Winter Wildflowers

Chapter 23

Day 185

He was so angry.
Ofelia regretted walking into her chamber, the sight that had stood before her was one she wished she could have prepared for, if not seen at all.
After being left on her own, Ofelia had sat at her throne waiting until people had begun to leave. It had been late at night when they began and the early hours in the morning when they had all bid their goodbyes. Ofelia had sat so long that the servants had begun to clean the room, only rising when James, her guard, had placed his hand over her shoulder. It had been an odd walk to her room, her handmaidens had trailed far behind her, their muttering barely comprehensible. Ofelia was tense. It was no big event that she had been left alone, insignificant by far compared to all that she had experienced, but she was surprisingly frustrated at it. She was exhausted also, so when she had reached her chamber door, she hadn't questioned why there were no guards outside, and had blindly held it open for her handmaidens. It was usual for them to prepare her for bed and Ofelia had simply wanted to spare them the extra effort of holding the door. But when they'd stopped a few steps short of her, Ofelia looked up to see gaunt expressions draining their faces. Ofelia frowned and followed their gaze to the sight of a seething Knightley holding a battered Paulina by the frock of her gown.
Ofelia had blinked once, then twice before turning to her handmaidens. They looked so horrified. Perhaps Ofelia would have felt like that once too, but in that moment, she couldn't escape her overwhelming emotionlessness.
She sighed. Poor little blonde girl. She mouthed 'I'm sorry' in Veraltian, spoiling herself in doing so. Their eyes widened.
She closed the door behind herself.

Ofelia's skin prickled as she held Knightley's wild, ferocious eyes. Though he stood cold and still, she could smell the anger. She clenched her jaw. She looked to Paulina. She wasn't crying, instead she sat still. Slightly shaking if anything, but at the sight of her Ofelia knew what she had meant by their similarity. It was obvious that Paulina was well versed in this dance, Ofelia could see it in her eyes, and it scared her. The bitter apathy that she stared to the ground with. She didn't want to know that look. It was awful and it made her feel guilty. But she did and she drew inwards because of it.
"Ofelia, my dear.", Knightley greeted, eyeing her. His stark height seemed to become more apparent as he stared down at her, "How was the ball?"
Ofelia lingered on Paulina for a moment longer. Her thin, elderly frame seemed so weak under Knightley's hand. Had that been what Ofelia had looked like? She swallowed and lifted her eyes back to Knightley.
"... I had wondered where you left to.", she admitted, quiet but clear.
Knightley's eyebrows furrowed.
Paulina squirmed lightly and Ofelia couldn't help but close her eyes momentarily.
"What has left you so mad, Knightley?", Ofelia gently asked, keeping her reactions to a minimum.
He watched her analytically, silent for a moment. They stared at each other.
"Your accomplice,", He finally said watching her reaction carefully, "Has made a grave mistake."
Ofelia's heart throbbed. Of course, she knew what kind of mistake Paulina would have made. It was most likely an act of treason. She closed her eyes.
Knightley dropped Paulina to the ground, and Ofelia kept her eyes shut as he neared her.
"... You know.", he assuredly muttered, jerking her chin upwards with a hand.
She opened her eyes, slowly bringing them to his. He stared down with a surprised look, a sick delight washing over his face. She glanced to Paulina, who shook her head frantically.
"... I do not.", she muttered back, "I am not informed of such things."
"Not formally.", Knightley darkly chuckled, "Though I'm sure someone of your determination could find her way around that."
Ofelia clenched her jaw.
From behind Knightley Paulina sat herself on her knees and held her hands in her lap. Ofelia watched her. Paulina didn't smile to her, nor did she attempt to escape, but they watched each other for a moment. Woman to woman, wife to wife.
"What do you know, little Ofelia?"
Paulina sighed lightly and lowered her eyes. With a thinning of the lips, she silently rose. Ofelia kept her eyes low to allude that she was watching her lay on the floor.
"... I know of the threat from the West.", she mumbled, looking at Knightley. He nodded, a little grin growing on his lips.
"... And...", she breathed as Paulina crawled to the window. Her heart pained as realisation dawned upon her. She refused to panic. "And- ", she gulped as she swung a leg over, her age limiting her movements. "I know of Paulina's... disagreeable views.", her throat grew tight as she said the words. Paulina nodded for her to continue, impatiently waving her onwards, a gesture Ofelia had grown to dislike. Ofelia frowned and looked back to Knightley, his face delighted at hearing the knowledge she had acquired.
"I also know that you have arrived early due to the threat, not for success.", she quietly finished, "And I knew all of this before you."
Knightley tilted his head slightly, his eyes taking in Ofelia's face as his tongue poked his cheek. She stood firm as he slowly rotated her face by the hand on her chin.
He hummed before chuckling, "Well done...", He then drew closer and lowered his voice to a leering whisper, "But I know that Paulina is about to throw herself to her death."
Ofelia gulped and tried to pull herself away from his face, to which he expanded his grip at her throat.
"Fear not, young Ofelia.", he patronizingly stated, "I have no plans on punishing you. In fact, you have rather... impressed me,", he then smugly turned to Paulina, his hand lingering on Ofelia's neck, "... Well?", He vexed, watching her sit at the edge of the windowsill, "... Are you waiting for permission?"
Ofelia tried to pull herself from Knightley's grip, but he held tight. She pulled at his arm with all her might, but both her arms combined were no match to Knightley's strength in one. He spared her no thought.
Paulina then looked to Ofelia; she squinted her eyes. Ofelia's gaze grew pained, her chest seized. It was an irrational feeling. Paulina had been awful to her, nothing but disintegrating, in fact, she had gone out of her way to upset her. But in that moment, it was like looking at what Ofelia had become. Paulina was steely. Perhaps this was a redemption in her eyes. As they stared at each other, a bitter determination shadowed her face and she spat her final words, "... Do not let him forget what he has done to you."
Then, she threw herself into the darkness, a tense silence before a heavy, resounding thud.

