded, pushing the door open after warning the person to be quiet. The queen walked in, tears in her eyes and a frantic look on her face.

"How could you not trust your own mother," the queen yelled.

"Will you keep it down," Cathlinn hissed. "She's sleeping. And you can drop that, you're not my mother and everyone around here knows that." The Queen only seemed to cry harder as she quickly trotted to Cathlinn's side. The hug wasn't careful as it pulled Cathlinn forward and ruffled the bandages a bit.

"You're my daughter, Monique," she hiccuped. "How could you suspect me of such horrid acts?" Cathlinn could feel her expression turn cold as Carmichael walked in. He was smiling warmly despite the warning in his eyes. Cathlinn clenched her jaw and pet Mei's head when the queen let go.

"This isn't a good time," Cathlinn readjusted herself, getting a soft moan of complaint from Mei. The queen looked down and her face turned a bit sour.

"What is she doing in your bed," she asked a bit loudly.

"What I do with my people is my business," Cathlinn sighed. "Please leave. She needs sleep and I'm going to have to adjust my bandages."

"She should be doing that. Or better yet, the physician, who's trained in that," the Queen put emphasis and Cathlinn frowned. She moved hair out of Mei's face and sighed to herself.

"I want to go back to sleep," Cathlinn nodded to Carmichael who carefully and firmly grabbed the queen's arm.

"Your majesty, please," the queen complied, glancing back every once in a while until Carmichael shut the door behind her. He sighed and put his head on the door for a moment before turning around, "You seem to be doing well, Cathlinn."

"I'm not," she replied. "How is Simon? How are you? Have they done anything?"

"Empty threats. The first thing Simon did was make up the papers that put us directly under your charge," he nodded. "They can't touch us legally without your consent." Cathlinn nodded and grimaced, shifting to try and fix the wrapping.

"Mei was training into late last night. Can you replace the bandages," she asked. Carmichael's face turned red but he nodded and walked to the desk, digging through a drawer, "We didn't know how long you'd be out."

"Well, That definitely wasn't sex. So longer than a good nights sleep," Cathlinn joked. The man choked on air as he walked back, his face even darker.

"You can't joke like that," he sighed.

"The funniest things are the truth sometimes," Cathlinn grinned. He stared and blinked before frowning and helping her remove her shirt. He shifted himself to be as far behind her as he could.

"Your world is strange," he muttered. There was silence as he worked at her back. He tied it off and hesitated, "Was that how your battle fields were?"

"The explosions? Or the people dropping like flies," Cathlinn asked.

"Both."

"Take away the swords and shields and hand everyone a gun," she nodded slowly. "To be fair though, I wasn't involved in the combat. I was a mechanic."

"A mechanic," he asked.

"I built things," she nodded. "Very expensive things."

"Those flying mechanisms you spoke of," Cathlinn's nod was the answer and the silence filled the space again. "I'm sorry, it's not my place to ask."

"I think you know that I don't care what you ask," Cathlinn leaned back, closing her eyes as the pain faded a little.

"Do you live Mei, your highness," he asked. She chuckled lightly and got an indignant huff from the man. "It's a real question."

"Do you love her," Cathlinn countered. She opened an eye and looked at him as she pet Mei's head.

She was surprised by his nod, her smile softening, "I do."

"Then what are you asking me for? Going to give her up if I am," Cathlinn chuckled. She winced and scrunched her face up. "Mei is out of my league, Carmichael. You two look good together anyways. And you both have good chemistry."

"Your highness, that wasn't-"

"I don't," why did that hurt to say? Cathlinn stared at Mei and chuckled at her own lie on the matter. She did like Mei. She was kind, beautiful, and knew how to give the right push when someone questioned themselves and their choices. She just couldn't though, not if someone more suitable liked her. She couldn't keep such a beautiful woman all to herself if she finally got the courage. She hummed and rubbed her face.

"Carmichael, you have work to do if that's the case. I know you're a gentleman, someone who won't push hard boundaries," Cathlinn nodded. "I just want you to be sure and court her properly. Take her out, show her the freedoms she has, earn her trust and affections. And to make it better, you need to know her body language better than she knows herself."

The look on Carmichael's face was of awe, some sort of marvel at what Cathlinn was saying. "That's what a woman wants and what she needs. She's going to be damaged and it'll be foreign to her without the toxicity that she was around but if anyone can make a woman love them, it's you."

"You sound so sure," he muttered.

"You made me feel safer," Cathlinn informed him. "And you still do. You just have to get her to feel that way. Love is a choice and you'd choose to love each other. It's not all butterflies and lust."