~☀️Sun and Shadow🌒~

Chapter 5: Left Behind

"Is she conscious?"

"I increased her heart rate, she should be waking up anytime soon."

"It does not matter, she must hurry. The King isn't too happy."

I stirred, my brain still a bit foggy. Where am I? Whose talking?

My eyelids fluttered open, sunlight flooded my vision, blinding me. A low groan escaped my chest. My entire body felt stiff and numb, making me wonder how long I've been unconscious.

"My lady, you've awoken!" A feminine voice cried. I slowly sitting up, gritting my teeth from the pain and effort, new bruises seemed to sprout from my body. The same woman poured a cup a of water, or was it tea? I didn't care, my throat aced for water. I reached over for the porcelain cup, but to my dismay, she brought it up to her own lips, sipping gingerly while watching my every move. Flustered, I pulled back, leaning on the bedframe.

"Miss, I had been informed by his darkness to be your caregiver during this phase-" she motioned at my body with evident disgust, "-you're going through. You may call me Renata. I will be serving you from now on, anything you need---from an extra towel to a luncheon, you must ask me first."

I remained a calm expression the Darkling used so often as I observed her. The casual flick of gold curls, lips ready to curl for an usual sneer, eyes degrading everything set upon. Renata reminded me so much of Zoya when we first met, the exact same self-centered personality I never thought I'll miss. I averted my gaze, focused on the Grisha healer who was standing at the foot of my bed instead. She looked about the same age as Renata: early twenties. The two seemed to be the complete opposite; while Renata radiated confidence with an egocentric edge, this girl appeared as timid and quiet as a mouse. She cowered behind a curtain of light brown bangs, eyes darting in all directions but me.

"My Lady?" Renata queried, bringing back my attention.

I forced myself to smile as I meet those haughty nutmeg eyes, "I appreciate your help, Renata. If I can, may I ask for a cup of tea and ask what happened after I fell unconscious?"

Renata returned my smile, she motioned to the healer, who looked almost relieved as she scurried out of the room. Renata sat down on my bed, strands of blonde hair pouring over her shoulder as she leaned inward. "Oh yes, a lot had happened, my lady. His darkness-," my mask of disinterest almost slipped as I tried not to scoff at the ridiculous title, "-send you back to your room in Little Palace. He had send plans for remodeling the Grand Palace while he attends matters in Novyi Zem," she explains with glee, eyes shimmering with admiration.

That captured my attention, "The Darkling went to Novyi Zem? How long have I've been out?!"

Renata scowled, shaking her head in almost disappointment. She placed a oddly cold hand on mine, "Miss Starkov, I understand you grew up in an uneducated community with those dirty slums. However, you're not the same soiled girl anymore, you must learn manners. His Darkness cannot be called such a...incompetent title, he is the King of Ravka now, not a general of the second army anymore. He is the King of Darkness and should be addressed so."

I grind my teeth together. I can nearly see the Darkling's, no his Darkness's smug grin while I get scolded by his servant. He wants to infuriate me by sending Renata, I realize. What's better than sending a loyalist to my side, he knows he drives me insane, and uses that advantage well. What a perfect politician.

"Ma'am?" Renata's brows knitted together with concern. I registered I had been chuckling silently and quickly stop. Clearing my throat, I hastily composed myself before turning back toe face her.

"Needed a moment for myself," I explained.

Renata was about to give another scolding which was fortunately interrupted by the same Healer, a cup of water along with a plate of delicacies in a sliver tray. The color drained from her face as she noticed I was looking at her. Her knees buckled, threatening to malfunction any second.

"Petty," Renata mumbled under her breath, "leave us Marisha," she ordered. Her delicate finger motioned at the tray, which flew over to the nightstand. Squaller, my brain screamed. Renata is a squaller...just like Zoya. I kept my gaze lowered when she passed me the cup, which I drank greedily.

"Excuse me from any inconvenience my lady, his Darkness asks you start training the day after you awake. I'll get your schedule ready," She removed herself from the bed, pausing at the doorway before turning over he shoulder, "He would not want a weak queen," she said with a quick wink before departing, shutting the door behind her.

As soon as the door closed, I buried my face into a pillow, muffling a scream. No way we would be together, I'd rather be burned on a pyre. When I finally lift my head, the pillow is wet with my tears. The light from the open window casts a shadow of me sitting in bed, frustrated with any sign of him, my fingers tilted, bending the light so no light shone through. I looked at my hands in wonder, so I really gained my powers back, the ritual really worked.

Either from over excitement or hunger, I turned to my tray of food, gulping down every bit of food. Aleksander won't be here for at least a few weeks, I should enjoy myself before he returns. When the plate was scraped clean, I finally came to my senses, the grisha who brough me my food, Marisha, she was one of the ones Zoya wanted me to find. I grinned, one step closer to my escape. My hands immediately flashed to the pocket where the ring felt, when I stop cold. I was no longer wearing the same clothes. A silk night gown covered my body instead, I cursed under my breath, the maids must've changed me.

Getting up from bed, I must've cracked several other bones. Marisha done her work well, my body felt new and refreshing. However, she hadn't removed me from my many bruises yet, that may be as usable excuse to see her again and explain everything.

I can't help but smile like a fool, problem solved.

☀️

The problem lies on the fact there are more Healers other than Marisha. Once my bruises and sores were tended, I had no other excuse to request her. Approaching the situation from another angle, I searched the entire little Palace for her, only to find not a trace of her, she appeared to disappear to thin air. Every night, I returned to my grand room, which turned out to be corresponding to the Darkling's empty chambers, to no avail. I restrained myself from asking others for her whereabouts as to not arise suspicion. And so the days go on.

For the first few days, I do my training as told. My new trainer, Bruke, is as hard core as the previous one. Thinking about my old trainer forms a lump in my throat, he had been killed during the civil war. I spend other hours, wandering around in the woods, often tending the garden which I grew to fond the roses and daffodils. By the third day, I felt almost sick. Renata never answered my questions of Aleksander and when asked about Mal, it turns out the Aleksander took him to Novyi Zem along with himself. I felt a knot in my stomach when I learn that I was the only one left behind in little Palace. It makes my blood boil.

And by the end of the week I had enough. If no one's answering my questions, I'll have to find them myself.

It was dusk, yet I still draw close the curtains and made sure the door was locked. I did not want anyone to mistake me as a lunatic if I did something irrational. Reaching across the tether has never been any hard work, especially these days, when I occasionally feeling a sudden tug of anger, loneliness, glee. Aleksander has been calling out to me quite frequently, often pouring his emotion into my own, causing me to have unpredictable emotional breakdown he would never encounter, as his mask of tranquillity is worn to tight.

I closed my eyes, reaching out to the tether, the bridge connecting us, and pulled myself across.

When I reopened my eyes, I was staring at Aleksander's familiar annoying face, his eyes were shut and brown creased. His shirt was off, and for a moment, I found myself unable to look away from his lean body. That quickly change as I felt the shame crawled up my cheeks, peeling my eyes away from his, there was a large gash on his abdomen. A healer's blurry figure healed it just as quickly, the gash reducing to nothing, not even a scare remains. His eyes flickered open at me, his mask worn so well I couldn't even detect the slightest of shock. I almost thought he never saw me until his lips curled into a slight smile.

"Leave Marisha," he commanded, his voice barely a rasp.

I froze.