-

Knightley had tensed at Paulina's words, had pulled his hand from Ofelia almost instantly. The silence grew as Ofelia rubbed her throat.
Knightley looked to the window and Ofelia watched him. What had he done to Paulina before Ofelia had arrived? Why had he brought her to their chamber? Did he blame Ofelia?
She had so many things to say, but for the moment she stood shell shocked. She stared to the back of his head. He didn't seem angry anymore, a scary shift.
She cleared her throat, "... Did that go as expected?"
He didn't respond and though Ofelia waited on him for a moment, his continued silence moved her to leave for the bathroom. She sighed and ran the basin, removing her outer garments and placing them on the bathtub beside her.
She tucked the strands that had fallen around her face away and began to wash away her makeup. From behind her she heard Knightley enter the room.
He still stood quiet, and Ofelia ducked her head further.
She wiped each detail from her face and washed her mouth before rising and lifting her hands to her hair. She didn't fancy having pins poke her in her sleep. Her arms were sore and shaky, and as she dug her hands into her hair she quietly sighed.
It was then that she felt warm hands replace her own, large fingers gather over the top of hers. Ofelia hands hovered for a moment as he stepped closer.
Knightley was wordless behind her. Completely silent. All was quiet save the screaming in Ofelia's mind. 'Murderer!' Her thoughts cried, 'He is a killer! He is evil! Ofelia! He's evil! Get him off you!' Ofelia closed her eyes. She was so tired.
She slowly dropped her hands and Knightley's warmth seeped into her. 'Ofelia! Please! He is bad! He is wicked! Vile!' It was silent, and he started to let down her hair. 'He is unforgiveable. Stop him. Please.' Even then, the only sounds between them were the soft pulling of a pin before he placed it on the basin side.
Ofelia let out a breath through her lips and lowered her head at his pressure.
"You are tired.", he mindlessly noted, pulling a pin from a lower section of her scalp.
'Please. Stop him.' If Ofelia had had the energy to nod, she would have.
It was sad for Ofelia and her eyes stung a little as Knightley's hands, those that had beaten a woman before sending her to her death now gently plucked pins from her hair. She shakily gulped.
"... Should you not have told me...", Knightley whispered, "That you knew of her rebellious views... Unless you had planned to support her."
Ofelia's eyes fluttered open, and she stared at her hands resting on the edge of the basin. She closed her mouth.
Knightley then released her last pin sitting at the bottom of her scalp, a shiver running down her spine as his hot fingers brushed her skin.
It was true. What did he want her to say? Knightly was right and they both knew it. Ofelia's throat tightened.
"You're always so warm.", She croaked, not possessing the strength to address his correct accusation.
Knightley quietened and so Ofelia turned to him.
He stared down to her and she stared up to him. He sighed and with distant, thoughtful eyes he lifted the back of his hand to her cheek, slowly brushing his knuckles to her jaw. His jaw ticked.
"... And you looked beautiful tonight."