The Hathway Kingdom (Book 2)

Twenty.

~Twenty. ~

Larissa groaned as she moved to get out of her bed. It had been days since the storm had hit her home, days since she had suffered after she had created the barrier with her men and days since she had left her room. Staring at the same four walls for the last week was starting to drive her insane. She needed to get out of her room, even if it were to just go out onto her balcony.

She let out a breath as she sat on the edge of her bed, closing her eyes as she slowly got her breath back. Even with Rosaleen's help, the largest of the wounds were taking their sweet time in healing, leaving Larissa in pain and unable to breathe properly if the pain got to be too much for her. When she eventually had her breath back, Larissa managed to stand slowly and made her way out onto the balcony. Once she was out there, she moved over to the railings and leant against them heavily as she closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze that blew about her gently, cooling her hot cheeks.

She remained out there for some time, enjoying the breeze against her cheeks. When standing made her tired, she moved over to one of the seats that was on the balcony, adjusting the cushion so that it wouldn't press on her wounds as she leant back. She let out a sigh as she leant back and closed her eyes as she now began to enjoy the sun streaming down on her.

She didn't know how long she sat out there, listening to the sounds around her. Now that they were safe again, that there was no danger, the people of Hathway had begun to repair the damage that had been done to their homes and lives. Hammering and sawing reached her ears and she smiled softly to herself before she sighed and began to relax again.

"Your Majesty?" she heard Elissa's voice call from within her room sometime later and she opened an eye to glanced back towards the doors of the balcony. Smirking slightly, Larissa closed her eye again and leant back against the cushion once more.

"Out here, Elissa," she called out and she heard hurried footsteps coming out onto the balcony.

"What on earth are you doing out here? You should be in your bed, Your Majesty. Lady Cooper will have my head if your wounds reopen," Elissa said as she joined Larissa out on the balcony and Larissa chuckled softly. She opened her eye and looked at her maid again before she closed it as she sighed. She opened her eyes properly now and sat up slightly before she turned to look at Elissa directly now.

"I am out here, Elissa, because I grew tired of staring at the same four walls for days on end. I feared I would go insane," Larissa explained as she adjusted the way she sat before she winced as the cushion pressed against her wounds.

"Your Majesty?" Elissa asked carefully as she moved closer to Larissa before she stopped as Larissa raised a hand.

"I am fine. Have you brought my work with you?" Larissa asked her and Elissa nodded her head before she gestured to the doors.

"I...I have, Your Majesty. I have placed it on your bedside table. Also, the Professor would like to have a word with you when you have a moment," she said as she nodded her head.

"Tell him to come and find me in an hour. I am enjoying the sunshine at the moment," Larissa said as she closed her eyes and leant back again.

"Why don't you tell me yourself, Your Majesty?" came the Professor's voice from the doors of the balcony and Larissa's eyes snapped open before her head turned towards the doors. Sure enough, Professor Strickland was standing in the doorway of the balcony, hands clasped behind his back and looking at Larissa with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Professor," Elissa said before she quickly got to her feet and bowed to him. He raised a hand and gestured for Elissa to leave. She bowed to them both before she left as the Professor walked out and sat down on the other chair which Elissa had just vacated.