Free Web NovelChapter 25: Promises in a Silent Room
Chapter 24: Promises in a Silent Room
Lyria’s POV
I hoped that this was enough. I would look for a way to get more if the Queen still decided to punish me by not giving my mother treatment. But for now, I hoped this was enough.
I gathered her hand in both of mine. Her fingers felt thinner than they should have.
They felt so light that with just a few movements it felt like they would snap in two.
"M-Mama," I said again, softly this time.
I smiled, even though she could not see it.
"You d-don’t have to w-worry about me."
The words came out slowly, but since I was calm, my stutter was reduced.
When I was with her, I could speak freely with only a few stutters in my words. Perhaps it was because she calmed me down. I didn’t know.
"I’m doing w-well, Mama," I murmured. "R-Really."
I brushed my thumb lightly over the back of her hand.
I could see her looking at me with that perfectly raised eyebrow of hers, as if in doubt.
"I’m really doing well," I said. "I’m even s-saving money... for b-both of us."
The promise warmed my chest as I spoke it aloud.
"I know it w-will take time... but we w-will l-leave one day. I-I know we will."
I leaned closer, lowering my voice as though she might wake at any moment.
"I-I h-have l-learnt w-work," I continued softly. "A-and... I can sell my s-sketches."
A faint, foolish smile curved my lips.
"I r-really can," I told her. "A-and I’m better than before. You did say that I just had t-to practice more."
I imagined it—my small drawings, my quiet corners of charcoal and light, turning into coin.
"We can use it to m-make m-money," I whispered. "A-and we’ll g-get o-out of h-here."
I squeezed her hand gently.
"You s-shouldn’t worry about me, M-Mama. The K-King... he... h-he t-treats m-me w-well."
The lie tasted thin. The King did not care about me. The Queen used every opportunity to use my mother’s health against me. The King supported Jacinta in everything she did. But I didn’t want to worry my mother. It was better if I lied to her instead.
It was better she heard good things. Perhaps if she did, then she would regain consciousness.
"And I’m e-eating pro-properly too. I ate steak this morning. We’ve never had it before, but it’s very delicious," I told her.
I had never had steak before, and I hadn’t even eaten since the early hours of the morning either. I only said what I imagined steak would taste like.
"I k-know y-you were afraid they’d treat me l-like a servant, but they don’t. The Queen even l-lets me see you," I told her. "B-but I’ve been so occupied that I c-couldn’t visit you as much as I wanted to."
I brushed a stray strand of hair away from her forehead.
"I’m going to take you out of here."
The words settled into me like a vow.
"A-and then we’ll get a little c-cottage."
Somewhere with clean air. Somewhere with windows that opened onto trees instead of stone. A place far from the royal family.
"Just you and me, and we’ll live in peace. L-like those stories about the p-princesses," I told her.
My throat tightened.
"I know the G-goddess will h-help y-you."
I leaned closer until my forehead nearly touched hers.
"She will make y-you better."
I reached for the small cloth at the side of the bed and dipped it lightly into the bowl of warm water left there by the attendants.
I wiped her hands.
Her arms.
Her face.
I did it slowly and carefully too, as though tenderness itself might coax her back.
When I finished, I folded the cloth and set it aside.
Then I bowed my head and said a quiet prayer to the goddess to give both my mother and me strength and to help my mother recover.
I had no idea if the goddess could hear my prayers, but it was better to have faith and hope in something, even if it was not real, than not have faith in anything at all.
I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"I have to g-go now," I murmured. "But I p-promise, I-I’ll come back."
I kissed her hand.
Then the other.
"P-Please... don’t give up. We have so much to do together."
I smiled at her, even though she could not return it.
And then I stood quietly.
I drew my hood low once more, opened the door just enough to slip through, and I sneaked out of the room.
I first made my way to my chambers, where I changed out of my clothes. I was first going to the library to pick up a book and then go to Patricia. She was teaching me how to read and write, after all.
It was a slow process, because I couldn’t always visit Patricia, and there was also the fact that she was mute, so it was extremely difficult.
I could speak, but I couldn’t read nor write, so Patricia was teaching me.
I made my way to the kitchens, where I snacked on hard bread and cheese with milk. Then I stole an apple and kept a piece of bread and cheese for Patricia. She didn’t like drinking the milk, so I didn’t bother bringing it to her.
I really wished I could get more for her, especially with the fact that she was malnourished and hadn’t had good food in a while because I hadn’t been able to visit her.
Perhaps I could steal another apple?
I turned back to the kitchens and discreetly picked another one. I hid them all beneath my gown and then moved to the library.
The library was one of my favourite spots in the palace. It was huge and filled with books. Books had always interested me, even though I couldn’t read them. My mother didn’t know how to read, so she couldn’t teach me. She only knew how to sketch and embroider.
The daylight cast upon rows and rows of books in the library. It was very quiet. People hardly ever used it, after all.
I walked around, searching for the book Patricia and I had used the last time. I had just picked it off the shelf when I turned and locked eyes with forest-green orbs staring back at me.
They were not pale like the Duke of Blackmere’s, but they were beautiful all the same. The owner of the eyes adjusted his glasses and frowned at me.
"I had no idea servants were allowed in the royal library," he said, "or is this not the royal library?"
