Shades Of Your Warmth

Red Seal, the cause of distress

I'm about to cry
Cause you're standing in front of me
I don't know where I am
But I know that you're with me, dear love
We can cross the blue, black seas
I will hold your hand forever and always

Wide strides and a stern face, the princess returned to the palace two days later. She didn't return with her brother. He could come back to the palace that she owned only afted he apologised to her. Disobedience sickened her.
Princess Sarocha flicked her volumnious hair with her left hand just as she reached the bottom of the stairsways but something seemed to stop her in her tracks. She pursed her lips gently before turning around and heading towards the back of the palace.

Her guards followed her all the way to the dongeon. Before she went down the dark hallway that led down into the dongeon, she signalled one of the guards to hold a lantern from the wall.
The dongeon keepers were astonished to see the princess down there. The princess had no business there and the place was dark and damp and smelly, all of which the princess detested.
She scanned each room she passed until she reached the far end. There, she stood and watched. She could see the silhouette of her maid lying on the very uncomfortable excuse of a resting place that was made of nothing more than a pile of sacs filled with hay. She felt anger, she felt disgusted but most importantly, she felt guilt. She hated seeing the younger girl in such a condition. She wouldn't admit it out loud but she had regretted having said she wanted the girl in the dongeon for three days. But then again, the girl had brought this upon herself. Bad actions had bad consequences.
It had been two days and some hours but the princess was ready to free the girl. And she could do so by asking the keeper to unlock the iron bars. Her eyes however, landed on the pile of plates of food in the corner. Her heart was starting to pound in trepidation. She quickly turned to the dongeon keeper, "Why is she not eating?" she enquired, quickly darting her eyes back at the pile again and the glasses filled with water now confirmed her worst fear, the girl hadn't been drinking too. People could survive days without food. And it wasn't the same case with water.
"O-Open this right now." She ordered.

Needless to say, Becky was unconscious. The princess went completely pale as the girl remained unresonsive when she tapped on the girl's face lightly. "Check her pulse" The princess commanded, rushing to pull the girl up to a sitting position. She didn't know what to do. One guard hurridly pressed his fingers on the side of Becky's neck. "She's okay, your highness," he declared. That action seemed to bring consciousness back as the girl stirred and opened her eyes a little. But it didn't last long. It seemed she had been going in and out of consciousness for a while due to lack of water for an extended period.

She was rushed to her room as it was nearer than the physicians' chamber. Becky was tended to by the palace physician and some of the other maids. For the moment, she was given some fluids and she was stable. The physician told Irin that Becky needed rest and that she needed easy broth soon. Irin listened earnestly and nodded her head when needed to. She was kneeling on the side of the bed Becky was in. Nobody in the room dared to ask why the princess was still in the maid's chamber, standing silently in the space between Becky's and Irin's bed with her arms crossed. As for Becky, she was completely exhausted but she was very much aware of the princess's presence. She really went on a full on fasting to demonstrate her grief but now it was blowing up on her face. She couldn't tell what the princess was feeling. It was too much for her to deal at the moment so she decided it would be best if she closed her eyes and pretended she was in a terrible dream.

"Your highness, would you want me to get you a seat?", Irin enquired, sensing the princess did not seem ready to just go out.

"Go get some broth, girl."

"Y-Yes, your highness." Irin bowed and went for the door.

It took close to 15 minutes when Irin and some others came rushing in with Becky's food. The other cooks in the kitchen did not believe Irin when she told them the princess was indeed inside the maid's chamber. Now, they were seeing it for themselves. The princess, with a calm face, turned towards them to acknowledge their arrival. They collectively bowed and entered the room awkwardly, putting the food on the table that was put beside the bed.