Heir of Ice

Chapter 7

Alia

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Alia woke up in a bed that wasn't hers. For a moment she was calm, stretching out in comfort on the fluffy mattress and looking at the golden rays of sunlight as they cascaded across the floor, making their own little puddles of amber. 

But then Alia remembered why she was here, and whose bed she was in. 

She shot up immediately, holding her head in pain as she did so. She just then remembered how much she had drunk last night, and realized just how bad of a hangover she had. She stood up and stumbled around, catching a note on the coffee table out of the corner of her eye. 

She picked it up and saw it was from Marco. 

Alia,  

Before you freak out, no we did not sleep in the same bed. I slept on one of the couches in the sitting room. I left to go to work because you were still sleeping this morning and I didn't want to wake you (I'm assuming hungover you is very mean so I didn't want to risk it). Whatever you do, don't leave my quarters. You'll likely be arrested immediately. I'll be back around noon to bring you some lunch, so don't worry about food. Then we'll figure out what to do about last night's situation from there. While you wait, make yourself at home. 

- Marco

Last night's situation? Oh god... 

Alia ran to the balcony as fast as possible before bending over the railing and puking, groaning as the sunlight hit her eyes. She really hoped she didn't just puke on something, or something, important. She slowly walked back into the master bedroom, sighing as she did so. 

She had water magic. Which meant she had Nymphimorus Royal blood in her, which meant she was one of the twins that had vanished twelve years ago. Someway and somehow when she was four years old and when the King and Queen-- her parents-- died, she was kidnapped and taken to Aethia. She had a twin brother somewhere in Elaria... if he wasn't already dead. And since Alia had discovered her water magic at Queen Embre's Royal Aethian Ball, she had been almost arrested. Her own husband was willing to turn her in, but Marco helped her out, which was why she was in his quarters now. 

And Alia didn't even want to start thinking about the argument between Marco and Niklas, or the fact that her husband most likely hated her now. 

She walked over to the bathroom and decided to take a nice long bath. She filled the tub with near-boiling hot water, and stepped in, letting out a long groan of relief. This was the nicest thing that had happened in the past twelve hours. 

She sat in the tub for around thirty minutes before draining it and wrapping a towel around her body. Alia suddenly realized that she didn't have any of her clothing, besides the red gown that stood in a pile in the corner of the bathroom, looking similar to a puddle of blood. Alia wasn't in the mood to shove on a ball gown for the second day in a row, so she walked over to Marco's wardrobe and started fishing around for clothing in there, just when she heard someone walking around in the sitting room. 

"Marco?" Alia called out, before hissing at her own stupidity. If that wasn't Marco she just revealed herself to god knows who. 

"Oh you're awake," Marco replied. "I brought food-"

"Don't come in!" Alia shouted. "I'm naked! Well, not naked, but I only have a towel and I really don't want you seeing me in just a towel because that would be really weird... just don't come in!"