Ranger Gathering 2025 - Day 16: Anguish
It was two hours past sunrise, and Alyss still hadn’t woken up. Normally she emerged from their room about a half hour after Will did, but today he hadn’t heard a single sound from her yet. He did have a slight suspicion why, considering her lesser mood the evening before, and how many weeks had passed since the last time this happened.
Deciding he’d go and check in on his wife, Will gently nocked on the door of their bedroom. He was answered by a dreadful groan. Smiling slightly, he entered the room and sat next to his wife’s curled up body. ‘That time of the month, huh?’
Alyss confirmed with another groan. Will’s smiled faltered a little. ‘Worse than usual?’ he whispered, brushing Alyss’ sweat-drenched hair from her face. She couldn’t bring out more than a small nod. He pressed a kiss on her forehead. ‘I’ll get you some pain relief and a hot tea. Do you want breakfast?’
‘Hmph,’ was her only response.
‘I’ll prepare you some bread with butter, you can see if you’re feeling up to eating it.’ He gently took her hand and squeezed it, and she gave one back in thanks.
Will came back with a plate precariously filled with more breakfast possibilities than he had promised, a way bigger bundle of cloths than Alyss would probably need and three different steaming hot cups — a coffee for him, a tea for his wife, and then the much needed herbal brew to help with the pain. He set the plate down and grabbed the brew first, handing it to Alyss, who had managed to get herself to sit up with her back against the bed frame. Will propped an extra pillow behind her back while she sipped from her cup, and then climbed onto the bed beside her, letting her rest her body against him. When she was done with the drink, Will tried to offer her some food, but she declined with a shake of her head. She did want her tea, and gestured that her husband could help himself to the food if he wanted to, which he did immediately.
Done with her drink, Alyss set her cup aside on the table and curled up against her husband’s body. ‘Thanks,’ she whispered. Will wrapped his arms around her and gently kissed her hair. ‘No need to thank me, honey,’ he whispered back. ‘Taking care of you is my job.’ He tugged her closer, deciding that the things he had planned to do today weren’t such pressing matters after all. They could wait. Right now, his wife needed him.