Work Text:
The rain echoed through the lavish king's quarters, reverberating into a melodic sound throughout the open space. It would've been a welcome change from the nonstop barrage from the sun the lunar surface had faced in the last week, but Gibby shifted restlessly in his bed at the noise. The air was too humid, he hadn't rested well at all last night, and the chirping of what he could only describe as the most stubbornly raucous plethrycant was grating on his ears.
Those damn birds, guided out of their burrows by the rain. If his every joint didn't ache, he'd issue a command to his general to have them all exterminated.
Yet he laid in bed, mentally screaming at himself to get up to no avail. He was certainly late for many meetings with his advisors. It didn't help that the various attempts he did make to finally rise from the fine silk sheets were only met with a sharp hiss and the defeated thump of his form falling back onto the bed.
The dull ache of his hips had kept him up all night, and it felt like salt in the wound that his mangled ankle decided to stiffen and spasm once the morning finally came, leaving any slightly odd movement to be met with a sudden jolt of agony.
He was over it. Completely and utterly over it.
Through the haze of his pain induced fugue he barely registered the twinkling of a bell growing ever closer. The rhythm it had was an erratic high tempo, but when nearing his chamber doors it seemed to slow down into a cautious tune. It stopped in front of his door, and just before he mustered the energy to bark out his irritation with the loiterer, the door knob turned.
"Your majesty?" Came the hushed tone, unsure if the king was still asleep.
"What do you want, Odozeir?"
He gasped in surprise, and trotted to the king's side, the bell tied to his tail rang out its melody once again.
"The sauoplit leader has been wondering where you've been, as well as some truculents with questions regarding mobilizations of our subordinates. I've received earful after earful of their complaints, yet all the solutions I offer are shot down."
"You wish to command them in my stead, mage?"
Odozeir squawked, affronted.
"No! N-not at all, your Excellence! I was simply, biding time for your grace to arrive! I could never guide them as effortlessly as y-"
"Silence. I hadn't thought so."
In a final attempt, Gibby pulled himself to a sitting position, his hips almost audibly groaning with the effort. Odozeir, in his fawning, was quick to notice the pained expression the king had.
"My Lord… Are you feeling ill?"
A scoff.
"Kings do not fall ill. Malign me so again and I will throw you out of that damn window to join the loud bird perched outside. I would hope it'd attack you."
With that, he attempted to stand, but his ankle was fast to spasm painfully. A shout left his lips, as he fell for the countless time that morning back onto his sheets.
"Lord Gibbulus…" Odozeir began cautiously.
Gibby glared at him, but otherwise didn't stop his thought.
"Need I cancel those meetings? When was the last time you've allowed yourself a full day's rest? We have your second in command, and despite how hesitant you are to trust them they've been nothing but endlessly loyal to your cause, sire. I've made sure of it."
"Had you not been my trusted academic in ancient magicks I'd have you imprisoned for alluding to such a need."
"Lord Gibbulus. See reason. You are the wisest, most capable ruler in this system's history, but even one such as yourself requires reprieve."
With that he chuffed an annoyed sound, and turned away.
"So be it."
Odozeir dawdled, awaiting any additional command by Gibby. The room fell quiet between the two, permeated by the stiff irritation radiating from the king. He couldn't even enjoy the break in conversation, what with the pesky nuisance outside still droning it's ear-shattering call atop one of the spires of his castle. After a few awkward moments, Gibby, in a burst of rage, grabbed a pillow and hurled it towards the window.
"Will someone SHUT THAT DAMN PEST UP?!"
Odozeir scrambled to the window, glancing at the thrown pillow briefly before spotting the bird perched on the roof of the castle.
"Fret not, my King, I will handle this nuisance."
The wizard drew in a deep breath, holding his hands out in front of him. Sparks danced between his fingers in growing arches, before striking the beast down from its perch in a loud crack of lightning. Finally, the sound had ceased. Gibby exhaled a breath of relief, turning over to his back to stare at the etchings of marble details on his quarter's ceiling. Small painted details of a night sky brightened by the moon decorated the spaces between the large half domes stretching into the ceiling. He had stared at the details of the murals for countless hours he could guess, but the beauty and intricacy of the art fascinated him. It soothed his mind slightly, getting lost in the artistry, as he heard Odozeir slowly approach his bed again.
"Before I spread word of the cancelled meetings, do you need anything? Anything at all, to soothe your aches?"
Gibby closed his eyes in frustration, mentally battling with himself. He dragged his hand down his face, letting out a heavy sigh, and conceded to Odozeir.
"Have a servant draw me a bath, and get my mobility aid."
Odozeir perked up.
"I can draw that bath for you right now! Allow me-"
"I care not who does it, so long as it is done."
