She walked toward Ena, aware of how unsure her steps felt. She'd been dismissed for the day, and it was finally time for dinner.
"I'm here for food," she said, her voice a little uncertain. "Please?"
Ena stared at her for a long moment, eyes unreadable. Then, without a word, she turned to a large pot by the side. With a ladle, she scooped something into a shallow plate—something that might have been soup. Murky and oddly colored, it smelled... strange.
"Here" Ena said shortly, shoving the plate into her hands before walking away, giving her no chance to ask what kind of food it was
Valérie stood there, staring down at the contents. Small pieces of potato floated in the liquid, but that was all she could make out. After all the grandeur she'd seen in this place, this was what they served the workers?
Her stomach growled.
Clutching the plate, she turned and walked back to her room. She hadn't eaten all day—her appetite had fled hours ago, but now hunger gnawed at her, leaving her lightheaded.
Sitting at the small desk, she picked up the spoon. She hesitated, nostrils flaring as the smell hit her again. It smelled like food—but also not quite. Something about it made her stomach twist.
Still, she forced it down, each spoonful a small act of will. When she finished, she took the plate back to the kitchen. A few of the maids glanced her way, their expressions unreadable—some curious, others perhaps judgmental.
She ignored them, keeping her head down, and returned to her room.
Once there, she washed her face at the basin, letting the cold water cool her cheeks. She stripped off her gown, putting on her nightwear, and slipped beneath the thin sheets of the bed.
Sleep took longer to come than she expected
---
The Vampire -
She was late again—this time by an hour.
But he said nothing. He would give her a little more time.
After another hour of waiting, he made a decision. He called in a guard. "Go check why the girl is late."
The guard nodded swiftly. "Yes, my king"
When the guard arrived at her door, he knocked several times, his voice rising with each attempt. "Miss Valérie?" No answer.
He hesitated, a sense of unease settling in his chest. With no response, he pushed the door open cautiously.
Inside, he found her in bed, writhing slightly, her face contorted in pain. Her forehead was slick with sweat, and her movements were slow, sluggish
His heart ached for a brief moment, an unexpected pang of sympathy catching him off guard.
Approaching her cautiously, he knelt by the bed, his voice soft but firm. "I'm going to take you to the physician now, alright?"
She didn't respond immediately, her eyes barely fluttering open. When she finally nodded, too weak to protest, he put the blanket over her to avoid carrying her to the physician in her nightclothes and carefully lifted her into his arms, his heart heavy as he felt the delicate weight of her against him.
Without another word, he moved swiftly toward the physician's quarters, his steps measured as he carried her.
When they arrived, the physician immediately took charge. After a quick examination, he sighed. "It's food poisoning, spoiled food. Nothing too serious as she has gotten treated on time, but she's dehydrated and her body still needs to purge. I'll need to give her some remedies and fluids. She should rest for a while."
The guard nodded, his mind still focused on how pale she looked. Though he wasn't panicked, the image of her in pain stayed with him, more than it probably should. He leaned against the doorframe, trying to appear indifferent as he watched the physician work.
"How long will she need to rest?" he asked, his voice casual, though he was clearly more interested in her well-being than he let on.
"Probably just a day or two of rest. Keep her comfortable, and she'll recover quickly."
The guard nodded, glancing at her lingering for a while as the physician worked
After a few minutes, he finally excused himself and returned to Dravenor. The lord was waiting in his study, his expression unreadable as he glanced up.
"Well?" Dravenor asked, his voice smooth but impatient.
"She's suffering from food poisoning, my lord, apparently she had eaten spoiled food" the guard reported, keeping his tone neutral. "The physician said it's nothing serious, just dehydration. She'll need a day or two of rest."
Dravenor nodded, his face betraying nothing. "Keep an eye on her. Let me know if it worsens" "and call me the head maid"
"Yes my lord" The guard bowed and left
____
The princess -
Valérie finally woke up after her second nap, groggy but far better than earlier. Orien had stopped by not long ago, claiming to be checking on their translator, and now she was left alone with the same guard who had carried her to the physician.
She'd thanked him already, not wanting to disturb him further—but he had insisted on staying.
Noticing her shift upright, the guard sat forward, more alert.
"Are you alright now?" he asked, his voice warm with concern.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."
"The maid Ena was it" watching her nod...." has been sent out" he said " His majesty has ordered the head maid to solve the problem"
Her mind flashed to the murky soup and the cold glances from the maids.
"Well" he began, trying to lighten the mood, "since you're off duty for two days and I'm free today…let us go for a ride?"
She almost declined on instinct—but paused. She didn't know this place. Every bit of exploration could help.
"Since you're not allowed beyond the gates yet," he added with a grin, "come on… follow me."
He held out a hand, waiting.
After a beat, she placed hers in his, and he tugged her gently to her feet.
They walked out into the cool afternoon, stopping at a large shed—more like a stable, really. Several horses stood inside, all sleek and groomed. One caught her eye in particular: massive, dark, almost unnatural-looking. It looked like it could bite someone in half and wouldn't feel a thing.
The guard ; Jared as he'd introduced himself earlier pulled her to stand in front of another horse, it was smaller than the one she had seen but also majestic. He turned to her with a smirk, "This is my horse. Let's take a ride."
She hesitated, eyeing the horse
But Jared was already lifting her with both hands at her waist, helping her up. She could've done it herself, but she didn't mind the help and also because she wasn't supposed to exert herself today
He climbed and sat in front of her and she appreciated it, because it would be awkward if his body was sitting behind her
Then he dashed forward, the wind hitting her face