Epiphany

⇞ enchantment ⇞

The eerie silence of the palace was haunting me. Nazereth was not talking to me, he wouldn't even call me down for breakfast. It felt like we were back to where we started from. From the very first day, he detested my presence and never trusted me. And now when he saw that I could enchant people with few words, his trust was fickle.

He couldn't believe a word I say and that was infuriating him. And he knew I can almost feel all his emotions.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he hated me at the moment.

Also since I was poison-free now I could not sleep, my mind was always thinking and overthinking. I would spend my nights in the library and my days in the garden or in the kitchen helping out the cooks who were too afraid to refuse my help. But all that time I never got to talk to King's sister.

After patiently waiting for a week, I decided to make a move first. I missed him and I didn't know what kind of pain he must be going through. He has finally started slightly trusting me and now he must be devastated to feel that my words might not be just simple words.

I made him a Walnut Pie, it took me three tries to bake it to perfection and the whole kitchen smelled divine. The servants were gushing about the taste of the other two as well so I was almost confident when I knocked on his door with a pie in my hand.

"Come in." He said maybe not expecting me to be there.

I walked in and saw him sitting on the settee near the window. His head was hung low and there were injuries on his hand.

Maybe it was the fragrance of the pie or maybe it was my presence, he turned to look.

"You." He said in a tired tone with a slur.

I can take tired over hated.

The pain was evident but besides that, there was frustration, sadness, defeat, and anger.

I placed the Walnut Pie in front of him and bravely sat down on the settee.

"Walnut pie." He said staring at it wistfully and I realized he was drunk.

"I made it," I stated the obvious in nervousness.

"Why?" He asked but his tone implicated that this why has other reasons.

"Because you like it," I answered the most basic one.

"No, no- I," For once he looked at a loss for words.

I waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"Why is everything so difficult for me?" He asked now staring at me and I realized he has cried.

My heart ached for him and I wanted to pull him into an embrace.

"Tell me whatever is hurting you," I said.

"Can't you feel it already?" His tone was coarse.

"I can feel the emotions but not the reason. I can see it if I can touch you."

"Then tell me what I am feeling is it real or fake?" His gaze darkened dangerously.

"And you will believe what I will say?"

"No." He didn't even lie or maybe it was truth spoken in a drunken state," I can't bring myself to trust you after what I saw."

"Because you can't trust my words or can't trust your own feelings?" I said as softly as possible trying to be braver.

He looked taken aback.

"I will not speak then, I will just stay around pretending to be mute and help you as long as you don't trust me again."