Verita - The Guardian of Darkness

29 - A New Dawn

Aetrian kept his word and reappeared once his official duties had ended; but he didn't stop his visits after that. It took Elanthin about three days to lift her hands on her own and another three to sit up straight, but Aetrian never complained. Instead, he reported the day's news to her evening after evening. The cushioned chair at her bedside became his regular seat, while he talked and Elanthin tried to fight the side effects of the poison which echoed through her body.

Today was the first day she felt like herself. Exactly two weeks and five days after the assassination attempt, Elanthin's body started to listen to her again. After taking her morning bath, she went to pull the window curtains to the side herself. The warm morning sun stroked her face as she let her gaze wander over the palace gardens. The scene was eerily peaceful – as if nothing bad could ever happen on these grounds.

"If Her Majesty would excuse us."

The soft voice of a young palace maid was accompanied by Myrel's informal greeting, while both of them entered the room and began to tidy the bed.

Elanthin tightened the bow of her silk dressing gown before she sat down in front of the large mirror facing her bed and waited for them to finish. It had become a daily routine to be pampered by the maids; however, the difference to her life on the Plains was too great.

Sometimes the maid's attention made her uncomfortable so she sent them out for a while. She also refused vehemently to let in more than two girls at a time.

"His Majesty has inquired about the queen's condition", stated the young maid, whose face was vaguely familiar to Elanthin, politely. Her cheeks flushed slightly whenever she was looked at directly. "Will Her Majesty take breakfast in her own rooms or in the dining room today?"

"I'll go and meet him today."

The palace maid didn't think about questioning her decision but Elanthin could feel Myrel scrutinizing her lean body closely.

"I feel much better and I can't be cooped up in this room forever", she promised as their eyes met.

Myrel quickly lowered her head as if to say I wasn't going to challenge you, before she started to brush Elanthin's long hair. The dark strands, which the cold and dampness of the Plains had destroyed, were recuperating together with the rest of Elanthin's body. Slowly, they started to become healthier and stronger.

Which can't be said for my muscles, she thought with a little sigh. It was high time that she got to train with her swords again. No wonder Aetrian looked so soft.

While Elanthin was looking down at her body, she noticed that the tremor had returned to her hands. She closed her fists with a small sigh and squeezed. Although her movement wasn't particularly impeded by the trembling, she would have preferred for that particular battle scar to stay away. Now that her body had regained most of its strength, it chose to spend it on something so unnecessary again.

After Myrel's forceful brushing had relented, Elanthin let the younger palace maid handle the rest. Layer after layer of soft ivory panels landed on her body like loose flower petals, until the girl nodded in satisfaction. How she gauged the appropriate thickness of skirts was a mystery to both Elanthin and Myrel but none of them tried to intervene. Instead, they busied themselves with lashing the dress' layers together with a short corset. A few golden bangles kept the fluffy sleeves from puffing up excessively around Elanthin's arms.

While she was examining the cloud – or dress, as the palace maids called it – a faint knocking on the door became audible. Upon receiving her permission, Stellan entered the room silently; a few steps in, he stopped and held out a golden tablet in front of him. Myrel hurried towards him to grab the letters on top.