Part 25

I turned to look at him, not wanting to look away from the pretty scene in the garden before me but it was rude to not watch someone when they were talking to you.

“We found you on the floor after the curtain rod fell on you, but how did you get there? Why were you over there? Was something wrong? Were you looking for someone?”

I wanted to see the stars, I was trying to get to the window so I could see them. I would have walked over and moved the curtain aside, but I was having trouble doing that. I looked down at my legs, I wondered if they were any better now. Will I be able to walk tonight? I still wanted to see the stars, and I wanted to go and get some things from the rooms of my parents and uncles and cousins and some things from my brother’s side of our room.

I drew my arms further into the sleeves of my father's to-big sweater. It wasn't what I asked for this morning, but I was certainly very happy to be wearing it. It felt so formatting, almost like he was still here and giving me a little hug. It made me want to gather things from all the rest of my family even more. I wanted to be surrounded by them in whatever way I could be now, to be with them even if it was just with their things.

“Princess?”

“I want to sleep in my parent's room.”

Lionel went quiet, a perturbed look on his face. We stared at each other for a while in silence, the snow falling past the window casting little dancing shadows into the rest of the room.

“Are you sure?” was all he asked, worried about painting his features. “The last time… it made your condition worse the last time.”

“I want to be in their room.” I curled up more into my father’s pale green sweater. Lioenl’s eyes bored me as he considered it.

“Ok. Let's go get you set up in there then, it's about time for you to take a little nap anyway. Are you done with your tea?”

I nodded softly, letting him take the little teacup away from me and set it back down on the tray that sat on the table to my left. He gently picked me up and took me into the hall.

“Please fetch the head of the house staff, the princess would like to sleep in her majesty’s quarters tonight, so we need to make some arrangements,” he spoke to one of the guards that stood by the door, I recognized him. He was one of the ones who often sparred with my cousins during their sword lessons.

He nodded and rushed off, leaving the other young man to guide Lionel down the long hall, up the curving staircase, and towards my parent's room.

The door must have been locked, because instead of entering he helped me sit into one of the hallway’s chairs as we waited for whoever he had sent to be fetched.

“Princess.” He was speaking quietly again, I must have gone into a little daze again. “If it gets too much, just let me know. It won't be any trouble to get you back to the guest room where you’ve been staying.”

I nodded to show I understood and he smiled again.

We had to wait for a little while, it felt much longer but perhaps that was just because I longed to be in my parent's room again.

Sometimes, when my brother and I were much smaller, our mother and father would let us sleep with them in their massive bed. We would spend all night curled up against them, falling asleep listening to their voices rumble in their chests as they spoke of the day's events or told us little stories. We would wake up to our mother curling his fingers through our hair and our father’s golden eyes gazing at us like we were the world.

Their room was a dark gray with accents of greens and gold. Mother always had vases filled to bursting with flowers and herbs and whatever other greenery he could find all around their quarters. Their bed was made of black wood with four posters carved with dragons curling around them as they climbed towards the canopy at the top. The canopy was made of wood too, with visions of mountains and the heavens carved and painted into the underside of them, so you could see the pictures when lying in bed. In the summer light, gauzy fabric in pale colors would hang and drape over the canopy top and down the sides, making it seem like it floated in the middle of the room as if any breeze would sway the swaths of curtains around the bed. In the winter heavier curtains would be drawn tightly around the bed at night to keep it warm and cozy on the inside.

“Hello again Sir Lionel.'' The sound of a stiff voice came from down the hall as the guard from earlier returned and took his place on the other side of me. The man he brought with him was Clahadore. He served under my Uncle Daro, who was in charge of all things relating to the palace's upkeep and staffing. I suppose with Uncle Daro gone, Clahadore had taken charge of his duties.

“Clahadore, The princess wishes to”

“To sleep in their majesty’s chambers, yes I am aware.”

I didn't have much interaction with Clahadore, but I can remember I never really liked him. He didn't like my Uncles and I think that was why, though if he was always this standoffish then perhaps that was another reason.

“Brilliant, the door please then.”

“Would it not be better for her higHer Highnessep in her chambers?”

“The princess has requested to sleep in their Majesties', I'm sure you can understand why a grieving child would wish to do so, yes?”

“She isn't a child, she's the princess of this empire. She should sleep in her chambers until the master chambers are empty and set up properly for her.”

“She is a child, regardless of status.” Lionel gritted out, gesturing something to the two guards next to me, “Besides that, the chambers of the royal family are not to be disturbed. Maintained, but not changed. I believe we discussed this already?”

“We have.”

“Brilliant.”

The two guards next to me hadn't moved when Lionel motioned to them, instead, they were glancing back and forth between the two as they argued.

“The door then.” Lionel waved at the door behind him

“No, I think not.”

“Pardon?”

“You are from here Sir Lionel so I shall pardon you. Around here rulers do not just move into their predecessor's quarters before they are cleaned out and prepared. The princess should remain in her rooms until these are ready.”

“Clahadore, unlock their master's chambers.”

I hadn't seen Lionel mad before, but I think that if this goes on any further then I will soon.

“I outrank you here and I will not allow such a -”

“I would like to sleep in my parent's room tonight.” I finally spoke up, causing both men to whip their heads around to me.

“Princess I will have these rooms ready for you by the end of the week, until then-”

“I don't want them changed.” I stared at him, a frown pulling at my mouth “I want to sleep in my parent's room.”

“Well, I-”

“She outranks you here Klahadore” Lionel was grinning wide as he once again gestured towards the door, “So please do unlock the door from her highness.”

Clahadore set his jaw, glaring daggers at Lionel, before turning and bowing to me as he went to do just that.

Lionel picked me up and walked me into my parent's room, as we passed Klahadore I reached out causing him to stop.

“Yes, princess?” Clahadore’s smile was sickly sweet and seemed too tight for his face.

“The key please.”

“Pardon?”

“I don't want any of my family’s rooms touched, none of their things. So I want the key.”

I would need it to get into their rooms later to gather some treasures and things to curl up with. I hadn't thought about whether the rooms would be locked or not earlier but if the key to all their rooms was here I may as well grab it.