- The Ram -

A soft breeze played with the curtains framing the open window. The air was warm, pleasant. The sounds of the bustling town and its residents reached the room. It could have been a perfect day, the sun shining brightly, but Baekhyun didn’t feel like smiling. He’d been impatiently waiting for Soomi to wake up, staying at her side the entire night and morning. She was sleeping on the bed, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took. He feared that the injury was causing her pain since she scrunched her brows from time to time, her lips curving down.

He hated seeing her like this. It reminded him of what had occurred during their honeymoon. In a cruel way, it was almost the same as back then. Again, he was responsible for her state, and again, he couldn’t do anything to help. His hands were tied. Scowling, he stared at his palms. They were riddled with small scars, the biggest he’d received in a fight he’d nearly lost. His opponent had wounded him just moments before he had died.

Baekhyun smiled bitterly. Taking lives was much easier than saving lives. For him, especially. Life could be snuffed out within a single second, but it took years, maybe even a lifetime to protect someone. It was bound to fail. The guilt ate him up, consumed him from the inside until he felt rotten to the core. He wanted to cry, but his tears had long since dried.

“Are you still sitting there?” Chanyeol’s voice said, tearing him away from the dark world inside his mind. Baekhyun didn’t turn around, so Chanyeol walked around the bed and stood right in front of him with folded arms.

“Don’t say anything,” Chanyeol went on. “I know what you’re thinking. You have to stop making yourself responsible for every bad thing that happens. You weren’t the one who caused the injury. There is no need to beat yourself up.”

Baekhyun slowly raised his head to look up at the knight. He frowned. “But it’s my fault regardless. I shouldn’t have left her alone.”

“You can’t possibly be at her side for 24 hours a day. At some point, you have to turn your back, even if it’s just for five minutes,” Chanyeol countered stubbornly. He was determined to get into his friend’s stubborn head and change his mind. “You can’t be invincible. Nobody is.”

“And I’m not trying to be. I just… should have been more cautious… but I didn’t expect an attack in our chambers. It was careless of me.”

“You’re only human. You can’t prevent certain things from happening,” Chanyeol went on. He sounded irritated now. “Baekhyun, you saved her life, yet you act like you killed her. Stop being so glum and make sure you smile when she wakes up.”

Chanyeol sighed when he didn’t receive an answer, turning to the window and gazing outside. He knew that Baekhyun probably needed some time to get over it, so he would give him space. Hopefully, his words had changed Baekhyun’s mind a little. Chanyeol left the room and closed the door behind him.

Now Baekhyun was alone with his thoughts. He rubbed his aching temples. It had been a long day and a long night in which he’d hardly gotten any sleep. The security measures around the tower had been reinforced, but he’s been on high alert at every smallest noise he’d heard. It had prevented him from getting proper sleep. Even now, he was on edge.

The soft rustling of the blanket prompted him to look around, and once he saw Soomi stirring, he was on his feet instantly. Leaning over her, he waited for her to open her eyes. Soomi needed a while to come to her senses, blinking when bright sunlight greeted her. She felt sore, the pain originating from her shoulder. The last she remembered happening was the unexpected appearance of the assassin, her choking horror, and the injury. After that, everything had gone hazy. She only retained snippets of memories, most of them filled with pain. Someone had held her hand, there had been quiet voices in the background, but she didn’t know what they’d talked about.

She was confused, wondering if she was fine since her shoulder and arm throbbed painfully. Opening her eyes, she glanced up at Baekhyun’s worried and tired face.

“Finally,” he breathed. He looked relieved, so so relieved.

She cleared , her voice sounding raspy when she spoke. “What happened?”

The question made him grimace. “You were injured by a blade, and I called for a doctor as soon as I got rid of the intruder. She took care of your slash wound and wrapped it in bandages so it can heal properly,” he explained quietly. He was tense, nothing like she was used of him. Usually, he wasn’t this reserved and he didn’t keep his distance either. As silence fell over them, she took the time to look him over, studying his expression. Shadows laid under his eyes, his lips forming a hard line. Where had the carefree smile gone she’d seen often lately? Had he lost it in only one night?

Soomi counted two and two together, seeing that she was in a guest room instead of their shared chambers. He must have fought the assassin alone, and possibly killed him. It was likely that their room had been messed up in the process. The guilt swimming in his dull eyes told her all she needed to know in order to understand what was going through his mind. Her heart ached.

