Embers and Ashes

Chapter 9

Melona

Eris kept his word. He didn’t let me out of his sight or sent the whole time it took me to heal. Only moving me from his bedroom after both Tyren and I protest greatly on the matter. My father’s counsellor protesting for the idea of me being too close to the male before being wedded. Dreading the rumours that would spread at the indecency.

   All I wanted was for Eris to get a good night’s sleep. Not a single night that I laid there did he sleep in his own bed. Judging by the dark circles growing under his eyes I don’t think he slept much at all. It wasn’t until Pom told me that he’s been sulking on the sofa down stairs while cradling wine bottles that I tried to convince him to take his room back.

   Finally he agreed despite his “wonderful” sleep deprived personality to give me a room just across from his own. Normally for guests, but he had all my personal items brought up to this one. I’d no longer have to hide in the depths of the earth. I get to have the sun greeting me every morning.

   “Are you comfortable M’lady?”, Pomona asks as she brushes and braid my wet hair.

   “Finally being able to have a bath was wonderful”, I sigh as she ties off the ends of my hair and I get to lay back. “Did Eris ever find out who it was that put the poison in my drink.”

   She pauses for a moment and swallows deeply before nodding.

   “What happened?”, I ask softly.

   “The young lord doesn’t take  any sort of betrayal lightly”, she mutters. 

   “Are they alive?”, I ask with my stomach feeling ill because I already knew the answer.

   Pomona shakes her head and I grimace.

   “I never wanted anyone to die for me. Not like that. Their High Lord ordered then to do it. That isn’t something you deny when Beron is concerned”, I mutter and play with the thick green blankets on my own bed.

   “We know that you don’t wish anyone ill. You are as kind as our Ladyship, and we all are thankful for that”, Pom hums and gently takes my hands. “You don’t deserve this.”

   “We rarely get what we want, weather royal or poor”, I sigh.

   “Don’t need to tell me that”, she laughs sadly .

   “How is your family?”, I ask.

   “Near death and you’re worried for my family?”, she questions.

   “I think it’s only fair that if I get to lay here and share my sorrows that you get to as well”, I smile tiredly.

   “You need rest M’lady”, Pomona answers.

   “But I’ve been resting for six days now”, I pout.

   “And it’ll take another six before you can leave this room without difficulties”, Eris butts in. Startling Pomona to stand and bow lowly before he excuses her from the room.

   “You’re scaring off my friends”, I grumble at him.

   “She’s a servant”, Eris points out.

   “She’s a person”, I tell him sternly. He doesn’t seem in the mood to argue with me on the matter as he places another vial of tonic on my dresser. To help with my healing even though the Healer herself said that because of my powers that I was healing at a faster rate then normal.  “Where have you been?”

   “In the Library”, he answers.

   “Of course”, I smile fondly at the idea of him surrounded by book. He smelt like them. He smells of old paper and cedar wood. “Anything interesting to share?” 

   “I’m doing paper work”, he answers. “Not reading for fun.”

   “Darn”, I curl my nose. “If I’m going to be bed bound then I was hoping for something to keep me from going out of my mind locked away up here in my tower.”

   “You are not a prisoner here Melona. You can go on the grounds as soon as you are well enough to do so”, he mutters in slight annoyance.

   “I’m holding you to those words Vanserra”, I smirk and he rolls his eyes. “Why are you here?”

   “Am I not allowed to go anywhere I like in my own house?”, he asks as he sits in the chair by the windows over looking fields and forest.

   “Of course, I just didn’t expect you to come here. For someone determined to pretend like he does not care you’re doing a terrible job of it”, I smile as I watch him pinch the bridge of his nose.

   “You’re insufferable”, he grumbles.

   “You should see the guy I gotta put up with. Maybe you’d understand if you met him”, I poke fun.

   “I do know him”, he mutters. “And I hate him too.”

   “I don’t hate you Eris”, I tell him softly.

   “That’s the problem. You should”, he hisses. “Everyone else does.”

   “Yeah well, I’m not like everyone else. Never have been and never plane on it”, I hum looking up at the ceiling.

   “You are the strangest female I have ever met”, he shakes his head.

   “Good”, I smile and lay in my bed to rest.

   The heavy silence between us slowly lifting into something more relaxed as the moment pass by. Slowly letting me slip into a warm and safe sleep. Only to wake when Pomona brings me my supper and a small pile of books is placed neatly on my night table.