"Y-Yes! Of course, sire."
He scrambled off to the adjacent bathroom, the sound of running water accompanying the rain as he waddled back out with Gibby's ornate mobility aid. With an outstretched hand, Odozeir helped Gibby clamber into the chair, allowing Gibby to maneuver it himself once fully seated. The wizard followed the grumbling king into the bathroom. When Gibby began to take off his clothes, Odozeir attempted to aid him, but was swatted away.
"For Sage's sake, I do not need your help with everything, mage."
With a hushed apology, Odozeir quickly glanced at the large tub, turning off the faucet once sufficiently filled. While Gibby worked to rid himself of his robes, the Odozeir admired the lavishness of the bathroom. It was a spacious room lined with large mirrors covering an entire wall, lined with bright lights and decorated with golden ornate frames. There were several sinks lining the counter, some littered with the pigments Gibby occasionally donned for special occasions, or even if he just felt like it.
An annoyed clearing of the throat paused his musing.
"You've been in here many a time, yet still are in awe at the space. Would you stop that staring and help me in, at once," Gibby spat.
Gibby was poised with a stiff arm arched on his chair, as if gearing up to stand. Odozeir could tell he had attempted on his lonesome from the slight tremble his arms had and the sweat beading down his face. His face that held a pained grimace…
"I recall specifically asking you to cease that gawking, wizard. Lest I throw you out and do it on my own," the king's irritated voice rang out again.
"Y-Yes milord! Allow me."
Despite his own old trembling limbs, Odozeir gripped Gibby's hands in his own, allowing Gibby to (quite heavily) lean his weight on him for support. The king gingerly slung a leg over the side of the tub. Once he finally settled into the warm water, luckily free of any painful spasms from his ankle, Gibby let out a sigh. Odozeir muttered his quick departure, promising to return shortly after notifying the advisors of the ruler's absence. Gibby was left to his thoughts, all of which seemed muddled from the dreary state of mind he harbored. Recalling the restless night made him groan, and he decided to disregard the memory, opting to just enjoy the bath while it was warm. Grabbing one of the rags kept on an adjacent rack, he gently poured soap onto it, absentmindedly washing his neck and shoulders before moving to his chest and stomach.
With enough time, the tell-tale sound of Odozeir's tail-bell reached his ears, and the wizard hastily entered whilst Gibby rinsed himself off, having opted out of bothering with his legs. He didn't want to risk any more ankle spasms.
"Odozeir. Aid me with my back. Cannot reach it," Gibby said curtly. If he was going to concede to a day of rest, he might as well somewhat swallow his pride for a little. He knew the other was all too eager to assist him anyway, why not take advantage of it?
Odozeir quickly obliged, striking up conversation to fill the silence he knew would befall the room had he remained quiet.
"Would you like me to light the lorthelia? Had you stowed it away in the wardrobe shelf again with the other candles, Lord Gibbulus?"
Gibby paused, rattling his brain for an answer.
"It must be in there, I can't recall storing it anywhere else. Fetch it, I believe I can fish myself out of this tub and into the chair now by my lonesome now."
He was mostly bluffing, but the warmth of the water seemed to soothe his muscles, as well as being clean offered him at least a few minutes of reprieve from the nastier pangs of agony. While he watched Odozeir rush out into his main chamber, Gibby hoisted himself onto the edge of the tub. He dried himself off with a towel he had left on the floor the last time he bathed.
With pause, he dragged himself back into the mobility aid. It was wholly possible he could stagger to his bedside now, with his clean status in full effect, but he decided against it. He thought, should he need the chair after the status wore off, he'd prefer to have it nearby.
He maneuvered the chair back towards the bedside, where Odozeir stood. The wizard was lighting the lorthelia, and Gibby was relieved to have remembered its whereabouts. As the candle sparked to life, Odozeir turned around, regarding the king already climbing back into his sheets.
"Do you wish to sleep more? I may leave you be, if such is the case."
"I do, but you need not leave, Odozeir. I must be able to entrust you with my aid if need be."
The admittance of trust made Odozeir grin with pride, pride that only grew when Gibby spoke once more.
"Lay with me. I'd rather your company that any other insufferable subordinate."
Odozeir stifled a laugh, and happily crawled into the silk sheets with his king. With Odozeir curled up next to him, Gibby inhaled the soothing scent of the lorthelia candle on the nightstand, and slung his arm around the other. The wizard hummed contently, snuggling close and rubbing circles into the others stomach. If Gibby was in brighter spirits, he might've chuckled at it, but he just sunk into the bed, closing his eyes and finally falling into a restful sleep.
He hoped it'd pass soon, but if not, at least he'd have Odozeir to help once again.