Tears of Raven

53

The prince stepped closer to Raven, he cupped her face as she was walking back and looked her from head to toe. She was waiting for him to scream, growl or even sighted in disgust.

Instead, he bent down and took her in his arms so she wouldn't be standing. Raven felt immediate relief, her legs were sore and hurting but even if she felt physically better, what the prince did kept sending off thousands of Alarm bells in her mind.

She was expecting him to blow to her face, this? This she didn't know how to react, honestly. It was so out of character for him that even Araxys sat at the edge of the bond calculating him.

"What are you doing up? You didn't eat in days how are you going to support yourself with no food."

"I have kept her healthy." Araxys growled from the bond and into the Prince's head.

"I would think so, you didn't tell her about the stones? How could you be so-"

"If you finished that sentence, I swear I will drop and deck you." Raven protested; her voice no longer soft as the prince's dark forest eyes lowered to hers. She meant every word.

"What were you even doing?" Araxys claws grazed the marble. "it took a bird to save her while you were soaking up doing who knows what."

The prince was about to protest but Raven hand stopped on his chest and he shut his mouth.

"Your Grace, I'm sorry to bother you but the Queen-" Lady Jane was starting but Raven and the prince both eyed her in a very angry way and she pressed her lips together. "There's the wedding dress to try on, we only have one week." She pointed out hoping Raven would understand.

"It can wait one more day. She needs rest."

"I don't need rest."

"You do."

He placed her gently on the duvet. Raven felt odd, as if a part of her original life was missing.

"You lost a lot of power; it will take a while to regain it."

"It's something else." She repeated in her head. And she even knew who could answer to her question but she didn't dare ask.

The prince sent everybody away and he sat next to Raven on the bed after calling for some food from the kitchens.

"How are you feeling?"

"Perfectly fine." Lied Raven but she was lightheaded and felt made of foam. She couldn't bear it, being so fragile like... any other girl in this castle. Like they expected her to be.

She remembered Ami's words, how she had repeated Lela's and so, even if it almost broke her for the pain, she stood a little straighter than she intended to and masked her ache with a smile, like Zed had taught her.

"You won by the lake, I have a question to answer." The prince offered as he rose to go get the food at the door. He gave a plate to Raven and her nose cringed but she decided she would eat it anyway.

"What did you want to ask before you decided to blow up?"

"Well."

She had a very specific question but she was afraid that, if she said it out loud it would ruin the prince's mood and it was not something she had the strength to deal with.

"I meant to ask about the queen of Twistal."

"Queen Vivienne?" his eyes darkened as he lowered his gaze over her hands. She was clenching thew bowl as if it was the only thing holding her alive. "The ruined king's mother?"