Elwanda

Chapter 15 - Raegros

Celeste treated Elwanda to another quick but soothing bath with the aid of Cassia and Alice, helped her back into her clothes and fixed a beautiful cape around her shoulders held by large silver brooches to match the Steward's.

In no time, she was standing in front of a tall carriage onto which a pile of luggages had been stacked.

Celeste kissed her lightly on the cheek as the door was held open.

"Be strong, Dove." The woman whispered. "Farewell."

Elwanda returned a smile and a nod before climbing into the carriage with the help of the footman. Inside, the Steward was already seated with his face turned in the direction of the window beside him.

The carriage started off and sights of the palace was progressively left behind. Bit by bit, the town disappeared as well and quiet, open roads greeted them.

Elwanda kept her hands clasped together the whole while and her gaze fixed on the streaming views. Whatever caught her attention, she would lean eagerly to stare at, until it was gone from sight. She even began to wonder if they would pass by Barrowley by any chance, but the carriage did not go through normal roads. All the paths were high, smooth, and strange.

When they reached a meadow, she leaned outward again, peering at a lovely sprinkle of tiny flowers that the carriage rode close to.

"Best tumble out and save us the trouble, why don't you?" The Steward's voice came sharp but quiet.

Elwanda retracted immediately, risking a glance at him, but his face was still fixed in the other direction. She swallowed and returned to being still.

Gradually, night fell.

Exhaustion set in and she fell asleep on her seat.

The chill of dawn woke her up, and at first, she was a tad surprised by the locomotion, but her mind settled fast. A different surprise was that the Steward was sitting upright and adjacent to her on the opposite side of the carriage. He looked far from tired and as if he hadn't slept at all.

From the inside of her sleeve, she quietly drew out a flattened piece of white paper. Before her departure, Celeste had generously handed her a slim wrapping of iced caramel, which was meant to drive off the staleness in her mouth after a long sleep. She felt tempted to offer it to the Steward then changed her mind at the last minute.

As the day brightened further, the carriage came into lovely, sparse woods with slim trees taller than any Elwanda had ever seen.

There, their vehicle came to a halt. Her door opened and the footman held a hand out to help her out even though she was not sure why.

"You may stretch your legs with a little stroll, madam," He said, lowering in a small bow. "But don't wander too far."

"No, no I won't. Thank you."

It felt oddly liberating to be able to walk about again. Because the air was still quite chilly, she picked up her cape and wrapped it around herself then traipsed through the scanty trees. Stopping at the foot of one she suddenly found interesting, she touched the freezing bark and instantly heard whispers that filled her with goosebumps.

The tree was magical and hoarded foreign healing properties. Excited, she broke off a piece of bark. White sap oozed out like syrup and she felt driven to taste it.

"Try that with some grass."

With an abrupt veer, she found the Steward turning away with an angry scowl. The footman was approaching behind him.

"Madam may breakfast now." The willowy fellow announced.

Curious of how she was meant to have breakfast, Elwanda followed the footman and was stunned to find that a little breakfast table had already been set out a small distance away from the carriage. Her eyes traveled about in question and everything made sense when she spotted a second carriage between the trees. Fylve and Serine, and two male servants were moving around the vehicle, gathering more food. Apparently, the servants had been following behind all along.