Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘺

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"Sit," Audrey commanded the fox. The two were sitting on the rug at the front of her room, Audrey facing the animal while Autumn watched her curiously.

She didn't sit. She nipped Audrey's hand instead, and Audrey cursed, pulling it back. She didn't know if it was a sign of affection or defiance.

"Sit!" Audrey was becoming irate.

Autumn blinked.

"SIT!"

Audrey pushed the fox into a sitting position. The fox didn't bite her that time.

"Okay. Let's try again."

Autumn stood back up and Audrey looked at her straight in the eye.

"Sit!" she said forcefully.

That time Autumn sat.

Audrey fed her some berries, ruffling her fur. "Good girl."

The fox rubbed her head against her hand. Audrey smiled before turning as she heard footsteps.

"My lady, your attendance at a banquet is required in half an hour," Alika said, bobbing her head. She had become a lot quieter since Edith had been sentenced to death for treason against the crown, and Audrey pitied her. She was still young and probably worried about facing the same fate.

Audrey didn't want to talk, anyway. She couldn't stop going over all the events that had ruined her piece by piece. She could still remember the red-hot rage she had felt in Ethelind's room. She had tried to kill her cousin. For a moment, she had wanted to kill her. She could still remember the surge of seething hatred that had bubbled up inside of her; everything had disappeared except for a desire to see Ethelind's blood spilling across the rug. But she couldn't bring the same hatred back. She could remember what it had been like, but it was as if all of the fight had died in her and been replaced by a feeling of helplessness.

Her dreams were haunted with death. Sometimes she saw a throne in front of her and found herself scrambling up the marble steps to reach it, only to collapse at the top step in a pool of her own blood, a bloody, pale hand stretched out before her. Once, Thomas had sat in front of her and taken her hand, only to whisper in her ear in Ethelind's voice.

Someday, you'll understand why I do the things I do. Then he had laughed, and his face had melted away into Aldric's, then Lucian's, then Lachlan's, until all she could see was death and she woke up screaming, covered in sweat.

Audrey nodded and stood. Kael had arrived yesterday while she watched from the window. "Set up a bath."

Once the water was heated, she bathed herself in the hot water, scrubbing at her skin until it became raw before climbing out and letting Alika help her into a black dress. She rarely wore black, but she wanted to make an impact and mourn the dead at the same time. The dress was simple but the making of it was perfectly done, the silk imported from the Free Isles and the bodice embroidered in swirling gold patterns. She considered doing her hair differently but found her fingers weaving the same braid that she was used to.

When she dared a peek at her looking glass, her reflection showed a gaunt, ghost-like figure. She touched a hand to her sunken cheeks and ran a finger along her auburn braid. She felt as if she was looking at a stranger, a shadow of what she had been, and turned the glass around to hide herself. She couldn't cry. Not now.

Autumn attempted to follow her out as she left but Audrey turned.

"Stay," she said firmly.

Autumn didn't obey.