She felt blessed, like the Stars themselves had granted her this. There was no limit, no rules or constraints. She was boundless; she was home, safe and secure in his unbreakable embrace.
~
Shackled in an abrupt and demanding upbringing, Althera is...
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She couldn't believe it.
The word murderer rang in her head endlessly, along with the image of the man crumpled on the marble floor, blood pouring from the large, black gap in his neck. He hadn't even had the time to react before the blade of the sword planted itself inside his throat. The king just stood over him, unmoving. Emotionless. She'd shivered just at the sight of his ruthlessness. How could he just do that? How could he just kill that man like it was nothing?
Murderer.
She made a left, tearing past the blank-faced portraits hooked onto the walls, not sure exactly where she was heading. But she was too distracted to care.
Brutal slaughterer.
There had been so much blood. Involuntary tears blurred her vision, but she kept going. She needed air; she needed to run - to escape. She needed to leave this place. What had she done? What had she done to end up in this damned, miserable palace?
She'd been tempted to reach for the sword of the Captain of the Guard and swing it at the king. He deserved it. Hell, he deserved far worse than any of the people he'd killed. Not that she knew what the number was. But then again, seeing him towering over the peasant with a sinister, spidery smile spreading across his face made her realize that the coldness he possessed had been practiced. The total number of rotting, unburied corpses had to have been a lot. A lot probably wouldn't even cover it.
When he saw her staring into the blood-stained room from the hall, she'd almost let herself believe he looked surprised and guilt-stricken. But she wouldn't be tricked by him. She wouldn't be fooled by his outer appearance when he was really a heartless, cold-blooded beast on the inside.
He was a murderer, and she was sure he was coming for her next. He was going to slaughter her just like the rest.
The young, blonde-haired girl who had been in the room too had fled before she approached the doors, weeping uncontrollably with her head buried in her hands. It was painful to watch. But she had been right to be terrified. Anyone would have.
Her legs screamed at the effort, but she refused to stop. By the time she stood before the doors of the new room she'd been gifted, she was heaving, desperately shoveling air into her lungs. She braced a hand against the wall, eyes closing before she slid down to the cool floor, scrunching herself up into a tight ball.
And for some reason she didn't want to know, Althera's entire body was racked with sobs.
~
Pushing away the damp cloth pressed to her forehead, Althera bolted into a sitting position, ignoring the throbbing dizziness in her head. Sweat trickled down the side of her face. A muffled yell reached her ears, but she barely heard it. Her eyes adjusted to the blinding light of the room she was in. It was plain, but the walls were decorated with a few shields and other weapons Althera found intriguingly familiar.
She flinched when a hand laid on her shoulder, pulling her back down onto the mattress underneath her. She didn't resist, suddenly realizing she was terribly exhausted. Her arms and legs were aching, and her neck was thrumming as she rested her head back down onto the pillow. Her eyes focused on the face of the head maid. She was watching her intently, a concerned gleam in her adoring blue orbs.
"How are you feeling, Lady Althera?" She asked tenderly, dipping the discarded piece of cloth dropped on the ground in a basin of water beside the bed. Her graceful movement confused Althera for a moment.
"Tired," she admitted, giving an exaggerated sigh. She really wasn't in the mood to talk. With every movement of any of her muscles came an unexpected soreness she wasn't yet accustomed to.
"That is a good sign," Kartella replied, placing the cloth onto her forehead. Althera moaned in content as she savored how the cold water seeped into her sweaty body, extinguishing the fires of weariness.
But then everything just came rushing back. Everything she saw, heard, and felt all washed over her like an overwhelming tidal wave of nausea. She doubled over, bending over the edge of the bed before retching all over the spotless, marble-tiled floor. Kartella merely watched from her spot at the foot of the bed, a white hand holding Althera's damp hair away. She was silently grateful and vomited until she felt unusually hollow inside. From the corner of her eye, she captured her reflection on the surface of one of the ornate brass shields. Her ghostly pale face was empty and lifeless, and it was clear she'd somehow lost weight during the last week.
When she was finished, Althera groaned and tossed under the blankets, discomfort following her everywhere. She faced Kartella. The maid's eyes wary. "How did I get here? Tell me what happened didn't happen, Kartella."
The maid merely shook her head, the white-blonde curls bobbing. "I am sorry, Lady Althera. There was nothing any of us could do about it."
"He killed that man, Kartella." She struggled to sit up. "He killed an innocent."
A sigh slipped from Kartella's lips. "Do not exaggerate, Lady Althera. My king never kills a man without reason to do so."
"But I saw him. I saw-"
"Your Highness," she heard Kartella say. The pressure on the end of the bed disappeared as the maid rose to greet the prince who had just entered into the room.
She should've known sooner. This was Rhaye's room. The soft brown colors of the walls and the assortment of collected weapons should have given it all away. Heat rose up her neck, and Althera dropped down and rolled to the side, not wanting to face him in such a laughable state.
"How is she feeling?" He sounded amused. No doubt he would be staring at her pile of vomit with revulsion.
"Quite well, Your Highness," Kartella responded. Althera snorted quietly to herself. Well wasn't even close. There was a rustling sound, then the scraping of wood against tile.
"I am glad to hear that." His voice was filled with relief. Althera's stomach fluttered unsuspectedly. Then he and the maid sprang into a conversation that Althera couldn't hear from her spot on the bed, even if she tried her hardest to.
And then she heard it. Before anyone else. A booming, resonating call resounded around the building, and she was fairly certain every single person in the castle would be alerted by the howl. She sat up straight once again, startled. Both Rhaye and Kartella stood, exchanging a look that caused a twinge of puzzlement to pull at her heart.
"What was that?" Panic lined her voice. No one answered her. The noise had sounded like the whine of a wild animal. She looked to the two standing figures.
"It is nothing, Lady Althera," Kartella finally said, striding over to her.
"But-"
"Sleep now, child," Kartella murmured softly as Rhaye marched out of the room, his lips curled inward. A smooth, warm hand closed over her eyes and she was dragged forcibly back into a foggy covering.
But she was sure she'd heard that sad, piteous cry before. Somewhere. She just couldn't remember.
