The Peace Offering

Sindri: Chapter 17

The humiliation made my face burn. I wanted to punch something but decided against it.  I knew that as soon as the entire family was called to eat together something like this would happen. As I neared my room I asked a maid to prepare a bath for me. I wanted to restart the day with a refreshing soak in warm water. 

The bathroom had a nice fog of steam produced by the hot water filled with rose petals. I shed my robe and relished in the steam for a bit before lowering myself into the water. The warmth of the water flooded my body and I felt instantly better. The Kou Empire was much colder that Sindria and I was missing the heat of my island home. I continued to soak in the rose scented water and amused myself by swishing around the rose petals. 

The steam and sweet aromas in the air began to lull me to sleep. Soon I found myself slipping into a sweet sleep. I heard a commotion by the  door, but was feeling too sleepy to turn and see what it was. There was a light pressure on my head and I found myself underneath the water. It wasn't until a few seconds later I realized what was going on: someone was holding my head under the water.

I began to thrash around and the hand on my head struggled to hold me down. Screaming I swallowed some water and began to have flashbacks of the burning sea water. I managed to surface for a few seconds, my vision was obstructed by water and my hair but I caught a glimpse of a gash-like scar through my attacker's top lip. With a growl my attacker roughly grabbed my shoulders and shoved me back under the water.

There was a loud scream and the hands holding me down disappeared. I surfaced and threw myself on the side of the large bath. Someone pulled back my hair and patted my back as I threw up the water that I had swallowed. My nose burned and I could hardly breathe, tears mingled with the bath water as they went down my face. I heard smoothing words but I could not understand them as I was too frazzled to think clearly. I let someone stand me up and they wrapped a towel around me. I looked and saw a small maid with golden yellow hair, she had her arms around me and was whispering calming words. 

Sitting me down by a window she called for another maid to get Kouen. I grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.

"Please don't leave me alone."

"Don't worry Mistress Sindri, I won't go anywhere."

The two of us waited in the still steamy room until I heard a loud angry voice demanding to see me. Kouen burst into the bathroom and immediately came to my side.

"Sindri, are you okay?" He asked as his voice grew softer and his eyes concerned. I could barely move my mouth.

"N-no. I'm not okay. I've never had someone try to kill me while I bathed."

Kouen's eyes narrowed slightly but he kept his face calm. He grabbed my shoulders and helped me stand then took off his outer robe coat and wrapped it around my body. I clutched onto his arm and stood close to him. He radiated safety, something I needed badly. With some tears left in my eyes I let him lead me to his room. 

My energy was drained as I slipped into the blankets of his bed. He sat at the foot of the bed and waited for me to fall asleep. As I closed my eyes all I could see was the lip scar of the one who had tried to drown me.