The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Seven

Much to her dismay, when Wylda returned to her son's restored quarters, she found the room to be empty. Turning heel, she marched down the hall and heard the combined laughter halfway to the door. She twisted the knob and swung it open, startling the two from their casual embrace- The Prince allowing the faenix girl to play with his hair as he rested his head in her lap.

Ele's hands paused, then quickly removed themselves from his disheveled heap of hair.

A plethora of events had transpired, all surrounding this girl, and now she dare to tempt her son? She beckoned Kaanan forth with a finger. He looked unsure when he dragged himself away from the bed and towards his mother.

"Go to your father, now. He wishes for your presence. I don't have to warn you to be on your best behavior." Absent-mindedly, she began fussing over the collar of his shirt that the creases now ruined the fine, ironed cotton.

"And what of Ele?"

She placed her hand over his chest and looked at the girl, curious about the same thing. "The doctor has set a routine for her and she has clearly been ignoring it. When's the last time she took the pills he laid out for her?"

"Ah..."

"Exactly. My children, you each have more urgent matters to attend to than causing a ruckus so loud that the King himself may hear. Or worse, the gossiping servants."

Ele couldn't tell if the exclamation had been a joke or not.

The future King tore himself from any further questions and left the females to their healing. Assuming what his mother had said was true, it would be unwise to keep father brooding in his study for long.

Realizing that Wylda had to seize the opportunity to sever the sad bond that formed between them that would only destroy them, she sat on the edge of the bed while readying all the pills the girl had to swallow. Without detection, she mixed up two that she recognized should never be taken in close proximity. The two would create a dizzying sleep effect that may last a full day. It would provide plenty of time for the girl to heal without interruptions.

While also allowing the all-knowing plan of protective parents to be executed.

She engaged in mindless chatter with the girl, hoping it came off as such. "I like the pet-name he's given you, I suppose it's a variation your real name?"

Pet name? Is that what they call nicknames? Something in her chest said otherwise.

"It's completely normal for him to denote you as such, given that he's a stronger male who could claim you if ever the want emerged. You're lucky that he wants to continue our family legacy. And that your... Misgivings... Make you otherwise unappealing."

Something was placed in Ele's hand where it lay limp against her thigh, gazing down to where Kaanan's head rested on it. A pet name? She shoved the pills in her mouth without bothering to look at them, following it with a shot of iced water that soothed them down.

A pet name.

It never ceased to amaze her just how lowly she could become.

"Don't fret on it too much. It's just a game to him, he does it with all the girls." The woman waved her hand dismissively, standing to make her leave. On her way out, she gestured to the pile of relics. "I hope you take the time to explore these gifts, there are a few scrolls I believe you'll find intriguing."

Now left alone in her thoughts, Ele couldn't stand the silence. She needed something other than inwards commiseration to fill the void. Since she awoke, she never soaked in the room they provided her. Although it was a confined room compared to the ones she's glanced into since being here, it was roughly twice the size of her room back home.