Plight of an Empire

Chapter Thirteen: Runa

Elis Rock, Hermuna

“I just don’t understand why we had to stay so long”, Maelys Haerich ranted to her daughters within the confines of their wheelhouse.  “We were not supposed to be there that long.  I did not pack enough dresses to wear during our time there.  How could you let me look like such a slob in front of all of the kings and queens of the empire?”  She broke down sobbing in her seat, large teardrops falling onto her crimson satin gown, staining it a dark maroon color.  When she saw this, she just started sobbing even harder.

Runa Haerich watched her mother out of the corner of her eye.  She kept her gaze fixed on the floor and dared not move it from that one spot on the rug.  Her cheek still stung from when she had looked at her mother previously that day.  She wondered when they would finally arrive home.  She longed for her bed in her own room versus the shared confines of the wheelhouse.

Movement out of her peripherals caught her attention.  Her younger sister, Delphina, moved lithely towards their mother.  She gently rubbed her mother’s back as she had done for Runa in the past after a fight with her mother.  Maelys enveloped Delphina in a tight hug, sobbing into her shoulder.  Runa pressed her lips in a tight line and continued to stare at the floor.

Suddenly, the carriage jolted to a stop.  Outside, she heard voices.  She immediately recognized her father’s among them.  She wanted nothing more than for him to wrap his arms around her in his protective embrace.

The door to the wheelhouse swung open.  Her father’s voice rang through its walls.  “We are home”, he said.  The words were like a song from the gods themselves.  She pushed herself to stand up, but she was pushed back down with the firm hand of her mother.

“I always exit first”, she said, her voice hard.  “Then your sister, then you.  How many times must we go over this before you will finally understand?”

Runa sank into her seat and stared at her spot on the rug.  “I’m sorry, mother.  Please excuse my discourtesy.”

Maelys pursed her lips in deep contemplation.  “You are excused”, she finally said.  “But you need to learn your place in this family.  You cannot expect me to hold your hand through your entire life.”  Without another word, she exited the wheelhouse.  Delphina shot her sister a pitying look before she followed her mother out.

Runa considered remaining in the wheelhouse forever.  She doubted her mother would notice, and if she did she would not likely care.  The thought of leaving her sister with that woman was the only thing that motivated her to follow them into their house.  Well, Delphina and her father. 

She took a deep breath and exited from the wheelhouse.  Her mother and sister were already entering their home, a large manor befitting the son of the king.  Though the house was miniscule in comparison to the White Keep, it was still a fine home for Runa.  It was large enough for her to be able to avoid her mother, which was her favorite part about it.

The servants quietly greeted her as she entered through the door.  She gave them a small smile behind the watchful eye of Maelys.  If they greeted Runa louder or in any way more extravagant more than they greeted her, she would have them punished.  One girl standing in the shadows of the entrance hall caught Runa’s eye.  A pang of guilt went through her at the sight of her.  She maiden still bore the scars on her face from her mother’s last punishment.  Her shaved head was bowed in an attempt to hide her face from her mistress.  The copper fuzz stop her scalp had grown longer over her family’s trip to the capital of the empire.  Another reason she was hiding from Maelys, Runa assumed.

“Runa”, Maelys called.  “Did you hear me?”  Her mother was staring at her with a scowl across the room.  Her arms were crossed over her huffing chest.