Twisted Beauty (A Sleeping Beauty Tale)

Chapter Fifty-Two

I was at peace.

Warm, wrapped in the arms of my husband, sleeping blissfully. Well, not asleep anymore, but still feeling . . . peaceful. Too peaceful. A glance at my surroundings told me we were still in our tent at the war camp, and Drake being asleep meant the main issues had been taken care of when I was asleep.

I pushed myself up and almost gasped at the motion. A blinding slash of pain shot through my head and my vision erupted in darkness. I must have whimpered, for Drake was suddenly awake, holding me against his chest. I squeezed my eyes shut, taking deep breaths, and waiting for the pain to pass.

"Are you alright?" Drake murmured after a few minutes. I nodded, the pain slowly subsiding. I cautiously opened my eyes, blinking a few times to clear my vision, to find Drake frowning at me. "Tell me how you feel."

My mind still seemed sluggish, so it took me a few moments to think of an answer. "My head doesn't hurt anymore, but I feel . . . muddled. Slow."

He nodded, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. "You used a lot of magic, so that is expected. I have explained this before, but magic is not simply something you possess. It is a part of yourself, and so using large quantities takes a toll on its user. After a few days, I expect you will be fine." I simply nodded, closing my eyes as I leaned against him. "I need to know what your magic told you, Belle."

"What do you mean?" I murmured, noting that at that moment, Morana seemed to take presence at the back of my mind. Watching; waiting. Odd.

"You knew that helping the battle would mean taking lives. I do not doubt that you would have the capability of doing such a thing to protect your people, but sometimes . . . our magic promises us things in return for doing so. Did Morana promise you anything? Was a bargain struck?"

This made me sit up straight and look at him properly. He seemed . . . afraid. Not of me, but perhaps for me? Would it have been such a problem? "No," I replied truthfully. "Morana had no such tricks when helping me. If anything, she wanted to make it easier for me. She warned me about taking a life and even allowed me to provide an option of mercy."

Relief flooded his expression, which was quickly replaced with warmth as he leaned down to kiss me. "I am glad. It is unusual for her to do such a thing, but it is a relief she did not do any tricks. If she is willing, I would like to meet her. To . . . discuss her intentions."

"That's possible?" I asked. During the battle, I knew that the soldiers saw Morana as a beast of ice, but she could not communicate in that form. She had never mentioned being able to show her other form, and so I had assumed it was no possible.

"If she allows it," Drake replied. "Is she . . . there? Perhaps you could ask her."

I reached to the back of my mind, where Morana lay in waiting, offering her the silent question. She recoiled at the thought, and hissed out, "After that battle, I am weak. Showing my form, especially in a camp filled with unease, is unwise. At the castle, however, I would be willing." I relayed her words to Drake, who simply nodded.

"That is understandable. Two days is hardly enough time to recover from using that much magic."

His words took me a moment to process. "I've been asleep for two days?" At his not, my shoulders slumped. So much for making a good impression on my people. I had every intention of helping them after the battle, making sure my face was shown and they were aware of my presence. But sleeping after the battle? I could only hope it did not make me appear weak.

Drake, in his ability to read me, smiled and said, "What you did during the battle was incredible, especially with your little experience. Do not think for a moment that the soldiers have forgotten what you did. In shortening the battle, you saved countless lives." I dipped my chin in a nod, knowing he was correct. My people would not remember me as the shy princess who first arrived in Kallis. No, I was a queen, strong and beautiful. I would always be indebted to Drake for showing me the beauty in freedom. If it weren't for him, I would likely be trapped in a gilded cage, sold off to a noble man or moulded into Diane's image.

Thoughts for another time. I was quick to brush them away and move on to more serious matters. "Can you update me on what I missed?" Drake picked up on my change in tone and offered me a nod.

"After the battle, we took the Eshon soldiers that surrendered into custody. I did not think it right to act without you being there and giving your input. For now, they are in the castle dungeons, and I have ensured they are treated well for the time being." A weight seemed to lift from my shoulders at his words. I knew they were no longer my own people, but there was no way of justifying cruel treatment. We did not know what they were told when attacking – whether I was a hostage or Kallis declared war. Before acting, we needed the full picture of what they knew.

"How many soldiers died?"

"Forty-seven," he replied. The sudden pain in my chest startled me. Sorrow – that was the feeling. While the number of deaths was low compared to the total numbers who were in the battle, the pain of losing even a few of my people was unbearable. Drake had the same pained look in his eyes, and his hand squeezed my own to comfort me. "You saved many lives, my love. I will never forget that." I could only nod in response.

We sat in silence for a few minutes before I swallowed the tightness in my throat and asked, "What do we do now?"

A gentle smile. "For now, my love, rest. We will return to the castle tomorrow and speak to the Eshon soldiers. There are quite a lot of things we must discuss with the generals, but that can wait. The most important thing now is for you to recover."

He leaned down and brushed his lips against my forehead, the simple action seeming to wash away all my worries. We would deal with the consequences of the battle another day. And so, I let my husband hold me in the tent. And even though sleep would not return to me, I was at peace once more.