The Peace Offering

Sindri: Chapter 19

My sleep was dreamless, which I was grateful for. Getting up slowly I realized I was in Kouen's room. There was a slight knock at the door and Kouen came in. He was carrying a tray of food.

"You're awake, perfect timing. I brought us some food." He placed the tray on the nightstand next to the bed. There were two bowls of soup and some bread. It was simple, but the smell was mouthwatering.

"Is this sea dragon soup?" I asked as I picked up a bowl. Kouen nodded as he pulled up a chair. Sea dragon soup was very common in Sindria, and it was one of my favorites. Hardly waiting I plunged my spoon into the bowl and began to eat. The taste of home exploded in my mouth. I wanted to slurp down the soup, but controlled myself as Kouen was here as well.

I watched Kouen as he slowly ate some of the soup. His eyes lit with joy at the good taste. I waited a bit and then his face changed. The spicy aftertaste of the sea dragon kicked in.

"Ah, it's good, but it's very spicy." Kouen exclaimed as he stuck out his tongue and fanned it. I began laughing at his silly expression. I laughed so hard that I spilled some soup on myself. The room was quite for a second before we both started laughing. Kouen's laugh was deep and joyful, I found myself smiling at the sound of it.

We calmed down after a while and continued to eat. I showed Kouen how to dunk the bread into the soup and eat it without spilling. The bread was also from Sindria and had a sweet taste to counteract the spicy soup.

"Next time let's eat Kou food, and then I can teach you." Kouen said merrily. I paused, he wanted to eat with me again? I usually ate alone, the thought of eating with someone else regularly was...nice.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

After we finished eating Kouen said that he had something to show me. I quickly got dressed into some proper clothes and then he led me out to a courtyard. Waiting there was two people, a male and female. I quickly recognized the female as the maid who had helped me earlier in the bathing room. The male was a tall and stood in a rigid stance, a soldier no doubt.

"Sindri, this is Hana and Tabul. They are going to be your constant companions from now on. I don't want you to be anywhere without one of them or myself, it's for your safety." Kouen explained. I wanted to argue, but I knew that if I was attacked again my magic was no longer enough to fend anyone off. 

Kouen was suddenly called away, reminding me that he was a very busy person. I felt kind of sad that our time was over. Glancing over at Hana and Tabul, I realized that I would be spending a lot of time with them from now on. Over in Sindria I didn't have many friends, often I was left by myself in my personal wing of the palace. Suddenly I felt very nervous and small. Talking to new people was never something I was very good at.

"Well, my name is Sindri, but you two probably already know that." I awkwardly stated.

"Princess Sindri, it is a privilege and absolute honor to be your personal handmaid. Please, command me as you desire." Hana smiled out with a deep bow, her eyes sparkling with joy. I was slightly startled at her calling me princess as I was not used to the title. I may have been a princess since I was young, but I was born and raised as a commoner. In Sindria I wasn't visited very often, so I was never really called princess much.

I was going to answer her when I felt a bubbling sensation in my stomach. Quickly the sensation climbed up my throat, along with bile and the sea dragon soup. Clutching my mouth closed I ran over to some bushes before vomit spewed out. I heard some cries of alarm and my hair was pulled back as I continued to heave up the contents of my stomach. Eventually my stomach became empty but I continued to dry heave. Hands massaged my shoulders and Tabul handed me a handkerchief to wipe my mouth with.

"Come princess, let us take you to your quarters." Tabul said in a deep voice. I nodded and the two walked me back to my room. The whole time I was chanting in my mind:

Please just let me be sick. Please just let me be sick. Please just let me be sick.

Hello, Panama here. I have a question for those who read on mobile, is the story messed up? When I read certain chapters on mobile there are pieces missing or repeated. Does this happen to everyone?