Lauralye leaned into his hand slightly as he replaced the cloth on her head. Her eyes opened slowly as she looked at him, "Thank you... For staying here... Really, the handmaidens could be doing this..."

She gently took hold of his wrist and moved it to cup the side of her face. She closed her eyes again and rested her warm cheek in his cold hand. She smiled, "Your hands... they're like ice cubes."