"Baby, I'm here."

Baekhyun took Byul's hand as he watched her sleep, his chest constricting painfully when he remembered how pale and weak she looked. Just how many times would she need to save his life?

The physician had sewn her wound together and it was horrible. A terrible gash that went from her tummy to the underside of her chest. Baekhyun felt immense anger when he saw it.

The EXO princes had finally succumbed to fatigue and went to sleep, resting till the next day. Baekhyun felt equally tired but he couldn't sleep.

Not when Byul was like this.

She would be alright, according to the physician. But Baekhyun didn't want to leave her side ever.

He held her hands to his face and kissed her knuckles softly. "Please wake up soon, Eunbyul." he whispered. "I love you. I need you."

With those simple words, an unspoken promise was made. And he watched her sleep till dawn.

-----

Byul first stirred when she felt the warmth of the sunlight beating on her. She shifted slightly, opening her eyes in mere slits and squinting at the light.

Man, it felt like she was dead for a century and only just woke up. Didn't get it? Felt like hell.

Byul's head felt exceptionally heavy and she could feel the headache coming on. Her chest and stomach felt oddly painful, these small stabs of pain that infiltrated her grogginess and forced her to wake.

She turned her head around, frowning. A room, not hers. Not in Baekhyun's quarters either.

A slow realization dawned on her. Baekhyun's quarters was ruined.

And Baekhyun, where was he? Byul only had to shift her head by mere inches and she saw Baekhyun soundly asleep at the side of her bed with his brows knitted together.

His hands were clutching hers tightly even in sleep, and he didn't seem to be sleep well. A nightmare, in fact, as he mumbled under his breath, his frown getting deeper.

Byul raised her hand and rubbed the area between his brows. His frown soothed slightly, the angry creases fading.

Byul smiled softly. The man she loved, stubborn, naive, spoilt, but undeniably hers. Hers to love and cherish.

Baekhyun stirred, opening his eyes slowly. He found Byul looking back at him and he gave her a lazy smile. Wordlessly, he straightened and leaned over to her, kissing her on the lips chastely.

"Welcome back to the living." was all he said, because there was no need for words when his eyes told everything else.

"Sure you're full? You aren't eating as much as usual, Eunbyul." Baekhyun noticed, frowning.

Byul sent him a look. "If it escaped you, might I remind you that with a wound like mine sprawled across my tummy and chest, eating too much such that my stomach bloated would cause unnecessary pain to my wound?" she raised her brows.

"Oh." Baekhyun pouted. "Fine. Guess I'll have to feed more meals at a smaller serving then."

He got the maids to clear the plates and bowls and crawled into bed with her. They had moved to the smaller guest residence that was just beside the larger one where the EXO-M princes were staying at.

The princes often popped over to interrupt and Baekhyun was more often than not, pissed. Byul was okay about it though, because she knew there were other times to be cozy when they had their lifetime together.

Baekhyun settled on the bed with his lower half of the body under the covers and pulled Byul between his legs. He hugged her shoulders, careful not to touch her waist lest he affected her wound.

He rested his chin on her shoulder and sighed softly. "It's been so dramatic these days."

Byul leaned against him, nodding. "Yeah." she sent him a look, turning to look at him as best as she could. "And what threats did you send to Suho-gun when you asked him to protect me? He kept repeating your orders again and again."

Baekhyun grinned. "It is his responsibility as my hyung to protect my Crown Princess isn't it?" he chuckled.

Byul elbowed him lightly and rolled her eyes. "Who's your Crown Princess?" she mumbled. Baekhyun laughed and tightened his arms round her, kissing her temple.

"Hmm let me think," Baekhyun pretended to tap his chin. "Is it that maid Luna, or the court attendant Sulli. Or maybe that Gisaeng Victoria!" he declared.

Byul pouted and made a face at him. Baekhyun laughed and twitched her nose. "You know that's going to be you, Babo." he chided softly.

