Calm Before The Storm: Crimes Against The Crown book 1

Alone

Once again I found myself waking not knowing how long I had been sleeping or what time of day it was. The gentle woman was humming a song that I didn't know. Maybe I did and I just couldn't remember it. I chose to watch her work instead of moving.

I was back in the same bed surrounded by pillows and comfort. She was sitting in one of the chairs I had noticed the last time working on some embroidery I couldn't see.

Do I know how to embroider? I couldn't remember and a silent tear rolled down my face. I knew how to talk and what things were. I knew how to walk and run evident from my obvious flight risk but simple things escaped me. I still couldn't remember my name. I didn't know where I was from or even remember anyone I knew or who knew me.

There was a large blank nothing in the far reaches of my mind and I couldn't get the smallest detail. I was trying, straining my thoughts to pull out a single thread of information but I got nothing. Nothing and pain. I must have made a noise without knowing it. She jerked towards me looking up from her work.

"Ah." She dropped the stitching onto the table and rushed around to my side of the bed. "There you go, my Lady. Cry it out. There is nothing wrong with that. I'm here."

She found where my arm lie under the large bedspread. Rubbing it back and forth in a comforting pattern did help in some strange way. The press of the fabric to my skin under her hand was bringing calmness to my emotions that I was in desperate need of.

"What is your name?" It appeared I still hadn't gained my voice back. It wasn't as rough, weak from disuse.

She hesitated for a moment, only out of sympathy. She knew her name and I didn't know mine. I needed some sense of normalcy in my life. Something in my eyes caught her attention. "Clory, my Lady." Her grin was polite. "I'm a lady-in-waiting to her Highness, Queen Emmeline. She bid me to watch over you."

That sounded strange to me. "The Queen sent one of her own?" There was doubt in my voice even I could hear.

Clory smiled at me. "Yes, my Lady." She sat up straighter, her eyes glittering with pride. "My Queen would never allow you to be sent away. Not when she could provide the best care for you. There were times that..."

She paused again. Her voice trailed off. "Let's just say you are exceptionally strong to have made it back to us, my Lady."

The tears had stopped and Clory was satisfied I was calm enough she could leave my side to poke her head out the door. She wasn't quite as urgent this time.

"Gerald." She didn't seem to have problems bossing the house hold staff around. He never argued. "Send for the kitchens. Tell them she's awake and needs to eat, nothing heavy. Tell them broth or a mild soup warmed up would do the trick. We don't want to tax her energy too much just yet."

He must have nodded to her because I didn't hear a response and everything echoed off the stone walls. All I heard were his footsteps as he had paced himself back down the hall.

Clory closed the door and returned to the room. She went to change the kettle but I pulled my arm out of the comforter to wave her down.

"Oh, please. Clory." I pleaded. "No more steam. It's stifling enough under all these blankets."

She smiled at me and set the kettle back down. "That's a good sign. The chirurgeon told me to watch out for things like that. Said as soon as you felt too warm and needed a breeze I was to call for him. It's late enough I think we can wait till the morning though. If you'd like I can send for his Majesty and Prince Emory. They both requested I inform them when you wake. If you'd prefer I can wait tell after you've had something to settle your stomach? We've had a hard time getting you to keep much down. It'll build up your strength to get some stew in you before my Lords arrive."