Lily went looking for Liora throughout the entire house but couldn’t find her. As planned, Liora and Roseria were taking a walk in the white-flowered garden behind the estate.
Liora glanced at her. "Do you walk every day?"
"Not really. I just didn’t want to sit around all day. But back at the palace, I do it to avoid my embroidery lessons."
"Ah."
Roseria sighed. "I’m terrible at it anyway. My roses end up looking like crushed insects."
Liora smiled at her. "At least they have character."
They both fell silent again. A bird hopped along the hedge beside them.
"Well... that’s sothing, I guess." Roseria walked a few steps ahead before glancing back. "You don’t have to keep three paces behind. I’m not your mistress."
Liora caught up with her. "Princess?" she asked. Though Roseria was kind and informal, Liora still felt the gap between them. Roseria was royalty. She was a commoner.
Roseria humd in response. She had been feeling guilty since yesterday—ashad of her mother’s behavior toward Liora.
But Roseria was busy admiring the garden full of white flowers, while Liora had just rembered sothing. She’d called Roseria but then got distracted by a patch of snow-petaled blooms.
Oh, that woman... Liora slapped her forehead lightly, rembering the poor patient. She failed to notice that Roseria had stepped quite close.
"Nothing," Liora muttered in response to a question Roseria hadn’t asked.
Roseria didn’t reply. The gravel crunched beneath their slippers as they turned a bend.
She eyed the shrubs. "They haven’t trimd these in ages."
"I suppose the flowers don’t mind," Liora said making Roseria hum faintly in agreent.
Then she asked casually, "Do you know if tea is served here in the afternoons? Or are we expected to suffer quietly until dinner?"
"I can ask Madam Beatrice." Liora suggested her.
"Good. I don’t suffer well on an empty stomach."But soom their so called walk was interupted.
Lily ca hurrying down the path, brushing a few petals from her sleeves as she approached.
Breathless, she called out, "My lady! There you are... I’ve been looking all over."
Liora, slightly startled, asked, "Is sothing wrong?"
Lily’s eyes flicked to Roseria, then back to Liora. "Um, not wrong exactly. Just... there’s a situation. A small one."
Liora blinked at her,. "What kind of situation?"
Lily leaned in a little. "The, uh... the guest in the other room is feeling a bit... faint. Or not faint. Just... needing attention."
Roseria said softly, "Oh dear. Soone’s unwell?"
Lily replied too quickly, "Not unwell! Just... very tired. All of a sudden. It happens, you know, with... people."
"Was it the stew? Sotis too much ginger causes dizziness. Should I send for tea?" Roseria was concerened.
Lily fidgeted. "No tea! No herbs. Not a food thing. More like a... long nap. Voluntary. But important."
Liora finally caught on, her eyes narrowing faintly. "...I see."
Roseria tilted her head. "Should I help? I’ve been trained in fanning soone back to alertness."
Lily, slightly panicking, said, "No fans! Definitely no sudden movents. Just... let them rest. In peace."
Roseria let out a soft gasp. "They’re not... dead, are they?!"
Liora, alard, quickly said, "What?! No! No, no. Resting! Just resting! Like a cat curled in the sun."
Hiding a smile, Liora added, "I should go."
Roseria replied earnestly, "At least take a damp cloth? Or so salt for the tongue?"
Lily, choking a little, said, "No tongue! I an, there’s no need for that."
Liora touched Roseria’s arm lightly.
"Co inside if it gets cold. You don’t need to wait here."
Roseria nodded, a little flustered. "I will. I just... needed the quiet."
Liora gave her a soft smile. "Alright."
Lily tugged her away, muttering sothing unintelligible. Once they disappeared through the hedges, Roseria sat down on a stone bench with a soft plop, frowning slightly.
"To herself," Roseria muttered, "That didn’t sound like a cat. Or a nap. Or anything normal, really."
She crossed her arms.
"I don’t like riddles. I like facts. Like, why is everyone always resting when I’m around?"
She huffed once, then sat still again, cheeks puffed with confusion.
Liora glanced sideways at Lily, her voice low, edged with suspicion. "You weren’t in your quarters last night. Were you with Dr. Cecelia?"
Lily nodded, composed. "Yes, I was. A case took longer than expected, and I stayed with her until this morning."
Liora gave a small, thoughtful nod. "And the patient?"
There was a pause. Just long enough for Liora to notice the shift in Lily’s expression. She wasn’t looking at her now.
"The sa patient," Lily said carefully. "But it’s... not what you think."
Liora slowed, confusion furrowing her brow. "What do you an? Who is it?"
Lily ca to a stop. Her fingers twitched as if grasping for the right words. "It’s Lord Lucien," she said at last. "He asked for you, my lady. He wanted you to be inford."
The na hit harder than expected. The earth beneath Liora’s feet seed to tilt slightly. Her chest tightened. The air, just monts ago crisp and cool, now felt thick, pressing in around her.
"Lucien?" She whispered, barely able to voice the na.
Lily nodded, speaking quickly, as if to soften the blow. "Yes, my lady. He’s been resting and recovering in the won’s quarters. He’s requested your presence. There’s nothing to be concerned about."
Liora stepped back instinctively, the movent subtle but sharp. Her thoughts raced.
He knows.
She had overheard more than she should have. And if Samuel had spoken to him...
