Free Web NovelChapter 355: Chapter 355
Morning crept in quietly, pale light filtering through the gaps in the heavy curtains, and the faint sound of shuffling stirred her from the last fragile threads of sleep. The noise pulled her fully into consciousness, sharpening her awareness of the room around her.
Still, she kept her eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep as she listened carefully to the movements of whoever else was in the room with her. For a brief, dreadful moment, she wondered if Hairan had returned from wherever he had stormed off to the night before.
But the footsteps were too light for his.
There was more than one person in the room.
She was painfully aware that she still lay sprawled on the cold floor, clad in nothing but her thin shift. The fire in the hearth had burned out sometime in the early hours of dawn, and the chill had crept into her bones. Her joints felt stiff from the cold, her limbs heavy and reluctant to move. Then she heard the low murmur of female voices, and the weight that had been pressing against her chest all night eased slightly.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. Three maids moved about the chamber with brisk efficiency. Two of them carried steaming buckets of water toward the bathing chamber, their arms straining slightly under the weight, while the third knelt before the hearth, carefully arranging fresh logs.
The door opened again just as Elka pushed herself into a seated position.
A sharp gasp sounded behind her. She turned to see a fourth maid standing near the doorway. The woman’s gaze was fixed on Elka’s back, more precisely, on the dark bloodstains that marred the pale fabric of her shift.
"My lady— I mean, Your Highness." The maid corrected herself quickly, her face draining of color. "Your shift... it has bloodstains."
The woman appeared older than the others, her expression more polite despite the horror flickering in her eyes. A head maid, perhaps.
Elka noted the confusion and alarm etched across the woman’s features. At the mention of blood, the memories of the previous day surged forward to the forefront of her mind. The wedding ceremony, the feast, and later, the way Hairan had stripped her of every stitch of clothing and the way he had sneered at her body afterwards. The recollection twisted painfully in her chest.
"Oh," was all she managed in response.
The other maids must have noticed her condition earlier and gone to summon the head maid.
"Alright, all of you—out." The older woman’s tone left no room for argument.
Within moments, the other three hurried from the chamber, the door closing behind them with a muted thud, leaving only Elka and the head maid in the vast, echoing space.
The woman crossed the room swiftly and knelt before Elka, who still sat on the floor. She placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder, her touch surprisingly tender.
"Your Highness, your back... are you all right?" she asked softly.
Elka found herself staring at the woman’s face, at the genuine concern shining in her eyes. The tenderness there nearly stole her breath. Not even her own mother had looked at her with such open worry while she had been flogged. The irony of it was both bitter and heartbreaking—that a stranger should offer her more compassion than her own blood ever had.
"I’m all right," Elka replied.
It was a lie, but it was an easy one. fгeewebnovёl.com
She allowed the woman to help her to her feet. Her legs trembled faintly.
"Is my bath ready?" she asked, her voice steadier now.
"Yes, Your Highness," the maid answered with a respectful nod.
"Good. Please have fresh clothes laid out for me to change into." She hesitated, her brows drawing together. "Where were my things kept?"
She had only been permitted to bring a fraction of her belongings yesterday. The rest were meant to arrive today.
"They have been placed in your chambers, Your Highness."
Your chambers. The words settled over her slowly. Separate chambers. Hairan had insisted upon separate living quarters.
It was truly a blessing. She would have space of her own and the thought of sharing a bed with him night after night was almost too dreadful to contemplate.
"I can help you bathe, if you wish," the maid offered gently, though it was likely beyond her assigned duties.
Elka summoned the faintest of smiles. "I would appreciate that. Thank you."
She crossed the room and stopped before the tall, full-length mirror. For a moment, she simply stared at her reflection. The kohl beneath her eyes was smudged, giving her a hollowed appearance. Her hair, once meticulously arranged, now hung in disarray around her shoulders.
Without regard for modesty, she slipped her fingers beneath the hem of her shift and pulled it over her head. The fabric fell soundlessly to the floor. She felt the maid’s gaze linger briefly on the dried blood between her thighs but the woman remained respectfully silent.
Elka turned slightly, angling herself toward the mirror to catch sight of her back. The angry welts crossed her skin in harsh lines. She heard the maid draw in a sharp breath behind her. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
When Elka glanced at her reflection again, she could almost see the unspoken questions flickering across the maid’s face.
Was this the prince’s doing? The thought undoubtedly crossed her mind, yet she would never dare to ask. Instead, the maid spoke carefully. "I have a salve I can apply to prevent scarring, if it pleases you."
Elka did not respond immediately. Her gaze remained fixed on the ruined canvas that was her skin. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but at the same time it carried the weight of all the pain she had suffered along the years.
"It’s difficult to look at, isn’t it?" she murmured, not truly seeking an answer.
"I’m having trouble looking at it myself."
The maid understood and remained silent.
Tearing her eyes away from the mirror, Elka stepped toward the bathing chamber. Steam curled into the air from the prepared tub, carrying with it the faint scent of lavender. The warmth beckoned her forward, promising at least a moment’s reprieve from the cold and her stuff joints.
She winced as she eased herself into the large copper tub, her breath hitching when the warm water closed around her. It lapped gently at the angry welts on her back, soothing and stinging all at once. The heat seeped into her aching muscles, coaxing a fragile kind of relief from the pain that had settled deep beneath her skin.
The maid was at her side instantly, her movements gentle. She worked with quiet focus, pouring warm water over Elka’s shoulders before reaching for a clean, soft cloth. When it came time to tend to her back, she handled her as though she were made of fragile glass. The cloth was dampened again and again, wiping the area to remove the dried blood without reopening the wounds. Elka clenched her jaw and gripped the rim of the tub, determined not to make a sound.
By the time the maid finished, the bath water was tinged pink. Afterward, the maid helped her out of the tub before hurrying from the room to retrieve the salve. The chamber felt too large and too quiet in her absence. Elka stood stiffly near the hearth, the warmth from the fire brushing against her damp skin.
The maid returned moments later, carrying a small jar. She dipped her fingers into the salve and applied it carefully to Elka’s back. The ointment was cool, herbal, and its scent was oddly comforting.
"The queen’s breakfast will be served any moment now," the maid said as she worked. "Her Majesty will be expecting you to join her."
Elka released a quiet breath through her nose and inclined her head in acknowledgment.
When the salve had been fully applied and the maid began to lay out her gown, Elka spoke again, her tone firm. "I would like for what you and the other maids saw to remain between us. I would hate for my condition to be used to fuel idle gossip among the servants."
The maid paused, then bowed her head respectfully. "I understand, Your Highness. I will not speak a word of it."
Elka did not believe her. She might promise her silence now but she wouldn’t hesitate on any detail if the queen were to ask.
The door creaked open and her heart jumped into her throat. For a fleeting second, she braced herself, expecting to see Hairan standing there once more. But it was not her husband who stepped inside.
It was his brother. One of the twins.
They were so alike in features that at times it was nearly impossible to distinguish between them. They were the same height, had the same jawline, and the same commanding presence. Yet something in the set of his shoulders, in the easy assurance of his stride, told her this was Prince Azul.
He moved farther into the chamber, each step self-assured and exuding lethal grace. There was something undeniably masculine in the way he carried himself, confidence that seemed effortless, as though the world had never once refused him anything.
