The Awakening

Chapter Twenty One

Midnight came and passed, and just before dawn broke the horizon, Avelon and Brianne were finally allowed to return to their room. Both were stiff from catering to the petty needs of incompetent Lords and Ladies, and both were grateful for the small comfort that their beds had offered. Lugh had not approach Avelon again throughout the evening. A small mercy that Avelon silently cherished.

When morning came, Avelon suppressed the thought of Lugh and his casual flirtation to the deepest parts of her mind. Silence enveloped her as she stared at the stone ceiling above her. The only light, once again flickering from the torches perched on the wall. Avelon frowned, wondering who ever sought out to light and distinguish the flames.

"I'm thankful that all the Fae in this palace will be too hungover to bother to check on us Today!" Brianne groaned as she stretched, her already long frame elongating even more with the manoeuvre. The sudden intrusion of her voice had Avelon's body twitching.

Brianne added, "Of course we have a shit ton of work to do."

This time, it was Avelon who groaned deeply. She had no motivation to leave her bed and cease the day, she merely wanted to cease her sleep. The overstimulating and exhausting evening had drained her, leaving her physically aching. She considered that worse things could have happened during the evening, apart from the ritual. Brianne had mentioned that on many occasions Fae had indulged themselves in self-pleasing activities and that the slaves were always first in line. her stomach churned at the thought, momentarily grateful for the distraction of the ritual. She did not consider the alternatives any further.

"We should visit the library later." Brianne hummed, her tone light and cheerful despite their lack of sleep.

At the mention of the library, Avelon rolled sideways and propped herself up on her right elbow. The thought of the ancient parchments and scrolls hidden within its walls tugged at her curiosity, a welcome distraction from the lingering discomforts of the night. The information she so desperately sought could be within arm's reach. Brianne lay sprawled out on her bed, gnawing at a nail, a sight that made Avelon cringe. Reluctantly, she refrained from commenting on the action.

Chewing at the inside of her cheek, she contemplated her response. "Do you think we can talk about what we both know but aren't saying?"

Brianne instantly stopped picking at her nail beds, slowly dragging her eyes toward Avelon. She swallowed hard, cracking her neck in preparation for what Avelon hoped would be an in-depth and serious discussion.

"We should, but not inside the palace walls." Brianne replied cautiously, and although Avelon understood Brianne's cautious suggestion, frustration brimmed at the edges of her thinned out emotional barriers. She needed information, sooner rather than later.

Avelon groaned deeply, "Then let's go clean that damned hall," She sighed as she thought of the countless dishes awaiting them, "And perhaps go for a walk."

***

Brianne's colourful language was the sole highlight of Avelon's morning. The sound ignited small smiles and light laughter throughout the morning. The entire hall was a disaster, and it took them most of the day to restore it to its lively standards. By the time they had finished, Avelon's hands burned from exertion. No one had checked on them during the hours they spent scrubbing, except for the guards stationed at the hall's entrance, who seemed a bit green from their own reckless behaviour.

"We should go to the stream to wash off this grime and sweat." Avelon said, scrunching her nose in disgust as she peered down at her stained white shirt. She hoped that the water from the stream would remove most of the stains, though she knew scrubbing would be fruitless.