Chapter 4-The Sleeping Chambers

I had no idea how I managed to drift off to sleep that night. My Aunt Iris's voice circled endlessly in my mind, taunting me, mocking me, tormenting me. They reminded me of something that I wanted so badly, but I could never have. 

The grief I felt in my chest was indescribable. It felt as if there was a tight knot placed inside my stomach, and it was getting tighter as each second ticked by. I felt too numb to cry. Everything hurt.

Deep down inside, I suspected that his health had deteriorated beyond repair, but I never had the confidence to voice these suspicions aloud. It was almost as if I believed that if I ignored the elephant in the room it would go away unnoticed. But of course, that was not the case. 

I couldn't stand the thought of never seeing father's rosy smile, or hear his rumbling laugh or see his contagious smile again. It filled me with affright. I only had Aunt Iris left in this world.

When I caught sight of streams of sunlight appearing from the tips of the horizon, I was up on my feet. I had work to do, I had money to earn, I had a family to feed. I had a purpose and a reason to continue fighting onwards. 

Although the thought of breakfast sounded comforting, I found that I couldn't bring myself to eat anything. I was just ready to get to the palace and continue with work. 

Aunt Iris stayed in her room all morning and I didn't see nor peep nor hair of her. By the strange snivels that I could hear, she was taking the news just as bad as I was. It was strangely soothing. At least I knew that I wasn't the only person who was experiencing the same pain that I was feeling. 

I walked out onto the cobbled streets with a grave expression planted on my face. I tried to flash my neighbours an enervated smile, but nothing came. My cheek muscles were rigid. No matter how much effort I put into feeling happy, I only got the same vacant, uninvited, wretched feeling of sadness back. 

Keeping my head down, I passed through the streets, avoiding everybody's gaze. My downcast expression attracted a couple of concerned looks, but I made it to the palace without any real excitements. 

Upon nearing the extravagant palace, I walked inside and slipped down the same stairs as I ran down yesterday. When I reached the kitchen, Haidyn was chatting amicably to the other servants armed with a basket of washing. She looked so relaxed and joyful, her whole face lit up like a lightbulb. I stood in the door frame, unseen by the servants, watching intently. 

The other girls were gushing all over her, their admiration in their faces unmissable. Somehow, that made me feel even more hopeless. I never could have that effect on anybody. I could never hold up a conversation as happy as that one looked. 

"—and then she tripped over, and I felt so bad for her," I heard Haidyn giggle, beaming from ear to ear, "but then she saw the funny side to it afterwards."

That's when I began to wonder, was I jealous of Haidyn and her amazing social skills and good looks? Was I a really horrible person? 

A wave of guilt suddenly crashed over me. How could I think like that towards Haidyn whom I had much to be grateful for? 

"Tell us another story!" A younger girl with blonde hair scraped back into two pigtails had begged, slipping her hand into Haidyn's, "I love hearing you talk. Your voice is so pretty." 

I felt a sudden sharp pain on the left side of my chest. All the emotions that I had been bottling up since the previous night suddenly poured out in one immense, tsunami-like action. I stood there and sobbed. I sobbed so hard that my shoulders were shaking irrepressibly and that my legs gave way, making me crash onto the floor in an undignified heap. 

I didn't fully know who I was crying for. Part of me ached for my father, part of me wanted everything to go back to how it used to and another part of me just wanted me to be the perfect person that Haidyn was. I bet she had the perfect life with lots of siblings, a kindly mother and a hard-working father. 

 The sounds of the servants chattering faded away and soon all of them were staring at me. I hadn't realized just how much noise I had been making. 

Haidyn and Mahra were at my aid in an instant. They both placed a reassuring arm on my shoulders, talking to me in hushed murmurs. It made me want to scream. The servants were looking at me as if I were some kind of sad performance they were watching whilst Haidyn and Mahra were treating me like a frightened puppy. 

"Heliodora, don't cry," Mahra hugged me, "What's troubling you, sweetie?"

I didn't answer her and doubled over in a fresh wave of sobs. Haidyn handed me a handkerchief, stroking my hair back and forth until I had quietened. Somehow, that had angered me. Seeing Haidyn act in such a godly manner made me compare myself to her in a new light. She knew exactly what to do in that situation, coming to my rescue like a good-natured angel. 

"We're worried about you," She whispered into my ear, "Is there something happening at home?"

"That does not concern you," I snapped back at her, pulling away slightly. It had come out a lot harsher than I had meant it to. "And that does not concern any other person in this room other than myself."

Haidyn looked momentarily stunned. She brushed my comment aside, shifting a little closer to me. She raised her arm to hug me, but I shrugged it away.

"Heliodora, what's wrong?" Haidyn asked me in an injured voice. I felt a sharp twinge of guilt when I saw the hurt flash across her eyelids. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, but we want to help you."

My fists clenched once more. This feeling of anger was something I hadn't properly felt before as strongly. I wanted to smash things, I wanted to hit something, I wanted justice. My father did not deserve to die.

 "Well, I don't want your help," I sneered back. Several of the other servants gasped whilst others turned their backs on me in disgust. Most continued watching as if it was a really engrossing book they were reading. 

