Lienna.
I woke up to my entire body aching as if I’d been trampled by a herd of wild horses. The pungent smell of herbs wafted through the air, making my nostrils flare in protest, my throat felt parched and dry, and my gaze hazy as if a veil of fog had descended over my eyes. Coughing slightly, I tried to move, but a wave of agony washed over me, forcing me to curl into myself, my head pounding like a drum.
I closed my eyes, whimpering softly, trying to escape the pain but I was impossible. Every part of me felt like it has been battered to a thousand pieces, I could hardly breath.
“About time you woke up.” A familiar voice spoke, cutting through the haze. I squinted my eyes, trying to make out who it was. The haze soon cleared and Mara’s face came into focus. There was a line of worry etched on her brows, but her eyes was filled with reproach.
I tried to speak, but my voice was painfully hoarse, like I’d been screaming for hours. “What… what happened?” I muttered, my words barely audible. “Why does my body hurt so much?”
Mara cocked a brow, her expression unreadable. “You don’t remember what happened? You don’t remember what you brought upon yourself?” She asked, she asked, her voice laced with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. Remember what? What had happened to me?. One by one, the images came and my mouth fell open in shock. I was being punished by Veronica and I had passed out as a result! Alarmed, I looked around and saw I was back into my small room in the maid’s quarters. Where is the Mistress?
“From the looks on your face, I’m guessing you remember now.” She said as she continued to grind something in a small mortar. I pressed my lips into a thin like, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment as I lowered my head.
Suddenly, she dropped the mortar and glared at me, her eyes filled with fire. “Aren’t you supposed to he steering clear of the Shifter Kings and the Mistress? What did you do to get yourself in this situation!?”
“I swear to you Mara, I was avoiding them. But it seemed like the Mistress was out to get me! We wouldn’t stop bumping into each other!” I rushed out and went into a coughing fit afterwards. Mara helped me calm down before speaking to me in a much more softer tone.
“Still, you shouldn’t have aggravated her so much. I heard from the maids that you hit her. Do you know how dangerous Mistress Veronica is? She would have killed you then and there, Lienna. You’re lucky to be alive.”
I felt a shiver run down my spine as Mara’s words painted a vivid picture in my head. To think the mistress would be that cruel! Mara’s eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if searching for something. Moving closer, she lowered her voice. “I think I entire plan from the beginning was to kill you and you just gave her the opportunity to.” She said and I felt my blood run cold. Is her hatred for me that deep? I didn’t even do anything!
Mara moved back, her hands busy straining a liquid into a small bowl. She poured water into it, then stretched the bowl towards me, urging me to drink.
I squeezed my nose against the pungent smell, but downed the liquid in one gulp, grimacing as the bitter taste made its way down my throat.
Once the bowl was empty, Mara took it and placed it on the bedside table. “I have applied something on your back. It will help the healing process,” she explained, and that’s when I realized my entire body was covered in bandages. I felt a surge of embarrassment, my cheeks burning as I focused my gaze on my fingers.
Mara’s voice broke into my thoughts. “Hopefully, your wounds will heal without leaving scars. The wounds you sustained were gnarly.” She said I bit my lips, my cheeks burning even hotter.
That’s when I remembered something. Looking at Mara, I made to speak. “Somebody walked into us while I was being whipped. Who was it?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“Oh… That was the Dragon king. King Caspian.” Mara responded. My eyes widened, a flicker of surprise going through me. I wasn’t expecting that at all. What would the Dragon king be doing in the dungeons? “If he wasn’t for him, you would have been killed by the mistress.” Mara explained.
I fiddled with my fingers, thinking deeply. “I should thank him.” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
“That would be after your wounds have healed. You can’t do anything right now.” Mara said and I nodded. She stood to her feet, packing all of us the materials she had made use of while treating me, getting ready to leave the room. I stopped when she approached the the door, her hands reaching out to grab the doorknob.
“What about Mistress Veronica? Where is she now?” I asked, feeling my body grow tense.
Mara let out a sigh, her shoulders drooping. “Well, according to what I heard, king Caspian punished her. She is to be in house arrest for a week.” She revealed and I gasped. Of all the things I have heard, this has to be the most surprising.
“I’m sure this would be good news to you. Remember, you need to focus on your recovery. Everything else is secondary.” Mara said before opening the door and walking out, closing it behind her. Once again, I was left alone. I couldn’t help the smile that grew on my lips at the mention of the mistress in house arrest. If only I wasn’t bedridden, I would have celebrated it. I let out a sigh and tried to lay down. Let’s focus on recovery and go ahead to thank King Caspian for saving my life.
.
.
.
After my most of my wounds have healed and I found I could move around without any problems, I immediately went to see the Dragon king. As I approached the door to his study, I saw the familiar figures of the guards standing at attention. I explained my reason for being there, and one of them nodded before disappearing into the room. A moment later, he re-emerged and gestured for me to enter.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the encounter ahead. As I stepped inside, I bowed deeply, my head almost touching the floor. “Greetings, Your Majesty,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
The Dragon King looked up from the papers on his desk, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in my appearance. “Why are you here?” he asked, his voice curt and clipped.
I swallowed hard, raising my head as I began to speak. “I-I just wanted to thank you for saving my life the other day,” I said, trying to keep my words sincere. “I would not have survived if not for you.”
The Dragon King’s expression didn’t change, but his voice took on a hint of anger. “You don’t need to thank me,” he said. “What I need from you is to listen when I give you an order. Did I not tell you to stay away from the rest?”
I trembled, feeling a wave of regret wash over me. Mara had been right; I was extremely lucky to have escaped with my life last time. “I’m truly sorry, Your Majesty,” I whispered, my head bowed in shame.
The Dragon King’s voice was calm, but it brooked no argument. “I would punish you myself, but you are already suffering the effects of your last punishment. So, listen now and stay out of trouble. You’re dismissed.”
I nodded, still bowing my head, and backed away slowly before turning to exit the study. As soon as I was out of sight, I let my legs give way, sinking to the ground in relief.
Well, I clearly deserved that.