"Trudy, how is a coat going to help me right now?" You muffled agitated at your lady's maid, as you leaned against the fence of the ship you were on. "My apologies, can I get you a glass of water?" "I'm going to regurgitate Trudy. Do you think water can stop that?"
Ships were never your thing. Anytime you were forced to ride one it always ended in being bedridden and fed warm soups and teas to calm your stomach from the excessive amount of emptying its contents along the entire trip. One might be wondering why you, at your own will, would voluntarily go on a ship this day.
Just as your lady's maid was comforting you, your commanding officer, Rico Breznska, came out from the office of the ship to greet you. "Your grace are you alright? Do you need.." Before Rico could finish her sentence you were already hunched over the ship fence, emptying your stomach. You slumped down to the floor and leaned against the fence.
Just two weeks prior your younger sister, Queen Historia Reiss sent word to you and informed you of her late father's passing. There was no way you would be letting your sister deal with the trivialities of becoming queen alone. So, you immediately packed your bags and left for the kingdom of Eldia. The reason it wasn't you who was going to become queen is because you were not a legitimate claim to the throne–you only had half the royal bloodline.
Historia had never been alone before. She always had the company of her father or a frilly dog to keep her occupied. In her early years she had you to entertain her. But, at the age of fifteen you were required to leave Eldia to take your father's place as Duchess of Calaneth, leaving Historia to live alone with her father, King Rod Reiss.You and Historia's mother had died when you were both very young. After giving birth to Historia, the late queen had fallen ill and succumbed to her sickness. You never remembered much about it considering how you were only five but it never failed to dull your happiness when you thought about it now at the age of five and twenty.
"Get her a towel Trudy." Rico patted Trudy on the back, slightly pushing her away.
"Yes miss."
"We're almost to the port, your grace. Look, let me help you up." Rico grabbed underneath your arms and helped you back up. You, slightly leaning on her for stability as your body was sore from your rigorous cascades.
Once you finally arrived at the port you were helped down from the ship and practically carried to a carriage.
"I apologize for my rudeness earlier, Miss Trudy." You cleared your throat at the end trying to look anywhere but in front of you at the poor woman who was just trying to do her job.
"No need, your grace. I am alright."
The capital of Eldia was always known to be beautiful. Full of life and fun because the queen and king really cared for their people. Extraordinarily so that not a single Mitras citizen ever went hungry or without roofs over their heads. Over the course of the war against the Marleyians, that beauty deteriorated. The castle no longer allowed citizens in and they were faced with famine in the villages from lack of resources. That once paradise of a city turned into indigence and a despondent population almost overnight.
The cracks were shown through the state of the villages leading from port to castle. Children working to make ends meet, parents crying over their lost children, people eating almost anything they could to stay alive. You couldn't help but shed a tear over the state of this once utopia, Mitras, Eldia.
"Here take this handkerchief your grace."
"Thank you Trudy." You wiped your tears, shutting the curtains of the windows to keep yourself from looking. You needed to stay strong for your sister.
