Underwater

Chapter 13: The Groveling

"Who is it now?!" Leth grumbled as someone knocked on the door for the umpteenth time that day. Reina sipped from her bubble, enjoying the scent of Etteli from the juice Leth had made for her.

"I heard that, you know," Shelina said once the door was opened. Leth gasped and turned red.

"I'm so sorry, Countess Pavati," Leth said with a bow, but Shelina waved it away. Her assistant followed her as they entered Reina's room and made their way to the couches, where Reina was sitting with a mountain of books. When she looked up at Shelina, Shelina baulked. She'd never seen that look in Reina's eyes before.

"Did he send you too?" she asked coldly.

"Who?" Shelina asked, frowning. "Lady Reina, I think you're starting to get baby brain. We made this appointment a week ago for you to get fitted into your new maternity clothing, remember?"

In Reina's anger, she had forgotten.

"It's fine, I understand. The news has spread to every inch of the palace, you know. I expect that by tomorrow, the entirety of Virtrie will know about it and by the day after, the entirety of Aquina will," Shelina said cheerfully.

Reina grimaced inwardly. She wondered if her husband truly understood the consequences of his actions as he pandered to Sylvia's whims.

Sylvia. Reina had been trying her utmost not to get involved in their relationship, but that woman had dragged her in anyway.

"Stand up, my lady," Shelina told Reina, who obediently did as she said. "Is it true that the crown prince was turned away from your room last night?"

"Yes." Reina hadn't been sure if Baltic and Reif would listen to her over Delwyn. However, they seemed more than keen to follow her orders – they were gritting their teeth late into the night, unable to believe that the maids who had hurt Leth had merely been sent away on house arrest for three months.

Delwyn seemed to have realized his mistake quite early, though. Reina had exited his office, fuming, and made her way to Leth's quarters, where the handmaid was resting while under guard. Reina hadn't been in the girl's room for more than five minutes when Laiken made his entrance known, upon the crown prince's orders. He healed all of Leth's injuries and gave her a clean bill of health, then stuck around with the two women, having tea in a leisurely fashion.

And that day, the morning after, Reina had decided to seclude herself in her room. Her emotions were chaotic. She had Leth tell Calan to send her some books so she could read in peace. She really didn't want to see anyone, much less her husband.

Unfortunately, Delwyn had chosen that very morning to try and pacify her... by sending stranger after stranger to her room. First it was the royal jeweler. Then it was a designer from some fancy boutique. Then it was another jeweler. Then it was a cartful of sweets from the downtown café.

She had Leth slam her door in their faces.

"Looks like you're still not showing," Shelina remarked. "In which case, you won't be needing the maternity clothes yet. You can just wear your regular ones for now. Send someone to me if your clothes are getting tight, yes?"

Reina nodded.

"Did that siren bitch send back your clothes?" Shelina asked. When she had been told of Sylvia's plot to steal Reina's clothes and jewelry a few weeks prior, Shelina had raged. She and Sylvia were already not on good terms, as Sylvia had dismissed Shelina without notice and chosen to have some boutique designers work on her clothes instead.

Leth and Shelina were convinced it was because Sylvia had heard that Shelina was making clothes for Reina.

"No, but she can have it. I want her to think of me whenever she looks at those items," Reina said and Shelina stared at her for a stunned moment before she burst out into peals of laughter.