Chapter 103
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 103
“If you’ll allow it, I will inspect the ingredients myself. I’m sure that would put Your Highness’s mind at ease as well.”
Thalia gave a dismissive wave, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. The woman took the hint, bowed her head, and slipped out of the room.
Thalia sat before the fireplace for a long moment, watching the embers crackle until a heavy wave of fatigue finally pulled her from her seat. As she sank into the plush sheets, the throbbing pain in her knees began to ebb. The ointment was finally taking effect.
She stared at the ceiling, her eyes tracing the mottled stains in the dim light before turning her gaze toward the window. The sky had bled from a bright amber into a deep, bruised wine-red.
The sun would soon be swallowed by the horizon. Once darkness fell, it would be the perfect time to launch a surprise attack on the enemy.
A flicker of worry crossed her mind—What if Barkas is injured?—but she shook it off immediately. He was the man who had outclassed hundreds of Roem Knights to become Knight Commander before he was even twenty. Wiping out a band of raiders would be child’s play for him.
Forcing the stray thoughts away, Thalia squeezed her eyes shut. As her consciousness began to fade, the distant tolling of a bell signaled the end of the day. Listening to the resonance echoing from the bell tower, Thalia fell into a sleep so deep it felt like slipping into a void.
When she finally drifted back to consciousness, it was the dead of night. Pitch-black darkness had swallowed the room.
Her throat felt parched. Thalia forced her eyelids open, but a sudden, suffocating pressure seized her. She tugged at the neckline of her linen dress, gasping for air. When the sensation—as if an invisible hand were crushing her windpipe—didn’t fade, she crawled to the edge of the bed and reached for the lamp.
A faint orange glow dancing along the wall caught her eye. She turned toward the source and saw the dying embers in the fireplace. Taking a ragged breath, she felt the fading light act like a lungful of fresh air.
Thalia climbed out of bed and hurried to the hearth. A few embers still sizzled amidst the black ash. To revive them, she stacked a few logs and worked the bellows vigorously. The wood puffed out a cloud of smoke before catching, bursting into a bright, cheerful flame.
Her shoulders slumped with relief, but then she froze. A strange sound was drifting in from the distance. It took her a few seconds to realize it was the cry of an animal.
A wild dog?
She walked to the window and cautiously pushed the glass open. A dry, chilly wind bit at her face. Shuddering, Thalia scanned the darkness, following the sound as it grew clearer.
Over the hills drenched in white moonlight, a mournful wailing echoed. Yet, no matter how hard she looked, the beast was nowhere to be seen. Just as she turned her gaze toward the edge of the meadow, wondering if the sound was coming from the forest, a knock sounded at the door.
Thalia’s nerves went taut. “Who is it?”
“Forgive me, Your Highness. I heard movement and wondered if the pain was keeping you from sleep.”
It was the healer of House Sieorkan.
Relaxing her guard, Thalia replied listlessly, “I simply had a restless sleep. You may leave.”
A moment of silence followed. The woman lingered by the door, hesitating before making a cautious suggestion. “If it pleases you, shall I prepare some herbal tea to help you rest?”
Thalia furrowed her brow. Irritation flared when the woman didn’t immediately obey. “I don’t need—”
She cut herself off. She remembered her plan to hand over the medicine this woman prepared to a mage of House Taren for inspection. It wasn’t that she truly suspected the woman of poisoning her, but it never hurt to be careful.
After a moment of deliberation, Thalia spoke curtly. “Fine. Come in.”
The healer entered, carrying a small bundle. Thalia studied her with a searching gaze. The woman looked as though she had just climbed out of bed herself, wearing only a gray robe over a loose linen nightgown. Looking embarrassed, the healer tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear and walked toward the fireplace.
“Please wait a moment. I will have it ready shortly.”
She hung a brass pot over the fire and unwrapped her herbs. After mixing a few varieties and lightly parching them in the pot, she added water from a kettle. Before long, the rich, soothing scent of chamomile and lavender filled the room.
“There, it is finished.”
The woman poured the dark tea and carefully held out the cup. Thalia took it, staring down into the liquid. A faint, sweet aroma suggested honey had been added.
As she sat there savoring the scent, that long, mournful wail echoed once more. Thalia groaned. It seemed the beast was determined to howl all night.
“Close the window. And draw the curtains.”
The woman obeyed immediately, but the animal’s cry easily pierced through the thick glass and heavy fabric. The healer let out a troubled, soft laugh.
“It seems a wolf is desperately longing for someone in this village.”
Thalia let out a dry, incredulous snort. “Are you trying to engage in idle banter with me?”
“It is not that…” The woman looked flustered by the sharp reaction but continued calmly. “In the East, there is a superstition that those who die without receiving baptism are reborn as wild beasts. The cries of animals at night are believed to be songs calling out to the ones they loved in life.”
Thalia scoffed. “Souls that do not receive baptism simply fall into the Abyss and vanish. Do you not even know basic doctrine?”
“…I am well aware of the Church’s teachings.” A bitter shadow flickered across the woman’s face. “But is it not far more comforting to believe that a loved one has returned to your side, even as a beast? Even the priests tend to turn a blind eye to such things.”
Thalia looked puzzled. “Are there really that many people who die without being baptized?”
“Like all citizens of the Empire, we Easterners receive baptism within a hundred days of birth. However… such a blessing is not permitted for a stillborn child, is it?”
Sensing the raw pain in the woman’s voice, Thalia shifted her gaze awkwardly. Had this healer lost a child?
While Thalia fidgeted, unsure of how to respond, the woman offered a soft smile to break the tension. “The tea will get cold. Please, drink up.”
Mindful of the woman’s mood, Thalia swallowed the lukewarm tea. The healer watched her quietly, placed a few medicine bottles on the shelf, and then took her leave.
Thalia lay back on the bed, listening to the wailing as it gradually grew fainter. Perhaps the woman had been hearing a song calling out to her. Maybe that was why she hadn’t been able to sleep.
Thalia idly entertained the thought before shaking the useless reflections from her head. It was hard enough managing her own pain; she had no energy to spare for the burdens of others.
* * *
Whether it was the tea or her own exhaustion, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
She woke feeling more refreshed than she had in ages. As the dawn light filtered through the window, Thalia blinked away the last of her sleep.
Suddenly, she felt a presence nearby. Thinking her nanny had brought water for her to wash, Thalia turned her head—only to startle as cool fingers cupped her cheek.
Her vision snapped into focus. Barkas was sitting on the edge of her bed.
Dazed, Thalia hurriedly pushed herself up. She opened her mouth to ask if he was hurt, her eyes scanning him for wounds, but he caught her chin in his hand. Before she could speak, his lips descended upon hers.