Chapter 464. Wordless Communication
Translator: Aura / Editor: Tiny Zebra
Heinley returned from his recent mission to recover the stones in the middle of heavy rain.
“Don’t worry, My Queen. I just need to take a hot bath and sleep well.”
The next day, however, Heinley couldn’t even speak, so I summoned the doctor.
“He is clear-headed, but he has a sore throat.”
After the doctor left, Heinley clutched his throat, distressed that he could not communicate.
It pained me to see him in such a state, so I took his hand and promised,
“Don’t worry, Heinley. I’ll take care of you until you feel better.”
“No way, Your Majesty. It would be terrible if Your Majesty caught a cold! I’ll take care of His Majesty.”
McKenna tried to dissuade me, but it was impossible for Heinley to communicate with anyone but me. He needed me by his side at a time like this, since I am the only one who can understand him.
“It’s fine, McKenna. Look at Heinley, he is having a hard time because he can’t communicate. I am the only one who can understand him. I must stay.”
Just like now. Heinley was making desperate gestures to indicate that he preferred to be cared for by me.
McKenna’s eyes widened as he glanced at Heinley.
“Perhaps… His Majesty is trying to say that I would understand him better…?”
What an absurd remark.
I was about to refute him, but in the end I agreed to let him stay. Even if I knew his help would not be necessary.
***
Heinley had never experienced so much tension before. He swallowed hard.
His throat burned terribly as he swallowed due to his inflamed throat. He couldn’t relax his shoulders due to his discomfort.
He could have endured a terrible fever or several broken bones, but the inability to speak had him in agony.
When Navier painted for him, Heinley didn’t understand what it meant at all. She was still unaware that he couldn’t interpret her artwork, as Heinley conveniently allowed for the misunderstanding to be overlooked.
Heinley loved Navier, but he had realized that they couldn’t communicate without words.
Once again, he was reminded of this fact.
Since his voice wouldn’t come out, he tried to convey with desperate gestures that he preferred McKenna’s care, but Navier didn’t understand.
Rather, she sat down next to him and said with a sweet smile,
“It’s alright, Heinley. I’ll stay by your side all day.”
Heinley’s hands trembled.
Navier believed she and Heinley could understand each other through a glance. Wouldn’t she be disappointed if she discovered their communication had problems?
He didn’t want to see the disappointed look on her face.
Therefore, he was determined to remain conscious despite the severe fever and sore throat that made it difficult to breathe. At least then he would have a chance to communicate properly with Navier.
“Heinley? Are you cold?”
Navier looked at him with concern on her cold face as she squeezed his trembling hands.
Heinley clung to her hands and shot a look at McKenna over Navier’s shoulder.
‘Help me.’
McKenna nodded discreetly to show that he understood.
But a moment later, Heinley suddenly lost consciousness, overwhelmed by the tension.
When he came to, Navier was in extreme distress, watching his face closely.
There was no greater happiness than to gaze into those cold eyes full of affection. Heinley thought he had been a fool to have resisted her offer to nurse him back to health.
He had given up the war in exchange for these eyes. How could he have been scared? He must have been crazy to contemplate turning her down.
He blamed himself for his mistrust and, with great effort, smiled at Navier.
But when Navier saw him smile, she frowned.
“Are you trying to make fun of me?”
“!”
Heinley quickly shook his head. It seemed that his facial muscles didn’t move as he wished due to how sick he was. He relaxed his expression so as not to upset Navier.
Half an hour later, Heinley felt thirsty, so he raised a hand and pointed to his mouth.
‘Water. Please give me water, My Queen.’
As he opened and closed his mouth, Navier frowned again.
“If that’s what you want, I really can’t say no to you.”
‘What did I do?’
Before Heinley could reply, Navier kissed his cheek.
When her cool, soft lips touched his flushed skin, he got gooseb.u.mps. But as she pulled back, he felt like crying.
Over Navier’s shoulder, Heinley saw McKenna holding a gla.s.s of water.
‘No, don’t bring it. It’s alright. My Queen will be embarra.s.sed that she misunderstood.’
After Heinley spoke with his eyes, McKenna set the gla.s.s aside.
Relieved, Heinley smiled at Navier and mouthed ‘thank you’ to McKenna.
Then, about an hour later. Heinley wanted to change his clothes, so he grabbed his own s.h.i.+rt and lightly shook it.
“Are you hot?”
Navier fanned him, while McKenna, who was holding fresh clothes, hesitated and sat back down when Heinley signaled that it was alright.
Later, when Heinley ran his hand across his stomach because he was hungry, Navier asked if it hurt and rubbed it as she sang to him.
McKenna, who was about order soup, looked Heinley in the eye and asked,
‘What do you want me to do? Shall I sit back down?’
This time, Heinley said that it didn’t matter. He reached for McKenna, unnoticed by Navier, wiggling his fingers desperately.
‘Save me!’
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