It is the season for love and murder in the court of Ravaeryn.
After a chance encounter one winter night, Lady Catarina de Fontaine had fallen hopelessly in love with Julian, the Crown Prince. However, upon discovering his untruthfulness, she immedi...
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1711, Aethiel Palace, Kestramore City
ONE WHOLE WEEK had passed since the girls were first brought over to the palace, and instead of lounging around in silks and going to balls, they were given tasks to do in the kitchen, toiling away until their backs became sore and their legs felt stiff.
Only at night did they have the opportunity to rest, and most of the girls fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow, as did Catarina. The sleeping quarters were cold and dingy, so she curled up under the blanket like a little kitten, eyes tightly closed. Then, in the wee hours, the doors to the quarters opened and shut, followed by soft footsteps, gently treading on the dusty floor.
The noise was subtle, but it was more than enough to arouse Catarina from her sweet slumber. Groggily, she sat up. On the other end of the room near the door, she saw Eleanora slowly walking towards her bed, her back bent and her hands pressed against her lower stomach.
Catarina's sleepiness quickly vanished, and once her vision cleared, she could see the large patch of blood on the back of Eleanora's skirt, spreading all over the hip area.
"Eleanora!" she whispered urgently as she rushed over to the young girl. "Are you alright ? Has your monthly cycle come ?"
Eleanora glanced at her, her eyes dazed, as if locked in a trance. Then she smiled mildly and nodded her head. "I suppose so."
Her appearance was odd too, her hair completely disheveled, and her neck was bruised, her lips swollen. Catarina did not comment on the hair, as her own hair now resembled a bird's nest, but she could not explain the bruises.
"How did you get a bruise on your neck ?" she chuckled. "You must be very clumsy." Catarina had lifted Eleanora's hair to inspect the bruise, but she did not expect for her to briskly step away, leaving Catarina's hand stretched out mid-air.
"I am alright," Eleanora quickly said. "Let us get some sleep."
Catarina frowned as she watched Eleanora hobble all the way back to her bed and crawl into the blanket, not at all making a sound. Of course, the sheltered and innocent Lady Catarina would not understand what had happened to Eleanora, and the event of that night was eventually forgotten, never to be speaken of ever again.
♤
The very next morning, the second that was awaited by all the girls finally arrived, and instead of being sent off to the kitchen, one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting came to summon them to the Queen's private sitting room.
The linen dresses were switched to more presentable muslin ones, which were still a far cry from the robes a'la francais that Catarina was used to, but it was an upgrade nonetheless.
The white fabric contrasting with her long, curly dark locks appeared charming indeed, and her mother's opal locket laid neatly against her collarbones, completing the ensemble.