Byul sighed contently and relaxed in his arms. "But the Crown Princess? I don't know about this, Baekhyun." she whispered. "That's a whole lot of responsibility you know."

Baekhyun nodded. "I know it's going to be tough but I also know you can do it." he murmured softly, but there was a tenor of confidence in his voice. "And I'll be there to help yog along so don't worry."

He squeezed her shoulders. "And anyway, you should know by now that you're an amazing woman." he joked. "Or Yeol and I..." he faltered.

There was an awkward silence that hung between them as the last three words resonated through the room and their minds.

Baekhyun laughed uneasily. "Hey when you're well you wanna go for some riding or-" he started.

"Baekhyun." Byul stopped him. She looked at him with a slight frown. "You can't escape this. You've got to face him somehow."

Baekhyun remained silent.

"He was just carried away by his feelings in the heat of the moment." Byul told him. "Notice how he didn't fight us? He seemed shocked and scared. The guilt is unmistakable, Baekhyun."

Baekhyun bit his lip. "Can't we talk about this sometime els-"

"That's the reason why I saved him." Byul cut him off. "Because I know you'll be sad if something happens to him as well. Because he deserves a second chance. Because no matter what happens he's your cousin and you love him, Baekhyun. You've got to forgive him."

Baekhyun stared at the sheets.

"When are the sentences going to be decided?" Byul asked.

Baekhyun twisted his lips. "Tomorrow."

Byul's eyes widened. "So fast?" he sighed. "Baekhyun, you've only got a day before your cousin may be sent off for his punishment. Believe me you're going to regret it if you don't see him before he goes."

Baekhyun pouted. "I won't."

"You will." Byul insisted. She squeezed his arm. "Go, won't you?"

Baekhyun thought for a moment and shook his head, burying his face in her neck. "Can we not talk about this?" he murmured. "I want to spend time with you. Please."

Byul sighed and nodded.

He obviously needed time to think. She only hoped he would get it over quickly before it's too late.

-----

Baekhyun was silent for most of the times and Byul didn't disturb him, knowing that he was thinking.

He just held her in his arms, his grip never loosening, comfortable and safe.

Byul even managed to fall asleep for a short while before he kissed her awake. "Eunbyul." he whispered. "It's time for medicine."

The maids brought a bowl of horrible bitter soup made from herbs and Baekhyun forced Byul to drink it. Her face contorted in disgust as she drank it, nearly spluttering.

"How do you royals drink this?" Byul gagged. "And to think we commoner are envious of you guys for having medicinal herbs." she shuddered.

Baekhyun chuckled and rubbed her back. "Have a sweet to take the bitterness away then." he popped it in .

The physician came in and told them that Byul needed to sleep more and rest more again and caused Baekhyun and Byul to need to shift positions.

Byul laid down on one side and Baekhyun laid down on the other, propping his head up on his elbows so he could look at her.

He brushed the stray strands of hair from her face and curled it behind her ear. "Sleep."

Byul looked up at him, a little drowsy as the effects of the herbs kicked in.

"You're going to watch me sleep again?" Byul asked. "Isn't it boring?"

Baekhyun shook his head, smiling. "Nah. I guess this is the time to tell you I've been sneaking into your room to look at you sleep from that time you stayed at my quarters from the cyanide poisoning."

Byul's eyes rounded. "You did?"

Baekhyun nodded. "Hmm. I couldn't sleep unless I watched you for a bit." he told her honestly. "So if you want me to get my well needed rest, you've go to let me stare my fill first."

Byul shook her head, amused. She closed her eyes and sighed contently. "Ddong-ha." she whispered after a while.

"Hm?" Baekhyun answered gently.

Byul's eyes remained close, already halfway into dreamland.

"Thank you for loving me." Byul whispered.

Warmth spread through Baekhyun and he smiled foolishly. He bent to kiss her forehead and smiled.

"Thank you for letting me love you." he whispered back.