He must’ve told him everything.
Her pulse quickened. Her breathing hitched, and before she realized it, her feet were already moving, drawn forward by a mix of dread and inevitability.
"He knows," she murmured to herself, "He must know."
Lily kept pace beside her, quietly guiding her down the hallway toward the won’s quarters. Liora didn’t realize it at first, but her steps had already begun to lead her there her body was moving on autopilot while her mind remained a whirlwind of unease.
"How did he find out?" she murmured under her breath, more to herself than anyone else.
Lily’s voice ca gently but firm enough to keep her grounded. "My lady, Lucien isn’t angry. He simply asked for you. That’s all."
Liora’s voice quivered as her heart began to race. "He... wanted ? But... why?"
Lily’s eyes shimred, emotion flickering across her composed expression. "For help. Or perhaps just to talk. He’s been quiet. You’ll understand more once you see him."
Before Liora could ask another question, they reached the door. It stood before her like a silent threshold she hadn’t prepared to cross. Lily offered a small, understanding smile as she nudged her forward.
"I’ll wait outside," she said softly. "He’s expecting you."
Liora inhaled deeply, her fingers curling tightly around the fabric of her gown. Lucien. The man who had always kept his distance,
Now he wanted her? Her stomach churned violently, It was a strange feeling
’was it butterflies, or an entire jungle caught in a storm?’
She knocked on the door.
To her surprise, it wasn’t Lucien who answered, but Dr. Cecelia. The woman stepped aside briskly, motioning them in with an urgent flick of her hand.
"Co in....quickly."
Without a word, both won stepped inside. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Cecelia reached out and cupped Liora’s cheeks, studying her face closely.
"Oh hey," Cecelia murmured, brushing her thumb lightly along Liora’s jaw. "Are you alright?"
Lily’s gaze swept across the room. "Where’s Master?" she asked, scanning for any sign of him. Liora’s eyes, too, were drawn to the empty space.
"He just stepped out," Cecelia replied, still focused entirely on Liora. "Only a minute ago, maybe less."
"But... Master asked to bring Lady Liora," Lily said quickly, casting a glance toward Liora as if afraid she might feel deceived or tricked.
Liora said nothing. She stood still, letting Cecelia examine her face, her mind flickering between suspicion and concern.
When Cecelia finally stepped back, Liora glanced toward the bed in the corner of the room.
"Is she awake?" Liora asked quietly, already beginning to move toward her.
"She is," Cecelia said, holding up a hand to pause her. "But not yet. You can see her after. Right now, I need to check you."
"Check ?" Liora was in confusion . "Why?", she tilted her head to the side.
Cecelia didn’t answer right away, only gave her a look that said "You’ll understand soon enough."
Liora flinched as Cecelia suddenly peeled off the cotton patch from her cheek. It didn’t hurt but the unexpectedness of it startled her.
"Doctor..." Liora murmured, her fingers instinctively rising to her face. She touched the skin gently, feeling the rough, dried remnants of ointnt beneath her fingertips.
"Sorry," Cecelia said without missing a beat. "You shouldn’t talk much....Master Lucien asked to check on you."
Liora blinked, surprised. "Lucien... did?"
She didn’t an to sound so doubtful, but her brows had already drawn together. "Why would he.....?"
"I don’t know what you are talking about," Cecelia replied honestly, then offered a small smile. "But he also asked if you could assist in treating the woman here....if you’re able."
Liora stared at her, dumbfounded. "He said that?" she asked, pointing to herself, unable to mask the disbelief in her tone.
Cecelia only nodded ehrn she saw Liora’s reaction.
Suppressing the whirlpool of emotions churning inside her, Liora exhaled slowly and said, "Okay."
With Lily’s help, Cecelia carefully cleaned the area on Liora’s cheek. The coldness of fresh ointnt replaced the old, and the scent of sothing floral drifted up.
Liora caught the sll and narrowed her eyes slightly. "Did you use snowpetal?"
Cecelia’s smile grew. "I did. If snowpetal tea could heal that patient so quickly, then freshly ground paste should do wonders too." She nodded proudly, clearly pleased with her little experint.
Liora couldn’t help but feel a bit at ease. She had only t Cecelia the day before, yet the woman’s tone was warm, it made her feel as though they’d known each other longer.
Afterward, the three of them, Cecelia, Liora, and Lily, spoke briefly about a few other herbs. Liora’s familiarity with dicinal plants sparked further conversation, and it seed to surprise Cecelia just enough to make her curiosity bloom. Liora offered two or three additional redies, and Cecelia listened, intrigued.
Then Cecelia ntioned it. "The woman moved her arm this morning," she said softly, as if worried speaking too loud might jinx it. "Just a little. But it’s a good sign."
Liora’s eyes lit up. A sliver of joy stirred in her chest. She was helping. Truly helping.
Just a day before yesterday, Beatrice had assigned her mundane household chores. She hadn’t minded, even enjoyed the simple rhythm of it, but this was different. This was aningful.
After a bit more experinting with new redies, most of them born from common kitchen ingredients, Liora eventually stepped out of the room. Lily remained behind for a mont, but Liora paused in the hallway.
She was smiling.
The mont might have been small, but it made sothing in her settle. For the first ti in what felt like forever, happy.
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