A Terrible fate

Part 29

I woke up to Lionel trying to move me back to bed. I must have fallen asleep against the window.

"Why were you on the floor?" He is muttering under his breath.

He may have asked me, but I don't think he expected me to answer. Father used to call those Rhetorical questions when a person asks you something but doesn't want or expect you to answer.

It would explain why he jolted a bit when I yam as I answered him.

" I wanted to see the stars."

He paused for a moment, looking at me, and then back to the window for a moment.

"The stars... Is. Is that why you were crawling on the floor last night? When you got hit by the curtain rod?"

I nodded, still not used to speaking, especially so early in the morning. My throat has been aching since yesterday as well.

"Princess if you want to do something then please let me know. It's wonderful that you are feeling well enough to move around on your own, but you are still very ill and are not fully capable of doing strenuous activity yet. The doctor said you shouldn't be allowed to walk around on your own for a while..."

I just nodded again. I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying anymore, I was so tired... and hungry

When was the last time I was hungry?

I had been eating, I know that. Lionel never stopped commenting on how much more I was eating now than when he first came here. He always smiled brightly whenever I ate something and he was chipper than ever when talking to any of the other staff in the castle about my progress.

I had been eating, but I don't think I had been hungry for anything these past few months. Right now though, all I wanted was a nice slice of bread with jams and some cheese on the side and then a nap.

Well, maybe I could eat and then go get some of their things, and then nap.

Yes, that sounded better. I wanted to eat some bread, the puffy thick slices that looked like books stuffed together on a shelf with jam and cheese, maybe even some tea. Then I could go around and gather their special things, maybe some favorite items, clothes, books, journals, and little mementos to keep for them. After that, I could bundle up with it all and take a nice long nap in Mother's and Father's bed.

"Princess?" Lionel had stopped talking at some point, I must have gone too quiet. Which is odd if I think about it, I had been nothing but quiet since we first met. Perhaps I had gone still in his arms, or he had asked a question that I failed to answer as I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying at the moment.

"Princess, are you alright? You seem... dazed."

I think that was a good word for it. I feel dazed. Like I'm walking through a foggy forest, or that my mind is clouded with cotton. I don't feel at peace but I'm not upset as I have been for a while. It felt like there was nothing to feel anymore for me, ironic I suppose.

"Princess?"

He was sitting down on the bed, glancing back at the door as if to check if someone was coming or not. He probably was waiting for the doctor to come check on me this morning.

"Bread."

We stared at each other for a moment in silence. I had meant to say much more than just bread, or course. I had meant to ask for my breakfast and some tea and then figure out how I could go about getting to all of their rooms today.

"Bread...?" He was confused, but before I could further explain what I wanted he broke out into a wide smile, "You want something to eat?"

I nodded, smiling back a little I think. His joy at something like this was catching I suppose.