“Come here,” she said softly, reaching her uninjured arm out invitingly. Unsurely, he shifted his weight from one leg to the other, staring at her hand. “Baekhyun,” she continued quietly. Slowly, he took a step closer, sitting next to her on the bed. His eyes were glued to the bandage that was visible at the neckline of her dress.

Her lower lip quivered. Why was it that he looked so guilty? She needed to do something about that.

“Baekhyun, I want to thank you for your help,” she said in an effort to cheer him up. “You acted fast and saved my life.”

“I could have done better.”

“Don’t be silly, you did enough!” She reached out and took his hand. “And now stop frowning. There’s no reason to. I’m awake and I’m fine.”

“You’re too nonchalant about this,” he whispered, half in astonishment, half in disbelief.

“Kiss me,” she said suddenly. He gaped at her.

“But Soomi, you—”

“I want a kiss,” she persisted and stared at him with an intense gaze that made it hard to refuse. “Please?”

He gave in fairly quickly when he saw the longing in her eyes. Bowing down, he planted a careful kiss on her lips. Smiling instinctively, she returned it and hugged his back with one arm. Taking it as an invitation to come closer, he propped himself up with his hands left and right of her head. The taste of her sweet lips calmed him. It reminded him that she was safe and very much alive. He relaxed a little and the tenseness of his muscles eased. When they broke the kiss, he lingered for a moment, glancing into her eyes.

“No need to look sad, Baekhyun,” she reminded him with a faint smile on her pale lips. She knew that he wasn’t fully convinced yet, but she wouldn’t give up. Sooner or later, he would stop frowning. “It’s a beautiful day. Look outside, the sun is shining,” she added.

He heaved a sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. “You are something,” he mumbled under his breath. “Talking about the weather in a situation like this…”

“Someone has to be optimistic, right? And if it’s not you, then it’s me,” she replied. Still, it wasn’t enough to quell his concern.

“Are you in pain?” he asked, his brows knitting in worry.

“It’s okay, I only feel a bit sore,” she said. “Mostly when I’m moving.”

His eyes narrowed when he saw the half-smile she gave him. “You’re going to stay in here until you’re better. No walks around the castle or the gardens. You shouldn’t move much in the next days,” he said strictly. “I’m going to take care of our duties alone and in the meantime, you’ll rest.”

“B-But you can’t do everything on your own!”

“We’re not taking any risks when your health is involved. A slash wound needs time to heal and you mustn’t strain yourself during this period,” he said. His icy stare didn’t allow for complaints and easily shut her up. “I’m not saying this to annoy you, it’s for the best.” His eyes softened. A sigh fell from his lips when he caressed the apple of her cheek.

“I know,” she sighed. “But if you’re making me stay here, at least come visit me when you have time. Or else I’m going to miss you.”

Her pout made him crack a smile, and his serious expression evaporated. “Yes, of course. I’ll come by whenever I can, my Queen. And when I’m busy, you’ll be guarded by my knights. I’m sure they don’t mind keeping you company.”

Soomi ate lunch in her bedroom where it was served on a tray. Baekhyun didn’t leave her side the entire time, calling for the doctor in the course of the afternoon. The kind woman gave Soomi a special medicine that would help to keep the pain at bay. She looked confident when she inspected the wound, telling them that it hadn’t become inflamed.

After the doctor had left, Soomi spent most of the day in bed and Baekhyun couldn’t bring himself to leave her alone. As night fell and the sky turned dark, she grew uneasy. Lighting the candle on her bedside, she covered herself in a blanket, waiting for Baekhyun to join her.

He closed the windows and the curtains before he returned to the bed. She held back a shiver when he put his sword right next to the bed, leaning it against his nightstand so it was within reach. He’d locked the door before too, assuring that nobody could get in without breaking it down.

His actions betrayed his unease even if he didn’t show it outwardly. He was more careful than ever. It proved how serious the threat was—and it had her fear rise. Soomi had been reluctant to mention it to him since he’d been struggling enough already, but she’d been terrified by the attack.

The long second it had taken for the blade to cut her had been torturous. She’d firmly believed that it was over for her. And then the pain had come. Like a large wave, it had consumed her and thrown her to the ground. That she would have died had Baekhyun not been nearby horrified her.

As soon as he lay next to her under the covers, she shuffled closer to him, seeking his proximity. He frowned and embraced her, being careful not to touch her injury. Kissing her