The Prince Of Curses h.s.

Twenty six

I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into.

Even Olesia had sleep lingering in her eyes as she entered my room. She came to wake me so early that the sun had yet to make an appearance in the sky. I blinked awake at the sound of her. She came in holding a few pieces of leather clothes draped over her arm and her usual cart that I was sure contained a hot breakfast for me. 

"Good morning," She chimed, lighting a candle in the corner of the room.

"Morning," I barely barked back, my mouth dry from sleep.

I sat up in my bed with a yawn, trying to rid exhaustion that still swirled in my bones. I fell asleep quickly last night, after training with Harry. My magic felt so spent from yesterday that I was desperate for rest to recharge myself. 

Olesia poured a cup of tea, grabbed a plate from her cart, and brought them both to me— nothing short of her regular routine. I grabbed both from her, ignoring the food and taking the warm cup between my hands. A shiver ran up my spine as the heat transferred into my palms.

She laid the clothing neatly across my bed, her eyes turning to me, "you'll be wearing riding leathers for your journey. I'll have a few extra pairs packed for you."

I nodded, sipping my tea. Olesia did her normal routine: picking up clothing, making the bed, dusting a few places. It wasn't soon before I changed into the riding leathers. This was the first time in a while that I hadn't worn a dress. The feeling of the leather tightly constricting my skin felt odd compared to the open and unconfined fabrics I was used to. 

I looked myself over in the mirror before I sat down. The dark leathers hugged my body and accentuated my natural curves. I was in dark ebony pants with black boots and a matching jacket. My necklace and tattoo were hidden under the material.

I haven't truly seen myself like this, the dresses I wore usually hid and swallowed my figure. I had definitely lost weight from being here, not a lot— but enough for me to notice. I wasn't sure if it was due to the fact that I wasn't constantly around fresh pastries and sweets or that little wisp of depression I felt when I initially got here.

Either way, I was beginning to feel different— feeling like I was growing into myself. I couldn't even imagine the girl I was when I first got here, and in a way, I liked that.

I sat in the vanity chair as Olesia came behind me. Today she braided my hair behind my head, tying it off at the end. When she was done I reached around and threw my braided ponytail over my shoulder, so it fell over my chest. The brown strand of hair that matched Harry's curved through the blond braid. I stared at myself, straightening my neck, holding up my posture, and reminding myself to carry confidence in my strides.

"Olesia?" I called. Olesia turned, raising her eyebrow in question. "Do you mind adding that snake pin to my hair?" 

She nodded and walked back over to the vanity. She dug through the jewelry box that sat neatly on the vanity table and pulled out the gold clip. I watched as she clipped it in the back of my french braid, and I felt as if it truly matched this outfit better. 

Once the sun began rising, Olesia grabbed the bag she had packed for me and lead me outside.

The air was crisp and dewy when I stepped outside. Light sounds of birds chirping floated through the air. Autumn had surely made its appearance. The trees around us were shifting from green to yellow and leaves floated along with each morning breeze. Olesia carried a bag for me, which I assumed contained necessities needed for our multi-day trip. 

We walked down a trail that was farther than I expected. My nerves began to curl in my stomach once I saw the outer wall of the castle and a large back gate that separated the castle from the twisting woods.