"You don't mean that," Mahra interjected, peering at me closely, "Something's bothering you. What is it, pet?"

"Like I said. It's none of your business!" I yelled those last words, pushing Mahra and Haidyn backwards away from me. 

They both stared at me, looking anxious, distressed and very uneasy. What annoyed me the most was the fact that neither was looking angry. I felt like engaging in a fight, I felt like taking my anger out on somebody. 

Two more tears rolled down my cheek, forcing me to hastily dab them away with the handkerchief. After I had finished, I aggressively tossed it right back at Haidyn. 

"Besides, you probably wouldn't care if I had told you anyway," I added bitterly, before dissolving into more hysterical tears. The servants had backed away from me slightly, eyeing me apprehensively. That only added to the inferno blazing inside me. 

I realized that I needed to be alone before I ended up hurting somebody. I threw one final contemptuous look at Haidyn before turning on my heel. Running up the stairs two at a time, I only had one goal in my mind. Hide. 

I could hear a pair of muffled footsteps from behind as I broke out into a run. I was being chased. 

I skedaddled down the corridors, passing a large variety of rooms that I never even knew existed. The palace was like a twisted maze in my eyes, full of dead-ends, sharp turns and unexpected obstacles. After starting, I found I couldn't stop running. My legs were moving subconsciously, knowing fully well that I could not rest until I was alone. 

Without thinking, I tore up a flight of stairs leading upwards, forgetting about the royal sleeping chambers being there. It was early in the morning, there was a high chance that everybody would be sleeping, meaning the guards were about. However, that thought didn't occur to me. 

My mind was only semi-aware of what was going on. The guards were onto me, I could hear more distant yelling from behind. But I kept on running, without giving them a backwards glance.

This was one of the reasons why I ended up crashing into the heir to the throne. 

She was stood in front of her sleeping chambers, having just aroused from her slumber. She was wearing a long, beige dress and her hair was in a messy plait. Her appearance came off as quite normal like she had no royal connections at all.

I saw her appear in my view before I could fully stop my speed. In the end, I had ended up knocking her straight onto the floor and had landed on top of her. 

Her eyes registered shock, terror, and alarm before she gently pushed me off. I rolled onto my side, breathing heavily, having not quite processed exactly what had happened.

The yelling was gradually getting louder and louder. I began to panic, wondering whether I should clamber to my feet and continue speeding down the corridors again. Realization kicked in, I was far too tired to move and completely out of breath. It was no use.

"I'm being chased," I panted looking down at the girl, "I'm very sorry, your majesty. It won't happen again."

"You claim that you are being chased?" She asked, meeting me in the eyes. That's when I noticed how perfect her brunette, chocolate-box eyes really were.

"Yes, your highness." 

Without a moments pause, she gripped my arm tightly, pulling me into her personal sleeping chambers. Just as the door shut, we heard the guards footsteps thud past and fade away until silence. 

I let out a sigh of relief, having caught my breath back. I looked over at the heir, unable to express how grateful I was into comprehensible English.

"Your highness-"

"You can call me Adeia," She cut across me, a glimmer of a smile forming on her face, "I never quite understood or appreciated such formalities. It never made me feel content." 

I was chewing on my lip. I could never imagine not calling somebody as royal as the future heir to the throne as their first name. Still, it wasn't like I could disobey her orders.

"Adeia," Her name rolled off my tongue like a spell I was transfixed too. I couldn't get over how pretty and perfect it sounded. Adeia. A true name for somebody as pretty as she was. "I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for that." 

My eyes skimmed over Adeia's facial features. She was so naturally pretty, despite having just woken. With tanned skin, narrow eyes, a perfectly positioned nose and a symmetrical face, she was truly a gift from the gods.

"May I ask how did you get into a situation such as that?" She quizzed, raising one eyebrow playfully. "Do not fear, this little secret can stay between us."

Letting out a deep breath, I told her the entire story from start to finish, including how I really felt inside. Adeia was a fantastic listener. She didn't interrupt or add any of her own input whilst I was telling the story. She gasped at all of the right parts and flashed me a grin whenever I mentioned something humourous. I lived for her smile. It was just so perfect.

When I had finished, she was peering up at me, studying my expression. I blushed, turning my gaze down to the floor, feeling extremely self-conscious. 

"I'm sorry to hear of the tragic loss of your father," Adeia responded, softly touching my cheek with her finger. "I send you and your Aunt Iris my condolences." 

"Thank you, your maj-I mean Adeia." 

She smiled at me, pulling me into a timid hug. I patted her back, feeling extremely overwhelmed and not quite believing what was happening. I couldn't believe I was hugging the future queen of Eresus. 

"I believe that the coast is now clear for you," She pulled away from the hug and stood up, not taking her eyes off mine. "It has been nice meeting you and yet I still do not know your name."

"My name is Heliodora," I told her nervously, "Thank you, Adeia. This has been very pleasant."

She pulled open her bedroom door and I stepped out, feeling like I could burst. Adeia flashed me a beam before disappearing behind a door. Even though I could no longer see her face, I could picture every detail about what she looked like.

How could somebody be so drop-dead gorgeous?